1868, 150 years ago
It’s a hot, muggy Tuesday July 7th morning in New York City and a man – puffing on a big, brown cigar, his shirt dripping with sweat – can be heard saying in the elegant lobby of the St. Nicholas Hotel on Broadway: “I don’t care who we pick this week to run for president in November, he’ll never beat Ulysses S. Grant.”
Horatio Seymour, the former mayor of Utica and governor of New York, is passing by. He hears the remark and just smiles. Later that morning, the man and Seymour will be in nearby Tammany Hall, the new headquarters of the city’s Democratic Party. The national Democratic Party Convention will convene there at noon and delegates will begin the difficult task of picking the candidate to oppose Grant – the popular Civil War general and hero – in the November presidential election.
On the first roll call of the 37 states, U.S. Sen. George Pendleton of Ohio leads with 105 of the 211 votes needed to be nominated. Ten other candidates receive votes. On the fourth ballot, the chairman of the North Carolina delegation surprises the convention when he stands and shouts: “The great state of North Carolina casts its nine votes for … for Horatio Seymour, the gentleman from New York!” Delegates go wild and begin to shout: “Seymour! Seymour! We want Seymour!”
Seymour, who is chairman of the convention, quickly silences the delegates and says: “I must not be your candidate. The clerk will continue the roll call.”
Now it’s Thursday, July 9th, and delegates still cannot agree on a candidate. By late afternoon – and 21 ballots later – still no candidate. On the 23rd ballot, U.S. Sen. Thomas Hendricks of Indiana begins to win state after state. When the roll call reaches Ohio, he has 145 votes. Then it happens. Ohio’s George McCook rises and shouts: “Ohio’s 21 votes go to our fellow Democrat from New York, Horatio Seymour.” Once again, the convention is filled with cheers of “We want Seymour!”
Seymour again quiets the delegates and says: “Gentlemen, thank you and God bless you for your kindness to me. But your candidate I cannot be.” Noticeably shaken, the Utican leaves the platform and enters a nearby caucus room. The roll call continues and when it reaches Wisconsin, its chairman says: “Wisconsin’s eight votes will go to no other than our distinguished friend, Gov. Seymour of New York.”
Again the delegates begin to shout, “We want Seymour!” and in 20 minutes, it is all over. Seymour receives all 317 votes and is unanimously nominated.
Seymour returns to the platform to decline the nomination, but it is too late. The convention adjourns before he can speak. The Utican – who lives on Whitesboro Street just west of Bagg’s Square and in a country home in Deerfield – is now the reluctant candidate who will try to become the 18th president of the United States.
1918, 100 years ago
Six graduates of the Faxton Hospital Training School for Nurses in Utica receive diplomas: Marion Fear of Holland Patent, Beatrice Senecal of Oriskany Falls, Evelyn Vincent of Sherburne, Kathleen Cooper of Utica, Ruth Hanno of Lowville and Mabel Juliand of Greene.
1943, 75 years ago
More than 300 residents of the village of New Hartford attend the dedication of an honor roll with the names of 620 men and women from New Hartford now serving in the military during World War II. It is on the lawn of the elementary school at Genesee Street and Paris Road. Dr. Harry Shepard is chairman of the dedication committee and among those participating in the ceremony are cornet player John Schorge, girl scouts Margaret Spencer and Mary Gunther and boy scouts Ted Barker and John Brady.
1968, 50 years ago
Robert Schilling is elected president of the Utica Toastmasters International Club.
Joseph Hanna Jr. of New Hartford is elected president of the newly organized Maronite Youth Organization at a meeting in Hartford, Connecticut. It is comprised of teenagers of Lebanese extraction from across the country. Hanna is a parishioner of St. Louis Gonzaga Maronite Catholic Church in Utica.
1993, 25 years ago
Irving C. Jones is the new principal of Utica Senior Academy. He replaces Martin Sweeney, who left to pursue new challenges and spend more time with his family. Jones, who has a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia, is the first African-American high school principal in Utica’s history.
In Herkimer County American Legion baseball, Mohawk defeats Little Falls behind the hitting and pitching of Brad Dunckel and the hitting of Rusty Herringshaw, Steve Roginski and Rich Inman. Top Little Falls hitters are Chris Boepple and Jason Haberek.
Thomas Osano of Kenya wins the 16th annual Boilermaker Road Race in 43:39, tying the race’s record. Gitte Karlshoj of Denmark leads the women with a 51:07 finish. Carol McLatchie of Houston, Texas, sets a women’s master record when she finishes in 54:56.
2008, 10 years ago
The Utica Police Department promotes Stephen Brucker to lieutenant, Michael Zdanowicz to lieutenant, James Garcia to sergeant and John Martello to sergeant.
Donald Trump is the second U.S. president born in New York City. Who was the first? (Answer will appear here next week.)
Answer to last week’s question: Calvin Coolidge is the only president born on the Fourth of July – July 4, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont.
This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.org.