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Clarence Sayward Wilkinson (born September 26, 1910 – July 12, 1996) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Beverly, Massachusetts, from 1951 to 1957, State Representative from 1957 to 1961, Town Manager of Saugus from 1968 to 1970, and Town Manager of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, from 1970 to 1975.

Career

Wilkinson was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He was elected Mayor of Beverly, Massachusetts in 1950 and re-elected in 1952, 1954, and 1956. During his tenure as Mayor, Beverly celebrated its 325th anniversary, hosted World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Rocky Marciano, hosted two Sports Car Club of America auto racing events, and built two new schools. Prior to becoming Mayor, Wilkinson spent four years as a member of the Beverly Board of Aldermen.

In 1953, Wilkinson was a candidate for State Representative, but lost in the Republican primary to Herbert Tuckerman.

In 1955, Wilkinson received a type-written letter containing a threat to kill him if he did not pay four million dollars. An investigation by Beverly police revealed that the letter was written by a fourteen-year-old boy at a junior high school.

Wilkinson was elected State Representative in 1956. He served as State Representative and Mayor simultaneously during his final year as Mayor. He was reelected in 1958, but lost the 1960 Republican primary to George L. Allen.

In 1962, Wilkinson was named Associate State Commissioner of Public Works.

In 1965, he made a return to elected office in Beverly as a member of the Board of Aldermen. In 1966, the town offered 207 acres of land abutting Beverly Municipal Airport to Boeing in attempt to convince them to build a proposed multimillion-dollar plant in Beverly. Wilkinson served as the town's liaison officer in the ultimately unsuccessful project. In 1967, Wilkinson ran again for Mayor, but finished third in the primary behind James A. Vitale and Herbert Grimes.

On October 14, 1968, he was named Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts. He had previously been a finalist for the job in 1962, but the Board of Selectmen decided to give the job to John O. Stinson. He resigned in 1970 to take the same position in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He remained as Boothbay Harbor's Town Manager until his retirement in 1975.

He died on July 12, 1996, in Bremen, Maine.

References

1. ^ 1957-1958 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. "Beverly Opens 325th Celebration With Dedication". Boston Daily Globe. August 5, 1951.
3. Molter, Harry (April 29, 1955). "Sports Car Enthusiasts Await Beverly Races". The Christian Science Monitor.
4. "Beverly Tax Rate Up $6". Boston Daily Globe. May 5, 1956.
5. "Tuckerman Wins G. O. P. Primary for Representative". Boston Daily Globe. November 25, 1953.
6. "Trace Threat Letter to Beverly Boy". Associated Press. March 5, 1955. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
7. Lewis, William (September 15, 1960). "Ward Seen Legislators' New Guide". Boston Globe.
8. "Wilkinson Succeeds Dole As State Public Works Aide". Boston Globe. April 27, 1962. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
9. Burbank, Russell (October 14, 1965). "Joslin, Grimes Finalists In Beverly Mayor Fight". Boston Globe.
10. "Beverly Woos Boeing With 207-Acre Plant Site". Boston Globe. May 15, 1966.
11. Corneau, Robert (November 1, 1967). "Beverly to elect mayor on Tuesday". Boston Globe.
12. "Saugus". Boston Globe. October 15, 1968.
13. "Saugus Gets 12th Manager In 14 Years". Boston Globe. February 20, 1962.
14. Boston Globe. March 25, 1970. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
15. ^ "Clarence Wilkinson, 85 Was legislator, Beverly mayor". The Boston Globe. July 14, 1996. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

• 1910 births
• 1996 deaths
• Maine city managers
• Republican Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
• People from Boothbay Harbor, Maine
• Mayors of Beverly, Massachusetts
• Town managers of Saugus, Massachusetts
• People from Bremen, Maine
• 20th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court