Historica Wiki
Advertisement
Abram Hewitt

Abram Stevens Hewitt (31 July 1822-18 January 1903) was a member of the US House of Representatives (D-NY 10) from 4 March 1875 to 3 March 1879 (succeeding Fernando Wood and preceding James O'Brien) and from 4 March 1881 to 30 December 1886 (succeeding O'Brien and preceding Francis B. Spinola), as well as Mayor of New York City from 1 January 1887 to 31 December 1888 (succeeding William Russell Grace and preceding Hugh J. Grant).

Biography[]

Abram Stevens Hewitt was born in Haverstraw, New York in 1822, and he cofounded an iron mill in Trenton, New Jersey before entering politics as a Democrat. Hewitt campaigned against the Tammany Hall political machine in 1871 and went on to serve in the US House of Representatives from 1875 to 1879 and from 1881 to 1886, opening the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883. Despite leading the anti-Tammany "Swallowtails" faction of the New York City Democratic Party, he was endorsed by Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker in order to defeat the radical Henry George. Hewitt was unpopular for his nativism, and he refused to review the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Croker ensured that Hewitt was not renominated, but Hewitt was forever known as the "Father of the New York City Subway" for his construction of the city's first subway line. He died in 1903.

Advertisement