Seth Low
Seth Low (born January 18, 1850 in Brooklyn , New York , † September 17, 1916 in Bedford Hills , New York) was an American educator and politician ( Republican Party ). He was the last mayor of the independent city of Brooklyn, president of Columbia University , diplomatic representative of the United States of America and mayor of New York City .
Early life
Low was a student at what was then Polytechnic Preparatory High School , now Poly Prep Country Day School , in Brooklyn and Columbia College . Low, whose father Abbot Abiel Low was one of the leading traders in China, spent several years in the family business in the 1870s. In 1880 he married Anne Wroe Scollay Curtis. He became mayor of Brooklyn in 1881; in doing so he succeeded his grandfather, who had also been the mayor of Brooklyn. He ruled for two terms until 1885, but his support for Grover Cleveland in 1884 angered the population, which is why he was not re-elected for a third term.
President at Columbia University
After serving as Brooklyn Mayor, Low assumed the presidency of Columbia College in 1890, which he held until 1901. During that time, he directed the facility's move from Midtown Manhattan to Morningside Heights and changed its name to Columbia University . The new campus was fully integrated into the city. Low spent $ 1 million on a library built on Columbia University's new campus in 1895. He dedicated it to his father, from whose legacy it was built and opened in 1897.
On July 4, 1899, he was one of the American delegates to take part in the international peace conference in The Hague .
Mayor of New York City
Low ran for president of the university for mayor of the newly consolidated City of New York. During his election campaign he had the support of the humorist Mark Twain . With the support of both his own and the Democratic Party , he won the mayoral election. Some of his achievements include improving the city's education system and lowering taxes. Despite these seemingly impressive accomplishments, he was mayor for only one year and was replaced in 1903 by George B. McClellan Jr. , son of Civil War General McClellan .
Next life
He was chairman of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama from 1907 until his death in 1916. From 1907 he was also chairman of the National Civic Federation . Low died on September 17, 1916 at his Bedford Hills home.
literature
- Low, Seth . In: Encyclopædia Britannica . 11th edition. tape 17 : Lord Chamberlain - Mecklenburg . London 1911, p. 72 (English, full text [ Wikisource ]).
Web links
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Anderson Van Wyck |
Mayor of New York City 1902 - 1903 |
George B. McClellan Jr. |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Low, Seth |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American educator and politician (Republican Party) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 18, 1850 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 17, 1916 |
| Place of death | Bedford Hills , New York |