1844–45 Boston mayoral election explained

The 1844–45 Boston mayoral election saw the election of Native American Party (Know Nothing) nominee Thomas Aspinwall Davis as mayor of Boston. The election took eight votes, as no candidate secured the needed majority in the first seven attempts. Incumbent Whig Party mayor Martin Brimmer was not a nominee reelection.^[1]

Background

The election marked the rise of the city's newly founded Native American Party (Know Nothing) organization.^[2] The election was characterized in part as a race between Presbyterians, largely regarded as backing the Native American Party cause, and the Unitarians, who were seen as backing the Whig Party. It was alternatively described as reflecting dividing lines between party-line Whigs, locofocos, nativists, and abolitionists.^[3]

First vote (December 9, 1844)

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^{[4] [5]}
• Adam W. Thaxter Jr. (Democratic Party/Locofoco),^{[4] [6]} merchant^[7]
• Josiah Quincy Jr. (Whig),^[4] former president of the Boston Common Council

Result
The Boston Post noted that the results did not reflect the typical party-alignment in elections held in Boston.^[4] Since no candidate received a majority of the vote, there was no winner.^{[1] [4]}

Second vote (December 23, 1844)

The Whig Party parted with Quincy as their nominee and instead nominated Thomas Wetmore as their nominee for the second vote of the election. With Thaxter, declining the Democratic party's nomination Charles Gordon Greene was nominated in his place.^[8] Coinciding with the second vote was a similar second vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.^[9]

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^{[10] [11] [9]}
• Charles Gordon Greene (Democratic Party/Locofoco), editor of the Boston Post^{[8] [11] [9]}
• Thomas Wetmore (Whig)^{[10] [11] [9]}

Result

Third vote (December 30, 1844)

Coinciding with the third vote was a similar third vote for five seats on the Boston Board of Aldermen.

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^[12]
• Charles Gordon Greene (Democratic Party/Locofoco), editor of the Boston Post^[12]
• Thomas Wetmore (Whig)^[12]

Result

Fourth vote (January 13, 1845)

Wetmore declined to run again and the Whig Party instead nominated former mayor Samuel Atkins Eliot.

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^{[13] [14]}
• Samuel Atkins Eliot (Whig), former mayor^{[13] [14]}
• Charles Gordon Greene (Democratic Party/Locofoco), editor of the Boston Post^{[13] [14]}

Result

Fifth vote (January 20, 1845)

The previous round's Whig nominee, Eliot, declined to run again. In their place, the party nominated William Parker.^[13] The Previous round's Democratic nominee, Greene, also declined to run again.^[13] He was replaced by Peter T. Homer.^[15] A meeting was held at which the Whig Young Men's nominated William T. Eustis. It was speculated this was done with hopes of having him be a spoiler candidate and split the Know Nothing vote to prevent a Davis victory.^[13]

A coinciding fifth vote was also held for the final two aldermanic seats, which saw victors emerge.^[15]

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^[15]
• William T. Eustis (Whig Young Men's)^[15]
• Peter T. Homer (Democratic Party/Locofoco)^[15]
• William Parker (Whig Party)^[13]

Result

Sixth vote (January 30, 1845)

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^[16]
• Peter T. Homer (Democratic Party/Locofoco)^[16]
• William Parker (Whig Party)^[16]

Result

Seventh vote (February 12, 1845)

By the time of the seventh vote, the Boston Tribune, a Whig newspaper, was conceding that they did not believe that their party did not stand a chance of ultimately prevailing in the mayor's race.^[17]

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^[18]
• Peter T. Homer (Democratic Party/Locofoco)^[18]
• William Parker (Whig Party)^[18]

Result

After the vote, a reporter wrote,

Eighth vote (February 21, 1845)

The Democratic Party opted not to contest the eighth vote, leaving the vote to be a two-way race.^[19] Davis won and was elected mayor.^[1] He took the oath of office on February 27, 1845.^[20]

Candidates

• Thomas Aspinwall Davis ("Native American"/"American "Republican" –Know Nothing)^[19]
• William Parker (Whig Party)^[19]

Result

Summary table of all votes

1844–1845 Boston mayoral election results

Vote round							Other candidates
	Nominee	%	Nominee	%	Nominee	%	Candidate	%
1st		41.19		37.12	Adam W. Thaxter Jr.	19.55	rowspan=4	rowspan=4
2nd	Thomas Wetmore	37.50		38.89		22.72
3rd		34.46		40.19		24.12
4th		37.79		40.65		20.93
5th		16.21		46.39	Peter T. Homer	20.06	William T. Eustis	16.26
6th		39.15		45.10		15.38	rowspan=3	rowspan=3
7th		36.59		47.57		15.66
8th		45.70		50.93

See also

• List of mayors of Boston, Massachusetts

Notes and References

1. Book: A Catalogue of the City Councils of Boston, 1822-1908, Roxbury, 1846-1867, Charlestown, 1847-1873 and of the Selectmen of Boston, 1634-1822: Also of Various Other Town and Municipal Officers . 1909 . City of Boston Printing Department . 50–51 . 7 April 2023 . en.
2. Web site: The "Native" Party—It's Past, Present, and Future . subscription . Newspapers.com . New York Daily Herald . 17 April 2023 . en . February 5, 1845.
3. Web site: The Times . subscription . Newspapers.com . Boon's Lick Times . 17 April 2023 . en . February 1, 1845.
4. Web site: The Boston Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Evening Post . en . December 11, 1844.
5. Web site: Mayor of Boston . subscription . Newspapers.com . Baltimore Daily Commercial . 17 April 2023 . en . December 19, 1844.
6. Web site: Boston Municipal Election. . subscription . Newspapers.com . New-York Tribune . en . December 11, 1844.
7. Web site: O'Brien . Megan . Luxury Home of the Week: For $7.35m, a 22-room Beacon Hill home . www.boston.com . 9 April 2023 . February 23, 2021.
8. Web site: Mr. Thaxter... . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Times-Picayune . en . December 31, 1844.
9. Web site: Boston Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Buffalo Commercial . 17 April 2023 . en . December 27, 1844.
10. Web site: Baltimore Daily Commercial 19 Dec 1844, page 1 . subscription . Newspapers.com . Baltimore Daily Commercial . 17 April 2023 . en . December 19, 1844.
11. Web site: Boston Municipal Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . New York Daily Herald . 17 April 2023 . en . December 25, 1844.
12. Web site: No Mayor Yet. . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . 17 April 2023 . en . January 2, 1845.
13. Web site: Boston Mayoralty . subscription. Newspapers.com . The Louisville Daily Courier . 17 April 2023 . en . January 25, 1845.
14. Web site: Boston Municipal Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . Weekly Columbus Enquirer . 17 April 2023 . en . January 29, 1845.
15. Web site: Boston City Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . Hartford Courant . 17 April 2023 . en . January 22, 1845.
16. Web site: Boston . subscription . Newspapers.com . Brooklyn Evening Star . 17 April 2023 . en . February 1, 1845.
17. Web site: Boston Election . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Louisville Daily Courier . 17 April 2023 . en . February 3, 1845.
18. Web site: Seventh Failure . subscription . Newspapers.com . The Pittsfield Sun . 17 April 2023 . en . February 20, 1845.
19. Web site: Election in Boston-A Choice at Last . subscription . Newspapers.com . Public Ledger . en . February 24, 1845.
20. Web site: Mayor of Boston . subscription . Newspapers.com . New York Daily Herald . 17 April 2023 . en . February 28, 1845.