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Amos Gager Throop | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Throop in 1840 | |
| 3rd Mayor of Pasadena | |
| In office 1888–1890 | |
| Preceded by | M. M. Parker |
| Succeeded by | T. P. Lukens |
| City Treasurer of Chicago[1] | |
| In office 1865–1867 | |
| Preceded by | David Allen Gage |
| Succeeded by | William F. Wentworth |
| Chicago Alderman[1][2] | |
| In office 1876–1880 | |
| Preceded by | S. F. Gunderson |
| Succeeded by | Thomas N. Bond |
| Constituency | 11th ward |
| In office 1849–1853 Serving with Robert H. Foss (1849–1852) Charles McDonnell (1852–1853) | |
| Preceded by | Charles McDonnell |
| Succeeded by | William Kennedy |
| Constituency | 4th ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Amos Gager Throop 1811 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 1894 (aged 82–83) |
| Political party | Temperance |
Amos Gager Throop (/ˈtruːp/ TROOP; 1811–1894) was an American businessman and politician in Chicago, Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s. Most famously he was known for being a staunch abolitionist prior to the Civil War. He served as a Chicago alderman from the 4th Ward from 1849 through 1853.[1] In Chicago, he lost two campaigns to be that city's mayor in 1852 and 1854. In both elections he was the nominee of the little-known Temperance Party, facing tough opposition from the Democratic Party. At the time of the Great Chicago Fire Throop was the City Treasurer of Chicago.[1] He was instrumental in securing financing from New York to rebuild the wooden frontier town into a city of brick and mortar. Grateful Chicagoans renamed Main Street to Throop Street. Many years later and after moving to California, he was finally elected mayor—of Pasadena, California in 1888.
A fervent adherent to a liberal religion, Throop established a Universalist group in Pasadena in 1886.[citation needed] The church still survives as Throop Unitarian Universalist Church. He is now best known for founding in 1891 (with a gift of over $100,000) the California Institute of Technology, which is today one of the world's most selective universities.[3] In fact, it was known through its first thirty years as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute, and Throop College of Technology, before its administrators decided on its current name which took effect in 1920. Also part of the Throop Polytechnic Institute was Polytechnic School which separated from the Institute in 1907. It is currently a private college preparatory school across the street from Caltech with grades ranging from K-12. His motto was "learn by doing".
The scenic Throop Peak[4] 34°21′N 117°47.9′W / 34.350°N 117.7983°W., known for its 360-degree views stretching from the Mojave Desert all the way to the Pacific Ocean, sits on the Pacific Crest Trail and is also named after Throop. Throop Street at 1300 West in Chicago also is named for him.
He was allegedly a descendant of Sir Adrian Scrope, the famous regicide, possibly of the English Scrope family. Amos Gager Throop's daughter, Martha married John C. Vaughan, founder of The Vaughan Seed Company.[5]
- ^ a b c d "Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office". Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ Council, Chicago (Ill ) City (1892). Journal of the Proceedings of the City Council. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "History of Caltech (includes photo of Throop)". Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Throop Peak
- ^ "Martha Throop Vaughan". Archived from the original on 2014-05-19. Retrieved 2014-05-19.