Charles N. Holden

Holden was born May 13, 1816, in Fort Covington, New York.[4]

Holden was a school teacher at the age of 20.[4]

After working as a store clerk for a year, Holden moved to Chicago.[4] He soon moved to Will County, Illinois, where he briefly lived with relatives and found work at a claim.[4] Quickly moving back to Chicago, he found employment at a clerk in John H. Kinzie's lumber yard.[4]

Holden was elected as a Chicago alderman from the 5th ward in 1855, serving until 1857, when he was elected Chicago city treasurer, a position he held through the following year.[4][2]

Holden was a supporter of the 1860 presidential candidacy of Abraham Lincoln.[4] He served on the committee that arranged the construction of the Wigwam, which was built to host the 1860 Republican National Convention.[4]

In 1862, Holden was the Republican Party nominee for mayor of Chicago. He lost the election to Democratic nominee Francis Cornwall Sherman.[4][5]

In 1864, Holden was elected as Chicago's commissioner of taxes, holding that position for four years.[4]

He was a member of the Chicago Board of Education.[4] From 1864 through 1866, Holden served as president of the Chicago Board of Education.[1] The city named one of its schools after him.[4]

Holden was one of the organizers of Chicago's Second Baptist Church, and held a number of leadership roles within that church.[4] He was involved in the founding of the Morgan Park Theological Seminary.[6]

Holden was a trustee of the state insane asylum.[7]

Holden, in his later years, worked at the firm of A. H. Holden & Co.[4] He would also manufacture paint.[8] For over twenty years, Holden served as treasurer of Chicago's Firemen's Benevolent Society.[4]

In 1841, Holden married Frances Woodbury.[4]

Holden's extended family was well-involved in Chicago politics. This included Charles C. P. Holden, his cousin.[7][8]

Holden died September 29, 1887, at his Chicago residence of a stroke. He had suffered a previous stroke roughly a year earlier, from which he had only partially recovered.[4] His funeral was held October 3, 1887, at Chicago's Second Baptist Church.[6]