Fred W. Twyman

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Fred W. Twyman
1919-02-15 F. W. Twyman.JPG
Photograph by Rufus W. Holsinger, 1919

Member
Charlottesville City Council (1900-1916)
Electoral District Second Ward
Term Start 1906
Term End 1910
Preceded by Dr. H. T. Nelson
Succeeded by Henry D. Jarman

Member
Charlottesville City Council (1900-1916)
Electoral District Fourth Ward
Term Start 1916
Term End 1916
Preceded by M. V. Pence
Succeeded by new city government

Member of the Common Council
Charlottesville City Council (1916-1922)
Electoral District Fourth Ward
Term Start 1916
Term End 1918
Preceded by new city government
Succeeded by Lacy L. Irvine

Member of the Common Council
Charlottesville City Council (1916-1922)
Electoral District Fourth Ward
Term Start 1919 (fill vacant seat)
Term End 1922
Preceded by Lacy L. Irvine
Succeeded by new city government

Member
Charlottesville City Council (1928- )
Electoral District At-large
Term Start 1928
Term End 1940 (died in office on September 15, 1938)
Preceded by new city government
Succeeded by F. Bradley Peyton Jr

Biographical Information

Date of birth July 10, 1872
Date of death September 15, 1938 (aged 66)
Place of birth Madison County, Virginia
Place of death Charlottesville, Virginia
Spouse Sallie Whitlock Baker Twyman (March 31, 1880-January 4, 1945, aged 64)
Children James Baker Twyman
Alma mater Locust Dale Academy
University of Virginia
Profession People's National Bank, director
Charlottesville Ice Company, director
Albemarle Telephone Company, president
Jackson Park Hotel Company, organizer
Monticello Hotel, president
Woolen Mills, director

Frederick William Twyman (July 10, 1872 – September 15, 1938), was a prominent commercial developer and businessman whose career spanned over thirty years. At the time of his death in 1938 he was was head of the Jefferson-Lafayette Corporation and a member of the Charlottesville City Council. In 1932 he was unanimously elected as Mayor by the City Council. In all he served the city through three forms of government. Twyman is the most recent member of the city council to have died in office.

Career

Twyman was an active factor in local financial and commercial circles, which included opening in the two major performing venues in the city, the Jefferson Theater (1912) and the Lafayette Theater (1921). At the time of his death, at age 66, Twyman was head of the Jefferson-Lafayette Corporation.

Public life

In 1904 he was elected to the twelve member city council, representing the Fourth Ward and served as such until the Commissioner Form of government was instituted in 1922.

Twyman became chairmen of the city Democratic Committee in 1928, was a delegate to the national convention of the party at Houston, Texas that same year, and attended a number of state conventions.

In 1932, he was elected council president by his colleagues to the office of mayor, a position he held until 1934. In all he served the city through three forms of government – the common council with twelve members, the bicameral council with four aldermen and eight council, and the commission form with five members.

After Twyman's death on September 15, 1938, Francis Bradley Peyton Jr. (1881–1962) was appointed to fill a vacant seat on city council. [1]

Charlottesville City Council (1904-1916)

In 1904, Twyman was elected to the city council representing the Second Ward. He was elected President of the Council in 1906 and held office until 1910. In 1916 served on the council representing the Fourth Ward, an office he held until the commission form of government was instituted in 1922 under the city’s new charter.

1904 election

The 1904 election for mayor and city councilmen held was held on Tuesday, June 14th. Fred Twyman was elected member of the city council representing the Second Ward.

Charlottesville City Council (1916-1922)

From September 26, 1916 to August 31, 1922, Charlottesville's legislative body consisted of a twelve-member Board of Aldermen and a Common Council made up of three representatives from each of the four wards in the city. The Mayor was elected at-large.

After the adoption of an amended city charter in 1916, Twyman was elected by the voters of the Fourth Ward to served as member of the Common Council, a seat he held until 1922 when a new form of city government took over. In 1918 Twyman served on council. [2]

After the city's 1916 annexation of Albemarle county territory and suburbs surrounding the city, Charlottesville's population exceeded 10,000. State law required a bicameral form of city government, similar to the federal level, in cities of over ten thousand inhabitants. The smallest representation allowed in a city of four wards was a council consisted of four aldermen, one from each ward, and an eight member common council, two from each ward.

Charlottesville City Council (1928-1938)

With eight candidates competing in the 1928 election, Tywman won one of the five open “at-large” city council seats. In 1932, he was elected by the city council to the office of mayor, a position he held until 1934.

1928 election

Twyman was one of eight candidates competing for all five Council seats in the 1928 election, the first election under a new form of government authorized by an amendment of the city charter by the General Assembly. He was one of the five nominated by a composite body representing several civic organizations.

Twyman wrote to the Daily Progress in June 1928 to outline his platform, though he said he was running because the city had a great many needs to address. He said the city needed to tackle the question of zoning "because the business and residential districts are constantly meeting other" destroying property values. Twyman also said Main Street needed to be improved and the sewer system needed to be expanded.

On June 12, 1928, voters in Charlottesville went to the polls to elect official to the City Council. Eight candidates competed for all five Council seats. Twyman receiving the fourth highest number of votes. In accordance with the city charter, at this first election of the new form of government, the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes held office for four years and the two receiving the next highest number of votes held office for two years; with the next election held in 1930, the term of office of the councilmen would be four years. Twyman and the other four new "commissioners" took office on September 1, 1928.[3]

When the Charlottesville city charter was rewritten in 1928, the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council were replaced by a five-member City Council under Commission Form of government. All five councilors were elected at-large for terms lasting four years. The new charter also gave the City Council the power to hire a city manger. The first council meeting as a unicameral body occurred on September 1, 1928.

The two-year term of the Charlottesville City Council (1928-1930) ran from September 1, 1928 to August 31, 1930. Members of the council (referred to as "Commissioners") were: Jury Y. Brown, mayor; Fred L. Watson, vice-president; E. A. Joachim, John R. Morris and F. W. Twyman. City Manager was H. A. Yancey and Secretary H. A. Haden.

Twyman was elected council president by his city council colleagues to the office of mayor, a position he held from 1932 to 1934

Treasury race

Twyman ran for treasurer in 1909.[4] When he ran for treasurer in 1909, he was also President of the City Council.

Business interests

Twyman was president of the Albemarle Telephone Company in 1909. Fred was also the chair of a committee that raised funds for a new hotel that would become the Monticello Hotel. [5]

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Personal life and death

Frederick William Twyman, known as Fred W. Tyman, was born on July 10, 1872, the eldest son of Horace Davis Twyman (1840-1897) and Sallie Warner Nichol Twyman, prominent resident of Madison County. Fred's grandfather, Robert Davis Twyman, had been an Associate Justice Civil Court (1853-1856) and presiding Justice (1856-1861). In 1861, Fred's father, Horace Davis Twyman was among the many cadets who resigned from West Point as their home states withdrew from the Union. Out of a total Corps of 278, there were 86 Southerners, of whom 65 resigned and withdrew in 1861 to fight for Confederacy. Horace commanded Company A 1st Georgia Battalion of Sharpshooters. Fred's brothers were David N. Twyman and Horace W. Twyman; sister Nannie Twyman (Mrs. Walter S. Ferguson). Fred received his preliminary education at private schools in Madison County and at Locust Dale Academy, after which he pursued a graduate course at the University of Virginia.

At the age of eighteen Fred began his business career with the Peoples National Bank, with which he remained until 1907 when he purchased an interest in the Albemarle Telephone Company, of which he became president and which he was connected with until 1928. Before 1912, he opened the Twyman's Main Street Entertainment Palace. In 1912, the competing Levy Opera House closed.

On July 6, 1910, Twyman was joined in marriage to Miss Sallie Whitlock Baker (1880-1945), daughter of James Biscoe Baker (1834–1902) and Sallie Claiborne Barksdale Baker (1840–1916). Professor James Briscoe Baker was University Librarian from 1886 to 1891 and for many years, secretary of the faculty at the University of Virginia. Frederick and Sallie had one son, James Baker Twyman (1914-1994).

Fredrick W. Twyman, former mayor, a member of the present city commission, and long a leader in civic and commercial development, died at 10:35 o’clock the morning of September 15, 1938 at his home on Rugby Road, after an extended illness.

References

  1. Web. Peyton is Named to Fill Vacancy on City Council, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, October 4, 1938, retrieved October 4, 2022. Print. October 4, 1938 page 1.
  2. Web. To Resurface Macadam Roads, Common Council Votes Sum of $5,000, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, July 12, 1918, retrieved July 12, 2016 from University of Virginia Library.
  3. Web. Candidates Give Their Platforms, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, June 1, 1928, retrieved June 1, 2016 from University of Virginia Library.
  4. Web. Out In The Open for Treasurership, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, January 26, 1909, retrieved January 22, 2017 from University of Virginia Library.
  5. Web. Hotel Victory, Staff Reports, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, June 1, 1924, retrieved June 2, 2016 from University of Virginia Library. Print. June 1, 1924 page 3.

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