Lester L. Bond

Who was Lester L. Bond?

Lester Legrant Bond was a member of the Illinois state House of Representatives from 1866–1870 and served as acting Mayor of Chicago, appointed by Joseph Medill in 1873 when Medill left for Europe.

Bond was born to Jonas and Elizabeth Bond. and grew up on his father's farm in Ravenna, Ohio. He received his law degree in 1853 and traveled to Chicago the following year. In 1854, he formed a legal partnership with A.S. Seaton. By 1858, he had partnered with E.A. West, a law firm which remained until 1891 when it became Bond & West.

Bond was one of the founders of the Republican party in Chicago. In 1862 and 1864 he was elected a Chicago alderman. In 1867, he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, and served until 1871. When Chicago Mayor and newspaper publisher Joseph Medill traveled to Europe in 1873, Medill named Bond acting mayor of Chicago. When Medill's term expired that same year, Bond ran as an independent on a law and order platform, supporting laws which would ban the sale of liquor on Sundays. He was defeated by Harvey Colvin, who won with 60% of the voted despite Bond receiving the endorsements of all Chicago newspapers except the Times.