John T. Towers
Encyclopedia
Towers was born in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
in 1811 to parents who had recently arrived in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
from Bingham, England. He was trained as a printer, joined the Columbia Typographical Society in 1834, and maintained several book and printing shops in Washington until 1852 when President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
appointed him superintendent of printing at the U.S. Capitol. (The position was the forerunner of the modern Government Printing Office.)
Towers became involved in politics in the 1830s, publishing a journal called the Whig Standard. He was subsequently elected to the Common Council in 1842, where he served for four years until election to the Board of Aldermen in 1846.
With the collapse of the Whig Party in 1852, Towers joined the Know-Nothing movement, the political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
defined by its opposition to rights for immigrants and Roman Catholics. Banking on his strength as a member of city government and his reputation as a printer, the Know-Nothings put Towers up for mayor against incumbent John Walker Maury
John Walker Maury
John Walker Maury Walker Maury was Mayor of Washington, D.C. for one two-year term, from 1852 to 1854.-Life:John Walker Maury was born in Caroline County, Virginia in 1809 to a prominent Virginia family...
in 1854. The Know Nothings peaked all across America that year, electing mayors in most of its most important cities; Towers was no exception, sweeping into office.
Towers' accomplishment was largely limited to developing plans for an infirmary and workhouse on the Marine reservation in Southeast
Washington, D.C. (southeast)
Southeast is the southeastern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located south of East Capitol Street and east of South Capitol Street. It includes the Capitol Hill and Anacostia neighborhoods, the Navy Yard, the Marine Barracks, the Anacostia River waterfront,...
Washington. At the time, the city was steadily growing from a small rural village to a busy metropolis, but Towers and his fellow government officials were unused to the changes and were not sure how to govern the changing city. He continually, but without success, petitioned Congress to fund and provide for the nation's capital.
Towers did not seek reelection in 1856. He died one year after leaving office and was interred in Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Cemetery
The Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
.