Herbert O'Conor

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Herbert R. O'Conor
51^th Governor of Maryland
Preceded by	Harry W. Nice
Succeeded by	William Preston Lane, Jr.

Born	November 17, 1896 Baltimore, Maryland
Died	March 4, 1960 Baltimore, Maryland
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Eugenia Byrnes
Children	Herbert R. Jr, Eugene F., James P., Robert, and Mary P. O'Conor
Residence	Baltimore, Maryland
Religion	Roman Catholic
first Roman Catholic Irish governor

Herbert Romulus O'Conor (November 17, 1896 – March 4, 1960), a Democrat, was the 51^st Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1939 to 1947. He also served as in the United States Senate representing Maryland from 1947-1953.

O'Conor was born in a row house in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his B.A. degree from Loyola College and graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1920. While in school, O'Conor was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and Baltimore Evening Sun from 1919-1920. In 1920, O'Conor married Eugenia Byrnes and had five children, Herbert Jr, Eugene, James, Robert and Mary.

O'Conor was chosen the assistant state's attorney for Baltimore from 1921-1922 until he was elected State's Attorney of Baltimore City in 1923. He served in that position until 1934 at which time he was elected the Attorney General for the State of Maryland. While Attorney General, O'Conor also presided over the National Association of Attorneys General in 1937.

In 1939, he became the first Roman Catholic of Irish descent to be elected governor. He established the Maryland Council of Defense to meet the demands of the Second World War and improved the state transportation system with new bridges over the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers. He promoted inter-state cooperation, serving as Chairman of the Governor's Conference in 1941, and President of the Council of State Government in 1943.

As WWII drew to a close, O'Conor created the Commission on Post War Reconstruction and Development, which implemented a program of public works designed to offset demobilization and the loss of war-related jobs. During his administration the state implemented a nationally recognized medical care program.

Governor O'Conor resigned from his second term in office to take a seat in the United States Senate in 1947, making him the only Marylander during the twentieth century to serve as Attorney General, Governor, and a United States Senator. He chose not to run for re-election in 1953, and died in Baltimore in 1960.

[edit] Building dedications

Herbert R. O'Conor State Building in Baltimore, Maryland.[1]

[edit] References

Herbert O'Conor. December 09, 1998. Maryland State Archives. Oct 25, 2004. [2]
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Some information or images have been taken from a non-password protected section of the Maryland State Archives. This is copyrighted but may be legally reproduced as long as credit is given. See citation policy.

[edit] External links

http://aomol.net/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000409/html/index.html Addresses, Messages and Public papers. From The Archives of Maryland

Preceded by William Preston Lane, Jr.	Attorney General of Maryland 1934	Succeeded by William C. Walsh
Preceded by Harry Nice	Governor of Maryland 1939—1947	Succeeded by William Preston Lane, Jr.
Preceded by George L. P. Radcliffe	Class 1 U.S. Senator from Maryland 1947—1953	Succeeded by James Glenn Beall