George Brinton McClellan Jr. (November 23, 1865 – November 30, 1940), was an American politician and historian. He was elected as the 93rd Mayor of New York City, serving from 1904 to 1909.[1] He was the son of Civil War general George B. McClellan, who was an 1864 Democratic presidential candidate, and his wife.
After graduating, he engaged in reportorial and editorial work at the New York World and other newspapers. In 1892 he was admitted to the bar. He served for some time as secretary and treasurer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge.
New York City politicsedit
In 1892, McClellan was elected president of the Board of Aldermen of New York City for the following two years, and for a part of 1894 he served as acting mayor. His success and popularity enabled him in 1894 to be elected as a United States Congressman (as a Democrat), a position he held until resigning when elected mayor of New York in late 1903.
In Congress, McClellan was a prominent member of the Ways and Means Committee. While in Congress he strongly opposed the war with Spain in 1898, and supported President McKinley's efforts to find a compromise. A conservative, McClellan spoke in favor of the gold standard, an issue that divided the fiscally conservative from the agrarian wing of the Democratic Party, although he avoided committing himself on the subject in the campaign of 1896 when he supported William Jennings Bryan, a leading silverite..[3]
Mayor of New York Cityedit
In November 1903, McClellan defeated the sitting mayor, Seth Low (independent Fusion), for a two-year term. He was re-elected in 1905, after the restoration of four-year mayoral terms. The party did not nominate him in 1909 for a third term.[clarification needed]
He is notable in the history of movie censorship for canceling all moving-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908, claiming that the new medium degraded the morals of the community and that celluloid film was an unacceptable fire hazard.[4]
On October 27, 1904, the Interborough Rapid Transit, New York City's first subway, opened. McClellan was to start the first train at the City Hall Station, and then hand it over to an IRT motorman. However, he was enjoying himself so much that he refused to give up the controls until the train reached 103rd Street Station.[5]
U.S. Presidential candidacyedit
McClellan ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 1904, receiving 3 votes on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention.
Later careeredit
Throughout his political career, McClellan remained interested in education and in 1906 he was named honorary Chancellor of Union College. At Princeton he delivered the Stafford Little lectures on public affairs (1908–1910), served as university lecturer (1911–1912) and was subsequently appointed a professor of economic history.
McClellan served in World War I, entering the Army as major assigned to the Ordnance Department in May 1917. He was honorably discharged in May 1919 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Personal lifeedit
McClellan married Georgiana Heckscher on October 30, 1889.[6]
McClellan died on November 30, 1940, one week after his 75th birthday, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[2]
Selected worksedit
The Oligarchy of Venice. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1904.
The Heel of War. New York: G.W. Dillingham Company, 1916.
Venice and Bonaparte. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1931.
Modern Italy: A Short History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1933.
The Gentleman and the Tiger: The Autobiography of George B. McClellan Jr.. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1956.
^The best source is his autobiography, The Gentleman and the Tiger: The Autobiography of George B. McClellan Jr. (1956).
^ ab"George McClellan is Stricken at 75". New York Times. December 1, 1940. Retrieved 2007-06-14. Mayor of New York, 1903-09, Son of Civil War General, Dead in Washington. Had Served in Congress. Princeton Alumnus of 1889 a Lecturer on Economics at Alma Mater, 1912-1930. Washington, DC, November 30, 1940. Colonel George Brinton McClellan, son of the famous Civil War general and a former member of Congress and Mayor of New York City from 1903 to 1909, died early today at his home here.
^"Career of Mr. McClellan". New York Times. October 2, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved May 17, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
^Picture Shows All Out of Business. The New York Times, December 25, 1908.
^Failing New York Subway? Not Always — Once There Were Chandeliers. The New York Times, April 11, 2019.
^"Married at Newport.; George B. M'clellan to Miss Georgiana Heckscher". The New York Times. October 31, 1889. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
Sources
Some of the text is taken from McClellan, George Brinton. (1915). New International Encyclopedia. Dodd, Mead (1915). p. 545., which is in the public domain
Further readingedit
Mulrine, M. Barbara. The Price of Honor: The Life and Times of George Brinton McClellan Jr. (2011), The standard scholarly biography
Syrett, Harold C., "Introduction" to The Gentleman and the Tiger: The Autobiography of George B. McClellan Jr.. (1956) pp 9–39
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George B. McClellan, Jr..
george, mcclellan, other, people, with, same, name, george, mcclellan, disambiguation, george, brinton, mcclellan, november, 1865, november, 1940, american, politician, historian, elected, 93rd, mayor, york, city, serving, from, 1904, 1909, civil, general, geo. For other people with the same name see George McClellan disambiguation George Brinton McClellan Jr November 23 1865 November 30 1940 was an American politician and historian He was elected as the 93rd Mayor of New York City serving from 1904 to 1909 1 He was the son of Civil War general George B McClellan who was an 1864 Democratic presidential candidate and his wife George B McClellan Jr McClellan c 190993rd Mayor of New York CityIn office January 1 1904 December 31 1909Preceded bySeth LowSucceeded byWilliam Jay GaynorMember of the U S House of Representatives from New York s 12th districtIn office March 4 1895 December 21 1903Preceded byWilliam Bourke CockranSucceeded byWilliam Bourke CockranPersonal detailsBornGeorge Brinton McClellan Jr 1865 11 23 November 23 1865Dresden Kingdom of SaxonyDiedNovember 30 1940 1940 11 30 aged 75 Washington D C U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseGeorgiana Louise Heckscher m 1889 wbr Parent s George B McClellanNelly McClellanEducationPrinceton University BA MA Military serviceAllegiance United StatesBranch serviceNew York Army National GuardUnited States ArmyYears of service1885 88 1917 1919RankColonelUnitUnited States Army Ordnance DepartmentBattles warsWorld War I Meuse Argonne offensive Contents 1 Life and career 1 1 New York City politics 1 2 Mayor of New York City 1 3 U S Presidential candidacy 2 Later career 3 Personal life 4 Selected works 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksLife and career editMcClellan known to his family as Max was born in Dresden Kingdom of Saxony where his parents were visiting He went to school in Trenton in New Jersey where his father was Governor and later Saint John s School in Ossining New York From 1885 to 1888 he served in the New York Army National Guard 2 He received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Princeton in 1886 and his Master of Arts in 1889 Princeton Fordham University and Union College later each gave him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws After graduating he engaged in reportorial and editorial work at the New York World and other newspapers In 1892 he was admitted to the bar He served for some time as secretary and treasurer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge New York City politics edit In 1892 McClellan was elected president of the Board of Aldermen of New York City for the following two years and for a part of 1894 he served as acting mayor His success and popularity enabled him in 1894 to be elected as a United States Congressman as a Democrat a position he held until resigning when elected mayor of New York in late 1903 In Congress McClellan was a prominent member of the Ways and Means Committee While in Congress he strongly opposed the war with Spain in 1898 and supported President McKinley s efforts to find a compromise A conservative McClellan spoke in favor of the gold standard an issue that divided the fiscally conservative from the agrarian wing of the Democratic Party although he avoided committing himself on the subject in the campaign of 1896 when he supported William Jennings Bryan a leading silverite 3 Mayor of New York City edit In November 1903 McClellan defeated the sitting mayor Seth Low independent Fusion for a two year term He was re elected in 1905 after the restoration of four year mayoral terms The party did not nominate him in 1909 for a third term clarification needed He is notable in the history of movie censorship for canceling all moving picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908 claiming that the new medium degraded the morals of the community and that celluloid film was an unacceptable fire hazard 4 On October 27 1904 the Interborough Rapid Transit New York City s first subway opened McClellan was to start the first train at the City Hall Station and then hand it over to an IRT motorman However he was enjoying himself so much that he refused to give up the controls until the train reached 103rd Street Station 5 U S Presidential candidacy edit McClellan ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 1904 receiving 3 votes on the first ballot at the Democratic National Convention Later career editThroughout his political career McClellan remained interested in education and in 1906 he was named honorary Chancellor of Union College At Princeton he delivered the Stafford Little lectures on public affairs 1908 1910 served as university lecturer 1911 1912 and was subsequently appointed a professor of economic history McClellan served in World War I entering the Army as major assigned to the Ordnance Department in May 1917 He was honorably discharged in May 1919 with the rank of lieutenant colonel Personal life editMcClellan married Georgiana Heckscher on October 30 1889 6 McClellan died on November 30 1940 one week after his 75th birthday and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery 2 Selected works editThe Oligarchy of Venice Boston Houghton Mifflin 1904 The Heel of War New York G W Dillingham Company 1916 Venice and Bonaparte Princeton Princeton University Press 1931 Modern Italy A Short History Princeton Princeton University Press 1933 The Gentleman and the Tiger The Autobiography of George B McClellan Jr Philadelphia J B Lippincott 1956 See also editMayor of New York City List of mayors of New York City New York City mayoral electionsReferences editNotes The best source is his autobiography The Gentleman and the Tiger The Autobiography of George B McClellan Jr 1956 a b George McClellan is Stricken at 75 New York Times December 1 1940 Retrieved 2007 06 14 Mayor of New York 1903 09 Son of Civil War General Dead in Washington Had Served in Congress Princeton Alumnus of 1889 a Lecturer on Economics at Alma Mater 1912 1930 Washington DC November 30 1940 Colonel George Brinton McClellan son of the famous Civil War general and a former member of Congress and Mayor of New York City from 1903 to 1909 died early today at his home here Career of Mr McClellan New York Times October 2 1903 p 2 Retrieved May 17 2016 via newspapers com Picture Shows All Out of Business The New York Times December 25 1908 Failing New York Subway Not Always Once There Were Chandeliers The New York Times April 11 2019 Married at Newport George B M clellan to Miss Georgiana Heckscher The New York Times October 31 1889 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved April 2 2020 Sources Some of the text is taken from McClellan George Brinton 1915 New International Encyclopedia Dodd Mead 1915 p 545 which is in the public domainFurther reading editMulrine M Barbara The Price of Honor The Life and Times of George Brinton McClellan Jr 2011 The standard scholarly biography Syrett Harold C Introduction to The Gentleman and the Tiger The Autobiography of George B McClellan Jr 1956 pp 9 39External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to George B McClellan Jr From Regulation to Censorship Film and Political Culture in New York in the Early Twentieth CenturyUnited States Congress George B McClellan Jr id M000331 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress U S House of RepresentativesPreceded byWilliam B Cockran Member of the U S House of Representatives from New York s 12th congressional districtMarch 4 1895 December 21 1903 Succeeded byWilliam B CockranPolitical officesPreceded bySeth Low Mayor of New York City1904 1909 Succeeded byWilliam Jay Gaynor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George B McClellan Jr amp oldid 1174488991, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
