Charles Devlin
Encyclopedia
Charles Devlin was an American contractor, bondsman
and civil servant. He was the largest and one of the most successful city works contractors in New York City during the mid-to late 19th century and was the bondsman of several prominent New Yorkers including Boss Tweed
and Henry W. Genet. His controversial appointment as city street commissioner over Daniel D. Conover resulted in the Police Riot of 1857
.
baker
in Frankfort Street and later started a successful bakery in the same area. During the 1840s, he contained contracts on the Hudson River Railroad and spent two years building several sections of railway track. It was after this enterprise that he became employed by the city as a contractor for the City Works department. He received several major contracts for Central Park
, however the majority of his work concerned grading, paving and general street improvements.
He also had a brief sting into local politics running against Robert McGinnis for a seat on the Board of Alderman
. His appointment by Mayor Fernando Wood
as city street commissioner over Daniel D. Conover, who had been originally appointed by Governor John King
, caused considerable controversy. Claims were made that Devlin had purchased the position from Wood for $50,000 and when Conover was thrown out of New York City Hall
, attempts to serve two warrants for Wood's arrest resulted in the Police Riot of 1857
.
Devlin amassed a large personal fortune through this business and, at his height, was believed to be the largest contractor engaged in city works. He also became a noted bondsman, providing bail for such figures as Boss Tweed
and Henry W. Genet, the latter bring him to national attention during his criminal trial in 1872-73. He lost most of his wealth endorsing notes for many of his friends, declared bankruptcy in 1879. Devlin died from pneumonia
at his East Fifty-Seventh Street home on the afternoon of February 1, 1881 and was buried in the family vault at Calvery Cemetery
. He was survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons; his daughter Isabella was the wife of lawyer Henry A. Brann and Fanny was married to industrialist and real estate mogul William F. Croft. Devlin left a huge estate consisting of 75 city lots.
Bondsman
Bondsman may refer to:* A bail bondsman.* A bondservant. See indentured servant....
and civil servant. He was the largest and one of the most successful city works contractors in New York City during the mid-to late 19th century and was the bondsman of several prominent New Yorkers including Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed
William Magear Tweed – often erroneously referred to as William Marcy Tweed , and widely known as "Boss" Tweed – was an American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century...
and Henry W. Genet. His controversial appointment as city street commissioner over Daniel D. Conover resulted in the Police Riot of 1857
New York City Police Riot
The New York City Police Riot of 1857, known at the time as the Great Police Riot, was a conflict which occurred between the recently dissolved New York Municipal Police and the newly formed Metropolitan Police on June 16, 1857...
.
Biography
Charles Devlin was born in Ireland and migrated to the United States at the age of 27. Shortly after his arrival in New York City, he worked as a journeymanJourneyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
in Frankfort Street and later started a successful bakery in the same area. During the 1840s, he contained contracts on the Hudson River Railroad and spent two years building several sections of railway track. It was after this enterprise that he became employed by the city as a contractor for the City Works department. He received several major contracts for Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, however the majority of his work concerned grading, paving and general street improvements.
He also had a brief sting into local politics running against Robert McGinnis for a seat on the Board of Alderman
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. His appointment by Mayor Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood was an American politician of the Democratic Party and mayor of New York City; he also served as a United States Representative and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in both the 45th and 46th Congress .A successful shipping merchant who became Grand Sachem of the...
as city street commissioner over Daniel D. Conover, who had been originally appointed by Governor John King
John Alsop King
John Alsop King was an American politician who served as governor of New York.He was born in the area now encompassed by New York City on 3 January 1788 and was educated at Harrow School in England...
, caused considerable controversy. Claims were made that Devlin had purchased the position from Wood for $50,000 and when Conover was thrown out of New York City Hall
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
, attempts to serve two warrants for Wood's arrest resulted in the Police Riot of 1857
New York City Police Riot
The New York City Police Riot of 1857, known at the time as the Great Police Riot, was a conflict which occurred between the recently dissolved New York Municipal Police and the newly formed Metropolitan Police on June 16, 1857...
.
Devlin amassed a large personal fortune through this business and, at his height, was believed to be the largest contractor engaged in city works. He also became a noted bondsman, providing bail for such figures as Boss Tweed
Boss Tweed
William Magear Tweed – often erroneously referred to as William Marcy Tweed , and widely known as "Boss" Tweed – was an American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th century...
and Henry W. Genet, the latter bring him to national attention during his criminal trial in 1872-73. He lost most of his wealth endorsing notes for many of his friends, declared bankruptcy in 1879. Devlin died from 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...
at his East Fifty-Seventh Street home on the afternoon of February 1, 1881 and was buried in the family vault at Calvery Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, Queens
The Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in Queens has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States.The offices of Calvary Cemetery are located at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. in Woodside in the New York City borough of Queens, New York. The cemetery is managed by the Trustees of...
. He was survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons; his daughter Isabella was the wife of lawyer Henry A. Brann and Fanny was married to industrialist and real estate mogul William F. Croft. Devlin left a huge estate consisting of 75 city lots.
Further reading
- Ackerman, Kenneth D. Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2005. ISBN 0-7867-1686-X
- Allen, Oliver E. The Tiger: The Rise and Fall of Tammany Hall. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1993. ISBN 0-201-62463-X
- Hershkowitz, Leo. Tweed's New York: Another Look. Garden City, New York: Anchor Press, 1977. ISBN 0-385-07656-8
- Moehring, Eugene P. Public Works and the Patterns of Urban Real Estate Growth in Manhattan, 1835-1894. New York: Arno Press, 1981. ISBN 0-405-13948-9