On December 30, 1838, future Little Rock Mayor Jefferson George Botsford was born in Port Huron, Michigan. He married Charlotte Adelia Henry on June 13, 1867. She had been born in Massachusetts, but moved to Little Rock with her parents and grandparents.
The couple had seven children: Nellie, Charlotte, Harriett, James, Edward, George and Charles. Nellie, James and Charles died in childhood.
Botsford had served in the Union Army and fought in frontier battles against Indians. Among his commercial involvements in Little Rock were serving as mail contractor between Little Rock and Baton Rouge, proprietor of Anthony House, organizer of Merchants National Bank and president of the White River Valley & Texas Railroad.
In 1868, Botsford was elected to the Little Rock City Council. The City Council suspended Mayor A. K. Hartman in February 1870. Elected in 1869, he was disliked by the aldermen, the press and a portion of the public. A court order overturned the suspension in June 1870. In January 1871, Mayor Hartman was again suspended by the Council. This time, Botsford was declared Mayor by the Council. However Hartman also still claimed the title of mayor through the remainder of his term in November 1871.
Records do not indicate if both mayors had offices at City Hall, or indeed if either did. At the time, it was a part-time job. During this time period, the mayor did not preside over City Council meetings, so there are even times when City Council minutes make no mention of a mayor at all.
After stepping down as mayor with the election of Robert Catterson in November 1871, Botsford returned to private life. He died on October 29, 1915 and is buried at Mount Holly Cemetery.
Little Rock Culture Vulture 