City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works
Publications and Research Lehman College
2003
Abram Stevens Hewitt (1822-1903)
Janet Butler Munch CUNY Lehman College
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HEWITT, ABRAM STEVENS (31 July. 1822-18 January 1903), iron manufacturer, congressman, mayor, and philanthropist. Born in Haverstraw, New York, Hewitt in 1842 earned a law degree at Columbia College. There he met Sarah Cooper, the only daughter of the wealthy Peter Cooper; they were married in 1855. He entered business with Cooper's son, Edward. Their partnership, Cooper, Hewitt & Company, successfully pioneered iron manufacture in the United States, and produced the first high-phosphorus, low-carbon steel of commercial value. Hewitt entered politics when he, Samuel J. Tilden, and Edward Cooper sought to oust the corrupt Tweed Ring in New York City. Subsequently, Hewitt was elected to five terms in Congress (1875-1887), where he championed tariff reform, labor, and stable currency. In 1876, he chaired the Democratic National Committee during the disputed Tilden-Hayes presidential election. Ten years later, Hewitt was elected mayor of New York City. He served one term, fighting Tammany patronage, and trying to improve municipal services. He wrote the Rapid Transit Bill, which ultimately created New York's mass transit system. After losing a reelection bid, Hewitt focused on his business and philanthropic interests. His legacy is today reflected most notably in his endowment of Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. He died in New York City. Further Reading: Alan Nevins, Abram S. Hewitt, with Some Account of Peter Cooper, 1935; 'The Late Ex-Mayor Hewitt," The Nation 76 (22 January 1903): 67; Abram Stevens Hewitt Papers, Columbia University and New-York Historical Society, New York City. Janet Butler Munch Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2003 M.E. Sharpe, Inc.