HAYWARD, NELSON (1810-14 Apr. 1857), mayor of Cleveland (1843-44), was born in Braintree, Mass., where he was locally educated. Son of William and Marjory (Thayer) Hayward, he came to Cleveland in 1825 with his 2 brothers, Joseph and John, and joined in various small enterprises with them. In 1840, he became the assistant chief of the Old Volunteer Fire Dept. Hayward's political philosophy was that of a Jacksonian Democrat. It was this new trend of thought that won him the mayoralty in 1843, after he had served as alderman in 1841 and 1842. He was never reelected to public office, however, as the political trend of the city became partisan Whig and Republican. Hayward was vice-president of the city's Temperance Society in 1842. The following year he became a member of the Cleveland Lodge of the Odd Fellows. He never married.
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