George Chahoon

Portrait of Chahoon, c.  1897

• Member of the New York State Senate from the 31st district In office January 1, 1896 – December 31, 1900
  • Preceded by Henry H. Persons
  • Succeeded by Spencer G. Prime
• Mayor of Richmond, Virginia In office May 6, 1868 – June 30, 1871
  • Preceded by Joseph C. Mayo
  • Succeeded by Henry K. Ellyson (disputed)
  • Anthony M. Keiley

Personal details

• Born George Chahoon (1840-02-02)February 2, 1840 Sherburne, New York , US
• Died July 29, 1934(1934-07-29) (aged 94) Au Sable Forks, New York , US
• Resting place Fairview Cemetery Black Brook, New York
• Party Republican

George Chamberlin Chahoon (February 2, 1840 – July 29, 1934) was an American politician whose career spanned two distinct states and eras, marked by both intense controversy and quiet, effective leadership. A figure of considerable, if sometimes turbulent, influence, Chahoon served as the Mayor of Richmond, Virginia , during the tumultuous post-Civil War Reconstruction era , from 1868 to 1870. His tenure in Virginia was characterized by a fervent commitment to the Republican Party ’s agenda and an unyielding stance against former Confederates , which ultimately ignited a dramatic and even violent political conflict known as Richmond’s Municipal War. Following this period of intense political struggle, Chahoon transitioned his political career northward, becoming a prominent Republican member of the New York State Senate , where he served with less fanfare but significant impact from 1896 to 1900. His life story offers a rather stark illustration of the shifting political landscapes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, proving that one can indeed be a lightning rod in one place and a steady hand in another.

Early and family life

George Chahoon first entered the world on February 2, 1840, in the quaint town of Sherburne, New York . His father, John Chahoon, was a building contractor, a profession that often required moving, and his mother was the former Temperance Jameson. The family’s roots in New York were relatively short-lived, as they relocated to Virginia not long after George’s birth. This early geographical shift foreshadowed a life of movement and adaptation. He spent his formative years in Botetourt County , Virginia, a region steeped in the agrarian traditions of the South. While the specifics of his early education remain somewhat veiled, records indicate he received a private education, a privilege not universally afforded in that era. It is also believed that he may have commenced the intricate process of reading law, a common path for aspiring politicians and public servants of the time, suggesting an early inclination towards legal and civic engagement. By the year 1863, with the nation embroiled in the American Civil War , Chahoon found himself in the bustling capital of Washington, D.C. , where he secured a position as a clerk within the Treasury Department . This role provided him with an intimate, if clerical, view of the federal government’s operations during one of its most challenging periods.

His personal life saw significant developments in the years following the war. On September 24, 1867, Chahoon entered into matrimony with Mary Jane Rogers. Mary Jane hailed from Au Sable Forks, a community nestled within Clinton County (specifically, the Township of Black Brook ) in New York , approximately 25 miles south of Plattsburgh . The couple established their home in Au Sable Forks, residing along North Main Street, a location that would become central to Chahoon’s later life and career. Together, they had three children: two sons, George Jr. and Issac, who was affectionately known as “Jonah,” and one daughter, Mary Jr. Mary Jane’s life, however, was cut short, as she passed away on November 27, 1887. Following this profound loss, Chahoon remarried, taking Christiana Van Allen as his second wife. Unfortunately, this second union was also marked by tragedy, as Christiana died on August 1, 1903. These personal losses undoubtedly shaped the man, adding layers of experience to his already complex public persona.

Virginia career

By 1864, as the Civil War reached its brutal crescendo, Chahoon had relocated to Norfolk, Virginia , a crucial port city, where he had begun to practice law. His legal career appears to have been a springboard into the turbulent political arena of post-war Virginia . Demonstrating an immediate aptitude for public office, he soon moved to Elizabeth City County, Virginia , where he successfully campaigned and won election as the commonwealth’s attorney in 1865. This position placed him directly within the legal and political framework of a state grappling with the aftermath of secession and defeat.

Chahoon quickly emerged as a prominent figure within the Republican Party in Williamsburg, Virginia , a city historically significant but then navigating the complexities of Reconstruction . His rise coincided with the implementation of Congressional Reconstruction , a period when federal authority exerted significant control over the former Confederate states. In late 1866, recognizing the shifting power dynamics, Chahoon strategically moved to Richmond, Virginia , the state capitol. His political connections and legal background proved advantageous, as U.S. District Judge John C. Underwood , a staunch Republican and advocate for Reconstruction policies, appointed him as a federal commissioner. This federal appointment offered him a platform for greater influence within the state’s reordering.

In July of that year, Chahoon secured the local Republican Party ’s nomination for city attorney, a significant step towards municipal power. However, a rather inconvenient obstacle presented itself: existing Virginia law explicitly prohibited any federal official from concurrently holding a municipal office. This detail, a mere technicality in the grand scheme of post-war political maneuvering, was evidently deemed less important than the broader agenda.

Despite the legal proscription, John M. Schofield , who served as Virginia ’s military commander during Reconstruction , intervened decisively. Schofield, exercising the extraordinary powers granted to military governors, deposed the long-serving city attorney-turned-mayor, Joseph C. Mayo . Mayo, a figure emblematic of the pre-war establishment, had been re-elected by voters even after his initial removal in July 1865, underscoring the deep divisions within the city. On May 6, 1868, Schofield formally appointed Chahoon as the Mayor of Richmond .

Upon assuming office, Mayor Chahoon wasted no time in implementing a sweeping and highly controversial agenda. His primary objective appeared to be the systematic purging of city government positions held by former Confederates . This action, while aligned with the goals of Reconstruction to dismantle the old order, was met with predictable fury from the entrenched white elite of Richmond. In another move that ignited considerable public outrage, Chahoon dismissed ten white police officers and proceeded to establish a specialized 25-man black police force. To lead this unprecedented force, he appointed Benjamin Scott, a black man who had served as a non-commissioned officer in the Confederate army—a fascinating and perhaps deliberately provocative choice, highlighting the complex racial dynamics of the era. Beyond these seismic shifts in personnel, Mayor Chahoon also introduced several other policies that, while seemingly minor, contributed to the pervasive sense of civic unrest. He mandated that tavernkeepers conspicuously display their licenses, hired dedicated lamplighters to take over a duty previously performed by policemen (a move that shifted patronage), and advocated for a more stringent dog ordinance. Each of these initiatives, though varied in scope, collectively fueled the city’s simmering discontent, setting the stage for an explosive confrontation.

Richmond’s Municipal War

The political landscape of Virginia was perpetually shifting during Reconstruction , and the departure of John M. Schofield to become U.S. Secretary of War under President Andrew Johnson marked a critical turning point for Chahoon’s administration. As Reconstruction efforts began to wane in Virginia , particularly after voters approved a new state constitution (though notably rejecting certain anti-Confederate provisions), the newly constituted Virginia General Assembly moved to reassert state authority. One of its first acts was to pass legislation empowering the newly elected governor, Gilbert C. Walker , to appoint members of the Richmond city council. Governor Walker, representing the burgeoning Conservative Party of Virginia , appointed only three Republicans to the new council, effectively cementing conservative control. This new, Conservative -dominated Council wasted no time, selecting publisher Henry K. Ellyson to replace Chahoon as the city’s mayor on March 16, 1870.

What ensued was not a peaceful transfer of power, but rather a standoff that quickly escalated into what history would dub “Richmond’s Municipal War.” Chahoon, along with several of his staunch Republican allies, including Police Commissioner Poe, defiantly refused to vacate their offices. For an astonishing period of approximately two months, Richmond found itself in the rather absurd and dangerous predicament of having two mayors and, perhaps more critically, two competing police forces. Ellyson’s supporters, determined to enforce the new order, laid siege to Chahoon and his allies, who had barricaded themselves within the main police station. The situation was tense, a powder keg waiting for a spark. It took the direct intervention of federal troops, dispatched by General Edward Canby , to rescue Chahoon’s besieged faction. Even then, the conflict was not resolved; Chahoon’s group merely relocated to take over another police station, prolonging the administrative paralysis.

The “Municipal War” was not without its human cost. In separate, often chaotic skirmishes, two deputies, one a black Republican and the other a German Catholic (neither of whom were ever named in published historical accounts, a detail that speaks volumes about the value placed on their lives by the dominant narratives), tragically lost their lives. Governor Walker formally contested the federal military intervention, arguing it was an overreach of federal power into state affairs. Both Chahoon and Ellyson, recognizing the impasse, sought judicial resolution, each claiming legal legitimacy. The federal judges involved, John C. Underwood and Circuit Justice Salmon P. Chase , wisely deferred the contentious matter to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals , hoping for a definitive legal pronouncement.

The court announced that it would render its highly anticipated opinion on April 27, 1870. The venue for this momentous decision was the upstairs courtroom within the hallowed Virginia State Capitol . The gravity of the situation, combined with intense public interest, led to an dangerously overcrowded gallery. Just moments before the distinguished judges were to enter and deliver their verdict, the gallery catastrophically collapsed, sending its occupants and the courtroom floor plummeting into the chamber of the House of Delegates below. The ensuing scene was one of unimaginable dust, chaos, and horror. Initial estimates, often conservative in such moments, suggested that around 75 men had perished, with an additional 500 suffering injuries. Among the wounded, though thankfully not among the dead, were both Chahoon and Ellyson, a macabre twist of fate that saw the two rivals caught in the same tragic event.

Despite the disaster, the appeals court, with a grim determination, ultimately ruled in Ellyson’s favor a mere two days later. However, recognizing the instability, they also mandated a new election for May. This election proved to be another chapter in the saga of political chicanery. In a brazen act of electoral fraud, the men tasked with transporting the completed ballots from the predominantly pro-Chahoon Jackson Ward were ambushed and robbed of their ballots. The Conservative -dominated Board of Elections, conveniently ignoring the lost votes, declared Ellyson the winner based solely on the countable ballots from other wards. Yet, even Ellyson, perhaps weary of the endless disputes or disturbed by the blatant irregularities, refused to continue under such contentious circumstances. This necessitated yet another election, which Chahoon, perhaps inevitably, lost to Anthony M. Keiley, a New Jersey-born former Confederate and publisher, finally bringing a semblance of resolution to the mayoral office.

The Conservative victory, however, was not content with merely removing Chahoon from office. They pursued him relentlessly, leading to his imprisonment on a forgery charge related to real estate. He was convicted by three separate juries, though two of these verdicts were overturned on appeal, suggesting the flimsiness of the evidence or the political motivations behind the prosecution. The third jury, while convicting him, tellingly recommended clemency. It wasn’t until December 16, 1871, that Governor Walker, a fellow native New Yorker who perhaps recognized the political persecution, issued a pardon for Chahoon. The pardon was reputedly granted on the explicit condition that Chahoon permanently depart the Commonwealth of Virginia —a rather unsubtle way of ensuring a troublesome political opponent would no longer be a local problem.

New York career and politics

After the tumultuous and rather pointed conclusion of his political career in Virginia , George Chahoon made a definitive return to upstate New York . This transition marked a stark contrast from the fiery battlegrounds of Reconstruction -era Richmond to a more settled, albeit still ambitious, phase of his life. He eventually assumed leadership of the J & J Rogers Company, an enterprise founded by his first wife’s father. Under Chahoon’s astute guidance, the company, which initially focused on iron mining and the development of the Au Sable River valley, experienced considerable prosperity. He rose through the ranks, serving first as its vice-president and later ascending to the presidency. This period showcased a different facet of Chahoon’s capabilities: that of a successful industrialist and shrewd businessman, far removed from the political infighting that defined his Virginian years.

Chahoon established residences in several prominent New York communities, including Albany (the state capital), Glen Falls , and, notably, Au Sable Forks , the hometown of his first wife and the location of the J & J Rogers Company. Beyond his business ventures, he remained deeply engaged in civic and political life. He was an active member of the Masons , a fraternal organization that often played a significant role in community leadership during that era. His political allegiances remained firmly with the Republican Party , both at the state and national levels, demonstrating an enduring commitment to the political ideology he had championed, albeit with less dramatic flair, in Virginia .

Chahoon also possessed a keen appreciation for the natural world, a characteristic that might seem at odds with his image as a pragmatic politician and industrialist. This intellectual curiosity extended to publishing, as he contributed articles to the widely respected Popular Science Magazine . In 1878, he penned an article exploring the critical effects of forest fires on the water supply, a topic of considerable ecological and economic importance for a region like the Adirondack Mountains . Later, in 1900, he turned his attention to ornithology, writing about the birds of the Adirondack Mountains , showcasing a scientific interest that transcended his professional pursuits.

His return to electoral politics in New York proved successful and considerably less contentious than his earlier foray in the South. Voters in the 31st district , which encompassed Clinton , Essex , and Warren Counties —a geographically significant and often politically influential region—elected Chahoon to the New York State Senate on two separate occasions. He served with distinction from 1896 to 1900, completing a three-year term followed by a two-year term. During his time in the Senate, he sat on several key committees, including those focused on Agriculture, Forests, Fish and Game (a nod to his environmental interests), Railroads, and Trades and Manufactures. These committee assignments reflect both the economic priorities of his district and his own diverse background. His legislative service spanned the 119th , 120th , 121st , 122nd , and 123rd New York State Legislatures . Chahoon also remained a visible presence at national Republican political conventions, maintaining his connections within the broader party structure. He ultimately retired from formal electoral politics in 1900 but continued to be a politically active and influential figure within his community until the very end of his remarkably long life.

Death and legacy

George Chahoon, a man who had navigated the tempestuous waters of Reconstruction and the more placid currents of New York industry and politics, outlived both of his wives. He passed away in Au Sable Forks, Essex County, New York , on July 29, 1934, at the advanced age of 94. His longevity was a testament to his resilience, a quality he demonstrated throughout his varied career.

His legacy was not only personal but also industrial and political. His son, George Chahoon Jr. (1872-1951), followed a path that intertwined with his father’s business acumen, eventually moving to Quebec , Canada . There, George Jr. distinguished himself as one of Canada ’s leading pulp manufacturers, building upon the foundation and experience gained from his father’s leadership of the J & J Rogers Company.

The historical significance of Mayor Chahoon’s contentious tenure in Richmond was recognized when the Library of Virginia received some of his official papers in 2013, providing valuable primary source material for researchers studying the complexities of the Reconstruction era . Furthermore, the extensive records of the J & J Rogers Company, which began as an iron mining operation, profoundly developed the Au Sable River valley, and under Chahoon’s leadership by 1888, transformed into a prominent lumber and pulp company until its closure around 1970, are carefully preserved. These vital historical documents are held within the special collections of the Plattsburgh State University library, offering a rich repository for understanding not only Chahoon’s industrial impact but also the economic and environmental development of upstate New York during a period of significant industrial growth. His life, a tapestry woven with threads of conflict, ambition, and quiet achievement, continues to provide insights into the American political and industrial landscape of his time.