Edwin Henry Fitler (December 2,1825 – May 31,1896) was an American businessman and politician from Pennsylvania. He founded Edwin H. Fitler &Company,the largest cordage manufacturer in the United States at the time,and served as a Republican Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania in 1876 and mayor of Philadelphia from 1887 to 1891.
Fitler was born in the Kensington neighborhood [1] of Philadelphia on December 2,1825,the son of Elizabeth Wonderly Fitler and William Fitler,who ran a successful leather tanning and manufacturing business. [2]
He received his education in Philadelphia,and studied law with attorney Charles E. Lex,but decided on a business career and obtained a position in his brother-in-law's cordage manufacturing business,George J. Weaver &Company. [3]
In 1850,Fitler married Josephine R. Baker. [2]
Fitler became a partner in Weaver's business two years later,and it was renamed Weaver,Fitler &Company. Displaying an aptitude for mechanics,Fitler developed several inventions to improve and speed up rope making,which made the business more profitable.
Over time Fitler bought out the other partners in Weaver,Fitler &Company,and by 1870 the business was renamed again to Edwin H. Fitler &Company. He relocated the factory to the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia where it covered more than 15 acres of land. [4] His success continued,and his company eventually became the largest cordage manufacturer in the United States. Recognized as a leader in his industry,Fitler served as president of the American Cordage Manufacturers Association. [2] He partnered with William Deering to conduct experiments to improve a twine binder being developed by Deering. [5] Fitler was also active in other businesses,including as a member of the board of directors of the National Bank of the Northern Liberties. [4]
Fitler also served as president of the board of trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Medical College,a member of the board of managers of the Edwin Forrest Home,and a member of the board of directors of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. [3]
During the American Civil War,Fitler supported the Union. He was a director,vice president,and president of the Union League of Philadelphia, [4] and his efforts included personally paying to recruit and equip a company from among the employees of his business. [2]
Fitler was a leader in planning and organizing the 1876 Centennial Exposition. He was also one of the founders of the Philadelphia Art Club and a member of The Philadelphia Club [6]
Fitler was a Republican and served as one of Pennsylvania's presidential electors in 1876. In 1887 Fitler was elected Mayor of Philadelphia,and he served one term,1887 to 1891. Though he was not an active candidate,in 1888 Fitler was nominated for US president and received the votes of the Philadelphia delegation on the first ballot at that year's Republican national convention. [2]
Fitler died on May 31,1896,at his estate in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia. His net worth was estimated to be $3 million. [7] He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery. [1]
Fitler Square, [8] an elementary school in Philadelphia and Fitler Street,in Philadelphia's Torresdale neighborhood,are named in his honor.
A residence hall in The Quadrangle at the University of Pennsylvania,Fisher-Hassenfeld College House) bears his name. [9]
He is the great-grandfather of Happy Rockefeller,second wife of Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. [7]
Edwin John Feulner Jr. is a former think tank executive,Congressional aide,and foreign consultant who co-founded The Heritage Foundation,a conservative think tank in 1973 and served as its president from 1977 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2018.
Kensington is a neighborhood in Philadelphia that belongs to Lower Northeast. As with all neighborhoods in the city,the lack of any official designation means the boundaries of the area vary between sources over time and are disputed among locals. Kensington,as most long-term residents view it,refers generally to the area consisting of Kensington,East Kensington,West Kensington,and Harrowgate. The adjacent Fairhill and Norris Square neighborhoods are more separate but may be included in Kensington;Fishtown and South (Olde) Kensington were historically included. The most conservative boundaries of the neighborhood,shown in the map below,are Front Street and 5th Street to the west,the Amtrak train tracks to the North,Trenton Avenue,the Trenton Avenue train tracks,and Frankford Avenue to the east,and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the south.
Torresdale,also formerly known as Torrisdale,is a neighborhood in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,United States. Torresdale is located along the Delaware River between Holmesburg and Bensalem Township in neighboring Bucks County.
Fitler Square is a 0.5 acre public park in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,United States and a surrounding neighborhood of the same name. The square is bounded on the east by 23rd Street,on the west by 24th Street,on the north by Panama Street,and on the south by Pine Street. The neighborhood encompasses much of southwest Center City west of Rittenhouse Square and east of the Schuylkill River.
Margaretta Large "Happy" Rockefeller was a philanthropist who,as the wife of vice president Nelson Rockefeller,served as second lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. She was previously the first lady of New York from 1963 to 1973,during her husband's last three terms in office.
Robert Hermann Foerderer was an American businessman and politician who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's at-large congressional district from 1901 to 1903 and Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district in 1903.
Frederick Halterman was a German-American politician who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1895 to 1897.
George Albert Castor was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.
Erie–Torresdale station is an elevated rapid transit station in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,served by the SEPTA Market–Frankford Line. It is located at the intersection of Kensington,Erie,and Torresdale avenues in the Juniata neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. The station is also served by SEPTA City Bus routes 3 and 56,both of which are former trolley lines.
John Robbins was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district from 1849 to 1853,Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1853 to 1855,and Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district from 1875 to 1877.
Edward de Veaux Morrell was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
William Wall was an American businessman,banker,and politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York during the American Civil War.
Lewis Dewart Apsley was a businessman and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.
SEPTA's Trolley Route 56,the Erie and Torresdale Avenues Line,is a former streetcar line that is now served by bus. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,United States. The line runs between the Tioga and Tacony neighborhoods primarily along Erie Avenue and Torresdale Avenue. Route 56 was one of three "suspended" by the SEPTA board effective June 12,1992. The two others,Routes 15 and 23,were then also operated by buses as of the same year;however,the Route 15 Trolley has since been restored back to trolley as of September 5,2005.
Jacob Holgate was a businessman,member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives,and served as speaker of the House in 1815.
Charles Macalester was an American businessman,banker and philanthropist from Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. He served as a government director for the Second Bank of the United States and an advisor and friend to several U.S. presidents. His brokerage and financing activities made him one of the wealthiest people in the United States at the time. He bequested a former hotel property to a failing Presbyterian secondary school in Minneapolis,Minnesota that became Macalester College and was named in his honor. His Glengarry estate in the Torresdale neighborhood of Philadelphia was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
William H. Wait was an American politician from New York.
George W. Gardner (1834–1911) was a grain dealer and the 28th and 30th Mayor of Cleveland,serving two terms as a Republican. He was also co-proprietor with John D. Rockefeller and Maurice B. Clark of the firm Clark,Gardner &Company,later Clark &Rockefeller,commission merchants. They were the largest grain dealers in Cleveland before Rockefeller went on with Clark in the oil industry.
Clarence Wolf was a Jewish-American banker,manufacturer,and politician from Pennsylvania.