Biography

10/17/1828 - 01/26/1916

John Lamon (R3) Philadelphia (Part) County 1873-1880

Early Life: 

John Lamon, born, October 17, 1828, city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; son of George and Catherine Lamon of Kensington; Harrison Grammar School; weaving apprentice; employed, shipyard, Philadelphia; sergeant, Philadelphia Police Department, 1843-1856; married, Mary, 1849; meter inspector, Northern Liberties Gas Company, 1856-1860; security guard for President Abraham Lincoln, 1861; police detective, Philadelphia, 1863; security guard for President Abraham Lincoln, 1864; chief of detectives, Philadelphia, 1865-1868; deputy collector, Internal Revenue Service, Philadelphia, 1869-1870; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1871-1873; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1874-1880, elected, President Pro Tempore, 1879-1880, unsuccessful campaign for reelection, 1880; mercantile appraiser, city of Philadelphia, 1880-1889; appointed, superintendent of police, Philadelphia, 1890-1891; appointed, superintendent of police, Philadelphia, 1895-1900; president, Pneumatic Fire Alarm Telegraph Company; director, Second and Third Street Passenger Railway Company; director, Continental Passenger Railway; director, Pennsylvania Cold Storage Company; died, January 26, 1916, at home, city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; Interred, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Apprenticed, Neafle and Levy, “ship trade,” a vocational interest that lasted until 1843, received, appointment, sergeant, police department under Marshal John Keymer, 1843-1856; resigned, police department, 1856; meter inspector, Northern Liberties Gas Company, returned police force, 1860.

Security guard, President Lincoln’s inaugural tour speech, Independence Hall, Philadelphia February 1861; security, United States Sanitary Commission (USSC), President Lincoln, June 16, 1864, speech, Great Sanitary Fair, Logan Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

Philadelphia Mayor Alexander Henry promoted, Philadelphia detective unit, 1863, selected, Chief of Detectives, 1865, relieved of command, Philadelphia Mayor Daniel M. Fox, 1868. 

Appointed, J. Fletcher Budd, Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, 1869-1870. 

Mercantile appraiser, city of Philadelphia, 1880-1889; appointed, superintendent of police, Philadelphia, 1890-1891; appointed, superintendent of police, Philadelphia, 1895-1900; president, Pneumatic Fire Alarm Telegraph Company; director, Second and Third Street Passenger Railway Company; director, Continental Passenger Railway; director, Pennsylvania Cold Storage Company. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Shekinah Lodge 246, Free and Accepted Masons; Royal Arch Masons, Keystone Chapter 175; Columbia Club.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1871-1873. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 3rd district, Philadelphia (Part) County, 1873-1880, elected, President Pro Tempore, 1879-1880; committee assignments, Canal and Inland Navigation, Municipal Affairs, Railroad; unsuccessful campaign for reelection, 1880. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Legacy: 

As Philadelphia Police Chief, received notoriety as the man who cracked the sensational Dorcas Magilton murder case. The successful investigation that led to conviction and execution George W. Winnemore, launched his political career.   

 Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "L"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1875) Smull, J.A.; pages 606-608; Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 601.

Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), January 27, 1916. 

Philadelphia Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), January 26, 1916. 

Public Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), May 21, 1867.

New York Times (New York, New York), August 16, 1867. 

John Lamon (1828-1916) - Find a Grave Memorial