For other people named John Baxter, see John Baxter (disambiguation).
| John George Baxter, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Braxter by George Dury c.1871 | |
| 22nd Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky | |
| In office 1879–1881 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Donald Jacob |
| Succeeded by | Paul Booker Reed |
| 20th Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky | |
| In office 1870–1872 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Henry Bunce |
| Succeeded by | Charles Donald Jacob |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1826-12-12)December 12, 1826 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | March 30, 1885(1885-03-30) (aged 58) Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Alicia Mary McCready
(m. 1852) |
| Children | 8 |
John George Baxter Jr. (December 12, 1826 – March 30, 1885) was the twentieth (1870–1872) and twenty-second (1879–1881) mayor of Louisville, Kentucky.
Early life
John George Baxter Jr. was born December 12, 1826, to Elizabeth (née Smith) and John G. Baxter, Scottish immigrants from Dundee, Scotland, in Lexington, Kentucky. His father was a machinist. He attended rural schools and apprenticed with a blacksmith.
Career
Baxter worked as a clerk for six years. He came to Louisville in 1847 and eventually established a successful stove company.
From 1861 to 1863, Baxter was a member of the Board of Councilman. In 1865, he was elected to the Board of Aldermen, and was elected president of the board in 1866. He was a director of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad from 1868 to 1870.
In March 1870, Baxter was elected mayor of Louisville. His first administration saw the construction of the new city hall, as well as a new city hospital and an almshouse. He did not run again in 1872 after his first term because the new city charter restricted incumbents from running. He ran in 1875 and lost by a small margin to Charles Donald Jacob, but was reelected in 1879.
Around 1884, Baxter was elected president of the Louisville Gas Company and served in that role until his death.
Personal life
Baxter married Alicia Mary McCready of Louisville on November 7, 1852. They had eight children: Mary, Elizabeth, Belle, John, Annie, Emma, Carrie and Willie.
Baxter died on March 30, 1885, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery on Baxter Avenue, which was renamed in his honor.
See also
References
- ^ Louisville Past and Present. 1875. pp. 225–228. Retrieved May 29, 2022 – via archive.org.
- ^ "John G. Baxter Dead". The Courier-Journal. March 31, 1885. p. 6. Retrieved May 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "The Funeral Arranged". The Courier-Journal. April 2, 1885. p. 8. Retrieved May 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Yater, George H. (1987). Two Hundred Years at the Fall of the Ohio: A History of Louisville and Jefferson County (2nd ed.). Louisville, KY: Filson Club, Incorporated. ISBN 0-9601072-3-1.
- "John George Baxter Jr.". The Encyclopedia of Louisville (1 ed.). 2001.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJoseph H. Bunce | Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky 1870–1872 |
Succeeded byCharles Donald Jacob |
| Preceded byCharles Donald Jacob | Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky 1879–1881 |
Succeeded byP. Booker Reed |