1900; Or, The Last President

In Ingersoll Lockwood's 1900; Or, The Last President, a politically charged New York City is on edge after a political outsider overcomes stiff opposition to be elected President of the United States. Mob rule threatens, and marching protests rove up and down Fifth Avenue searching for symbols of wealth to destroy. Lockwood uses this setting to critique the socialist and collectivist mentality of his era and illustrate the inherent danger of the crowd. The story is a small and relatively unknown political satire from the late 19th century, which found new popularity after the election of Donald Trump in 2016.

Ingersoll Lockwood was born at Ossining, New York, in August 1841 to a well-known legal family. His father, Munson Lockwood, was a brigadier general in the New York State Militia, a lawyer, and also went on to hold the position of Warden at the famous Sing Sing prison. Both of Ingersoll-s uncles, Ralph and Albert Lockwood, were also attorneys. Ingersoll was trained in the law, but before establishing a practice, he was appointed Consul to the Kingdom of Hanover by the Lincoln Administration - becoming the youngest member of a U.S. delegation. After his federal service, Ingersoll came back to New York City where he established a successful firm with his brother Henry. In addition to his legal work, Ingersoll began a writing career, which included political essays, fiction and poetry. His most successful works were his children-s novels surrounding the character of Baron Trump. He retired to Saratoga Springs New York where he continued to write, publishing his last book of poetry five years before his death in 1918.