Isaac V. Fowler
Encyclopedia
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
, from 1848–1850, 1857–1858, and 1858–1859, the last term shared with William M. "Boss" Tweed. He was appointed Postmaster of New York City by President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
on April 1, 1853 and was also a delegate from New York to the 1860 Democratic National Convention.
Fowler was an unusual leader of the Tammany Society as he was a college graduate. He also moved in the better social circles, and convinced a number of rich young men to join the organization.
However, Fowler had long lived beyond his means, and on May 10, 1860 was removed from his office as Postmaster and a warrant was issued for his arrest, accusing him of embezzling $155,554.
Warned by his political friends of the charges leveled against him, Fowler eluded capture and traveled to Mexico and Cuba. On July 5, 1866, the District Attorney filed a nolle prosequi, saying that he no longer intended to prosecute Fowler for his misdeeds. Some time after that, Fowler returned to the United States.
Fowler died in Chicago, Illinois, and was at the time planning to return to New York City.