Philip Breitmeyer was a florist, one of the founders of Florists' Telegraph Delivery (now Florists' Transworld Delivery

Florists' Transworld Delivery

-Going public:In 1994, FTD began a process of demutualization.On December 19, 1994, a precursor to the FTD Corporation, a private, for-profit company, acquired FTD, which then divided FTD into two organizations: FTD Incorporated, a for profit corporation, and FTD Association, a non-profit trade...

, or FTD), and the mayor of Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

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Biography

Philip Breitmeyer was born in Detroit on May 13, 1864, the son of John and Fredericka Schneider Breitmeyer. He was educated in the public schools of the city, and joined the family florist business, John Breitmeyer & Sons. He soon became president of the firm, and after his father's death bought out his brothers to become sole owner of the firm. The business grew rapidly, and they built a new building to house the firm, now the Breitmeyer-Tobin Building

Breitmeyer-Tobin Building

The Harmonie Centre, also known as the Breitmeyer-Tobin Building, is an eight-story commercial building located at 1308 Broadway Street in Detroit, Michigan. It is part of the Broadway Avenue Historic District. It is also known as the Tobin Building. The building was listed on the National...

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Breitmeyer was one of the organizers, and served as president, of Florists' Telegraph Delivery (now Florists' Transworld Delivery

Florists' Transworld Delivery

-Going public:In 1994, FTD began a process of demutualization.On December 19, 1994, a precursor to the FTD Corporation, a private, for-profit company, acquired FTD, which then divided FTD into two organizations: FTD Incorporated, a for profit corporation, and FTD Association, a non-profit trade...

, or FTD). He was president of the American Society of Florists, president of the Michigan Cut Flower Exchange, vice-president of the German-American Bank director of the Lohrman Seed COmapny, and president of the Detroit National Fire Insurance Company.

In 1886, Breitmeyer married Katie Grass, the couple two children, Harry G. and Katherine.

Politics

Breitmeyer was appointed by George P. Codd

George P. Codd

George Pierre Codd was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.-Biography:Codd was born on December 7, 1869 in Detroit, Michigan, the son of George C. and Eunice Lawrence Codd...

 as Commissioner of Parks and Boulevards for the city of Detroit, a position he held for two years. So well did he perform that he was nominated as the 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...

 candidate for mayor, and was elected for a term in 1909-1910.

Breitmeyer ran again for mayor in 1933, but was soundly defeated by James Couzens's son Frank

Frank Couzens

Frank Couzens was the son of United States Senator James J. Couzens, and mayor of Detroit, Michigan during the 1930s.-Early life:...

. He also served for two tears, 1938-1938, on the Detroit City Council

Detroit City Council

The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The City Council consists of nine members elected for a four-year term in a single election conducted on an at-large and non-partisan basis...

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Philip Breitmeyer died on November 8, 1941.

Further Reading