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John Patrick O'Brien (February 1, 1873September 22, 1951) was an
O'Brien returned to his legal work and served three times as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He died on September 21, 1951, at his home at 40 East 75th Street at 7:25 p.m. He was buried in the
New York City biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, John P. 1873 births 1951 deaths 20th-century American politicians American Roman Catholics Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York) American people of Irish descent Mayors of New York City Georgetown University Law Center alumni New York (state) Democrats People from Massachusetts
Irish-American
, image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png
, image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state
, caption = Notable Irish Americans
, population =
36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...
politician who served as the 98th Mayor of New York City from January 1 to December 31, 1933.
Life and career
O'Brien was born on February 1, 1873, to Mary and Patrick O'Brien, Irish immigrants inMassachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
. He received his B.A. from College of the Holy Cross and his masters and law degree from Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
. He later served as New York City Corporation Counsel and as a New York Surrogate Court judge.
Shortly after the surprise resignation of Mayor Jimmy Walker
James John Walker (June 19, 1881November 18, 1946), known colloquially as Beau James, was mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932. A flamboyant politician, he was a liberal Democrat and part of the powerful Tammany Hall machine. He was forced t ...
in 1932, Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...
nominated O'Brien for mayor in a special election, and he beat write-in candidate (and Acting Mayor) Joseph V. McKee
Joseph Vincent McKee, Sr. (August 8, 1889January 28, 1956) was a teacher at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York, who later became a politically active Democrat and briefly served as the acting mayor of New York City.
Life and car ...
by more than half a million votes. O'Brien's inauguration was held in the Hall of Records, at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan, and was devoid of the pageantry that had greeted many of his predecessors. His inauguration speech did not outline a vision for the city, but rather, reflected on the work of the court and the legal profession in general. In the post inauguration news conference, the new mayor was asked who would be the new police commissioner. "I don't know," O'Brien answered. "They haven't told me yet."
Although he is credited with expanding the city's ability to collect taxes, restoring order to the city's finances, and trimming the budget, O'Brien was defeated for re-election in a three-way race by the colorful Republican-City Fusion Party candidate, Fiorello H. La Guardia
Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (; born Fiorello Enrico LaGuardia, ; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the House of Representatives and served as the 99th Mayor of New York City fro ...
, in November 1933. He served just one year in office.
O'Brien returned to his legal work and served three times as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He died on September 21, 1951, at his home at 40 East 75th Street at 7:25 p.m. He was buried in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, as a Roman Catholic burial site. Among its famous residents is ...
in Westchester County
Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...
.
Family
O'Brien married Helen E. C. Madigan (c1875-1950) in 1908 and their children include: Gerard J. O'Brien, James A. O'Brien, Lawrence J. O'Brien, John G. O'Brien, and a daughter who married Victor E. Forker.See also
*List of mayors of New York City
The mayor of New York City is the chief executive of the Government of New York City, as stipulated by New York City's charter. The current officeholder, the 110th in the sequence of regular mayors, is Eric Adams, a member of the Democratic Pa ...
References
;NotesExternal links
New York City biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien, John P. 1873 births 1951 deaths 20th-century American politicians American Roman Catholics Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York) American people of Irish descent Mayors of New York City Georgetown University Law Center alumni New York (state) Democrats People from Massachusetts