1841-42
HISTORY
Isaac R. Harrington was born in 1789. That is all
the information about his early beginnings that could be
found.
He came to Buffalo
around 1832, and purchased the land along Main and Court Streets.
He built homes on this property. These blocks "contained
the type of residences copied from New York blocks, built
of the best material." At the time No. 3 Court Street
was the Harrington residence.
In 1833 Harrington purchased the Eagle Tavern
from Benjamin Rathbun
The Eagle Tavern was probably one of the best known taverns
in the country. He owned it until the American Hotel
was built on its site.
One evening, in early 1841, a large party was gathered
at the headquarters of the Pin Club. The group assembled
was discussing that they liked neither candidate for mayor.
The nominated candidates for the Whig
and Democratic parties had charges of fraud and corruption
brought out against them. "Cuff" Harrington, as he
was known, was attending the meeting, and said, "Why
do you not take means to defeat both candidates?"
"Oh! you can't do that, they were regularly
nominated, are rich, and nothing can be done."
"I am not sure of that, no one knows what he
can do until he tries."
"Do you think it can be done?" was asked
of him.
"I do," Harrington replied.
"Well, we should be uncommonly pleased to see
it. Do you think you can do it?"
"I do."
"Please oblige us."
"I will," were Harrington's last words.
LIFE AS A MAYOR
On March 2, 1841 the local election for mayor and
Common Council
took place. This year
the election was not contested on political grounds,
since both candidates were Whigs. The Locofoco
Democrats took revenge and generally supported Harrington over
his opponent, Ira A. Blossom
, a "well-known and contributive citizen" "who
was supported by the regulars."
After the counting of the ballots, Harrington won
by the slim margin of 126 votes, 1,122 to 996 for Blossom.
Harrington took oath of office when the new Common Council
met on March 9, 1841. Following are excerpts from the inaugural
address he gave that day.
"In 1840...the canal tolls at Buffalo
and Black Rock
[exceeded] $470,000. Nearly 50 steamboats , and a leet of more
than 30,000 tons unfolded their wings to the commerce of
these western lakes.
"For
the last five years we have been enveloped in the clouds
of a political tornado which threatened the extermination
of our commercial prosperity. This whole nation has descended
from a currency of paper inflated beyond all hope of redemption.
"Let us cast behind us the recollections of
the past and turn our eyes upon the shadows of coming events.
"Gentlemen, by the suffrage of our fellow citizens,
to our present care have fallen the destinies of this proud
and peering city. I might indeed say to you, for within
these walls, executive power is merely nominal, and there
is little else to exercise than that of a casting vote.
I shall be ever ready to co-operate with you for whatever
may be for the public good. Our friends and fellow citizens
have delegated to us their confidence and their power, for
the sole and only purpose of advancing the public interests.
"With the utmost gratification of my own desires,
I would here ask you for extensive improvements in our harbours;
for lights to cheer up our streets by night. But I shall
abstain from moving here propositions which would involve
large expenditures of money and might lead to embarrassments
which would be felt for years. Economy is now the order
of the day.
"There is no subject which could with propriety
be mentioned here that has undergone more recent changes
than that of finance. Our own city is now laboring under
a funded cost of nearly $60,000 to meet the interest of
which our citizens are struggling with the burden of high
taxation. It is cheerful to know that our floating debt
is nearly extinguished, our credit is unimpaired, and at
the end of the fiscal year there was a balance in the treasury.
"Our Fire Department
is now in a flourishing condition but may require a further
supply of water to meet the emergencies of any considerable
fire.
"The peculiarity of our locations and the great
influx of strangers of all classes will...render necessary
the adoption of a strong and effective police
"Our system of Free Schools
now at the tide of successful operation was adopted to promote
the greatest amount and most general diffusion of what is
understood by Common Education. In this the Common Council
needs the aid of the people to make the system successful. The
incapacity of teachers, the feud of neighbors in the same
district and the interference and apathy of parents are
all obstructions to the general welfare
"Even while we are assembled here our streets
are thronged with groups of children given up to the pleasures
of juvenile amusements and perhaps of crime, when the rich
inheritance of a competent education is within their reach."
Isaac R. Harrington then thanked the people for his
"elevation to the present position, the highest gift
within your power."
His administration was "marked by firmness and
consistency." "He discharged the office of Mayor
with great fidelity, and to the general satisfaction of
the people."
On March 8, 1842 Isaac Harrington
ended his mayoral term by administering the oath of office to
the newly elected aldermen and new mayor. Alderman Oliver
G. Steele
introduced a resolution of thanks for the duties performed by
Harrington. He responded by saying, "It will hereafter
be a privilege, exalted above all others to reflect that
I was a member of the Council of 1841."
Harrington ran for the office of mayor again in 1842,
but lost to George Clinton.
PERSONAL LIFE
Isaac R. Harrington was married to Amanda, (last
name unknown). They had five children.
On May 5, 1849 Harrington was appointed to the position
of Postmaster of Buffalo
There was a notice that he was to be ejected from this position
in August 1850, but he kept it until his death, August 20,
1851. Harrington had a long standing disease and his demise
was not unexpected, though it was regrettable, nonetheless.
He was buried August 23 in Forest Lawn Cemetery
.
He was a "stirring man, "a man of generous
impulses, and of great energy of character."
