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John Leighton Westcott |
Hon. John Leighton Westcott
Hon. John Leighton Westcott, Mayor of Camden, was born June 10, 1850,
in Cedarville, Cumberland County, son of Joel and Mary (Leighton)
Westcott. The Westcotts are an old Cumberland County family. Of English
extraction, they came to New Jersey from Long Island. Joel Westcott, who
was born in Cumberland County, and resided there during the greater part
of his life, was in business in Philadelphia for a number of years. He
also lived for some time in Cedarville and later in Camden, where he died
at the age of seventy-seven. He was quite a successful man, took a lively
interest in town affairs, and he was honored with election to several
local offices. His wife, who was born in Philadelphia, passed away in her
sixty-third year. Both were members of the Presbyterian church. They were
the parents of eight children, as follows: Ames, who was engaged in
business in Philadelphia when a young man, and died at the age of
forty-nine; Henry, a wheelwright in Media, Pa.; Robert, a graduate of
Princeton College, and a clergyman of the Presbyterian church, settled at
Clarinda, Ia., who recently died; George, who enlisted for service in the
Civil War as a private in the Third New Jersey Regiment at the age of
eighteen, was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant, received in the
neck a bullet that could not be found, and died of the effects in his
thirtieth year; Mary, who died at the age of eighteen; Margaret and Anna,
unmarried, who reside in California; and John L., the subject of this
sketch, who is the youngest of the family.
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John Leighton Westcott, having
received his early education in the common schools, entered a
printing-office in Philadelphia at the age of fifteen. He learned
the printer's trade with his brother, and subsequently followed it
until he was elected Mayor of Camden. He cane to Camden with his
father when about fourteen years of age, and has since made his home
here, winning general respect and popularity. A member of the
Republican party, he has been active in local polities for a number
of years. He represented the First Ward in the City Council for four
years. He was first elected Mayor in 1892, and his administration
throughout the ensuing term was such as to greatly increase his
popularity. In 1895 he was re-elected after a hot contest. At that
time the Republican party was divided, and the Democrats nominated a
Republican candidate for the mayoralty in order to catch a part of
the Republican vote. |
However, Mr. Westcott's personal record was such that he was endorsed
not only by the members of his own party, but also by a number of
Democrats; and his re-election was hailed with enthusiasm.
Mr. Westcott was married in 1873 to Deborah J., daughter of Samuel
Fortiner, of Camden, a member of one of the old families of this city. He
has now three daughters, namely: Helen A., a teacher in Camden; Mary Elma
and Mellie A., still beneath the parental roof-tree.
Source: Biographical review: containing life sketches of
leading citizens of Camden and Burlington Counties, New Jersey,
Biographical Review Publishing Co., Boston, 1897.
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The above biography is held at
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has been granted to republish here.
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