"Senator McNamara" redirects here. For the New Jersey State Senate member, see Henry McNamara.
Patrick Vincent McNamara (October 4, 1894 – April 30, 1966) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as a United States Senator from Michigan from 1955 until his death from a stroke in Bethesda, Maryland in 1966.
Patrick McNamara was born in North Weymouth, Massachusetts, to Patrick Vincent and Mary Jane (née Thynne) McNamara, who were Irish immigrants.[1][failed verification] The oldest of eight children, he received his early education at public schools in his native town.[2] He attended the local high school for two and a half years before transferring to the Fore River Apprentice School in Quincy, where he learned the trade of pipe fitting.[3] In 1916, he began working as pipe fitter and foreman at the Fore River Shipyard.[1] He then played semi-professional football from 1919 to 1920.[2]
McNamara moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked as foreman of a construction crew for the Grinnell Company. He then married Kathleen Kennedy, with whom he had two children. Mary Jane (1922) and Patrick (1925). His wife died in 1929. He then married Mary Mattee in 1930. He then served as job superintendent for R.L. Spitzley Company (1922–1926) and general superintendent of H. Kelly Company (1926–1930).[1] From 1930 to 1932, he took extension courses at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.[3] He was maintenance foreman at a Chrysler plant (1931–1934) before joining the Donald Miller Company.[1] In 1937, he became president of Pipe Fitters Local 636, a position he held until 1955.[3] He also served as vice-president of the Detroit chapter of the American Federation of Labor from 1939 to 1945.[2]
During World War II, he served as rent director of the Office of Price Administration in Detroit from 1942 to 1945.[4] He then joined the Stanley-Carter Company, where he served as superintendent of construction, customer contact man, head of labor relations, and vice-president.[3]
In 1946, McNamara made his first venture into politics with a successful campaign for an unexpired term on the Detroit City Council.[4] He won twenty-one of the city's twenty-three wards, and served until 1947.[3] From 1949 to 1955, he was a member of the Detroit Board of Education.[4]
In 1954, McNamara challenged former Senator Blair Moody for the Democratic nomination for a seat in the United States Senate.[1] He was given little chance of defeating Moody by most political analysts, but won the nomination after Moody died two weeks before the primary election.[2] He faced two-term Republican incumbent Homer S. Ferguson in the general election, during which McNamara criticized PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower's economic, labor, and farm policies.[2] In November, he narrowly defeated Ferguson by a margin of 51%-49%.[5]
McNamara donated his archival papers to the Walter P. Reuther Library, where they are open to the public for research. The bulk of materials relate to his time in the Senate and his work on the Public Works Committee (chairman, 1963–66), Labor and Public Welfare Committee, Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field, Select Subcommittee on Poverty, and the Special Committee on Aging. Subjects covered include problems of the aged, civil rights, atomic energy, education, taxes, public works, federal highway acts, and labor. Correspondents include all major political figures of the period and many labor leaders.
BibliographyEdit
U.S. Congress. Memorial Services Held in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, Together with Remarks Presented in Eulogy of Patrick V. McNamara, Late a Senator from Michigan. 89th Cong., 2nd sess., 1966. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1967.
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Patrick McNamara redirects here For other uses see Patrick McNamara disambiguation Senator McNamara redirects here For the New Jersey State Senate member see Henry McNamara Patrick Vincent McNamara October 4 1894 April 30 1966 was an American politician A Democrat he served as a United States Senator from Michigan from 1955 until his death from a stroke in Bethesda Maryland in 1966 Patrick V McNamaraMcNamara in 1963United States Senatorfrom MichiganIn office January 3 1955 April 30 1966Preceded byHomer S FergusonSucceeded byRobert P GriffinPersonal detailsBornPatrick Vincent McNamara 1894 10 04 October 4 1894North Weymouth MassachusettsDiedApril 30 1966 1966 04 30 aged 71 Bethesda MarylandNationalityAmericanPolitical partyDemocratic Contents 1 Early life and career 2 U S Senate 3 Legacy 4 Bibliography 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksEarly life and career EditPatrick McNamara was born in North Weymouth Massachusetts to Patrick Vincent and Mary Jane nee Thynne McNamara who were Irish immigrants 1 failed verification The oldest of eight children he received his early education at public schools in his native town 2 He attended the local high school for two and a half years before transferring to the Fore River Apprentice School in Quincy where he learned the trade of pipe fitting 3 In 1916 he began working as pipe fitter and foreman at the Fore River Shipyard 1 He then played semi professional football from 1919 to 1920 2 McNamara moved to Detroit Michigan where he worked as foreman of a construction crew for the Grinnell Company He then married Kathleen Kennedy with whom he had two children Mary Jane 1922 and Patrick 1925 His wife died in 1929 He then married Mary Mattee in 1930 He then served as job superintendent for R L Spitzley Company 1922 1926 and general superintendent of H Kelly Company 1926 1930 1 From 1930 to 1932 he took extension courses at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor 3 He was maintenance foreman at a Chrysler plant 1931 1934 before joining the Donald Miller Company 1 In 1937 he became president of Pipe Fitters Local 636 a position he held until 1955 3 He also served as vice president of the Detroit chapter of the American Federation of Labor from 1939 to 1945 2 During World War II he served as rent director of the Office of Price Administration in Detroit from 1942 to 1945 4 He then joined the Stanley Carter Company where he served as superintendent of construction customer contact man head of labor relations and vice president 3 In 1946 McNamara made his first venture into politics with a successful campaign for an unexpired term on the Detroit City Council 4 He won twenty one of the city s twenty three wards and served until 1947 3 From 1949 to 1955 he was a member of the Detroit Board of Education 4 U S Senate Edit nbsp President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis meeting with Senator Patrick V McNamara In 1954 McNamara challenged former Senator Blair Moody for the Democratic nomination for a seat in the United States Senate 1 He was given little chance of defeating Moody by most political analysts but won the nomination after Moody died two weeks before the primary election 2 He faced two term Republican incumbent Homer S Ferguson in the general election during which McNamara criticized President Dwight D Eisenhower s economic labor and farm policies 2 In November he narrowly defeated Ferguson by a margin of 51 49 5 McNamara was reelected over Alvin Morell Bentley in 1960 serving from January 3 1955 until his death in Bethesda Maryland In the Eighty seventh Congress he became the first chairman of the U S Senate Special Committee on Aging He also chaired the U S Senate Committee on Public Works in the Eighty eighth and Eighty ninth Congresses The 1959 committee hearings which Pat McNamara called on the subject of the health of the elderly began a public debate which led to the creation of Medicare McNamara died of a stroke at Bethesda Naval Hospital on April 30 1966 aged 71 and was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit 6 McNamara was a member of Americans for Democratic Action The Patrick V McNamara Federal Building in Detroit was named for him Legacy EditMcNamara donated his archival papers to the Walter P Reuther Library where they are open to the public for research The bulk of materials relate to his time in the Senate and his work on the Public Works Committee chairman 1963 66 Labor and Public Welfare Committee Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field Select Subcommittee on Poverty and the Special Committee on Aging Subjects covered include problems of the aged civil rights atomic energy education taxes public works federal highway acts and labor Correspondents include all major political figures of the period and many labor leaders Bibliography EditU S Congress Memorial Services Held in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States Together with Remarks Presented in Eulogy of Patrick V McNamara Late a Senator from Michigan 89th Cong 2nd sess 1966 Washington D C Government Printing Office 1967 See also EditList of United States Congress members who died in office 1950 99 References Edit a b c d e The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York James T White amp Company 1970 a b c d e Senator Patrick V McNamara Michigan Democrat 71 Is Dead The New York Times 1966 05 01 a b c d e Current Biography New York H W Wilson Company 1956 a b c McNAMARA Patrick Vincent 1894 1966 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2 1954 PDF Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Zainea Leo May 2 1966 Tributes made to McNamara PDF Michigan State University State News External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Patrick McNamara A film clip Longines Chronoscope with Patrick V McNamara is available for viewing at the Internet ArchiveParty political officesPreceded byFrank Eugene Hook Democratic nominee for U S Senator from Michigan Class 2 1954 1960 Succeeded byG Mennen WilliamsU S SenatePreceded byHomer S Ferguson U S senator Class 2 from Michigan1955 1966 Served alongside Charles E Potter Philip Hart Succeeded byRobert P GriffinPolitical officesPreceded byDennis Chavez Chairman of Senate Public Works Committee1962 1966 Succeeded byJennings Randolph Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Patrick V McNamara amp oldid 1180628950, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
