DeWitt Clinton Cregier (June 1, 1829 - November 9, 1898) was an American engineer and politician. He served as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1889–1891) for the Democratic Party.
Early career
Cregier worked as an engineer with the City of Chicago, and was awarded, in 1875, U.S. patent 164,149 and in 1876, U.S. patent 173,768, both for fire hydrants. The latter was a combination drinking fountain, fire hydrant, and watering basin for animals. The Cregier hydrant is widely seen in old photographs of Chicago.
Cregier was also Master Mason, presided as Worshipful Master of Blaney Lodge No. 271, A.F. & A.M. of Illinois for eight years, and served as Grand Master of Illinois in 1870–1871. D.C. Cregier Lodge No. 81 in Wheeling, Illinois, is named after him. He was a fifth great-grandson of Martin Cregier, first Burgomaster of New Amsterdam.[1]
Cregier served as the chief engineer of the Chicago water system, and subsequently as Chicago's Commissioner of Public Works during the first mayoralty of Carter Harrison Sr.[2] Cregier came into conflict with Harrison when Cregier's own ambition to someday become mayor became apparent.[2]
Cregier lost his bid for reelection in the 1891 Chicago mayoral election. He had first seen Carter Harrison Sr. challenge him for the Democratic nomination. Cregier was able to win renomination over Harrison, as the local Democratic political machines had supported Cregier as they found him to be even more accommodating to them than Harrison had been.[6] However, he lost the election in a four-way race, featuring Carter Harrison Sr. as an independent Democrat, Hempstead Washburne as the Republican nominee, and Elmer Washburn as the "Citizens" nominee. Cregier placed second, losing to Republican nominee Hempstead Washburne.
Graves of DeWitt Clinton and Mary Sophia Cregier at Rosehill Cemetery
Cregier's tenure as mayor ended on April 27, 1891.[7]
He died at his home in Chicago on November 9, 1898, and was buried at Rosehill Cemetery.[9]
Legacy
Plaque on west facade of the Chicago Water Tower, mounted in 1933 in honor of Cregier's services
In October 2011, a biography of Cregier entitled: The New York Orphan Who Built Chicago subtitled: The Story of DeWitt Clinton Cregier A 19th-Century American Engineering Genius was published, written Gloria Cregier Emma, one of Cregier's last surviving two grandchildren.