John H. Mulroy
Encyclopedia
John Howard Mulroy was a 20th century politician most notable for having served as the first county executive
of Onondaga County, New York
.
Mulroy was born to Morris, a dairy farmer, and Elizabeth, a former schoolteacher. His father served as the Marcellus supervisor on the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors from 1937 to 1953, when the senior Mulroy died in office.
Mulroy served as a bomber pilot in the United States Air Force
for three years during World War II, and was married September 15, 1945 to the former Virginia Spaulding. He graduated with a degree in history from the University College of Syracuse University
and initially earned a living by delivering milk from his family's dairy.
His began his political career by getting elected to his father's old position on the County Board of Supervisors, starting in 1957 and rising to Chairman of the Board in 1961. In the 1961 election, Onondaga County voters approved the adoption of a new county charter which provided for the creation of the office of county executive. The Board of Supervisors appointed then-Chairman Mulroy as the first county executive to serve a one year term before the office was to become elective. In 1962, the electorate voted Mulroy into his first elected term in office, which lasted five years.
His achievements in office include:
Mulroy was investigated several times for corruption between 1977 and 1982.
. He was ultimately convicted of misdemeanors and fined.
Mulroy announced his intention to retire in 1987. In his retirement, he served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations, notably the Onondaga Historical Association, to which he donated a quarter of a million dollars.
Mulroy was stricken while on a Syracuse Newspapers-sponsored fishing trip in the Thousand Islands
and was taken to Kingston General Hospital
. He died after two days. He is buried in St. Francis Xavier
Cemetery in the Town of Marcellus.
The Onondaga County Civic Center
is named in his honor.
His son, former Judge J. Kevin Mulroy, was felled by a mysterious, rapidly-progressing illness in 2005 and is buried alongside his parents. One of his daughters, Martha E. Mulroy, currently serves as a Family Court Judge.
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
Mulroy was born to Morris, a dairy farmer, and Elizabeth, a former schoolteacher. His father served as the Marcellus supervisor on the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors from 1937 to 1953, when the senior Mulroy died in office.
Mulroy served as a bomber pilot in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
for three years during World War II, and was married September 15, 1945 to the former Virginia Spaulding. He graduated with a degree in history from the University College of Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and initially earned a living by delivering milk from his family's dairy.
His began his political career by getting elected to his father's old position on the County Board of Supervisors, starting in 1957 and rising to Chairman of the Board in 1961. In the 1961 election, Onondaga County voters approved the adoption of a new county charter which provided for the creation of the office of county executive. The Board of Supervisors appointed then-Chairman Mulroy as the first county executive to serve a one year term before the office was to become elective. In 1962, the electorate voted Mulroy into his first elected term in office, which lasted five years.
His achievements in office include:
- Building the $26 million Onondaga County Civic CenterOncenterThe Oncenter is a three-building convention and entertainment complex in Downtown Syracuse, New York, USA. It is composed of a convention center, sporting arena, and theaters.-Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter:...
- A $12.8 million renovation of the Burnet Park Zoo
- Construction of the Onondaga County Correctional Facility
- Creation of the Beaver Lake Nature CenterBeaver Lake Nature CenterBeaver Lake Nature Center is natural area located west of Baldwinsville, New York. The Nature Center is an Onondaga County Parks facility and is meant to expose visitors to a variety of outdoor experiences....
- Undertaking of the $45 million Lake Ontario Water Project
- Building the 526-bed Van Duyn Home and Hospital
- Building the $127 million metropolitan sewage treatment plant
- Building Onondaga Community CollegeOnondaga Community CollegeOnondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
- Creating a county-wide health department
- Modernizing MacArthur StadiumMacArthur StadiumMacArthur Stadium was a stadium in Syracuse, New York. It was primarily used for baseball and was the home of Syracuse Chiefs before they moved to P&C Stadium, in 1997. The ballpark had a capacity of 8,416 people when it opened in 1934...
- Developing Oneida Shores Park
Mulroy was investigated several times for corruption between 1977 and 1982.
. He was ultimately convicted of misdemeanors and fined.
Mulroy announced his intention to retire in 1987. In his retirement, he served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations, notably the Onondaga Historical Association, to which he donated a quarter of a million dollars.
Mulroy was stricken while on a Syracuse Newspapers-sponsored fishing trip in the Thousand Islands
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
and was taken to Kingston General Hospital
Kingston General Hospital
The Kingston General Hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated with Queen's University located in Kingston, Ontario. The hospital is a partner within Kingston's university hospitals, delivering health care, conducting research and training health care professionals.As the oldest public hospital...
. He died after two days. He is buried in St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
Cemetery in the Town of Marcellus.
The Onondaga County Civic Center
Oncenter
The Oncenter is a three-building convention and entertainment complex in Downtown Syracuse, New York, USA. It is composed of a convention center, sporting arena, and theaters.-Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter:...
is named in his honor.
His son, former Judge J. Kevin Mulroy, was felled by a mysterious, rapidly-progressing illness in 2005 and is buried alongside his parents. One of his daughters, Martha E. Mulroy, currently serves as a Family Court Judge.