Franklin Edson

Edson as depicted in Notable New Yorkers of 1896-1899.

Franklin Edson (April 5, 1832 – September 24, 1904) was the 85th Mayor of New York from 1883 to 1884.

Early life

Born in Chester, Vermont, he was educated at the local schools and the academy in Chester.

Business career

At age 20 Edson moved to Albany to work in his brother Cyrus' distillery, becoming a partner three years later.

He left the distillery after his brother's death and started a produce business, which he relocated to New York City in 1866. His venture proved successful during the American Civil War, making Edson wealthy and enabling him to engage in civic, religious and charitable causes. He was an active Episcopalian and a member of Saint James Church Fordham, in the Bronx.

In 1873 he became one of the city's most important business leaders when he was appointed President of the New York Produce Exchange.

Political career

An anti-Tammany Democrat, in 1882 he was nominated for Mayor through the efforts of Tammany Hall boss John Murphy to avoid a Democratic Party split between organization loyalists and reformers. Upon taking office in 1883, he angered reformers by appointing Tammany men to key jobs, but he soon embraced civil service reform and other honest government measures.

During his term the Brooklyn Bridge was dedicated, the Manhattan Municipal Building was constructed, and work was completed on the city's new water supply, the Croton Aqueduct. He appointed the commission responsible for the selection and location of public lands for parks in the Bronx, which came to include Van Cortlandt, Bronx, Pelham Bay, Crotona, Claremont and St. Mary's Parks, and the Mosholu, Bronx River, Pelham, and Crotona Parkways.

After Edson split with Tammany the 1884 Democratic nomination for Mayor went William Russell Grace, who had also preceded Edson as Mayor, and Edson retired from politics at the completion of his term in 1885.

Later career

After leaving the mayor's office, Edson returned to his business interests and continued his philanthropic activities.

Death and burial

He died at his home in Manhattan, and was buried in the Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands, New York.^[1]

Legacy

Edson Avenue in the Bronx is named for him.

Family

In 1856 Edson married Fanny Cameron Wood. Fanny Wood was the daughter of Jethro Wood, the inventor of the first commercially successful iron moldboard plow. Their children included: Cyrus; David; Franklin; Henry; Robert; Edith; and Ethel.

In 1903 son Henry made headlines after he shot and killed a woman at his New York City home and then committed suicide. Henry Edson and the woman were each married, but had been having an affair, and Edson became distraught when she refused to leave her husband and depart the New York City area with him.

References

External links

• Works by Franklin Edson at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Franklin Edson at Internet Archive
• Franklin Edson in Biographical Directory of the State of New York (1900)
• Franklin Edson in Who's Who in New York City and State, Volume 1 (1904)

Mayors of New York City from inception to consolidation (June 12, 1665 – December 31, 1897)
T. Willett Delavall T. Willett Van Steenwyk Delavall Nicoll J. Lawrence Dervall De Mayer S. Van Cortlandt Delavall Rombouts Dyre Van Steenwyk Minvielle N. Bayard S. Van Cortlandt Delanoy J. Lawrence A. de Peyster Lodwik Merritt J. de Peyster Provost De Reimer Noell French Peartree Wilson J. Van Cortlandt Heathcote Johnstone J. Van Cortlandt Walters Jansen Lurting Richard Cruger S. Bayard Holland Cruger, Jr Hicks Mathews Duane Varick Livingston Clinton M. Willett Clinton Radcliff Clinton Ferguson Radcliff Colden Allen Paulding Hone Paulding Bowne Lee C. Lawrence Clark Varian Morris Harper Havemeyer Mickle Brady Havemeyer Woodhull Kingsland Westervelt Wood Tiemann Wood Opdyke Gunther Hoffman Coman Hall Havemeyer Vance Wickham Ely Cooper Grace Edson Grace Hewitt Grant Gilroy Strong