James Michael Curley

James Michael Curley
Name	James Michael Curley
Caption	Curley c. 1942
Order	53rd
Office	Governor of Massachusetts
Term start	January 3, 1935
Term end	January 7, 1937
Lieutenant	Joseph L. Hurley
Predecessor	Joseph B. Ely
Successor	Charles F. Hurley
Order2	Mayor of Boston
Term start2	1914
Term end2	1918
Predecessor2	John F. Fitzgerald
Successor2	Andrew J. Peters
Term start3	1922
Term end3	1926
Predecessor3	Andrew J. Peters
Successor3	Malcolm E. Nichols
Term start4	1930
Term end4	1934
Predecessor4	Malcolm E. Nichols
Successor4	Frederick W. Mansfield
Term start5	1946
Term end5	1950
Predecessor5	John E. Kerrigan
Successor5	John B. Hynes
State6	Massachusetts
District6	12th
Term start6	March 4, 1913
Term end6	March 4, 1915
Predecessor6	John A. Keliher
Successor6	James A. Gallivan
District7	10th
Term start7	March 4, 1943
Term end7	January 3, 1947
Predecessor7	George H. Tinkham
Successor7	John F. Kennedy
Birth date	November 20, 1874
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death date	November 12, 1958 (aged 83)
Death place	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Emelda Herlihy (died 1930), Gertrude Casey Dennis
Education	Boston College High School

James Michael Curley was a dominant and flamboyant figure in the political landscape of Massachusetts for much of the first half of the 20th century. A charismatic and controversial leader of the Democratic Party, he served four non-consecutive terms as Mayor of Boston, a single term as the Governor of Massachusetts, and multiple terms in the United States House of Representatives. His career, built on a potent mix of populism, patronage, and public works, was also marred by legal troubles, including a conviction for mail fraud that he served while in office.

Early life and education

Born in a tenement in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, he was the son of Irish immigrants from County Galway. After his father's death, he left Boston College High School to support his family, working various jobs while immersing himself in the ward politics of city council districts. This early experience in the Democratic machine politics of neighborhoods like Roxbury and the South End forged his understanding of the working class and the power of personal assistance, laying the groundwork for his future political organization.

Political career

His political ascent began with his election to the Boston Common Council in 1900, followed by a term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He quickly gained notoriety for his fiery oratory and his mastery of the patronage system, building a powerful personal political machine independent of the established Boston Democratic City Committee. His first major victory came with his election to the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 12th congressional district in 1912, where he served one term before setting his sights on the mayoralty.

Mayor of Boston

Elected in 1914, he initiated an unprecedented era of public building and social welfare programs, constructing landmarks like City Hall, the Roxbury High School of Practical Arts, and numerous bathhouses and health centers. His administration was characterized by a direct, personal style of governance, with his famous "Mayor's Help Bureau" assisting constituents with jobs, food, and coal. This approach earned him fierce loyalty in Irish-American neighborhoods but also accusations of corruption and fiscal mismanagement from reformers and the Boston Brahmin elite.

Congressional service

After his third mayoral term ended in 1934, he returned to federal office, winning a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 10th congressional district in 1942. During this period, he was a staunch supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. His most notable congressional act was his vigorous but unsuccessful opposition to the confirmation of Alger Hiss to a position at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, presaging the later Hiss case.

Governorship and later career

Elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1934, his single term was marked by continued expansion of New Deal programs and further public works, but also by intense conflict with the state legislature and the Democratic establishment. After leaving the State House, he was convicted of mail fraud in 1947, yet was re-elected Mayor of Boston while appealing the conviction, famously serving a portion of his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury before receiving a pardon from President Harry S. Truman.

Personal life and legacy

His personal life was touched by tragedy, including the death of his first wife, Mary Emelda Herlihy, and several of his children. He married his secretary, Gertrude Casey Dennis, later in life. A quintessential political boss, his legacy is complex: he is remembered as a champion of the urban poor who transformed Boston's infrastructure, and as a symbol of machine politics and corruption. His life inspired the novel *The Last Hurrah* by Edwin O'Connor, and his enduring nickname, "the Rascal King," encapsulates his controversial yet pivotal role in the history of Boston and Massachusetts.

Category:1874 births Category:1958 deaths Category:Governors of Massachusetts Category:Mayors of Boston Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts