Thomas Lennox Sullivan was the 16th mayor of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1889, he ran for mayor as a 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...

, was elected and succeeded Caleb S. Denny

Caleb S. Denny

Caleb Stone Denny was the 15th and 17th mayor of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. Denny first worked as a teacher and librarian before completing a law degree. He served as the assistant attorney general of Indiana from 1873 to 1875...

 who had chosen not to run. He lost his reelection bid to Denny in 1892.

Sullivan was the grandson of senator Oliver H. Smith

Oliver H. Smith

Oliver Hampton Smith was a United States Representative and Senator from Indiana. Born on Smith's Island, near Trenton, New Jersey, attended the common schools and moved west, eventually settling in Lawrenceburg, Indiana in 1818. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1820, commencing...

 and the father of Reginald H. Sullivan

Reginald H. Sullivan

Reginald H. Sullivan was the 30th and 33rd mayor of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is among the longest-lived Americans to ever be a mayor of any city. He came from a political family with his father, Thomas Lennox Sullivan, being a former mayor of Indianapolis...

who was also a mayor of the city (1930–1935, 1939–1943).