Abram Hewitt: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American politician and businessman}}

{{Infobox_Biography |

{{more citations needed|date=August 2022}}

subject_name = Abram Stevens Hewitt |

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

image_name = Abram Stevens Hewitt.jpg |

{{Infobox officeholder

image_caption = |

| name = Abram Hewitt

date_of_birth = [[1822]] |

| image = Hewitt, Hon. Abram S. of New York Trim.jpg

place_of_birth = [[Haverstraw, New York|Haverstraw]], [[New York]], [[USA]] |

| image_size =

dead=dead|

| caption = Portrait by [[Mathew Brady]] {{circa}} 1875–1879

date_of_death = [[1903]] |

| office1 = 87th [[Mayor of New York City]]

place_of_death =

| term_start1 = January 1, 1887

| term_end1 = December 31, 1888

| predecessor1 = [[William Russell Grace]]

| successor1 = [[Hugh J. Grant]]

| state2 = [[New York (state)|New York]]

| district2 = {{ushr|NY|10|10th}}

| term_start2 = March 4, 1881

| term_end2 = December 30, 1886

| predecessor2 = [[James O'Brien (U.S. Congressman)|James O'Brien]]

| successor2 = [[Francis B. Spinola]]

| term_start3 = March 4, 1875

| term_end3 = March 3, 1879

| predecessor3 = [[Fernando Wood]]

| successor3 = James O'Brien

| office4 = Chairman of the<br />[[Democratic National Committee]]

| term_start4 = 1876

| term_end4 = 1877

| predecessor4 = [[Augustus Schell]]

| successor4 = [[William H. Barnum]]

| birth_name = Abram Stevens Hewitt

| birth_date = {{birth date|1822|7|31|mf=y}}

| birth_place = [[Haverstraw, New York]], U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1903|1|18|1822|7|31|mf=y}}

| death_place = [[New York City|New York City, New York]], U.S.

| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]

| resting_place = [[Green-Wood Cemetery]], [[Brooklyn]]

| alma_mater = [[Columbia College (New York)|Columbia College]]

| signature = Signature of Abram Stevens Hewitt.png

}}

'''Abram Stevens Hewitt''' ([[July 31, 1822]]{{snd}}January &ndash;18, [[1903]]) was aan American politician, educator, [[teacherironmaking]], [[lawyerindustrialist]], anand [[iron]]lawyer manufacturer,who was [[UnitedMayor Statesof Congress|U.S.New Congressman]],York and a [[City|mayor]] of [[New York City]]. for Hetwo wasyears thefrom son-in-law1887 ofto [[Peter1888. Cooper]]He ([[1791]]-[[1883]]),also twice served as a famous [[United States Congress|American]]U.S. [[industrialistCongressman]], [[inventor]],from [[philanthropist]]{{ushr|NY|10|New andYork's (during10th thecongressional [[U.S.district}} presidentialand election, 1876|Hayes-Tilden campaign]]) chairman ofchaired the [[Democratic National Committee]] from 1876 to 1877.

The son-in-law of the industrialist and philanthropist [[Peter Cooper]], Hewitt is best known for his work with the [[Cooper Union]], which he aided Cooper in founding in 1859, and for planning the financing and construction of the [[Early history of the IRT subway|first line]] of what would eventually develop into the [[New York City Subway]], for which he is considered the "Father of the New York City Subway System".<ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 8, 1904 |title=The Great Subway |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MaIeAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA321 |magazine=The Week's Progress |___location=New York, NY |publisher=The Wilson Company |page=321 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>

== Subways ==

==Early life==

Hewitt is best known for his work with the [[Cooper Union]] and in planning the financing and construction of a [[subway]] system for [[New York City]], and is considered the "[[List of people known as the father or mother of something|Father of the New York City Subway System]]".

Hewitt was born in [[Haverstraw, New York]]. His mother, Ann Gurnee, was of French [[Huguenot]] descent, while his father, John Hewitt, was from [[Staffordshire]] in [[England]] and had emigrated to the U.S. in 1796 to work on a [[steam engine]] to power a water plant in [[Philadelphia]].

Hewitt earned a scholarship to attend [[Columbia College (New York)|Columbia College]]. After graduating from the college in 1842, he taught [[mathematics]] there, and became a lawyer several years later.{{when|date=August 2022}}

== Childhood, education ==

From 1843 to 1844, Hewitt traveled to [[Europe]] with his student, [[Edward Cooper (mayor)|Edward Cooper]], the son of industrialist entrepreneur [[Peter Cooper]], and another future New York City mayor. During their return voyage, the pair were [[shipwreck]]ed together. After this, Hewitt became "virtually a member of the Cooper family", and in 1855 married Edward's sister, Sarah Amelia.<ref>''The Dictionary of American National Biography'', Oxford University Press, (2000)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030708023915/http://www.ringwoodmanor.com/peo/ch/abram/ah.htm "Cooper Hewitt Family at Ringwood Manor"]</ref>

Hewitt was born in [[Haverstraw, New York]]. His mother was of French [[Huguenot]] descent and his father, John Hewitt, was from [[Staffordshire]] in [[England]], and had emigrated to the U.S. in [[1790]] to work on a [[steam engine]] to power the water plant in [[Philadelphia]].

==Corporate career==

Hewitt worked his way through college and graduated from [[Columbia University|Columbia College]] in [[1842]]. He taught [[mathematics]] at the school, and became a [[lawyer]] several years later.

[[File:Abram Stevens Hewitt.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Hewitt {{circa}} 1855–1865]]

In 1845, financed by Peter Cooper, Hewitt and Edward Cooper started an iron mill in [[Trenton, New Jersey]], the Trenton Iron Company, where, in 1854, they produced the first structural [[wrought iron]] beams, as well as developing other innovative products. Hewitt's younger brother, Charles, was a manager at the iron mill. Hewitt also invested in other companies, in many case serving on their boards.<ref name=encnyc2>Mushkat, Jerome. "Hewitt, Abram S(tevens)" in {{cite enc-nyc2}}, p.594</ref>

Hewitt supervised the construction of the [[Cooper Union]], Peter Cooper's free educational institution, and chaired its board of trustees until 1903.<ref name=encnyc2 />

== Business, civic leader, reformer ==

==Political career==

In [[1845]], Hewitt went into business with [[Edward Cooper]], a son of [[Peter Cooper]], and formed [[Cooper, Hewitt & Co.]], an iron-making firm. He was known for dedicated work for the U.S. government and exceptionally good relations with his employees. He helped found the [[Cooper Union]].

[[File:The great East River bridge- to connect the cities of New York & Brooklyn LCCN2001704255 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Artists' conception, by [[Currier and Ives]], of the bridge while construction was underway, 1872]]

In 1871, inspired by reformer [[Samuel J. Tilden]], Cooper prominently campaigned to remove the corrupt "Tweed Ring", led by [[William M. Tweed|William M. "Boss" Tweed]], from control of [[Tammany Hall]], and to reorganize the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in New York, which Tweed controlled for years through his [[political machine]].

===Congress===

In [[1871]], he was prominent in the reorganization of New York's [[Tammany Hall]] government after the fall of the "Tweed Ring" led by the infamous [[Boss Tweed]], and became a mayor of [[New York City]]. His most famous speech was made at the opening of the [[Brooklyn Bridge]] between [[Manhattan Island]] and [[Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn]] in [[1883]].

Hewitt first ventured into electoral politics in 1874, when he won a seat in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]], where he initially served two terms representing {{ushr|NY|10}}, from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1879. During his first stint in Congress, he was made head of the [[Democratic National Committee]] in 1876, when Tilden [[Samuel Tilden 1876 presidential campaign|ran unsuccessfully for President]].<ref name=encnyc2 />

After defeating [[James O'Brien (U.S. Congressman)|James O'Brien]], his successor in Congress who was a staunch opponent of Tammany Hall, for the Democratic nomination in the 10th district during the [[1880 United States House of Representatives elections in New York|1880 elections]], Hewitt regained his old seat and once again served in the U.S. House from 4 March 1881 to 30 December 1886.<ref name=congressgov>{{CongBio|H000552}}</ref> Hewitt's most famous speech was made at the opening of the [[Brooklyn Bridge]] between [[Manhattan]] and [[Brooklyn]] in 1883.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Although his political alliances varied from one part and faction to another during a career in city, state, and national politics, Hewitt was considered a consistent defender of sound money practices and [[civil service]] reform. He was conspicuous for his public spirit, and developed an innovative funding and construction plan for the New York City [[subway]] system.

===Mayor of New York City===

Hewitt had many investments in natural resources, including considerable holdings in [[West Virginia]], where [[William N. Page|William Nelson Page]] ([[1854]]-[[1932]]) was one of his managers. He was also an associate of [[Henry H. Rogers]], a key man in the [[Standard Oil Trust]].

[[File:Abram Stevens Hewitt 1822-1903.jpg|thumb|left|Engraving published in ''[[Harper's Weekly]]'', October 20, 1888]]

Hewitt was elected [[mayor of New York City]] in 1886. He defeated the labor candidate [[Henry George]] as well as the Republican candidate [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. Hewitt's election campaign had the support of [[Tammany Hall]]. The endorsement was formal and included organizational muscle.<ref>{{cite book | author1= Daniel Czitrom |title= New York Exposed: The Gilded Age Police Scandal that Launched the Progressive Era |publisher= Oxford University Press |year=2016 |page=87 |isbn=9780199837014 }}</ref>

Hewitt refused to review the [[Saint Patrick's Day]] parade, a decision that alienated much of the Democratic Party's [[Irish Americans|Irish–American]] base in the city. Hewitt also refused to allow Tammany the control of [[patronage]] they wanted,<ref name=encnyc2 /> and Croker saw to it that Hewitt was not nominated for a second term.<ref>{{cite gotham}}</ref>

Columbia gave him the degree of [[LL.D.]] in [[1887]], and he was the president of its alumni association in 1883, and as Hewitt was a trustee from [[1901]] until his death. In [[1876]] he was elected president of the [[American Institute of Mining Engineers]], and was a founder and trustee of the [[Carnegie Institution]].

Hewitt was considered a defender of sound [[financial management]]. He is quoted as saying "Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation". Hewitt also upheld the [[civil service reform in the United States]]. He oversaw the passage of the Rapid Transit Act of 1894, which would provide public funding for the construction of the first [[New York City Subway]] line.<ref name=Cudahy95>{{cite book |title=Under the Sidewalks of New York |edition=Second revised |first=Brian J. |last=Cudahy |date=1995 |publisher=Fordham University Press |isbn=0-8232-1618-7}}</ref>{{rp|19–20}}

His most famous quotation is "Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation."

A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by Melvin G. Holli of the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]] ranked Hewitt as the twenty-sixth-best American big-city mayor to have served between the years 1820 and 1993.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Holli | first = Melvin G. | title = The American Mayor | publisher = PSU Press | year = 1999 | ___location = University Park | isbn = 0271018763 }}</ref>

He died in 1903, and was interred at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

==Entrepreneurial career==

== Legacy ==

Hewitt had many investments in natural resources, including considerable holdings in [[West Virginia]], where [[William N. Page|William Nelson Page]] (1854–1932) was one of his managers. He was also an associate of [[Henry H. Rogers|Henry Huttleston Rogers]] (1840–1909), a financier and [[industrialist]] who was a key man in the [[Standard Oil Trust]], and a major developer of natural resources.

One of Hewitt's investments handled by Rogers and Page was the Loup Creek Estate in [[Fayette County, West Virginia]]. The [[Deepwater Railway]] was a subsidiary initially formed by the Loup Creek investors to ship [[bituminous coal]] from coal mines on their land a short distance to the main line of the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] (C&O) along the [[Kanawha River]]. After rate disputes, the [[short line railroad]] was eventually expanded to extend all the way into Virginia and across that state to a new [[coal pier]] at [[Sewell's Point]] on [[Hampton Roads]]. It was renamed the [[Virginian Railway]].{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

*[[Abram Stevens Hewitt School]] (P.S. 130) in the [[Bronx, New York]] was named for him.

In 1890 Hewitt partnered with [[Edward Cooper (mayor)|Edward Cooper]] and [[Hamilton McKown Twombly]] in forming the American Sulphur Company, which then entered into a 50/50 agreement with [[Herman Frasch]] and his partners to form the [[Union Sulphur Company]].<ref name="Haynes">{{cite book |last1=Haynes |first1=Williams |title=Brimstone, The Stone That Burns |date=1959 |publisher=D. Van Norstrand Company, Inc. |___location=Princeton |pages=32–39, 60}}</ref>

*One of Cooper Union's academic buildings is named in his honor.

==Philanthropy==

*A famous New York City [[fireboat]] ''Abram S. Hewitt'' which served from [[1903]] until [[1958]] was named in his honor.

As philanthropist Hewitt was interested in education. [[Columbia University]] gave him the degree of [[LL.D.]] in 1887, and he was the president of its alumni association in 1883, and a trustee from 1901 until his death.

In 1876, he was elected president of the [[American Institute of Mining Engineers]], and was a founder and trustee of the [[Carnegie Institution of Science]]. He was also a trustee of [[Barnard College]] and of the [[American Museum of Natural History]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

*There is a life-size white marble statue of Hewitt in the Great Hall of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York in [[Albany, New York]].

==Death and family==

{{1911}}

[[File:Ringwood Manor spring 2015.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Ringwood Manor]]

Abram Hewitt died at his New York City home on January 18, 1903, and was interred at [[Green-Wood Cemetery]]. His last words, after he took his oxygen tube from his mouth, were "And now, I am officially dead."<ref>{{cite news |date=January 25, 1903 |title=The Man In The Street: Abram S. Hewitt |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119954024/hewitt/ |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |___location=New York, NY |page=35 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Hewitt's daughters, Amy, Eleanor, and Sarah Hewitt, built a decorative arts collection that was for years exhibited at the Cooper Union and later became the core collection of the [[Cooper-Hewitt|Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum]]. His son, [[Peter Cooper Hewitt]] (1861–1921), was a successful inventor, while another son, Edward Ringwood Hewitt (1865–1957), was also an inventor, a chemist and an early expert on fly-fishing. He published ''Telling on the Trout'', among other books.

{{start box}}

{{succession box |

Hewitt's youngest son, Erskine Hewitt (1871–1938), was also a lawyer and philanthropist in New York City. He donated [[Ringwood Manor]] to the State of [[New Jersey]] in 1936.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/554293216/ |title=Ringwood Manor Gift of Erskine Hewitt in Memory of His Sister |work=The Morning Call |date=December 21, 1936 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref> On February 18, 1909, Erskine Hewitt was named a director of the newly formed [[National Reserve Bank of the City of New York]].<ref name=nyt-oriental>{{Citation

before= [[Fernando Wood]] |

| date =February 19, 1909

title= [[U.S._Congressional_Delegations_from_New_York#United_States_House_of_Representatives|U.S. Representative from New York]] |

| title =Oriental Bank Merged

years= 1875&ndash;1879 |

| work after= =[[JamesThe New York O'BrienTimes]]

| ___location = Charleston, West Virginia

}}

| page =6

{{succession box |

| url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100163003/say-operators-rule-courts/

before= [[James O'Brien]] |

| access-date = 2022-04-20

title= [[U.S._Congressional_Delegations_from_New_York#United_States_House_of_Representatives|U.S. Representative from New York]] |

| via = Newspapers.com

years= 1881&ndash;1887 |

}}</ref> On March 2, 1909, Hewitt was elected chairman.<ref name=nyt-merger>{{Citation

after= [[Francis B. Spinola]]

| date =March 3, 1909

}}

| title =Allison Heads Bank Merger

| work = [[The New York Times]]

| page =16

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100162894/allison-heads-bank-merger/

| access-date = 2022-04-20

| via = Newspapers.com

}}</ref>

== Legacy ==

[[Image:AbramHewittMemorial.JPG|thumb|right|275px|Abram Hewitt Memorial Building of [[Cooper Union]] in [[Cooper Square]], Manhattan]]

[[File:FDNY fireboat Abram S. Hewitt passes under the Brooklyn Bridge in 1903.jpg|275px|thumb|The fireboat ''Abram S. Hewitt'' in 1903]]

*One of Cooper Union's academic buildings was named in his honor. It was demolished and replaced by [[41 Cooper Square]] in 2007. An historic twenty-foot column in the Hewitt Building designed by [[Stanford White]] was transported—appropriately enough—to its former home at the [[Green-Wood Cemetery]] in [[Brooklyn, New York]], where it now stands on Abram S. Hewitt's memorial plot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooper.edu/cubuilds/index.html |title=The Cooper Union Builds |access-date=2006-09-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907122906/http://www.cooper.edu/cubuilds/index.html |archive-date=2006-09-07 }}</ref>

*A New York City [[fireboat]], [[Fireboat Abram S. Hewitt|''Abram S. Hewitt'']], which served from 1903 until 1958 was named in his honor. The fireboat was eventually scrapped, and its remains may be found at the [[Rossville, Staten Island#Witte Marine Scrapyard|Witte Marine Scrapyard]] in [[Rossville, Staten Island]].

*There is a life-sized white marble statue of Hewitt in the Great Hall of the [[Chamber of Commerce]] of the State of New York in [[Albany, New York]].

*The historic village of [[Hewitt, New Jersey]], located within the Township of [[West Milford, New Jersey|West Milford]], is preserved within [[Long Pond Ironworks State Park]]. The village contains the ruins of the iron smelting furnaces operated by Cooper and Hewitt.

* [[Ringwood Manor]] in [[Ringwood, New Jersey]], the Hewitt family's summer estate from 1857 to the 1930s, is preserved as the centerpiece of New Jersey's [[Ringwood State Park]].

* Abram Stevens Hewitt School (P.S. 130) in the [[Bronx, New York]], was named for him.

* Hewitt Hall of [[Barnard College]] at [[Columbia University]] is named for him.

*[[Abram S. Hewitt State Forest]] along the [[Appalachian Trail]] was named in his honor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/abram.html|title = NJDEP - New Jersey State Park Service}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Hewitt, Abram Stevens|volume=13|page=417}}

{{Commons category}}

{{wikisource|works=or}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-hs}}

{{US House succession box

| state= New York

| district= 10

| before= [[Fernando Wood]]

| after= [[James O'Brien (U.S. Congressman)|James O'Brien]]

| years= 1875-03-04 – 1879-03-03}}

{{US House succession box

| state= New York

| district= 10

| before= [[James O'Brien (U.S. Congressman)|James O'Brien]]

| after= [[Francis B. Spinola]]

| years= 1881-03-04 – 1886-12-30}}

{{s-off}}

{{succession box |

before= [[William Russell Grace|William R. Grace]] |

title= [[List of mayors of New York City|Mayor of New York City]] |

years= 1887&ndash;18881887–1888 |

after= [[Hugh LJ. Grant]]

}}

{{end boxs-bus}}

{{succession box |

before = [[Edward Cooper (mayor)|Edward Cooper]] |

title = [[Presidents of Cooper Union|President of Cooper Union]] |

years = 1898–1903 |

after = [[John Edward Parsons|John E. Parsons]]

}}

{{s-end}}

{{PreConsolidationNYCMayors}}

{{DNCchairmen}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hewitt, Abram}}

[[Category:1822 births|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:1903 deaths|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:Columbia College (New York) alumni|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:DNCDemocratic ChairmenNational Committee chairs|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:Mayors of New York City|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:U.S.Burials Representativesat fromGreen-Wood New YorkCemetery|Hewitt, Abram Stevens]]

[[Category:Peter Cooper]]

[[Category:People from Haverstraw, New York]]

[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)]]

[[Category:History of the New York City Subway]]

[[Category:Bourbon Democrats]]

[[Category:Columbia University faculty]]

[[Category:19th-century mayors of places in New York (state)]]

[[Category:19th-century New York (state) politicians]]

[[Category:19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives]]