1844-45
HISTORY
William Ketchum
was born on March 2, 1798 in Bloomfield, New York to a farming
family. He was educated in Canandaigua, New York, moving
to Buffalo
in 1819. He was 21 years old at that time and began working
for Stocking & Bull, a merchant house that handled furs
and hats, located in a large building on Main and Swan Streets.
Ketchum proved to be an able and willing worker,
so much so, that he became a partner with Mr. Bull not long
after joining the company.
In 1830 William Ketchum
served as a Village Trustee. And during the 1830's was a common
school trustee.
In addition, in May, 1930, Ketchum was one of the
founders of the Bank of Buffalo
along with Major Andre Andrews
and Hiram Pratt
By 1844 the city of Buffalo
's population had reached 26,503.
LIFE AS A MAYOR
The election of 1844 was held on March 5. William
Ketchum
was the Whig
candidate for mayor, and his opposition was "Father"
of the Buffalo
public school
system, Oliver G. Steele
, a Locofoco
Ketchum defeated Steele 1,602 to 1,389, taking back two
years of Democratic rule with his election.
The Daily Mercantile Courier stated on March 6: "We
are beaten! The Federalists have conquered and Buffalo
is their prize...What should be the consequences of this defeat
to the Democrats of Buffalo
? It should admonish us of the necessity of a more thorough
organization. The Whigs...are thoroughly organized...while
we are scattered in divisions and factions. Let this difficulty
be cured at once by both city and county."
The council was more lopsided after this election
than the previous year, with three Locofoco
's and seven Whigs.
The Commercial Advertiser published a story on the
election, on March 7, 1844 to the "Whigs of Erie County.
Fellow citizens: our charter election...resulted in the
success of the Whig
candidate for mayor, justice of the peace, three of the five
supervisors...seven of the ten aldermen.
"Such a victory at any time would be a great
subject of congratulation, but it is now peculiarly gratifying.
Our opponents had all the advantages of position. At the
two last preceding elections they had large majorities...held
meetings for the purpose of healing all intestine divisions
and believed they were successful.
"The election result is more decisive in its
immediate and ultimate effects than any ever before achieved
in the Queen City of the Lakes, the pulse of the Eighth
District."
This communique was signed by several prominent citizens.
A ball was held on March 14 headed by Mayor Ketchum
All former mayors were included, except Clinton and Masten,
who were Democrats, "although the invitations were
general."
Two aldermen were appointed to wait upon mayor-elect
Ketchum on March 12. After outgoing Mayor Masten
administered the oath of office to Mayor Ketchum
, he thanked his party for the honor conferred upon him
and then addressed the council.
"The conduct of the finances of the city will
be found the most difficult and embarrassing subject upon
which your duty will call you to act." The debt of
the city was said to be near $44,000.
"Differing as I do from our immediate predecessors,
I feel that we should not deceive ourselves or our constituents
in a matter of business in which we, as well as every taxpaying
citizen, have a deep interest. It is, therefore, of the
last importance that we should know and appreciate our true
condition and address ourselves in earnest to the task of
extricating our city from present embarrassment, and as
far as may be prevent future improvident expenditures.
"I need hardly suggest for your consideration
the too apparent necessity of making either a temporary
or permanent loan as the only means of rescuing the city
from present difficulty.
"I recommend an entire change in the mode of
proceeding in regard to local assessment, one which past
experience seems to render necessary. It is to reverse the
order of proceeding entirely-first levy and collect the
tax, and then order the work to be done. By adopting this
mode a great saving in the cost of the work will be made
to those who pay the tax; sinuous sacrifices to those who
receive city orders for their labor will be avoided and
the city will not be yearly encumbered with a heavy debt
growing out of advances on account of work ordered on local
assessments by the late council since the report of the
5th of February, 1844, amounted to about $6,000."
Mayor Ketchum
had strong opinions on "the use and sale of ardent spirits",
as had Mayor Clinton
"A reasonable, fair administration of the Law will
be most agreeable to my feeling, and in my opinion will
be sustained by public sentiment."
The mayor was also an ardent supporter of the school
system. "The Public Schools
should receive, as they deserve, liberal provision and support.
The annual tax, which, by the charter, we are authorized
to raise for the support of the schools is $10,000. This
sum is now barely sufficient to defray the expenses."
Teacher complaints about absentee students was also
a topic. "Parents feel under no corresponding obligation
to compel the regular attendance of children." In addition,
he made note that increasing the number of watchmen, and
decreasing the hours they worked, and pay received, "would
not prevent their pursuing other employment...during the
day. The watchmen are on duty the entire night which incapacitates
them for other employment."
Lastly, he asked the council for "the confidence
of your kindness to make my task as your presiding officer
as easy and pleasant as possible."
On October 18, 1844 a "destructive gale, accompanied
by an overflow of the lake" struck the city. "The
waters of the lake...were blown down upon the city causing"
the lake to rise more than two feet over night. Canal boats,
steamers, lumber, and other debris was scattered all about
the shore. The wharves were damaged, most of the stone pier
washed away, and almost 40 lives lost.
The loss of shipping on the lake was very heavy.
"Numerous buildings in the city were demolished or
badly damaged. Small houses of poor people near the lake
were destroyed and washed away." But the Buffalo
of 1844 was generous to its fellow citizens. "Its disastrous
effects were only partially alleviated by the prompt action
of the people of the city in relieving the distress of the
sufferers, through liberal subscriptions."
Ketchum did not run for re-election in 1845.
PERSONAL LIFE
William Ketchum
returned to his partnership in the fur and hat business upon
leaving office in March 1845. In 1857 he retired and was
succeeded by his current partner, M. L. Comstock. "After
retiring from the business world Mr. Ketchum lived a studious
life."
Ketchum documented much of the early history of Buffalo
in his published books "History of Buffalo
and the Senecas," and "An Authentic and Comprehensive
History of Buffalo
" "His
voluminous writings, which will last throughout time, faithfully
reflect the men and events of the early days in Buffalo
and Erie County."
On March 18, 1823 he married Lamira Callendar of
Buffalo
Her father was deacon Amos Callendar of the First Presbyterian
Church of Buffalo
They had three children. Mrs. Ketchum died on December 23,
1866. He remarried on September 7, 1871 to Elizabeth Palmer
of Brantford, Ontario, Canada who lived until January 17,
1911. He had two children by her.
Ketchum was a pioneer member of the Old First Church
and led its choir for many years. He later joined the Central
Presbyterian Church when Reverend John C. Lord
was at the pulpit. Towards the end of life he became a member
of Calvary Church which was located near his home on Delaware
Avenue.
His residence was at 109 Delaware Avenue, which was
demolished in 1914 to make room for an addition to the Children's
Aid Society. This home was "for many years the center
of culture and refinement and all that is best and uplifting
in the world of art, history and letters." Ketchum
was a member of the Buffalo
Historical Society
and contributed many valuable items to its collections. He was
president of the board of trustees in its early days.
From 1847 - 1851 Ketchum was a county supervisor.
In 1851 he was appointed collector of the port of
Buffalo
by his friend President Millard Fillmore
He held this office until the end of Fillmore's term in
1853.
In November 1854 Ketchum was the Hindoo candidate
for city comptroller, but lost. Hindoos were a faction that
broke from the Republican party
In 1855, Ketchum was elected city comptroller by
the Common Council
, under Mayor Cook
, to finish the term of William Chard, who died while in
office.
On September 30, 1876 Ketchum remarked to a friend,
in whose buggy he was driving, "I never felt better
in my life." He thought he was in perfect health. The
following day while attending church service he suffered
an apparent heart attack and died later in the day. He is
buried in the Ketchum family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery
.
