Josephat T. Benoit
Encyclopedia
Josephat T. Benoit was the 41st mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire from 1944 to 1961. A New Deal
Democrat
, he held that office for a record nine consecutive terms.
, Quebec
on March 3, 1900. The youngest of seven children, he migrated to Fitchburg, Massachusetts
with his family in 1907. He received two Ph.D.s in his lifetime: one in philosophy
from the Université de Montréal
in 1921, the other in political economy
and sociology
from the Sorbonne
in 1935. He also received two honorary degrees: a Doctor of Literature from the Université de Montréal
and a Doctor of Laws from Saint Anselm College
.
He was an editor of numerous French-language newspapers in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
, and Sudbury, Massachusetts
. He moved to Manchester, New Hampshire
in 1937 and took the position of editor-in-chief of L'Avenir National, a French-language daily newspaper. He remained in that position until 1943 when he entered local politics.
and 1936
.
Benoit first ran for mayor of Manchester in 1943, defeating the sitting Republican
mayor, Wilfred A. Laflamme. He quickly rose to prominence in New Hampshire
politics, serving as Chairman of the New Hampshire State Democratic Committee in 1944. In this capacity, he was chosen as a delegate to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
in Chicago, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt
was nominated for an unprecedented fourth term. Benoit was the head of Roosevelt's Granite State re-election campaign in 1944
. Roosevelt carried the state by over 9,000 votes. The following year, Benoit was named state chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party
.
He was re-elected mayor in 1945 and, having completed only one term, made an unsuccessful bid for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district
in 1946 against sitting Republican
Chester E. Merrow. In 1949, he co-founded the French-language newspaper "L'Action."
Benoit would go on to win seven additional mayoral elections, each against a different candidate. He served as a keynote speaker at the state Democratic Convention in 1958. In 1959, he defeated John C. Mongan
, the man who would become his successor. After serving nine consecutive terms as mayor, Benoit retired from politics in 1961. He cited two reasons for his retirement: pressure from his family and the city's return to partisan elections after ten years of non-partisan elections. Over 1,400 people attended a testimonial in his honor in December 1961 held at the State Armory.
During his tenure as mayor, many of Manchester's current schools were built. He supported the establishment of public housing in Manchester and opposed fluoridation of the city's water supply. He was instrumental in the Millyard Urban Renewal Project in Manchester's millyard, originally home to the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
. He was also involved in the development of Grenier Field, now the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
.
until his retirement in 1973. In 1962, he was selected "Citizen of the Year" in Manchester and was honored at the first statewide Brotherhood Dinner of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, now the National Conference for Community and Justice
.
He was a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
. He was an associate member of the Société des Gens de Lettres in Paris (1935) and a holder of the Richelieu Medal from the French Academy in 1936, where he was an officer in Paris in 1937. He received the Grand Medal and Diploma from the Alliance française
in Paris in 1945.
He died in Manchester, New Hampshire
on May 14, 1976 and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in the same city. He was survived by his son, Jean Benoit, a daughter, Francoise (Benoit) Lozier, and two grandchildren.
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he held that office for a record nine consecutive terms.
Early life and career
Benoit was born in Sainte-MadeleineSainte-Madeleine, Quebec
Sainte-Madeleine is a village in southwestern Quebec, Canada in the Regional County Municipality of Les Maskoutains. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 2,175.-Population:Population trend-Language:Mother tongue language ...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
on March 3, 1900. The youngest of seven children, he migrated to Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
with his family in 1907. He received two Ph.D.s in his lifetime: one in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
in 1921, the other in political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in 1935. He also received two honorary degrees: a Doctor of Literature from the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
and a Doctor of Laws from Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College
Saint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the...
.
He was an editor of numerous French-language newspapers in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
, Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
, and Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
. He moved to Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
in 1937 and took the position of editor-in-chief of L'Avenir National, a French-language daily newspaper. He remained in that position until 1943 when he entered local politics.
Political career
Benoit first became involved in American politics through his journalism career. He worked as an organizer, speaker, and French newspaper publisher for Roosevelt-for-President during the United States presidential elections of 1932United States presidential election, 1932
The United States presidential election of 1932 took place as the effects of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the Revenue Act of 1932, and the Great Depression were being felt intensely across the country. President Herbert Hoover's popularity was falling as...
and 1936
United States presidential election, 1936
The United States presidential election of 1936 was the most lopsided presidential election in the history of the United States in terms of electoral votes. In terms of the popular vote, it was the third biggest victory since the election of 1820, which was not seriously contested.The election took...
.
Benoit first ran for mayor of Manchester in 1943, defeating the sitting Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
mayor, Wilfred A. Laflamme. He quickly rose to prominence in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
politics, serving as Chairman of the New Hampshire State Democratic Committee in 1944. In this capacity, he was chosen as a delegate to the 1944 Democratic National Convention
1944 Democratic National Convention
The 1944 Democratic National Convention was held at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois from July 19 - July 21, 1944. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for an unprecedented fourth term. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri was nominated for...
in Chicago, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
was nominated for an unprecedented fourth term. Benoit was the head of Roosevelt's Granite State re-election campaign in 1944
United States presidential election, 1944
The United States presidential election of 1944 took place while the United States was preoccupied with fighting World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had been in office longer than any other president, but remained popular. Unlike 1940, there was little doubt that Roosevelt would run for...
. Roosevelt carried the state by over 9,000 votes. The following year, Benoit was named state chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party
New Hampshire Democratic Party
The New Hampshire Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of New Hampshire. The chair is Raymond Buckley. The vice chairs are Martha Fuller Clark and Jane Clemmons.-Current elected officials:...
.
He was re-elected mayor in 1945 and, having completed only one term, made an unsuccessful bid for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district
New Hampshire's 1st congressional district
New Hampshire's 1st congressional district covers the southeastern part of New Hampshire. The district consists of three general areas: Greater Manchester, the Seacoast and the Lakes Region....
in 1946 against sitting Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Chester E. Merrow. In 1949, he co-founded the French-language newspaper "L'Action."
Benoit would go on to win seven additional mayoral elections, each against a different candidate. He served as a keynote speaker at the state Democratic Convention in 1958. In 1959, he defeated John C. Mongan
John C. Mongan
John C. Mongan was the 42nd and 44th mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire, first from 1962–1963 and again from 1968 - 1969. He is a Republican.-Early life and career:...
, the man who would become his successor. After serving nine consecutive terms as mayor, Benoit retired from politics in 1961. He cited two reasons for his retirement: pressure from his family and the city's return to partisan elections after ten years of non-partisan elections. Over 1,400 people attended a testimonial in his honor in December 1961 held at the State Armory.
During his tenure as mayor, many of Manchester's current schools were built. He supported the establishment of public housing in Manchester and opposed fluoridation of the city's water supply. He was instrumental in the Millyard Urban Renewal Project in Manchester's millyard, originally home to the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was a textile manufacturer which founded Manchester, New Hampshire. From modest beginnings in near wilderness, it grew throughout the 19th century into the largest cotton textile plant in the world. At its peak, Amoskeag was unrivaled both for the quality and...
. He was also involved in the development of Grenier Field, now the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport , commonly referred to simply as "Manchester Airport," is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...
.
Writings
Benoit was the author of three works:- Rois ou Esclaves de la Machine [Kings or Slaves of the Machine] (Political Economy, Montréal, 1931)
- L'Âme Franco-Américaine [The Franco-American Soul] (Sociology, Paris and Montréal, 1935)
- Catéchisme d'Histoire Franco-Américaine [Catechism of Franco-American history] (Manchester, 1938-1940, three editions)
Post-Politics and Death
After retiring from politics in 1961, Benoit served as the director of New Hampshire's Small Business AdministrationSmall Business Administration
The Small Business Administration is a United States government agency that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small businesses...
until his retirement in 1973. In 1962, he was selected "Citizen of the Year" in Manchester and was honored at the first statewide Brotherhood Dinner of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, now the National Conference for Community and Justice
National Conference for Community and Justice
The National Conference for Community and Justice is a national, human relations, non-profit organization in the United States. Its mission is to fight bias, bigotry, and racism and promote understanding and respect through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education.The NCCJ was founded in 1927...
.
He was a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
. He was an associate member of the Société des Gens de Lettres in Paris (1935) and a holder of the Richelieu Medal from the French Academy in 1936, where he was an officer in Paris in 1937. He received the Grand Medal and Diploma from the Alliance française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
in Paris in 1945.
He died in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
on May 14, 1976 and was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in the same city. He was survived by his son, Jean Benoit, a daughter, Francoise (Benoit) Lozier, and two grandchildren.