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Jonathan Trotter

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Jonathan Trotter

Birth
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Metropolitan Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England
Death
5 Apr 1865 (aged 67)
Manhattan, New York County, New York, USA
Burial
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, USA Add to Map
Plot
Lot 97, Section 66
Memorial ID
View Source
Jonathan Trotter was elected Mayor by the Board of Aldermen May, 1835, and was re-elected the following year, so that he served for two years in succession. He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in 1797, and came to this country in 1818, commenced business as a morocco dresser, and gradually increased in business prosperity until he became a large dealer in, and manufacturer of leather, in which business his sons are still engaged. In 1829 he came to reside in this city, having previously established a factory here. He was first elected Alderman and afterward Mayor. His administration of the office was marked by an honest, straightforward course, and he was a good, courteous man. He was the first President of the Atlantic Bank of this city, and afterward Vice President of the Leather Manufacturers' Bank of New York. In his later years he met with reverses, and lost much that he had gained by years of steady attention to business.

His portrait represents him as about 40 years of age, with brown hair, no beard or whiskers, light build, and a very pleasant, kindly expression, particularly about the mouth. He died April 5, 1865, in New York.

During Mayor Trotter's term he laid the corner stone of the City Hall as originally planned. it was to have been of marble, 269 feet on Fulton street, 250 on Court street and 222 on Joralemon street, with porticos on the three fronts, finished handsomely, just such a building, in fact, as the city now requires; but the scarcity of money at that time, owing to the financial panic which prevailed, prevented the completion of the building as planned.

It is curious to read that at that time forty citizens of Kings County petitioned the Legislature to vacate Mr. (afterward Judge) Dikeman's seat in the Assembly on the ground of his being a clergyman, or otherwise a local preacher of the Methodist Church, but the petitioners were allowed to withdraw their petition.

From Mayors of Brooklyn From 1834 to 1872, Brooklyn Daily Eagle August 16, 1873

Death of Hon. Jonathan Trotter—Sketch of his Life—An Ex-Mayor of this City Dies in New York.

TROTTER—On Wednesday, April 5th, JONATHAN TROTTER, in the 68th year of his age. Funeral services at Zion Church, corner of Madison ave. and 31st st., at 5 1/2 PM., this day. (Friday.) The relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend, without further notice.

The above modest obituary appears in the New York papers of this morning, and carries the citizens of Brooklyn who have long been residents here back to the times when our present flourishing city was a small village. Hon. Jonathan Trotter was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in the year 1797. He emigrated to this country in 1818, and began business in Roosevelt st New York city, as a morocco dresser. Subsequently he established himself still more extensively in Ferry street. In 1825 he built an extensive factory for the dressing of leather in Stanton street, near Gold, now the 5th Ward, and a few years after, in 1829, moved to Brooklyn. His business proved very successful and he became one of the most prominent citizens of the village of Brooklyn.
His residence was in Bridge street between Tillary and Chappel. In 1834 the charter for a city was obtained, and the deceased, then a trustee, was elected Alderman of the 4th Ward. Hon. George Hall was then Mayor, and in May, 1835, Mr. Trotter was chosen to this office, and-re-elected in 1836. He held the chief municipal office until 1837, in May, when he was succeeded. In 1840 he removed to New York, where he has since lived. While Mayor of Brooklyn he laid the corner stone of the City Hall as originally planned on the 28tb of April, 1836. It was intended that the building should cover the entire space now included in the present City Hall Park, and the corner stone was laid at the junction of Fulton and Court streets. Afterwards the building proposed was decided to be too large, and the present building was planned. During Mr Trotter's term Myrtle avenue was opened, and the extensive arrangements for opening up the out-lying portions of the city were made.
In 1837 Mr. Trotter was among those unfortunates who were caught with outspread sails when the great financial storm burst upon the country, and he went down from a wealthy man to a very moderate competence. He returned to New York and re-established himself there, but never again was enabled to assume a prominent position in either politics or business. Since 1840 he has lived in New York, where he has not been conspicuous in business circles.
His death, which was not unexpected, closed a long life of earnest work in which some few powers were conspicuous, but nothing permanently developed beyond a good, courteous, practical manhood. The deceased leaves a wife and seven children, the two eldest of whom are in business in the leather trade in the Swamp. Mr. Trotter was the first President of the Atlantic Bank of Brooklyn, and at one time Vice President of the Leather Manufacturers' Bank of New York. As will be seen above his funeral occurs at half-past 5 o'clock this afternoon.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 7, 1865, page 3

Additional child, burial unknown:

Josephine Ann (Trotter) Stratton, b. April 29, 1829 in New York City, d. November 5, 1887 in Riverside, California. She married James Wilson Stratton in 1851, who is buried in the Trotter plot in Green-Wood, along with five of their children.
Jonathan Trotter was elected Mayor by the Board of Aldermen May, 1835, and was re-elected the following year, so that he served for two years in succession. He was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in 1797, and came to this country in 1818, commenced business as a morocco dresser, and gradually increased in business prosperity until he became a large dealer in, and manufacturer of leather, in which business his sons are still engaged. In 1829 he came to reside in this city, having previously established a factory here. He was first elected Alderman and afterward Mayor. His administration of the office was marked by an honest, straightforward course, and he was a good, courteous man. He was the first President of the Atlantic Bank of this city, and afterward Vice President of the Leather Manufacturers' Bank of New York. In his later years he met with reverses, and lost much that he had gained by years of steady attention to business.

His portrait represents him as about 40 years of age, with brown hair, no beard or whiskers, light build, and a very pleasant, kindly expression, particularly about the mouth. He died April 5, 1865, in New York.

During Mayor Trotter's term he laid the corner stone of the City Hall as originally planned. it was to have been of marble, 269 feet on Fulton street, 250 on Court street and 222 on Joralemon street, with porticos on the three fronts, finished handsomely, just such a building, in fact, as the city now requires; but the scarcity of money at that time, owing to the financial panic which prevailed, prevented the completion of the building as planned.

It is curious to read that at that time forty citizens of Kings County petitioned the Legislature to vacate Mr. (afterward Judge) Dikeman's seat in the Assembly on the ground of his being a clergyman, or otherwise a local preacher of the Methodist Church, but the petitioners were allowed to withdraw their petition.

From Mayors of Brooklyn From 1834 to 1872, Brooklyn Daily Eagle August 16, 1873

Death of Hon. Jonathan Trotter—Sketch of his Life—An Ex-Mayor of this City Dies in New York.

TROTTER—On Wednesday, April 5th, JONATHAN TROTTER, in the 68th year of his age. Funeral services at Zion Church, corner of Madison ave. and 31st st., at 5 1/2 PM., this day. (Friday.) The relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend, without further notice.

The above modest obituary appears in the New York papers of this morning, and carries the citizens of Brooklyn who have long been residents here back to the times when our present flourishing city was a small village. Hon. Jonathan Trotter was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in the year 1797. He emigrated to this country in 1818, and began business in Roosevelt st New York city, as a morocco dresser. Subsequently he established himself still more extensively in Ferry street. In 1825 he built an extensive factory for the dressing of leather in Stanton street, near Gold, now the 5th Ward, and a few years after, in 1829, moved to Brooklyn. His business proved very successful and he became one of the most prominent citizens of the village of Brooklyn.
His residence was in Bridge street between Tillary and Chappel. In 1834 the charter for a city was obtained, and the deceased, then a trustee, was elected Alderman of the 4th Ward. Hon. George Hall was then Mayor, and in May, 1835, Mr. Trotter was chosen to this office, and-re-elected in 1836. He held the chief municipal office until 1837, in May, when he was succeeded. In 1840 he removed to New York, where he has since lived. While Mayor of Brooklyn he laid the corner stone of the City Hall as originally planned on the 28tb of April, 1836. It was intended that the building should cover the entire space now included in the present City Hall Park, and the corner stone was laid at the junction of Fulton and Court streets. Afterwards the building proposed was decided to be too large, and the present building was planned. During Mr Trotter's term Myrtle avenue was opened, and the extensive arrangements for opening up the out-lying portions of the city were made.
In 1837 Mr. Trotter was among those unfortunates who were caught with outspread sails when the great financial storm burst upon the country, and he went down from a wealthy man to a very moderate competence. He returned to New York and re-established himself there, but never again was enabled to assume a prominent position in either politics or business. Since 1840 he has lived in New York, where he has not been conspicuous in business circles.
His death, which was not unexpected, closed a long life of earnest work in which some few powers were conspicuous, but nothing permanently developed beyond a good, courteous, practical manhood. The deceased leaves a wife and seven children, the two eldest of whom are in business in the leather trade in the Swamp. Mr. Trotter was the first President of the Atlantic Bank of Brooklyn, and at one time Vice President of the Leather Manufacturers' Bank of New York. As will be seen above his funeral occurs at half-past 5 o'clock this afternoon.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 7, 1865, page 3

Additional child, burial unknown:

Josephine Ann (Trotter) Stratton, b. April 29, 1829 in New York City, d. November 5, 1887 in Riverside, California. She married James Wilson Stratton in 1851, who is buried in the Trotter plot in Green-Wood, along with five of their children.


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