Lewis P. Dayton (1821 – May 14, 1900) was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving from 1874 to 1875.

Early life

Dayton was born at Eden, New York on the family farm in 1821. He was one of nine children born to John G. Dayton and Hannah B. Dayton. He studied medicine in the office of Dr.

Timothy T. Lockwood Timothy T. Lockwood (1810–1870) was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving 1858–1859. He was born in North East, New York in 1810. In the early 1830s, he studied medicine at Philadelphia Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...

and moved to Buffalo. He graduated in 1846 from the

Geneva Medical College Geneva Medical College was founded on September 15, 1834, in Geneva, New York, as a separate department (college) of Geneva College, currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In 1871, the medical school was transferred to Syracuse ...

, in Geneva, New York.

Career

He returned to Buffalo as a physician in the Black Rock section. He was first elected an alderman from the 12th Ward in 1855. He was Erie County Clerk from 1865 to 1867. He was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

(Erie Co., 3rd D.) in

1868 Events January–March * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Jap ...

. In 1868, Dayton was appointed to the first Board of Park Commissioners and was chosen health physician for the City in 1871. On November 4, 1873, Dayton was elected mayor as the Democratic candidate. He did not seek a second term and retired to his private medical practice.

Personal life

Around 1846, he married Grace Webster Holley (1828–1865), who died at a young age. Dayton first remarried Mrs. Alice Maud Hayes (1842–1873), who died about a year after their marriage, then in 1892, he married Margaret Vogt (1855–1930). He was the father of four children, including: * Myron Holley Dayton (1849–1855), who died young. * Clare Dayton (1851–1855), who died young. * Jennie L. Dayton (1858–1940), who married Charles J. Vogt (1858–1924), the brother of his third wife. He died on May 14, 1900, and was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery His brain was preserved in alcohol, possibly for medical research. The Dayton House that Lewis P. Dayton lived in while residing in Black Rock, is located at 243 Dearborn Street. This home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayton, Lewis P 1821 births 1900 deaths Mayors of Buffalo, New York Burials at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Buffalo) Members of the New York State Assembly Geneva Medical College alumni People from Eden, New York 19th-century American legislators