Peter F. Wanser
Encyclopedia
Peter Farmer Wanser was the 25th Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey
from May 2, 1892 to May 2, 1897.
.
In 1882, Wanser was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly and again in 1883. In 1885, he was appointed a police judge in Jersey City.
In 1892, Wanser was elected mayor of Jersey City when he defeated Democrat
Allan L. McDermott. He was part of a Republican sweep of elections in New Jersey that went along with John W. Griggs
' election as governor
. He was the fourth ever Republican elected mayor of Jersey City. He was the first mayor to work in the "new" city hall which was completed in January 1896. Wanser served one five-year term (In 1885, the state legislature changed the term of mayor from two years to five years). Elected as a reform mayor, he had many in the Jersey City Democratic Party worried. During his tenure, a major controversy arrose over the condition of Jersey City's water supply.
The mayoral election of 1897 was very controversial. The Republican controlled state legislature passed the McArthur Act which postponed Jersey City and Newark
's elections from the Spring to November to make them coincide with the state elections. The New Jersey Supreme Court
ruled that this was unconstitutional. The Republicans appealled the Supreme Court's decision to the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals. Since the decision was under appeal, the Republican's claimed that the elections planned for April 14 should not be held at that time until the court ruled on their appeal and if they were held then their results would not be valid until after the appeal was ruled on. The Democrats claimed they would be held and their results would be valid. Democrat Edward Hoos
won the election against Republican J. Herbert Potts, 15,264 votes to 12,018. however, Wanser refused to vacate the mayor's office claiming the election was not valid until their appeal was heard in court. Hoos had to formally demand Wanser to leave the office on May 3, 1897. The New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals ruled in September in favor of Hoos.
President William McKinley
nominated Wanser to be Postmaster
of Jersey City in 1898. Wanser served in this position for four years.
Wanser was a 30-year member of the New Jersey National Guard
rising to the rank of colonel
of the Fourth Regiment and later to major general
.
Wanser died of pneumonia
in his home in Jersey City on January 3, 1918. He was buried in Milton
, New York
.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from May 2, 1892 to May 2, 1897.
Biography
Wanser was born on January 24, 1849 near New Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
.
In 1882, Wanser was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly and again in 1883. In 1885, he was appointed a police judge in Jersey City.
In 1892, Wanser was elected mayor of Jersey City when he defeated Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Allan L. McDermott. He was part of a Republican sweep of elections in New Jersey that went along with John W. Griggs
John W. Griggs
John William Griggs was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 29th Governor of New Jersey, from 1896 to 1898, stepping down to assume the position as the United States Attorney General from 1898 to 1901....
' election as governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
. He was the fourth ever Republican elected mayor of Jersey City. He was the first mayor to work in the "new" city hall which was completed in January 1896. Wanser served one five-year term (In 1885, the state legislature changed the term of mayor from two years to five years). Elected as a reform mayor, he had many in the Jersey City Democratic Party worried. During his tenure, a major controversy arrose over the condition of Jersey City's water supply.
The mayoral election of 1897 was very controversial. The Republican controlled state legislature passed the McArthur Act which postponed Jersey City and Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
's elections from the Spring to November to make them coincide with the state elections. The New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
ruled that this was unconstitutional. The Republicans appealled the Supreme Court's decision to the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals. Since the decision was under appeal, the Republican's claimed that the elections planned for April 14 should not be held at that time until the court ruled on their appeal and if they were held then their results would not be valid until after the appeal was ruled on. The Democrats claimed they would be held and their results would be valid. Democrat Edward Hoos
Edward Hoos
Edward Hoos was the 26th Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from May 3, 1897 to December 31, 1901.-Biography:...
won the election against Republican J. Herbert Potts, 15,264 votes to 12,018. however, Wanser refused to vacate the mayor's office claiming the election was not valid until their appeal was heard in court. Hoos had to formally demand Wanser to leave the office on May 3, 1897. The New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals ruled in September in favor of Hoos.
President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
nominated Wanser to be Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Jersey City in 1898. Wanser served in this position for four years.
Wanser was a 30-year member of the New Jersey National Guard
New Jersey National Guard
The New Jersey Army National Guard consists of over 9000 Guardsmen. The Guard is currently engaged in several worldwide and homeland missions. Units have deployed to Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Germany and Egypt...
rising to the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Fourth Regiment and later to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
Wanser died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in his home in Jersey City on January 3, 1918. He was buried in Milton
Milton (town), New York
Milton is a town in Saratoga County, New York, USA. The population was 17,103 at the 2000 census. Some believe that the town was named after the poet, John Milton, while other sources state that it is a shortening of "Mill-town" for the early mill activity....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.