Nehemiah Ford
Encyclopedia
Nehemiah Ford was an Canadian
politician
and painter
. He was mayor
of Hamilton, Ontario
in 1852.
s' Institute of Wentworth County. He served as its recording secretary for several years, and was made an honorary member on February 25, 1848 as a reward for his services. A painter by trade, as well as a freemason, Ford was also a member of both Barton Lodge
and the Church of St. Thomas
.
He married Keziah Beasley in 1835, the daughter of one of Hamilton's earliest settlers, Richard Beasley
. They had at least two sons together. The date of Ford's death is not certain, but is believed to be between 1858 and 1862.
council chambers for a meeting of the Gore and Wellington Church Society. Unfortunately, the time chosen coincided with a scheduled council meeting, and, when Ford agreed to change the time of the municipal meeting, he caused considerable friction. The council criticized his conduct but agreed to vote him the £100 salary for his year's services as mayor. Ford refused to accept the salary with censure
and brought the affair to public attention. Although the matter was later smoothed over, Ford refused to run for a second term.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. He was 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 Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
in 1852.
Biography
Little is known of the life of Nehemiah Ford. His presence in Hamilton is recorded in 1839, when he was a member of the executive of the first MechanicMechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
s' Institute of Wentworth County. He served as its recording secretary for several years, and was made an honorary member on February 25, 1848 as a reward for his services. A painter by trade, as well as a freemason, Ford was also a member of both Barton Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
and the Church of St. Thomas
Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in . He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman...
.
He married Keziah Beasley in 1835, the daughter of one of Hamilton's earliest settlers, Richard Beasley
Richard Beasley
Richard Beasley was a soldier, political figure, farmer and businessman in Upper Canada.He was born in New York in 1761 and moved to Quebec in 1777. In 1783, he formed a partnership with Peter Smith in the fur trade. In 1788, he settled in Barton Township on Lake Ontario near the current city of...
. They had at least two sons together. The date of Ford's death is not certain, but is believed to be between 1858 and 1862.
Controversy in office
Ford was elected mayor in 1852, and his term of office was unusual. Problems arose when Ford agreed to allow John Gamble Geddes to use the James StreetJames Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way...
council chambers for a meeting of the Gore and Wellington Church Society. Unfortunately, the time chosen coincided with a scheduled council meeting, and, when Ford agreed to change the time of the municipal meeting, he caused considerable friction. The council criticized his conduct but agreed to vote him the £100 salary for his year's services as mayor. Ford refused to accept the salary with censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
and brought the affair to public attention. Although the matter was later smoothed over, Ford refused to run for a second term.