John P. O'Brien
Encyclopedia
John Patrick O'Brien was an Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of New York City
from January 1 to December 31, 1933.
He received his B.A. from College of the Holy Cross
and his masters and law degree from Georgetown University
. He later served as City Corporation Counsel and as a New York Surrogate Court judge.
Shortly after the surprise resignation of Mayor Jimmy Walker
in 1932, Tammany Hall
nominated O'Brien for mayor in a special election, and he beat write-in candidate (and Acting Mayor) Joseph V. McKee
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.
He 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.
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, 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
in Westchester County.
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
from January 1 to December 31, 1933.
Biography
He was born on February 1, 1873 to Mary and Patrick O'Brien.He received his B.A. from College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
and his masters and law degree from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. He later served as City Corporation Counsel and as a New York Surrogate Court judge.
Shortly after the surprise resignation of Mayor Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker
James John Walker, often known as Jimmy Walker and colloquially as Beau James , was the mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932...
in 1932, Tammany Hall
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 political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
nominated O'Brien for mayor in a special election, and he beat write-in candidate (and Acting Mayor) Joseph V. McKee
Joseph V. McKee
Joseph V. McKee, Sr. was originally a teacher at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York, but later became a politically active Democrat and briefly served as the Mayor of New York City.-Biography:...
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.
He 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.
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, 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
The Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, United States, as a Roman Catholic burial site...
in Westchester County.