Benjamin Wright Raymond

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Benjamin Wright Raymond

Benjamin Wright Raymond (born June 15, 1801 in Rome , New York , †  April 6, 1883 in Chicago , Illinois ) was an American politician . In the years 1839 and 1840 and again from 1842 to 1843 he was mayor of the city of Chicago.

Career

Benjamin Raymond graduated from the St. Lawrence Academy in Potsdam (New York) and a school in Montreal . He then worked in commerce in East Bloomfield . From 1836 he worked together with his partner Simon Newton Dexter in Chicago in the real estate industry. There he embarked on a political career as a member of the Whig Party . In 1839 he was elected third mayor of Chicago to succeed Buckner Stith Morris . He prevailed against the Democrat James Curtiss , who later also became mayor of this city. Since he was defeated by Alexander Loyd of the Democratic Party in the following election , he was initially only able to serve one term as mayor between 1839 and 1840. During this time Fort Dearborn came into the possession of the city of Chicago.

In 1842 Benjamin Raymond ran successfully against incumbent Francis Cornwall Sherman for his return to the office of mayor. He completed another one-year term and then returned to his private endeavors. Together with Dexter, he built the first textile factory in the state of Illinois in Elgin, just outside Chicago. He also became president of the Fox River Railroad . He was also involved in founding Lake Forest University and the city of Lake Forest , also near Chicago. From 1864 he ran a watch factory in Elgin. He died in Chicago on April 6, 1883.

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