Charles Gilpin

Charles Gilpin (November 17, 1809 - October 29, 1891) was an American attorney and politician. He served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1851 to 1854 and was the last mayor of the city before the consolidation of Philadelphia.

Early life Gilpin was born on November 17, 1809, in Wilmington, Delaware, to Edward and Lydia (Grubb) Gilpin. Gilpin was admitted to the bar in 1834 and practiced law in Philadelphia.

Political career Gilpin won a seat on the Common Council, the lower house of the Philadelphia City Council, and to the Select Council in 1840.

In 1850, he ran again and defeated Jones by 2,329 votes. He won re-election in 1851 over former mayor John Swift and was re-elected in 1852 and 1853. When the Whig party broke up, he joined with the Republican party. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated him as a United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and he served in that role for four years.

He was a member of the Union League of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Club. and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.