36 Facts About Joseph Wightman

Joseph Milner Wightman was an American politician who, from 1861 to 1863, served as the seventeenth Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts.

Joseph Wightman's father died when he was 10; when he was 14 years old, Wightman became a machinist's apprentice.

Joseph Wightman was apprenticed to a firm of mathematical and philosophical instrument makers owned by Mr John Codman and Mr Timothy Claxton.

When he was 16, and still serving as an apprentice, Joseph Wightman made use of the Mechanic Apprentices' Library borrowing books on Mathematics and other subjects, so that he could study at night after his working hours.

Joseph Wightman was able to benefit from these educational pursuits because one of his employers, Timothy Claxton, was an early innovator and supporter in providing educational opportunities for the working class.

In September 1837, Claxton and Joseph Wightman won a silver medal from the judges on Philosophical Instruments at Boston's First Mechanics' Fair.

Joseph Wightman won a silver medal from the judges on Philosophical Instruments at the second fair held in September 1837, and a gold medal at the third fair held in September 1841.

In 1845 Joseph Wightman was the chairman of a citizens committee that worked to improve water delivery into the City of Boston, this resulted in the development of the Cochituate Water Works.

From 1846 to 1855 Joseph Wightman served as a member of the Boston Primary School Committee.

Joseph Wightman served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Boston Primary School Committee until that committee was dissolved on January 2,1855.

Joseph Wightman was very active in the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association.

Joseph Wightman was elected a trustee of the Association in 1850, he served as a trustee for three years.

Joseph Wightman received 8,834 votes in his election bid vs that of his closest competitor Republican Party candidate, former Alderman Moses Kimball, who received 5,674 votes.

Joseph Wightman had been endorsed by both wings of the Democratic party and that of the Whigs.

On December 9,1861 Joseph Wightman was reelected as Mayor receiving 6,765 votes vs his closest competitor Edward Tobey, who received 5,795 votes.

Wightman again ran for reelection in 1862, Mayor Wightman was re-nominated by the People's Union Party on November 22,1862, however on December 8,1862, he lost to his predecessor Frederic W Lincoln Jr.

In early November 1861 Mayor Joseph Wightman visited the fort and decided that immediate steps had to be taken to alleviate the situation.

The Boston Evening Traveler, in opposing Joseph Wightman's reelection, called his distribution of supplies to the fort, aid to the "traitors at Fort Warren".

The Boston Post said that Joseph Wightman had acted out of a charity and The Boston Journal supported Joseph Wightman in an editorial titled "The Transcript on Humanity".

In 1857 Joseph Wightman was chairman of the special committee on the Free City Hospital.

Joseph Wightman arranged to remit, through him, funds from the soldiers pay to their families.

In 1866 Joseph Wightman ran for the 40th United States Congress as the Democratic Party candidate for the Massachusetts' fourth Congressional district.

Joseph Wightman ran as a friend of the working man and the working men were urged to vote for Joseph Wightman.

Joseph Wightman received 3,183 votes against Republican candidate Hooper, who won with 7,902 votes.

Joseph Wightman was involved for many years in the civic affairs of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston, serving in elected and unelected public and private offices.

Joseph Wightman was, in 1851, a member of the Massachusetts Great and General Court representing Boston in the Massachusetts state House of Representatives.

Joseph Wightman served as a member of the Board of Aldermen for three years serving as Chairman of the Board of Aldermen in 1858.

From 1858 until 1862 Joseph Wightman served as an appointed trustee of the city owned Mt Hope Cemetery.

In 1860 Joseph Wightman was a delegate to the Fourth National Quarantine and Sanitary Convention held from June 14 to June 16 at Mechanics' Hall, Boston.

On February 13,1868, Joseph Wightman was elected by the Boston City Council to serve a two-year term as a Commissioner of the Cochituate Water Board.

At the April 6,1869, organizational meeting of the Cochituate Water Board Joseph Wightman was put on the Committee of Rules and Regulations, the Standing Committees of the Water Registrar's Department and the Western Division and the Special Committees of High Service, The East Boston Reservoir and, Construction of Telegraph.

Joseph Wightman served as Chairman of the three member board of Registrars of Voters from 1878 until his death on January 25,1885.

Joseph Wightman explained in his letter that in 1864 he became a stock holder in the Franklin Coal Company.

Joseph Wightman wrote that in June 1865 against his wishes or knowledge he was made a director of that company.

In January 1875 Joseph Wightman was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.

Joseph Wightman died on January 25,1885, and was interred in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.