William W. Wheaton
Encyclopedia
William W. Wheaton was a wholesale grocer, mayor of Detroit, Michigan
, chair of the Michigan Democratic
State Convention, and state representative.
on April 5, 1833, the son of John and Orit Johnson Wheaton. His father died in 1844, leaving the younger Wheaton to care for his mother. He attended school in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut
, and at the age of 16 began working at the wholesale establishment of Charles H. Northam & Co.
After gaining some experience at Northam & Co. and rising to the position of bookkeeper and confidential clerk, Wheaton moved to Detroit in 1853 and joined Moore, Foote, and Co., wholesale grocers. In 1855, he became the junior partner in Farrand & Wheaton, wholesale grocer and druggist, and in 1859 when Farrand & Wheaton was dissolved, he struck out on his own and formed Whaton & Co. Over the next few year, Wheaton took on different partners, becoming Wheaton & Peek in 1862, WHeaton, Leonard, and Burr in 1863, and Wheaton & Poppleton in 1869. In 1873, he became treasurer of the Marquette & Pacific Rolling Mill Company.
In 1866, Wheaton ran for state Senate, and lost by only 12 votes. He later ran for mayor of Detroit, and was elected twice, serving two two-year terms from 1868 - 1871. He also served as chairman of the Democratic State Convention, although the nomination of Horace Greeley
for president later soured him on politics. However, Wheaton returned to politics, and was elected state representative in 1889.
Wheaton married Maria Lavinia Ackerman; the couple had two daughters: Ida (born 1856) and Maria (born 1859).
William W. Wheaton died at Harper Hospital on November 11, 1891.
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...
, chair of the Michigan Democratic
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...
State Convention, and state representative.
Biography
William W. Wheaton was born in New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
on April 5, 1833, the son of John and Orit Johnson Wheaton. His father died in 1844, leaving the younger Wheaton to care for his mother. He attended school in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and at the age of 16 began working at the wholesale establishment of Charles H. Northam & Co.
After gaining some experience at Northam & Co. and rising to the position of bookkeeper and confidential clerk, Wheaton moved to Detroit in 1853 and joined Moore, Foote, and Co., wholesale grocers. In 1855, he became the junior partner in Farrand & Wheaton, wholesale grocer and druggist, and in 1859 when Farrand & Wheaton was dissolved, he struck out on his own and formed Whaton & Co. Over the next few year, Wheaton took on different partners, becoming Wheaton & Peek in 1862, WHeaton, Leonard, and Burr in 1863, and Wheaton & Poppleton in 1869. In 1873, he became treasurer of the Marquette & Pacific Rolling Mill Company.
In 1866, Wheaton ran for state Senate, and lost by only 12 votes. He later ran for mayor of Detroit, and was elected twice, serving two two-year terms from 1868 - 1871. He also served as chairman of the Democratic State Convention, although the nomination of Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
for president later soured him on politics. However, Wheaton returned to politics, and was elected state representative in 1889.
Wheaton married Maria Lavinia Ackerman; the couple had two daughters: Ida (born 1856) and Maria (born 1859).
William W. Wheaton died at Harper Hospital on November 11, 1891.