Jonathan Chapman was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

, serving as the eighth mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 from 1840 to 1842.

Chapman's father also named Jonathan Chapman served as a member of the Town of Boston's Board of Selectmen

Board of selectmen

The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...

.

Chapman attended Philips Academy and he graduated from Harvard College

Harvard College

Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...

 and studied law under the direction of Judge Lemuel Shaw

Lemuel Shaw

Lemuel Shaw was an American jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court...

.

Chapman was elected Mayor in December 1839, he was sworn into office in 1840, he served three one year terms.

Because of a large increase of the debt of the city of Boston in the 18 years since it was incorporated, Mayor Chapman had as a chief aim of his administration the reduction of the city's debt.

New City Hall

Although land had been purchased for a new city hall, Mayor Chapman did not favor that project. Because Suffolk County

Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...

 was constructing a new building for the Registry and Probate offices, and was going to move out of the old courthouse building, Chapman instead recommended that the old Suffolk County Courthouse be remodeled for use as Boston's city hall.

The City occupied the renovated structure on March 18, 1841.

Steamship Service

Chapman spoke of the great importance of the establishment of the Cunard Line

Cunard Line

Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...

s steamship service between Boston and Liverpool, England.

The Western Railroad

Chapman also spoke of the great importance of the opening up of the Western Railroad

Boston and Albany Railroad

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...

 from Boston to the Hudson River

Hudson River

The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

.