James S. Thomas (mayor)
James S. Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 19th Mayor of St. Louis | |
| In office 1864–1869 | |
| Preceded by | Chauncey Ives Filley |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Cole |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 25, 1802 Maryland, US |
| Died | October 26, 1874 (aged 72) St. Louis, Missouri, US |
| Resting place | Bellefontaine Cemetery |
| Party | Republican |
| Children | 1 |
| Occupation | Banker, politician |
James S. Thomas (May 25, 1802 – October 26, 1874) was an American banker and politician. A Republican, he served as Mayor of St. Louis.
Biography
Thomas was born on May 25, 1802, in Maryland. In 1825, he moved to St. Louis, and in 1826, opened a bank; his bank was the first in the city. Between 1838 and 1850, he was partnered with banker Louis Auguste Benoist. After their partnership ceased, he retired.[1]
Thomas was a Republican. During the American Civil War, St. Louis was controlled by the Union army and placed under martial law. As a result, he unretired and was appointed by the army to multiple government positions, such as president of the Board of Assessment.[1]
Thomas served as Mayor of St. Louis from 1864 to 1869, being elected to complete the unexpired term of Chauncey Ives Filley; Thomas' tenure the second-longest of a St. Louis mayor at the time. He served during the city's major population growth.[1]
As mayor, Thomas pushed for the city to deprivatize its public services. On December 18, 1865, he signed the ordinance which updated the city's house numbering system to follow blocks; as of 2001, it is still used. He expanded the city's water systems – both its sewage and freshwater. Water infrastructure he helped erect included the Compton Hill Reservoir and the Grand Avenue Water Tower.[1] In 1866, he lessened the impact of a cholera outbreak by appointing sanitary committees to each ward.[2] On March 16, 1869, he created a city Board of Health.[1][3]
After serving as Mayor, Thomas became a leading figure in the creation of Tower Grove Park. He also spent the remainder of his life a member of the city's Park Board of Commissioners. His first marriage was to a daughter of one Curtis Skinner, and his second was to Susan H. Hackney; he had a daughter with Susan. He died on September 26, 1874, aged 72, in St. Louis. He was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery.[1][4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 St. Louis Public Library (2001). "James S. Thomas". exhibits.slpl.lib.mo.us. Archived from the original on 2011-03-26. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
- ↑ Scharf, John Thomas (1883). History of Saint Louis City and County. L. H. Everts. p. 1580. ISBN 978-0-00-009004-1.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ↑ Stevens, Walter B. (1911). St. Louis: The Fourth City, 1764-1911. S. J. Clarke publishing Company. p. 107.
- ↑ "The Political Graveyard: St. Louis city, Mo". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
