Maxwell Edward Seidman (April 18, 1898 – November 17, 1950) was an American lawyer and politician affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Early life and education
Seidman was born in Philadelphia in 1898, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants Isaac and Jennie Seidman. [1] By the time of Seidman's birth, his father was working as a real estate agent. [1] He attended South Philadelphia High School and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. [2] After Wharton, Seidman stayed at Penn for law school, graduating in the 1920s and starting his own practice. [2]
Career
Initially a Republican, Seidman joined the Democratic Party in 1933 as a part of John B. Kelly, Sr.'s "independent Democratic" faction. [2] When Democrat George Howard Earle III was elected governor in 1934, he appointed Seidman as a special deputy attorney general, working with the state banking department and the state board of motion picture censors. [3]
Seidman became the Democratic leader of the 1st ward and, in 1949, was nominated for Philadelphia City Council in a special election to fill a vacancy created by the death of Republican councilman Frank X. O'Connor. [3] Seidman won, narrowly defeating his Republican opponent, Roman Catholic High School football coach Joseph A. Graham, Jr. [4] He joined Harry Norwitch as one of only two Democrats in the 22-member council. [4]
Personal life
Seidman's tenure on City Council was brief. While visiting New York City on November 17, 1950, he suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 53. [2] He was buried in Mount Sharon Cemetery in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. [2]
References
- ^ a b 1910 Census.
- ^ a b c d e Inquirer 1950.
- ^ a b Inquirer 1949a.
- ^ a b Inquirer 1949b.
Sources
- "1910 United States Federal Census, T624_1385, page 16A". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- "Democrats Name 2 For Council". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 5, 1949. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Democrats Take 2 Council Seats". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 9, 1949. pp. 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- "M.E. Seidman, Councilman, Dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 19, 1950. pp. 1, 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1898 births
- 1950 deaths
- Jewish American people in Pennsylvania politics
- Lawyers from Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania Democrats
- Philadelphia City Council members
- University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania alumni
- 20th-century American politicians
- 20th-century American lawyers
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- 20th-century American Jews
Maxwell Edward Seidman (April 18, 1898 – November 17, 1950) was an American lawyer and politician affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Early life and education
Seidman was born in Philadelphia in 1898, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants Isaac and Jennie Seidman. [1] By the time of Seidman's birth, his father was working as a real estate agent. [1] He attended South Philadelphia High School and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. [2] After Wharton, Seidman stayed at Penn for law school, graduating in the 1920s and starting his own practice. [2]
Career
Initially a Republican, Seidman joined the Democratic Party in 1933 as a part of John B. Kelly, Sr.'s "independent Democratic" faction. [2] When Democrat George Howard Earle III was elected governor in 1934, he appointed Seidman as a special deputy attorney general, working with the state banking department and the state board of motion picture censors. [3]
Seidman became the Democratic leader of the 1st ward and, in 1949, was nominated for Philadelphia City Council in a special election to fill a vacancy created by the death of Republican councilman Frank X. O'Connor. [3] Seidman won, narrowly defeating his Republican opponent, Roman Catholic High School football coach Joseph A. Graham, Jr. [4] He joined Harry Norwitch as one of only two Democrats in the 22-member council. [4]
Personal life
Seidman's tenure on City Council was brief. While visiting New York City on November 17, 1950, he suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 53. [2] He was buried in Mount Sharon Cemetery in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. [2]
References
- ^ a b 1910 Census.
- ^ a b c d e Inquirer 1950.
- ^ a b Inquirer 1949a.
- ^ a b Inquirer 1949b.
Sources
- "1910 United States Federal Census, T624_1385, page 16A". Ancestry.com. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- "Democrats Name 2 For Council". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 5, 1949. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Democrats Take 2 Council Seats". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 9, 1949. pp. 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- "M.E. Seidman, Councilman, Dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 19, 1950. pp. 1, 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1898 births
- 1950 deaths
- Jewish American people in Pennsylvania politics
- Lawyers from Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania Democrats
- Philadelphia City Council members
- University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania alumni
- 20th-century American politicians
- 20th-century American lawyers
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- 20th-century American Jews