William Winston Seaton

William Winston Seaton (born January 11, 1785 in Virginia , † June 16, 1866 in Washington, DC ) was an American politician . Between 1840 and 1850 he was Mayor of Washington City.

Career

Nothing is known about William Seaton's youth and schooling. He later worked in the newspaper industry. Before 1813 he went with the newspaper The National Intelligencer a partnership with his brother-in-law Joseph Gales (1786-1860). Gales was also mayor of the federal capital between 1827 and 1830. For many years the two also printed the minutes of the congress sessions. Between 1834 and 1856 they published 42 volumes on the debates of Congress between 1798 and 1824 under the title Annals of Congress . These represent an important source for historical research to this day.

Between 1819 and 1831 Seaton was a member of the Washington City Council. In the 1830s he joined the Whig Party , which was then founded . In 1840 he was elected mayor of the federal capital. He held this office after four re-elections between June 8, 1840 and June 10, 1850. It is worth noting that until 1871 the mayor of Washington did not administer the entire District of Columbia . The then independent city of Georgetown provided its own mayor until 1871. During Seaton's time as mayor, the city's educational system and infrastructure improved. At that time telegraphs were introduced and gas lines were installed. The water supply has also been reformed.

After the end of his time as mayor, Seaton continued his journalistic activities. He was also a member of several organizations and associations. He died of skin cancer in Washington on June 16, 1866 and was buried in the local convention cemetery.

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predecessor	Office	successor
Peter Force	Mayor of Washington 1840–1850	Walter Lenox

personal data
SURNAME	Seaton, William Winston
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	January 11, 1785
PLACE OF BIRTH	Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	June 16, 1866
Place of death	Washington, DC