In the wake of the first Chicago politician to run afoul of the law, the next man to serve as Mayor was a gentleman by the name of Benjamin Raymond. Raymond spent his formative years acquiring an education in both New York State and Montreal. In 1836, he made his way to Chicago to try his hand in the booming real estate market.
In 1839, he ran for the office and was elected the city's third mayor. After getting voted out of office the next year(at that time mayoral terms were only for a single year), he reclaimed his seat in 1842. While he was mayor, his two biggest contributions to the legacy of the city were the purchase of Fort Dearborn when it was put up for sale by the Government. His other legacy is a little more important, as he was the mayor that ensured that State Street would be a wide street. If you've ever done anything on State Street(even if you've only taken the El), you've got Ben Raymond to thank for it.
Upon entering civilian life, Raymond went on to other pursuits. Much like William Ogden, he developed an interest in railroads. He also helped secure the charter for Lake Forest College when it opened in 1857. Additionally, he started the Elgin Watch Company in 1866, which would go on to manufacture fine watches for more than 100 years. In 1883, Benjamin Raymond died at the age of 81. Chicago's third mayor is buried in Graceland Cemetery, where he remains to this day.
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