James K. O'Connor
Politician and judge from Utica, New York / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Keegan O'Connor (1864–1922) was an Irish-American judge and Democrat politician from Utica, New York.
James K. O'Connor | |
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Mayor of Utica, New York | |
In office 1920–1922 | |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Oneida's 1st district | |
In office January 1, 1890 – December 31, 1890 | |
Personal details | |
Political party | Democratic |
Occupation | Lawyer |
O'Connor graduated from Utica Free Academy and studied law at a local law office. He served in the New York State Assembly during the 113th New York State Legislature, but was not reelected. He was elected as a Utica city judge in 1899, and reelected in 1903.[1] He was a founder of the New York State Magistrates Association[2] and served as its president in 1912.[3] He was the Mayor of Utica, New York from 1920 to 1922.[4] He died in 1922.[5]
He had a reputation as a supporter of all immigrants in Utica, who at the time accounted for around a third of its population. The shooting of Italian mill workers by city police during a 1919 textile worker's strike likely played a role in the defeat of the incumbent mayor.[6] A staunch Irish nationalist, he publicly spoke in favor of armed revolution against English rule in Ireland, and in the years before World War I called for an alliance between Ireland and Germany against England.[7]
O'Connor was known as an orator and writer.[1] His collected speeches and writings were published in 1913.[8]