David Williamson Nevin

David Williamson Nevin (1853–1945) was an American politician from Easton, Pennsylvania, who served as the city's mayor and is considered to be "Easton's greatest citizen".

Early life Nevin was born on September 9, 1853, in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. When he was 10 years old his father took him to Gettysburg where he heard the Gettysburg Address.

Career

Early legal career Following his belated graduation in 1875 Nevin worked for a city attorney for two years before passing the Northampton County bar and opening his own law firm in 1877. That year he would also run for Northampton County district attorney, but would lose the election. This came despite resistance from the city's influential Republicans who sought to preserve the rural nature of the area. The Paxinosa Inn was never profitable and Nevin was forced to sell it at auction in 1896.

Nevin died at his home in Easton on March 31, 1945.

Legacy Nevin Park still bears the mayor's name, and in 2014 a $200,000 replica of the city's original iron fountain was restored to the park. Near the end of his second term, local historian William Jacob Heller wrote that Nevin had contributed to Easton's development "perhaps more than any living man." Nevin was married and had three sons, Samuel W. Nevin, D. Burrowes Nevin and John D. Nevin. His father was an Elder of the College Point Presbyterian church. Due to Nevin's long life he would often talk about his trip to Gettysburg when he was 10 years old and lamented that: "I wish I had extended my hand, for if the president had taken one step toward me we could have shaken hands."