William Ketchum (mayor)

William Ketchum (March 2, 1798 – October 1, 1876) was the 14th Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York. He served from 1844 to 1845.

William Ketchum
Mayor of Buffalo
In office 1844–1845
Preceded by	Joseph G. Masten
Succeeded by	Joseph G. Masten
Personal details
Born	March 2, 1798 Bloomfield, New York
Died	October 1, 1876(1876-10-01) (aged 78) Buffalo, New York
Political party	Whig
Spouse(s)	Lamira Callendar Elizabeth Palmer
Children	5
"William Ketchum". Through The Mayor's Eyes, The Only Complete History of the Mayors of Buffalo, New York, Compiled by Michael Rizzo. The Buffalonian is produced by The Peoples History Union. 2009-05-27.

Biography

William Ketchum was born on March 2, 1798 in Bloomfield, New York. He moved to Buffalo in 1819, and became a partner at a merchant house that handled furs and hats. He was one of the founders of the original Bank of Buffalo along with Major Andre Andrews and Hiram Pratt.[1]

Ketchum served as a Buffalo Village Trustee prior to the city's incorporation, and later served on the Erie County Board of Supervisors. On March 5, 1844, he ran successfully as the Whig candidate for mayor. He did not run for re-election in 1845. He was later a Republican and a Hindoo, a splinter group of the Republican Party. In 1851 he was appointed collector of the port of Buffalo by President Millard Fillmore. He retired from the fur and hat business in 1857. In 1861, he patented the Ketchum Grenade, which was used by the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Personal life

On March 18, 1823 he married Lamira Callendar of Buffalo; she died in 1866 and he remarried on September 7, 1871 to Elizabeth Palmer of Brantford, Ontario.[1] He died October 1, 1876, and is buried in the Ketchum family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery.[1]

Electoral history

Buffalo Mayor, March, 1844

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Oliver G. Steele	1,389	46.4	-11.4
	Whig	William Ketchum	1,602	53.6	+11.4

See also

• List of mayors of Buffalo, New York
• Ketchum Grenade

Political offices
Preceded by Joseph G. Masten	Mayor of Buffalo, NY 1844–1845	Succeeded by Joseph G. Masten

References

1. "William Ketchum". Through The Mayor's Eyes, The Only Complete History of the Mayor's of Buffalo, New York, Compiled by Michael Rizzo. The Buffalonian is produced by The Peoples History Union. 2009-05-27.