Thomas Francis Gilroy


Thomas Francis Gilroy was the 89th mayor of New York City from 1893 to 1894.

Biography

Gilroy was born in Sligo, Ireland and immigrated with his parents to New York City at age seven. His father died soon afterwards, and he left school at age 16 to begin working in the publishing business, where he eventually became a proofreader. He later served as a court clerk, and Deputy County Clerk and Undersheriff for New York County.
Active in the Democratic Party, from his early 20s he was a key member of the Tammany Hall organization, beginning as a messenger for "Boss" William Tweed, and serving as confidential secretary for Henry W. Genet, Tweed's Tammany Hall successor.
In 1889 Gilroy managed the successful mayoral campaign of Hugh J. Grant, and as a reward was appointed Commissioner of Public Works, a post he held from 1889 to 1893.
From 1890 to 1892 Gilrow was the titular head of Tammany Hall, the organization's Grand Sachem. In fact, the boss of the organization continued to be Richard Croker, who was the organization's unofficial leader from 1886 to 1902.
In 1893 Gilroy succeeded Grant as Mayor. His administration was largely defined by the 1894 Lexow Investigation, which uncovered widespread police department corruption which was directly linked to Tammany. Gilroy did not run for reelection, and was succeeded in 1895 by reform candidate William L. Strong, who ran with the backing of Republicans and anti-Tammany Democrats.
Gilroy was a Delegate to the 1896 Democratic National Convention. Afterwards, he withdrew from politics, and served as President of the Twelfth Ward Bank until retiring in 1901.

Family

He had a daughter, Frances E. Gilroy, who married Edward A. Maher, Jr.

Death and burial

He died on December 1, 1911 at his home on Ocean Avenue, Far Rockaway, Long Island and he was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.