John William McCormack (1891 - 1980)

Born 21 Dec 1891 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Marguerite Harriet (Joyce) McCormack — married 9 Jun 1920 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 22 Nov 1980 at age 88 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States

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Preceded by 44th Speaker Sam Rayburn

John W. McCormack 45th Speaker of the US House of Representatives January 10, 1962—January 3, 1971

Succeeded by 46th Speaker Carl Albert

Biography

John was born in Boston on December 21, 1891. He was the son of Joseph H. McCormack, a hod carrier and native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and his wife Mary Ellen (née O'Brien) McCormack of Boston (1861-1913). He said he was one of 12 children, several of whom died as children or young adults. In fact, Mary Ellen McCormack carried eight children to term, and six lived long enough to be counted in the census or included in other records. John McCormack's older siblings Patrick (d. 1911), Catherine (d. 1906), and James (d. 1906) died at ages 24, 19 and 17, respectively. His brother Edward ("Knocko") died in Boston in 1963 at age 67. McCormack's brother Donald died in Texas in 1966 at the age of 65. McCormack also had a half brother named Harry from his father's first marriage; Harry died on Prince Edward Island at age 18 in 1902. Edward J. McCormack, Jr., the son of McCormack's brother Edward ("Knocko"), served as Massachusetts Attorney General from 1958 to 1963.[36] He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for United States Senator in 1962, and the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in the 1966 election

McCormack said for most of his life that his father died when McCormack was 13; other sources indicate that his father actually left the family and moved to Waldoboro, Maine, where he worked in the local granite quarries. He died in 1929, and was buried in a pauper's grave at Waldoboro Rural Cemetery.

McCormack attended the John Andrew Grammar School through the eighth grade. He then left school to help support his family, initially working for $3 a week as an errand boy for a brokerage firm. McCormack and his brothers also managed a large newspaper delivery route for $11 a week. He later left the brokerage for the office of attorney William T. Way, where he received a 50-cent a week increase. He began to study law with Way and passed the Massachusetts bar exam at age 21, despite not having gone to high school or college.

An attorney and a Democrat, McCormack served in the United States Army during World War I, and afterwards won terms in both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts State Senate before winning election to the United States House of Representatives.

In 1920, McCormack married Marguerite Harriet Joyce (usually known as Harriet or M. Harriet); she was seven years older than McCormack and pursuing a career as an opera singer, an avocation she gave up after their wedding.

McCormack enjoyed a long House career (1928 to 1971), and advanced through the leadership ranks to become the 45th Speaker of the House. He served as Speaker from 1962 until his 1971 retirement.

McCormack's Congressional career was highlighted by his support for the New Deal measures undertaken to combat the Great Depression, U.S. involvement in World War II, and support for the Great Society programs of the 1960s, including civil rights, education, and health care for the elderly. A staunch anti-communist, McCormack supported U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. His support for the war and the seniority system in Congress caused increasing numbers of younger members to challenge his leadership; McCormack survived a 1969 contest with Mo Udall for the Speakership. He did not run for reelection to his House seat in 1970, and retired to his home in Boston. He later resided at a Dedham nursing home, where he died in 1980. He was buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.

At 42 years and 58 days, as of 2017 McCormack's service in the U.S. House ranks 15th in terms of uninterrupted time. He is the longest-serving member of the U.S. House in Massachusetts history; Joseph William Martin Jr. is second to McCormack at 41 years, 305 days.

Sources

• "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920," database with images, John W McCormack and Marguerite H Joyce, 09 Jun 1920; citing Marriage, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, certificate number 2893, page 223, State Archives, Boston.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._McCormack