John Wilkinson (September 30, 1798 – September 19, 1862) was an American lawyer and the first Postmaster of the community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners, and Salina in Central New York. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village Syracuse just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal.[4] Wilkinson was a prominent citizen in Syracuse and was an original town planner and helped lay out and name the village streets. He also served as an assemblyman and founded the Syracuse Bank in 1838.[5]
John Wilkinson Jr. | |
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| Born | September 30, 1798[1] |
| Died | September 19, 1862 (aged 63)[3] |
| Occupation(s) | Postmaster, Lawyer, Assemblyman, Banker, Railroad president |
| Spouse | Henrietta Wilhelmina Swartz.[3] |
| Children | Joshua Forman Wilkinson (1829-1889) Alfred Wilkinson (1832-1886) |
| Parent(s) | John Wilkinson (1758-1802)[2] Elizabeth "Betsey" Tower (born 1764) |
John Wilkinson died in Syracuse on September 19, 1862, at age 63.[3]
References
edit- ^ Fitch, Charles Elliott (1916). Encyclopedia of biography of New York. The American Historical Society, New York, New York, 1916, pg. 123.
- ^ a b "Revolutionary War veteran's son gave city its name". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York. August 27, 2002.
- ^ a b c "John Wilkinson". Family Tree Maker, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
- ^ "Syracuse Planning" (PDF). City of Syracuse, N.Y., 2010.
- ^ Hardin, Evamarie (February 1993). Syracuse landmarks: an AIA guide to downtown and historic neighborhoods. Onondaga Historical Association, Syracuse University Press, 1993. ISBN 9780815625995. Retrieved 2010-07-23.