John G. Baxter

John George Baxter Jr. was born December 12, 1826, to Elizabeth (née Smith) and John G. Baxter, Scottish immigrants from Dundee, Scotland, in Lexington, Kentucky. His father was a machinist.[1][2] He attended rural schools and apprenticed with a blacksmith.[2]

Baxter worked as a clerk for six years.[1] He came to Louisville in 1847 and eventually established a successful stove company.

From 1861 to 1863, Baxter was a member of the Board of Councilman.[2] In 1865, he was elected to the Board of Aldermen, and was elected president of the board in 1866.[2] He was a director of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad from 1868 to 1870.[1]

In March 1870, Baxter was elected mayor of Louisville.[1] His first administration saw the construction of the new city hall, as well as a new city hospital and an almshouse.[2] He did not run again in 1872 after his first term because the new city charter restricted incumbents from running. He ran in 1875 and lost by a small margin to Charles Donald Jacob, but was reelected in 1879.

Around 1884, Baxter was elected president of the Louisville Gas Company and served in that role until his death.[2]

Baxter married Alicia Mary McCready of Louisville on November 7, 1852. They had eight children: Mary, Elizabeth, Belle, John, Annie, Emma, Carrie and Willie.[1][2]

Baxter died on March 30, 1885, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.[2] He is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery[3] on Baxter Avenue, which was renamed in his honor.

• List of mayors of Louisville, Kentucky

• Yater, George H. (1987). Two Hundred Years at the Fall of the Ohio: A History of Louisville and Jefferson County (2nd ed.). Louisville, KY: Filson Club, Incorporated. ISBN 0-9601072-3-1.
• "John George Baxter Jr.". The Encyclopedia of Louisville (1 ed.). 2001.