John Williams Tobey


John Williams Tobey was an American architect, carpenter and builder from Neenah, Wisconsin. He served as mayor of Neenah, and served one term as an independent member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Winnebago County.

Background

Tobey was born in Hawley, Franklin County, Massachusetts on August 3, 1827, son of John and Sybil Tobey. He received a public school education and went into the trades of architect, carpenter and builder. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1846, and lived in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties in that state. During the American Civil War he tried to enlist in the Ohio National Guard, but was rejected by the examining surgeon. He moved to Wisconsin in 1864, settling in Neenah. He designed the plans for the Russell House in Neenah, and superintended the erection of it, as well as the Neenah High School and the Patten Mill at Appleton.

Public office

Tobey held various local offices such as county supervisor and alderman, and was elected mayor of the City of Neenah in April, 1886. He described his political position as having been brought up in the "Jeffersonian and Jacksonian school of politics, and believes in law being founded on equal rights in the strictest sense, and fearlessly executed." Tobey was elected as an Independent to the second Winnebago County Assembly district in 1886, with 1,408 votes to 1,185 for former State Representative and State Senator William P. Rounds,, and 157 votes for Prohibitionist E. W. Clark. Incumbent Charles B. Clark was not a candidate, as he was pursuing a campaign for Congress. Tobey was appointed to the standing committee on medical societies. Tobey was reported in some press accounts to be a Democrat.
He did not run for re-election in 1887, and was succeeded by Republican Walter L. Miller.
Tobey ran for his old Assembly seat in 1890 as a Democrat, but lost to Neenah mayor Samuel A. Cook, who received 1326 votes to 1042 for Tobey and 63 for Prohibitionist Lucius Webster.

Personal life

Tobey married Lucey D. Smith, also from Massachusetts, in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, in 1853. Lucey Tobey died suddenly on May 31, 1890 at the age of 57, leaving John with two children, Isora and Mary. Isora died April 13, 1893 of "consumption".
Tobey was a member of the Royal Arcanum.
He died February 4, 1909, while in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah.