Charles N. Holden

Charles N. Holden (May 13, 1816 – September 29, 1887) was an American politician who served as city treasurer of Chicago, a Chicago alderman, president of the Chicago Board of Education, and Chicago commissioner of taxes. He was the unsuccessful Republican Party nominee for mayor of Chicago in 1862.

Charles N. Holden
Holden circa 1868
Chicago Commissioner of Taxes
In office
1864–1868
President of the Chicago Board of Education[1]
In office
1864–1866
Preceded byWalter Loomis Newberry
Succeeded byGeorge C. Clarke
City Treasurer of Chicago[2]
In office
1857–1858
Preceded byO.J. Rose
Succeeded byAlonzo Harvey City
Chicago Alderman[2][3]
In office
1855–1857
Serving with Jasper D. Ward (1855–56)
Russell Green (1856–57)
Preceded byWilliam H. Scoville
Succeeded byArtimas Carter
Personal details
Born(1816-05-13)May 13, 1816
Fort Covington, New York
DiedSeptember 29, 1887(1887-09-29) (aged 71)
Chicago, Illinois
Political partyRepublican

Early life

Holden was born May 13, 1816, in Fort Covington, New York.[4]

Career

Holden was a school teacher at the age of 20.[4]

After working as a store clerk for a year, Holden moved to Chicago.[4] He soon moved to Will County, Illinois, where he briefly lived with relatives and found work at a claim.[4] Quickly moving back to Chicago, he found employment at a clerk in John H. Kinzie's lumber yard.[4]

Holden was elected as a Chicago alderman from the 5th ward in 1855, serving until 1857, when he was elected Chicago city treasurer, a position he held through the following year.[4][2]

Holden was a supporter of the 1860 presidential candidacy of Abraham Lincoln.[4] He served on the committee that arranged the construction of the Wigwam, which was built to host the 1860 Republican National Convention.[4]

In 1862, Holden was the Republican Party nominee for mayor of Chicago. He lost the election to Democratic nominee Francis Cornwall Sherman.[4][5]

In 1864, Holden was elected as Chicago's commissioner of taxes, holding that position for four years.[4]

He was a member of the Chicago Board of Education.[4] From 1864 through 1866, Holden served as president of the Chicago Board of Education.[1] The city named one of its schools after him.[4]

Holden was one of the organizers of Chicago's Second Baptist Church, and held a number of leadership roles within that church.[4] He was involved in the founding of the Morgan Park Theological Seminary.[6]

Holden was a trustee of the state insane asylum.[7]

Holden, in his later years, worked at the firm of A. H. Holden & Co.[4] He would also manufacture paint.[8] For over twenty years, Holden served as treasurer of Chicago's Firemen's Benevolent Society.[4]

Personal life

In 1841, Holden married Frances Woodbury.[4]

Holden's extended family was well-involved in Chicago politics. This included Charles C. P. Holden, his cousin.[7][8]

Death

Holden died September 29, 1887, at his Chicago residence of a stroke. He had suffered a previous stroke roughly a year earlier, from which he had only partially recovered.[4] His funeral was held October 3, 1887, at Chicago's Second Baptist Church.[6]

References

  1. History of Chicago, Illinois. v.2. Chicago and New York City: Munsell & co. 1895. p. 89.
  2. "Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office". Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  3. Moses, John (1895). ... History of Chicago, Illinois: Pre-historic agencies ; Rise and fall of French dominion ; First permanent settlement ; The massacre ; Rudimentary. Munsell & Company. pp. 115, 132, 133, 139, 226. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  4. "Charles N. Holden". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. 30 Sep 1887. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  5. "Chicago Mayors, 1837-2007". www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org. Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  6. "LAID TO REST". Newspapers.com. The Inter Ocean (Chicago). 3 Oct 1887. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  7. "OUND TO WIN". Newspapers.com. Chicago Evening Post. 3 Nov 1871. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  8. "THE COURT RECORD". Newspapers.com. The Inter Ocean (Chicago). 28 Sep 1883. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.