Samuel George King (May 2, 1816 – March 21, 1899) was an American politician who served as the 73rd mayor of Philadelphia from 1881 to 1884. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the last Democrat elected as mayor of Philadelphia until 1952.
King was born on May 2, 1816 in Philadelphia. In 1881, as a member of the Select Council, he ran for the mayoralty of Philadelphia against three-term incumbent William S. Stokley. The Philadelphia Republican establishment had not accepted Stokley as one of their own and prominent reformists such as Rudolph Blankenburg opposed Stokley for corruption.[1]
After the influential Committee of One Hundred voted to endorse Stokley, Blankenburg and John Paul Verree resigned their memberships.[2] The Committee reversed itself and endorsed King in the election. He defeated Stokley by a margin of nearly 5,800 votes.
King initiated a program to develop "river baths". Three were implemented in Philadelphia, two on the Delaware River and one on the Schuykill River, next to the poorest neighborhoods in an attempt to improve city health by enabling city residents to bathe regularly.[3] He also appointed the first black officers to serve in the Philadelphia Police Department.[4]
^Silcox, Harry (1989). Philadelphia Politics from the Bottom Up: The Life of Irishman William McMullen, 1824-1901. p. 98. ISBN9780944190012.
^McCaffery, Peter (2010-11-01). When Bosses Ruled Philadelphia: The Emergence of the Republican Machine, 1867-1933. p. 68. ISBN978-0271040578.
^Wiltse, Jeff (2007). Contested Waters - A Social History of Swimming Pools in America. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. p. 24. ISBN978-0-8078-3100-7. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
^Kooi, Brandon (2022). Seven Highly Effective Police Leaders: 1895 - Modern Times. New York: Routledge. ISBN978-1-4987-6892-4. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
^"Mayors of the City of Philadelphia". City of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
^Goodtimes, Johnny. "Worst 18th-Century Job: Philadelphia Mayor". www.phillymag.com. Metro Corp. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
samuel, king, samuel, george, king, 1816, march, 1899, american, politician, served, 73rd, mayor, philadelphia, from, 1881, 1884, member, democratic, party, last, democrat, elected, mayor, philadelphia, until, 1952, samuel, george, king73rd, mayor, philadelphi. Samuel George King May 2 1816 March 21 1899 was an American politician who served as the 73rd mayor of Philadelphia from 1881 to 1884 He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the last Democrat elected as mayor of Philadelphia until 1952 Samuel George King73rd Mayor of Philadelphia PennsylvaniaIn office April 4 1881 April 7 1887Preceded byWilliam S StokleySucceeded byWilliam Burns SmithPersonal detailsBorn 1816 05 02 May 2 1816Philadelphia Pennsylvania U S DiedMarch 21 1899 1899 03 21 aged 82 Resting placeLaurel Hill Cemetery Philadelphia Pennsylvania U S Political partyDemocraticBiography EditKing was born on May 2 1816 in Philadelphia In 1881 as a member of the Select Council he ran for the mayoralty of Philadelphia against three term incumbent William S Stokley The Philadelphia Republican establishment had not accepted Stokley as one of their own and prominent reformists such as Rudolph Blankenburg opposed Stokley for corruption 1 After the influential Committee of One Hundred voted to endorse Stokley Blankenburg and John Paul Verree resigned their memberships 2 The Committee reversed itself and endorsed King in the election He defeated Stokley by a margin of nearly 5 800 votes King initiated a program to develop river baths Three were implemented in Philadelphia two on the Delaware River and one on the Schuykill River next to the poorest neighborhoods in an attempt to improve city health by enabling city residents to bathe regularly 3 He also appointed the first black officers to serve in the Philadelphia Police Department 4 In 1884 King ran for a second term but Republican William Burns Smith defeated him by more than 9 000 votes 5 King was the last Democrat to hold the office of Mayor of Philadelphia until Joseph Clark was elected in 1952 6 King died on March 21 1899 and is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery References Edit Silcox Harry 1989 Philadelphia Politics from the Bottom Up The Life of Irishman William McMullen 1824 1901 p 98 ISBN 9780944190012 McCaffery Peter 2010 11 01 When Bosses Ruled Philadelphia The Emergence of the Republican Machine 1867 1933 p 68 ISBN 978 0271040578 Wiltse Jeff 2007 Contested Waters A Social History of Swimming Pools in America Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina Press p 24 ISBN 978 0 8078 3100 7 Retrieved 7 September 2022 Kooi Brandon 2022 Seven Highly Effective Police Leaders 1895 Modern Times New York Routledge ISBN 978 1 4987 6892 4 Retrieved 7 September 2022 Mayors of the City of Philadelphia City of Philadelphia Retrieved 2018 06 13 Goodtimes Johnny Worst 18th Century Job Philadelphia Mayor www phillymag com Metro Corp Retrieved 7 September 2022 External links EditSamuel G King at Find a GravePolitical officesPreceded byWilliam S Stokley Mayor of Philadelphia1881 1884 Succeeded byWilliam Burns Smith Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel G King amp oldid 1109186368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
