John Cummings (Massachusetts banker)
John Cummings | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | December 21, 1898 (aged 86) Woburn, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1868–1898 (bank president) |
| Known for | President of Shawmut Bank; Treasurer of MIT; Massachusetts state legislator |
John Cummings (born October 19, 1812 – passed away December 21, 1898) held the position of president at Shawmut Bank for three decades, from 1868 until 1898. In addition to his banking career, he owned both a farm and a tannery located in Woburn, Massachusetts. His public service included terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as well as the Massachusetts Senate. In 1876, he sought a seat in Congress but was not elected.
Work
Cummings played a significant role at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he acted as treasurer between 1872 and 1889 and participated on its executive committee. Following his retirement from the treasurer role, MIT honored him by naming its Mining Engineering and Metallurgy laboratories after him, acknowledging his valuable support.
Beyond MIT, he contributed as a trustee of the Woburn Public Library, served on the Warren Academy school committee, and held a director position at the Perkins Institution for the Blind.
Interests
With a keen enthusiasm for Natural History, Cummings was an active member of the Boston Natural History Society and led its Botany section as chairman. He managed an extensive farm in Woburn that he acquired from his grandfather’s descendants. Today, this property is preserved as Mary Cummings Park, named in honor of his second wife who gifted it to the City of Boston for public enjoyment.
John Cummings passed away at his residence in Woburn on December 21, 1898.