Richard Vaux
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Richard Vaux | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd district | |
In office May 20, 1890 – March 3, 1891 | |
Preceded by | Samuel J. Randall |
Succeeded by | William McAleer |
Personal details | |
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , U.S. | December 19, 1816
Died | March 22, 1895 Philadelphia | (aged 78)
Richard Vaux (December 19, 1816 – March 22, 1895) was an American politician. He was
Early life and education
Richard Vaux was born in
Early political career
Vaux returned to Philadelphia in 1839 and was elected a member of the
Mayoral campaigns
An unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Philadelphia in 1842, 1846, and 1854 as a Democrat opposing Whig candidates, Vaux was elected mayor in 1856. He was subsequently defeated for reelection in 1858 by Alexander Henry.
Vaux also served as a member of the Board of City Trusts 1859–1866, and its president 1863–1865.
Congress
Vaux was elected in 1890 as a
Personal life
Deeply involved with the Masonic fraternity since the age of 26, Vaux served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania from 1868 to 1869.[2] He thus laid the cornerstone of the iconic Masonic Temple of Philadelphia which remains the headquarters for Freemasonry in the state, symbolically tapping it into place with the same gavel George Washington had used during the Masonic cornerstone ceremony for the United States Capitol building.[citation needed]
Vaux married on March 12, 1840, Mary Morris, daughter of Jacob Shoemaker and Sarah Morris Waln. Richard and Mary Vaux had six children, of whom Jacob Waln Vaux was the fifth.
Death and burial
Vaux died on March 22, 1895, in Philadelphia and was interred in Laurel Hill Cemetery.
References
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ "Past Grand Masters - Portrait Gallery". www.pagrandlodge.org. Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- United States Congress. "Richard Vaux (id: V000078)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.