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1844–45 Boston mayoral election
← 1843 Dec. 9, 1844 (1st vote)
Dec. 23, 1845 (2nd vote)
Dec. 30, 1844 (3rd vote)
Jan. 13, 1845 (4th vote)
Jan. 20, 1845 (5th vote)
Jan. 30, 1845 (6th vote)
Feb. 12, 1845 (7th vote)
Feb. 21, 1845 (8th vote)
[1][2]		 1845 →
Mayor before election

Martin Brimmer
Whig

Elected Mayor

Thomas Aspinwall Davis
Know Nothing

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The 1844–45 Boston mayoral election saw the election of Native American Party (Know Nothing) nominee Thomas Aspinwall Davis as mayor of Boston. The election took eight votes, as no candidate secured the needed majority in the first seven attempts. Incumbent Whig Party mayor Martin Brimmer was not a nominee reelection.[1]

Background[edit]

The election marked the rise of the city's newly founded Native American Party (Know Nothing) organization.[3] The election was characterized in part as a race between Presbyterians, largely regarded as backing the Native American Party cause, and the Unitarians, who were seen as backing the Whig Party.[4][5] It was alternatively described as reflecting dividing lines between party-line Whigs, locofocos, nativists, and abolitionists.[6]

Candidates gallery[edit]

Know Nothing nominee
Thomas Aspinwall Davis
(Businessman)
Nominee for all votes
Whig nominees
Josiah Quincy Jr.
(former president of the Boston Common Council) 		Thomas Wetmore Samuel Atkins Eliot
(former mayor) 		William Parker
(Boston alderman)
Nominee for 1st vote Nominee for 2nd & 3rd votes Nominee for 4th vote Nominee for 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th votes
Democratic nominees
Adam W. Thaxter Jr.
(merchant) 		Charles Gordon Greene
(publisher of The Boston Post) 		Peter T. Homer
Nominee for 1st vote Nominee for 2nd, 3rd, & 4th votes Nominee for 5th, 6th, & 7th votes
Whig Young Men's nominee
William T. Eustis
Nominee for 5th vote

First vote (December 9, 1844)[edit]

Candidates
Result

The Boston Post noted that the results did not reflect the typical party-alignment in elections held in Boston.[7] Since no candidate received a majority of the vote, there was no winner.[1][7]

Boston mayoral election first vote (December 9, 1844)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Whig Josiah Quincy Jr. 4,457 41.19
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,017 37.12
Democratic Adam W. Thaxter Jr. 2,115 19.55
Scattering Other 232 21.44
Total votes 10,821 100

Second vote (December 23, 1844)[edit]

The Whig Party parted with Quincy as their nominee and instead nominated Thomas Wetmore as their nominee for the second vote of the election.[11] With Thaxter, declining the Democratic party's nomination Charles Gordon Greene was nominated in his place.[12] Coinciding with the second vote was a similar second vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.[13][14]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election second vote (December 23, 1844)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 3,907 38.89
Whig Thomas Wetmore 3,767 37.56
Democratic Charles Gordon Greene 2,282 22.75
Scattering Other 90 0.90
Total votes 10,030 100

Third vote (December 30, 1844)[edit]

Coinciding with the third vote was a similar third vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.[15]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election third vote (December 30, 1844)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,031 40.19
Whig Thomas Wetmore 3,456 34.46
Democratic Charles Gordon Greene 2,419 24.12
Scattering Other 124 1.24
Total votes 10,046 100

Fourth vote (January 13, 1845)[edit]

Wetmore declined to run again and the Whig Party instead nominated former mayor Samuel Atkins Eliot.[16]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election fourth vote (January 13, 1845)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 3,993 40.65
Whig Samuel Atkins Eliot 3,712 37.79
Democratic Charles Gordon Greene 2,056 20.93
Scattering Other 63 0.64
Total votes 9,824 100

Fifth vote (January 20, 1845)[edit]

The previous round's Whig nominee, Eliot, declined to run again. In their place, the party nominated William Parker.[17] The Previous round's Democratic nominee, Greene, also declined to run again.[17] He was replaced by Peter T. Homer.[18] A meeting was held at which the Whig Young Men's nominated William T. Eustis. It was speculated this was done with hopes of having him be a spoiler candidate and split the Know Nothing vote to prevent a Davis victory.[17]

A coinciding fifth vote was also held for the final two aldermanic seats, which saw victors emerge.[18]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election fifth vote (January 20, 1845)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,289 46.39
Democratic Peter T. Homer 1,855 20.06
Whig Young Men's William T. Eustis 1,503 16.26
Whig William Parker 1,499 16.21
Scattering Other 99
Total votes 9,245 100

Sixth vote (January 30, 1845)[edit]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election sixth vote (January 30, 1845)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,436 45.10
Whig William Parker 3,851 39.15
Democratic Peter T. Homer 1,513 15.38
Scattering Other 37 0.38
Total votes 9,837 100

Seventh vote (February 12, 1845)[edit]

By the time of the seventh vote, the Boston Tribune, a Whig newspaper, was conceding that they did not believe that their party did not stand a chance of ultimately prevailing in the mayor's race.[20]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election seventh vote (February 12, 1845)[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,343 47.57
Whig William Parker 3,341 36.59
Democratic Peter T. Homer 1,430 15.66
Scattering Other 16 0.18
Total votes 9,130 100

After the vote, a reporter wrote,

It is evident to close observers here, that the subject of religious opinion has much to do in the matter, or other word, that it is a contest in part between Orthodox and Unitarian sects. The former set have thrown their influence for the Natives and the latter for the regular Whig candidate. But for this unhappy division, the regular Whig ticket would have succeeded at the first trial. It is now confidently anticipated by all that the native candidate will be elected.[4]

Eighth vote (February 21, 1845)[edit]

The Democratic Party opted not to contest the eighth vote, leaving the vote to be a two-way race.[5] Davis won and was elected mayor.[1] He took the oath of office on February 27, 1845.[22]

Candidates
Result
Boston mayoral election eighth vote (February 21, 1845)[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Know Nothing Thomas Aspinwall Davis 4,865 50.93
Whig William Parker 4,366 45.70
Scattering Other 322 3.37
Total votes 9,553 100

Summary table of all votes[edit]

1844–1845 Boston mayoral election results
Vote round Whig Party Know Nothing Democratic Party Other candidates
Nominee % Nominee % Nominee % Candidate %
1st Josiah Quincy Jr. 41.19 Thomas Aspinwall Davis 37.12 Adam W. Thaxter Jr. 19.55 — —
2nd Thomas Wetmore 37.50 38.89 Charles Gordon Greene 22.72
3rd 34.46 40.19 24.12
4th Samuel Atkins Eliot 37.79 40.65 20.93
5th William Parker 16.21 46.39 Peter T. Homer 20.06 William T. Eustis 16.26
6th 39.15 45.10 15.38 — —
7th 36.59 47.57 15.66
8th 45.70 50.93 — —

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown, 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822: Also of Various Other Town and Municipal Officers. City of Boston Printing Department. 1909. pp. 50–51. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Votes for Mayor of Boston, from 1841 to 1849". Boston Evening Transcript. November 23, 1849. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "The "Native" Party—It's Past, Present, and Future". New York Daily Herald. February 5, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Boston City Election". Public Ledger. February 13, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d "Election in Boston-A Choice at Last". Public Ledger. February 24, 1845 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "The Times". Boon's Lick Times. February 1, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c d e "The Boston Election". The Evening Post. December 11, 1844 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Mayor of Boston". Baltimore Daily Commercial. December 19, 1844. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Boston Municipal Election". New-York Tribune. December 11, 1844 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ O'Brien, Megan (February 23, 2021). "Luxury Home of the Week: For $7.35m, a 22-room Beacon Hill home". www.boston.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "Baltimore Daily Commercial 19 Dec 1844, page 1". Baltimore Daily Commercial. December 19, 1844. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Mr. Thaxter...". The Times-Picayune. December 31, 1844 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c d "Boston Municipal Election". New York Daily Herald. December 25, 1844. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b c d "Boston Election". The Buffalo Commercial. December 27, 1844. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c d "No Mayor Yet". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 2, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d "Boston Municipal Election". Weekly Columbus Enquirer. January 29, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Boston Mayoralty". The Louisville Daily Courier. January 25, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b c d e "Boston City Election". Hartford Courant. January 22, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b c "Boston". Brooklyn Evening Star. February 1, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Boston Election". The Louisville Daily Courier. February 3, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b c "Seventh Failure". The Pittsfield Sun. February 20, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Mayor of Boston". New York Daily Herald. February 28, 1845. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1844%E2%80%9345_Boston_mayoral_election