The "Lancaster's Jolly Old Mayor" Story

It was an ordinary day.  A bit over 200 years ago and the city known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania had just been incorporated.  And, since the city carried that prestigious title, it needed a Mayor.  The Governor of Pennsylvania at the time was Simon Snyder who happened to have been born in Lancaster.  He served three terms as Governor and led the state through the War of 1812.  He decided that Mr. John Passmore would be a great choice for Mayor of Lancaster.  

Mayor John Passmore taking the oath of office.
Drawing by Charles X. Carlson.

I have written about Mr. Passmore a few times in the past, posting photos of his house on East Orange Street, and telling of his massive size.  Before Mr. Passmore was appointed Mayor, the city had burgesses.  The Chief Burgress and under Burgesess were a group of elected officials that helped to govern the community. In the city of Lancaster, these positions were unpaid.  The word burgess is a French word meaning inhabitant and freeman of a fortified town.  After being appointed Mayor, John Passmore received a stipend of $200 a year ($4,000 in today's money).  Today's Mayor Danene Sorace earns about $85,000.  Mayor Passmore was respected and skilled enough that he was re-elected twice.  Mayor Passmore was a very colorful character.  He was born on January 12, 1774 in Newcastle, Delaware and left home at a young age to move to Lancaster.  Shortly later he became a law student at the law office of the Honorable James Hopkins.  He married Elizabeth Alexander on December 18, 1809.  

Lancaster County Courthouse in center by Charles Carlson.

She died on March 1, 1814,  He remarried  Mary Clark three years later on January 2, 1817.  She was 16 years younger than John.  In 1890 Gov. Snyder appointed Mr. Passmore the Prothonotary of the Lancaster District of the Supreme Court.  This District was comprised of Lancaster, Berks, York and Dauphin Counties.  Mr. Passmore also served as city alderman as well as treasurer of St. James Episcopal Church.  

Old City Hall.

Mr. Passmore was a real character.  Smoking on public streets at the time was against the law.  Didn't matter to John.  A local resident accused him of smoking in public and John agreed, so he fined himself twenty shillings (about 19 cents).  It didn't stop him from smoking in public though.  Another resident of Lancaster, James Buchanan, came into Mr. Passmore's law office one day and took a book from the shelf.  

Drawing by Charles X. Carlson.

After finish reading it he laid it on a table and departed the office.  Wasn't long before John walked out of his office and called to our future President to return and put the book back on the shelf.  In the past I have written about the size of Mr. Passmore.  He weighed close to 500 pounds which caused many anecdotes about him.  He was referred to as "Hizzoner" which is a corruption of the title "His Honor".  His historical home at 247 East Orange Street is a Gregorian style colonial mansion.  

Mayor John Passmore's home at 247 East Orange St.

In front of the home is a carriage stepping stone as well as a hitching post for horses.  Both still remain.  Another feature of the home is a second story busybody mirror.  This is a device of three mirrors hung from a window with a metal rod, arranged so a person inside the house could see who is at the front door without being seen.  This device was one of Benjamin Franklin's many inventions.  As I have written before, John died October 20, 1827 at the age of 53 and had to be taken to St. James Churchs' cemetery in a large wagon since he needed a supersized wooden coffin to hold his large body.