John Comiskey (politician)

John Comiskey (1826 – January 8, 1900) was an Irish-American Democratic Party politician in Chicago, Illinois. He was the father of Charles Comiskey.

John Comiskey
Clerk of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
In office
1875–1878
Chicago Alderman[1]
In office
1859–1863
Constituency10th Ward
In office
1863–1865
Constituency7th Ward
In office
1867–1869
Constituency8th Ward
In office
1869–1870
Constituency9th Ward
Personal details
Born1826
DiedJanuary 8, 1900
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceChicago, Illinois

Life

John Comiskey was born in Crosserlough, County Cavan, Ireland in 1826 and in 1848 he came to New Haven, Connecticut, United States. There he interested himself in the lumber business. In 1853 he came to Chicago, Illinois and had charge of the incoming freight on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad until 1863 when he engaged his services to Shufeldt & Croskey the prominent distillers. He then became connected with the Fort Wayne, Indiana cattle yards as superintendent of shipments. His first political experience it may be said was in the Internal Revenue Service under Gen Wallace acting under the administration of Andrew Johnson. On the election of Ulysses Grant, Comiskey being a Democrat was removed. In 1870 he was employed as a book keeper by Henry Greenebaum the successful banker of that period. In 1875, he was appointed Clerk of the Board of Cook County Commissioners. In 1878 on the expiration of his term of office he entered the book trade. He then entered the service of the city and was a book keeper in the city treasurer's ofiice. Comiskey served eleven years in the Chicago City Council. He was first elected in the spring of 1859 to represent the tenth ward. At that time there were only ten wards in the city. A subdivision of the wards complicated aldermanic politics forthwith. In 1861 he was elected to represent the seventh ward, also in 1863 and 64 in 66 to represent the eighth ward, and in 68 to represent the ninth ward. In the last year of his term in the Council he was elected as President the first time the office was created. For a quarter of a century Comiskey figured prominently before the public. His voice was always been heard on the side of reform. His independence of character was well known. Among the most notable of his recent achievements was his introduction of the John F. Finerty to the people of the second district which, although overwhelmingly Democratic, elected Finerty to congress independently.[2]

References
  1. "Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office". Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  2. Ahern, M. L.: Political History of Chicago (covering the Period from 1837 to 1887) (1886), Donohue & Henneberry, Biographical Sketch of John Comiskey, pg. 145-145
Attribution
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Political History of Chicago (covering the Period from 1837 to 1887). 1886
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