Martin Boswell McKneally (December 31, 1914 – June 14, 1992) was a Republican member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

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. He also served as the National Commander of The American Legion from 1959 to 1960.

Early life and education

McKneally was born in

Newburgh, New York Newburgh is a City (New York), city in Orange County, New York, United States. With a population of 28,856 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is a principal city of the Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area. ...

, the son of George F. and Ellen (née Lahey) McKneally. He attended Newburgh's public schools, and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy. McKneally graduated from the

College of the Holy Cross The College of the Holy Cross is a private Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by educators Benedict Joseph Fenwick and Thomas F. Mulledy in 1843 under the auspices of the Society of Jesus. ...

in 1936 and

Fordham University School of Law Fordham University School of Law is the law school of Fordham University. The school is located in Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city. According to Fordham University School of Law's ABA- ...

in 1940. McKneally was admitted to the bar and practiced law in Newburgh and New York City.

Military service

McKneally was drafted in 1941. He attended The JAG School (then at

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

) and entered U.S. Army JAG Corps. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. He taught military law at Grinnell College, then deployed to the Pacific theater. In the Pacific, he served on the staff Lieutenant General Robert C. Richardson, commander of the Central Pacific Area. He was released from service in 1946 with the rank of major.

Continued career

He was New York's state

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

commander from 1957 to 1958, and national American Legion commander from 1959 until 1960. His administration of the American Legion was notable in that he disaffiliated the 40 and 8 Society from the Legion due to their racially discriminatory membership requirements. McKneally was active in local government, and served as president of Newburgh's school board. He was a special counsel to Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson from 1960 to 1968, and counsel to the 1964 World's Fair from 1961 to 1965. In 1968, he was elected to Congress, defeating Democratic incumbent John G. Dow. He served from January 3, 1969, until January 3, 1971.

Tax evasion charges

McKneally was a candidate for re-election in 1970, but it was revealed during the last month of the 1970 campaign that he had not paid Federal income taxes for many years. He claimed that the IRS had over withheld him, but the voters did not believe him and he was defeated by Dow, 52% to 48%. McKneally was later found guilty of

tax evasion Tax evasion or tax fraud is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to red ...

and sentenced to one year of probation and fined.

Death and burial

McKneally never married and had no children. His siblings included his brother George, who served as mayor of Newburgh. He died at the Veterans Administration facility in Castle Point, New York on June 14, 1992. He was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Newburgh.

References

External links

*
Martin B. McKneally
at

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, - {{DEFAULTSORT:McKneally, Martin B. 1914 births 1992 deaths 20th-century American lawyers American people of Irish descent College of the Holy Cross alumni Fordham University School of Law alumni National commanders of the American Legion New York (state) lawyers Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School alumni 20th-century New York (state) politicians 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives