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Robert Anderson Van Wyck
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Robert Anderson Van Wyck Robert Anderson Van Wyck, (pronounced Van Wike[1]) (July 20, 1849
– November 14, 1918) was the first mayor of New York City after
the consolidation of the five boroughs into the City of New York
in 1898.
[edit] Biography The son of William Van Wyck and brother of Augustus Van Wyck, he
was prepared for college at the Wilson Academy in North Carolina,
and later graduated from Columbia, where he was valedictorian of
his class. He then passed a number of years in mercantile life, after
which he became an able lawyer and enjoyed a large practice for many
years. Later, he was elected Judge of the City Court of New York,
becoming thereafter Chief Justice. He resigned to accept the Democratic
Party nomination for Mayor of Greater New York, and was elected by
a very large majority. He served as mayor of New York City between
1898 and 1901 and was the first mayor to govern New York City after
its five boroughs had been consolidated into a single city.
Van Wyck is generally regarded as a colorless mayor, selected by
the sachems (leaders) of Tammany Hall as a man who would do little
to interfere with their running of the city. He was, however, no
more averse than many of his colleagues to enriching himself once
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