Henry Overstolz

Infobox Mayor
name = Henry C. Overstolz


caption =
order = 24th Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri
term_start = February 9 1876
term_end = April 19 1881
predecessor = James H. Britton
successor = William L. Ewing
birth_date = birth date|1821|07|04|mf=y
birth_place = Munster, Germany
death_date = death date and age|1887|11|29|1821|07|04
death_place = St. Louis, Missouri
constituency =
party = Independent
spouse = Philippine Overstolz
children =
profession =
religion =


footnotes =

Henry C. Overstolz (July 4, 1821 – November 29, 1887) was the twenty-fourth mayor of St. Louis, Missouri.

Overstolz was born in Munster, Germany and moved to St. Louis in 1846 where he entered the merchandising business. He quickly involved himself in the city's government and, in 1847, was elected to membership in the City Council. In 1853, Overstolz was elected as the city's comptroller, becoming the first native-born German to be elected to office in St. Louis. Later, in 1871, he was elected president of the city council.cite web |url=http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/peopledetail.cfm?Master_ID=973 |title=St. Louis Historic Preservation: Overstolz, Henry Clemens |publisher=City of St. Louis |accessdate=2008-06-30]

Overstolz ran for mayor as an independent in April 1875, but lost to Arthur Barret. [cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19118644 |title=James H. Britton |publisher=Find A Grave |accessdate=2008-07-22] Following Barret's sudden death a scant three weeks after his election, Overstolz again ran for mayor in the special mayoral election that followed, but lost to his opponent James Britton. Overstolz contested the election two days later alleging ballot stuffing amongst other things. [cite news |url=http://newspapers.umsystem.edu/default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?BaseHRef=CLD/1875/11/05&EntityId=Ar00300&Skin=Google&ViewMode=GIF |title=The Mayorality |date=1875-11-05 |publisher=St. Louis Globe-Democrat |accessdate=2008-08-25] In February 1876, after a recount of the ballots, Overstolz unseated Britton and was declared mayor, having won by 77 votes out of more than 29,000 votes cast.cite web |url=http://exhibits.slpl.org/mayors/data/dt49584725.asp |title=St. Louis Mayors: James H. Britton |publisher=St. Louis Public Library |accessdate=2008-06-30]

Overstolz was a supporter of the Charter and Scheme that separated the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County in 1876. As a result of the new city charter, Overstolz became the first mayor of St. Louis elected to a four-year term when he was reelected in 1877.

During the course of his mayorship, Overstolz worked to reorganize the city government and forge new relationships with the county and state resulting from the changes instituted by the new city charter.

Overstolz sought a third term as mayor, but was defeated by William Ewing in the 1881 mayoral election. [cite web |url=http://stlcin.missouri.org/history/peopledetail.cfm?Master_ID=974 |title=St. Louis Historic Preservation: Ewing, William L. |publisher=City of St. Louis |accessdate=2008-06-30]

Overstolz died on November 29, 1887 and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in north St. Louis. [cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23359 |title=Henry Clemens Overstolz (1821–1887) |publisher=Find A Grave |accessdate=2008-06-30]

References

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External links

* [http://exhibits.slpl.org/mayors/data/dt47812949.asp Henry Overstolz] — St. Louis Public Library: St. Louis Mayors Online Exhibit