Thomas Aspinwall Davis

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Thomas Davis
honorific-suffix =


imagesize = 200 px
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caption = Thomas A. Davis
order = 10^th
office = Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts
term_start = 1845-02-21
term_end = 1845-11-21
vicepresident =
viceprimeminister =
deputy =
lieutenant =
monarch =
president = John Tyler
James K. Polk
primeminister =
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chancellor =
governor = Marcus Morton
governor-general =
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succeeding =
predecessor = Martin Brimmer
successor = Josiah Quincy, Jr.
constituency =
majority = 1,524
birth_date = birth date|1798|12|11
birth_place = Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
death_date = Death date and age|1845|21|11|1798|12|11
death_place =
restingplace =
restingplacecoordinates =
birthname = Thomas Aspinwall Davis
nationality = American
party = Native American Party
otherparty =
spouse = Sarah Jackson (1824-1845)
partner =
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation = Businessman, politician
profession =
net worth =
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Thomas Aspinwall Davis (1798-12-11 – 1845-11-21) was a silversmith and businessman who served as mayor of Boston for nine months in 1845.

Early life

Davis was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, the son of Ebenezer Davis III and Lucy Aspinwall. Both the Davis and Aspinwall families were longtime residents of Brookline. [] Thomas' elder brother Increase Sumner Davis became a Congregational minister. [] Thomas grew up on Harrison Place (now Kent Street), and began work in a jeweler's shop in Boston aged 14.]

Business career

By 1820, he was in partnership with Thomas N. Morong. He had his own business 1825–34, and was a partner of Julius Palmer and Josiah Bachelder from 1838.] The firm was successful, after his death known as Palmer, Bachelder & Co. [] [cite web |title=Trophies and Treasures |url=http://antiquesandthearts.com/archive/shreve.htm |quote= Palmer, Bachelder & Co (1817-1888), Shreve's greatest competitors |accessdate=2008-02-08 |publisher=antiquesandthearts.com ] By 1843 he had acquired, by inheritance and purchase, farmland around his father's house, which he subdivided to create "The Lindens", a prestigious suburban residential development designed by Alexander Wadsworth and John F. Edwards. Davis' own house was at the head of Linden Park, until it was moved to 29 Linden Place in 1906. In 1985 it was added to the List of Registered Historic Places in Brookline.

Mayoralship and death in office

There had been seven inconclusive elections for mayor of Boston since December 9 1844, before Davis' victory on February 21 1845. [] It was Davis' third attempt at the ballot, representing the Native American Party, which had split from the Whigs the previous year. One source lists his opponents as Whig Josiah Quincy, Jr, and Democrat Adam W. Thaxter, Jr;] another says Davis received 4,865 votes, ahead of William Parker with 3,341, and others.] He was sworn in on February 27. His term of office was uneventful. He tendered his resignation on October 6 owing to ill health, and he died on November 22 1845.] One source says his resignation was not accepted, and thus he died in office. John Pierce delivered an address at his funeral in Central Church on November 25.

Personal life

He married Sarah Jackson on 11 November 1824 in Newton, Massachusetts.

References