Ebenezer Johnson (1786–1849) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the first mayor of

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

from May 1832 – March 1833 and 1834–1835.

Early life

Ebenezer Johnson was born in New England on November 7, 1786. He studied medicine in

Cherry Valley, New York Cherry Valley is a town in Otsego County, New York, United States. According to the 2020 US census, the village of Cherry Valley had a population of 487. However, the town has a much higher population. Within the town of Cherry Valley is a vill ...

with Dr. Joseph White, a well-known physician of the time.

Career

He came to Buffalo in 1810 where he began a medical practice and eventually opened a drug store. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

, he was appointed "surgeon's mate," or assistant surgeon. From 1823 on, Johnson had many business dealings including banking and bought property throughout the city. On May 28, 1832 the first election in Buffalo took place and under the first city charter, the Common Council had the power to elect the mayor. Dr. Ebenezer Johnson was elected the first mayor of Buffalo with a salary of $250 per year and his political affiliation was Democrat-Republican. During his term he established the first hospital, the McHose House, for the care of cholera patients. Johnson served as mayor from May 1832 to March 1833. He declined a second term. He did accept his re-election in 1834, serving a second and final term ending in 1835. Dr. Johnson owned a parcel of land on Delaware Street, from Chippewa to Tupper, now known as "Johnson Park" and located in the West Village Historic District. His land was approximately total. It was surrounded by a high fence and he allowed wild animals to live freely within its limits. His home was known as "Johnson Cottage," or just "the Cottage," and was a well-known place for socializing. The property included fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, flower beds, and elm trees. After his second term, he moved to

Tellico Plains, Tennessee Tellico Plains is a town in Monroe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 859 at the 2000 census and 880 at the 2010 census. History The area along the Tellico River was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. The h ...

, where he owned an iron ore mine with his brother, Elisha Johnson, who was a former mayor of

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

Personal life

On January 25, 1811, he married Sally M. Johnson at Cherry Valley. She died in June 1834, and on December 7, 1835, he married Lucy E. Lord.

Death

Johnson died at Tellico Plains on September 23, 1849.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Ebenezer 1786 births 1849 deaths Mayors of Buffalo, New York People from Tellico Plains, Tennessee New York (state) Democratic-Republicans American military personnel of the War of 1812 Businesspeople from Tennessee 19th-century American politicians