Leverett Saltonstall II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leverett Saltonstall II
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Portrait of Saltonstall by Daniel Huntington
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| Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston | |
| In office 1885–1889 |
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| Appointed by | Grover Cleveland |
| Preceded by | Roland Worthington |
| Succeeded by | Alanson W. Beard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 16, 1825 Salem, Massachusetts |
| Died | April 16, 1895 (aged 70) Brookline, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Whig Constitutional Union Democrat |
| Spouse |
Rose Smith Lee
(m. 1854) |
| Relations | See Saltonstall family |
| Children | 6, including Endicott |
| Parents | Leverett Saltonstall I Mary Elizabeth Sanders |
| Alma mater | Harvard College Harvard Law School |
Leverett Saltonstall (born March 16, 1825 – died April 16, 1895) was an important American politician. He held a key job as the Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston. This meant he was in charge of collecting taxes on goods coming into the busy Boston harbor.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Leverett Saltonstall was born on March 16, 1825, in Salem, Massachusetts. He came from the well-known Saltonstall family. His father, Leverett Saltonstall I, was the first mayor of Salem. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Sanders Saltonstall.
Leverett went to Harvard College and graduated in 1844. After that, he studied law at Harvard Law School. He also learned from a law firm called Sohier & Welch. By 1850, he was officially allowed to practice law.
Political Career Highlights
Saltonstall started his political journey with the Whigs. This was the same political party his father belonged to. In 1854, he was chosen to work for Governor Emory Washburn.
Changing Political Parties
By 1860, the Whig Party had ended. Saltonstall did not like the new Republican Party. So, he helped start the Constitutional Union Party. He became the leader of this party in Massachusetts. He even stopped practicing law to focus on his political work.
In 1860, he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. He was supported by both the Constitutional Union and Democratic parties. However, he lost the election to Charles Francis Adams Sr., a Republican. After the Constitutional Union Party disappeared, Saltonstall became a Democrat. He ran for Congress again in 1866, 1868, and 1869, but did not win.
Supporting the Union
During the American Civil War, Saltonstall was a "War Democrat." This meant he was a Democrat who supported the Union's efforts to win the war. He gave speeches to encourage people to join the Union Army.
In the 1876 United States presidential election, Saltonstall traveled across the country. He spoke in favor of the Democratic candidate, Samuel J. Tilden. He also worked as an election observer in Florida. He believed the Republicans had cheated to win in Florida.
Collector of Customs
From 1885 to 1889, Saltonstall held an important job. He was the Collector of Customs for the Port of Boston. He was appointed by President Grover Cleveland. In this role, he gave John F. Fitzgerald a job as a customs inspector. Fitzgerald later became the Mayor of Boston and helped make the port much better.
Family Life and Later Years
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In 1854, Leverett Saltonstall married Rose Smith Lee (1835–1903). She was the daughter of John Clarke Lee. Leverett and Rose had six children together.
Their children included:
- Leverett Saltonstall III (1855–1863), who passed away when he was young.
- Richard Middlecott "Dick" Saltonstall (1859–1922).
- Rose Lee Saltonstall (1861–1891).
- Mary Elizabeth Saltonstall (1862–1947).
- Philip Leverett Saltonstall (1867–1919), who worked as a banker.
- Endicott Peabody Saltonstall (1872–1922).
Leverett Saltonstall passed away on April 16, 1895. He died at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. In his will, he left money to Harvard University. This money was used to create a scholarship for good students.
Notable Descendants
Through his son Richard, Leverett Saltonstall was the grandfather of Leverett Saltonstall. This grandson became a famous politician, serving as the Governor of Massachusetts and a United States Senator.
His daughter Mary Elizabeth was the grandmother of Louis Agassiz Shaw Jr.. Louis Agassiz Shaw Jr. was a Harvard scientist. In 1928, he helped invent the "iron lung" with Philip Drinker. The iron lung was a machine that helped people breathe.
Through his youngest son Endicott, he was the grandfather of Elizabeth Saltonstall, who became an art teacher.
