Mayor of Norwich (1838-1839)
Charles James Lanman (b.1795-d.1870)
Charles James Lanman was born in 1795 in Norwich. He was the son of James Lanman, Norwich’s 5th mayor.
After graduating from Yale College in 1814, and becoming a lawyer he left Connecticut. After moving to Detroit Michigan, he married Mary [Marie] Jeanne Ghee [Guie] in 1818, a French woman of Indian descent. They had nine children. His first son, Charles James Lanman Jr., became a noted American author, government official, artist, librarian, and explorer.
Mr. Lanman was a law partner of William Woodbridge, Esq. and engaged in the U.S. Land Office in Detroit, Michigan. He held the offices of Judge of Probate and Colonel in Detroit.
After moving back to Norwich in 1835, he became Mayor in 1838. Later in 1862, he moved to New London.
He and his wife Marie Jeanne Guie Lanman are buried in Norwich City cemetery.
Acknowledgements
WikiTree
Bob Dees
Mayor of Norwich (1839-1840)
William Charles Gilman (b.1795-d.1863)
Mr. Gilman was a native of Exeter, New Hampshire, but for nearly thirty years lived the most active and energetic portion of his life in Norwich. His main interest was in the industry of manufacturing.
In May 1813, he purchased water privileges at the Yantic Falls. In connection with the Iron and Nail Company he established a nailery, which went immediately into successful operation. In this factory the nails were cut very efficiently by a newly invented machine. While the novelty lasted, visitors came to the Falls to hear the clink of the machine and view the continual dropping of the nails.
Ten years later, in June 1823, he joined five other men to form the Thames Manufacturing Co. This company purchased the nailery and several other water privileges at the Yantic Falls. They erected a large cotton factory, preparing for a business of considerable extent and value. Unfortunately, the business failed due to the financial crash during the “Panic of 1837“. The recession lasted until the mid-1840s.
William C. Gilman served as Mayor of Norwich in this difficult financial period during the years of 1838-1839.
Daniel Coit Gilman, was William C. Gilman’s fifth child. He graduated from Yale College, became the first President of Johns Hopkins, became a founder of the Carnegie Institute and became the second President of the University of California, Berkeley.
William C. Gilman and his wife, Eliza Coit Gilman are buried in Yantic Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 612, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Panic of 1837, Wikipedia
Mayor of Norwich (1840-1842) & (1845-1846)
John Breed (b.1791-d.1865)
John Breed was a son of the second Mayor of Norwich, John McClaren Breed. He served as Mayor twice and was a prominent local merchant, primarily engaged in the business of selling hardware.
Over time he operated several businesses in the same location on Water Street, where his father and grandfather had worked before. The sign “John Breed & Co.” representing the partnership of he and his brother Simeon hung over the store for more than 53 years.
John Breed was so identified with the city that he seemed a part of it, always present at its public meetings, always interested in current discussions, and always firm in his positions. He was a man of strong peculiarities and of impulsive character, with great originality and independence. He carried much of the vigor of youth into the decline of life. Tall, with white locks, and wearing a white hat, every child knew him, and no face or form was more familiar to the citizens of Norwich.
Late in his life, in 1859, Breed was one of the organizers of Norwich’s Bicentennial Jubilee. He was honored as one of the Vice-Presidents of the celebration. Breed Hall, completed in February 1860 was named after him. Breed Hall later became Breed Theater. It was located on Washington Square, across the street from the Flat Iron Building.
Mr. Breed died suddenly in 1865 and is buried along with his wife Amie F. Larrabee Breed in Yantic Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 628, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Engraving by G.E. Perme & Co. N.Y., Printed in “History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, page 629, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “John Breed” in the SEARCH box.
Mayor of Norwich (1842-1843)
William Parkinson Greene (b.1795-d.1864)
William P. Greene served as Mayor of Norwich for one year. He was a successful businessman, banker, and philanthropist in Norwich for many years. Greeneville is named in his honor.
After graduating from the Harvard College, (coat of arms shown on the left), he practiced law in Boston. He moved to Norwich, at the age of 29 after accepting an offer from William C. Gilman to become his business partner. In 1825 Greene was chosen as the first President of the Thames Bank. He held the position for 16 years.
*Place cursor over image to magnify
In 1813 William C. Gilman began operating a nailery at Yantic Falls. Manufacturing at the Yantic Falls area was booming. In 1823 Gilman joined with 5 others, including William P. Greene to form the Thames Manufacturing Co. The company purchased the existing nailery and erected a large cotton mill.
The map shown on the left, shows the location of the Thames Mfg. Co. cotton mill and several other nearby manufacturing facilities in the year 1833. (Prospect Street on the map is today’s Sachem Street.) By that time Strong’s woolen mill, Amos Hubbard’s paper mill, an iron foundry, William Gilman’s nail factory, and a school were co-located at the Falls site.
*Place cursor over image to magnify
In the 1830 time frame, Yantic Falls ventures were so successful that Greene looked to expand the industrial base at another Norwich location. The Norwich Water Power Company was created, and Mr. Greene was its principal founder and largest stakeholder. His company bought the land and water rights on both sides of the Shetucket River, as highlighted in orange on the map.
In 1828 the company began construction of the Greenville Dam and the first industrial power canal in Connecticut. By 1833 the dam and the power canal were opened. The location of the 1833 dam and power canal are highlighted on the map.
Unfortunately, the Panic of 1837 caused most of the companies at both the Falls and in Greeneville to fail. Soon after the financial crisis, William P. Greene formed the Falls Company from failed companies at Yantic Falls and he formed the Shetucket Company, from the failed Quinebaug Company. The future location of Shetucket Company’s textile mills built in the 1860s are highlighted in the 1833 map.
Later, in 1854, William P. Greene became one of the original corporaters and one of the largest donors of the Norwich Free Academy.
Frances Manwaring Caulkins said of him: “He was an energetic man and a large-hearted man; literary in his tastes, but with profound sagacity in financial and business concerns. These qualities were united with a pure life and an entired absence of ostentation. As a beautiful result of his unobtrusive life and liberal disposition, he seemed to have no enemies. Slander never made him its mark, and his name was never mentioned with disrespect.” (Info Source 1)
He and his wife, Augusta Elizabeth Borland Greene, are buried in the Yantic Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
“History of Norwich, Connecticut: From Its Possession From the Indians, to the Year 1866”, pages 628 & 612, by Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Greeneville Historic District
Library of Congress
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “William P Greene” in the SEARCH box.
Mayor of Norwich (1843-1845)
Gurdon Chapman (b.1782-d.1864)
Gurdon Chapman was born in North Stonington in 1792 and later settled in Norwich at an early age. He developed a large grain business which brought him great financial success. By utilizing his strong work ethic and native common sense, coupled with a photographic memory, Gurdon was able to overcome the obstacles presented by a lack of childhood formal education, common among the country boys of his day.
During his lifetime he became a familiar figure in the public affairs of the city of Norwich. He qualified himself as a leader and for high positions of trust in the community. He was a director for the Uncas Bank, the Merchants Bank of Norwich, an incorporator, director and assistant treasurer for the Chelsea Savings Bank.
He lived in a large, beautiful house at 269 Broadway in "The Millionaires' Triangle" section of Norwich. The house was described as: “This house exhibits classic Italianate structural details, such as eaves brackets, cupola, rounded roof windows, peaked gable, bay window, and, the ornate porch trim.” (Info Source 2)
He died at the age of seventy two. He and his two spouses Elizabeth and Mary Ann are buried in Yantic Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
Find A Grave
Norwich Community Development Corp
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then entering “Gurdon Chapman” in the SEARCH box.
Mayor of Norwich (1847-1849)
John Dunham Sr. (b.1800-d.1878)
John Dunham served as Mayor of Norwich for two years.
He and his partner, Thomas Robinson, published Norwich Courier from April 1822 to March 1825. After Robinson retired in March 1825, Dunham continued to publish the weekly publication until September 1841.
The Norwich Courier and John W. Stedman’s Aurora were both published in Norwich in the 1822-1841 time frame. However the two publications had opposing political viewpoints. In describing Aurora’s political bent, D. Hamilton Hurd wrote: “ (The Aurora was) … ”the old organ of the Democracy of Eastern Connecticut” .
And of Dunham’s Courier, he wrote :“Contemporaneous with the Aurora, at this time was the venerable Federal and Whig organ, the Courier, then published by the Hon. John Dunham, and on these two weeklies the community round about depended chiefly for their knowledge of what was going on abroad, as well as for their local intelligence, until the abundance of dailies and the rush of newspapers changed all that.” (Info Source)
John Dunham was one of the two Town Clerks in Norwich from 1841-1843.
Later, in 1858, he became one of the incorporators and the Secretary and Treasurer of The Chelsea Savings Bank. However, he resigned the post of Secretary and Treasurer after one year. In 1865, he was on the board of directors of The Norwich Bank.
He married Mary Colver on May 4, 1823. They had four children, however, the first three died before the age of five. Their son, John Dunham (1829-1883) married S. Jennie Johnson in October of 1858.
The Dunham family lived at 194 Washington Street in Norwich. He and his wife Mary Colver Dunham are buried in Norwich City Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
“History of New London County, Connecticut: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men”, (1882), pp 309, 330, 372, by Duane Hamilton Hurd
Find A Grave
Bob Dees
Mayor of Norwich
(1849-1851) & (1856-1858)
William A. Buckingham (b.1804-d.1875)
Buckingham became active in Norwich politics as a member of the Whig political party. William A. Buckingham served as Mayor of Norwich for four one-year terms, (1849-1851) and (1856-1858). He was revered by the people of Norwich.
In addition to serving as mayor, he also served as Norwich’s town treasurer and a member of the city council. In 1857, he was considered as a candidate for Governor of Connecticut on the National Union party ticket, but a storm kept some of his supporters from attending the nominating convention in New Haven. He lost the election in a close vote.
However, the next year he was elected as Connecticut’s 41st governor. He served in that role from May 5, 1858 to May 2, 1866, throughout the entire Civil War. He was a close friend of Abraham Lincoln and a staunch opponent of slavery. Lincoln visited Buckingham in Norwich several months before the Civil War and they campaigned for one another. It’s widely accepted among historians that his speeches in Norwich in March 1860 helped him clinch the 1860 Republican presidential nomination. Lincoln began his service as the 14th President of the United States on March 4, 1861.
“During their long residency, the Italianate-style house Buckingham shared with his wife Eliza was at the center of Norwich society. The couple entertained Ulysses S. Grant here on his visit to Norwich in 1870. In 1898 Sedgwick Post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans’ organization, purchased the building for their headquarters.” (Info Source 2).
Grand Army of the Republic badge worn on the uniform of Union Army veterans is shown on the left.
William A. Buckingham and his wife Eliza Ripley Buckingham are buried together in Yantic Cemetery.
Acknowledgements
Walk Norwich Trails
E. A. Bardol & Company (circa 1910)
The complete list of sources may be found by clicking the “Bibliography” button, and, then typing “Buckingham” in the SEARCH box.