Thomas F. Gilroy
1839-1911
Obituary
Thomas F. Gilroy, who was mayor of this city in 1893 and 1984, died last night at his home on Ocean Avenue, Far Rockaway, Long Island. He was 71 years old. His health had been gradually failing ever since he gave up the Presidency of the Twelfth Ward Bank in this city ten years ago, and his death has been expected for a year or more. But he had been able to be about his Far Rockaway home until a few days ago.
Ex-Mayor Gilroy’s death was caused by apoplexy. After having been ill in bed for two days, he asked about 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon to be allowed to get up and dress. He went down stairs and dines with the other members of his family. After dinner he complained of feeling depressed and went to bed again. His death occurred at 7 o’clock, a few minutes after he retired.
With Mr. Gilroy at the time of his death were seven of his ten children, the Misses Clare, Madeleine, and Dorothy M. Gilroy, Mrs. John S. McBride, Mrs. Edward A. Maher, Jr., Arthur S. Gilroy, and Magistrate Eugene C. Gilroy. His other three surviving children and John J. Gilroy, Thomas F. Gilroy Jr. And Mrs. Michael J. Mulqueen. Mr. Gilroy’s wife died twelve years ago.
The funeral will be held on Monday morning. Solemn high requiem mass will be said at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church, Far Rockaway. The interment will be in Woodlawn.
Mr. Gilroy, although he became later the Chief Executive of this city and a power in Tammany, was the son of poor parents, who brought him from Ireland to this country when he was seven years old. His father died a few years later, and he had to give up his attempt to get an education in the public schools and learn a trade.
"My first job was in G.P. Putnam’s publishing house," Mayor Gilroy said once while describing his early struggles. "They were getting out of Washington Irving’s ‘Life of Washington’ to be sold on subscription. It was a Godsend to me to be in a bookstore. I read everything I could lay my hands on. When I went on errands I used to slip a book under my coat and read on the way. I would sit up to 12 or 1 o’clock reading till my mother chased me off to sleep. I don’t believe I was a very good servant though, for as soon as the subscription business was done the publishers let me go."
His next position was an apprentice in the printing office E.O. Jenkins, who afterward became Public School Commissioner. The apprenticeship wages were to be $5 a week. But after two years the apprentice insisted on being put "on the case." He was promoted from printer to proofreader after a short time.
When he was 24 years old Mr. Gilroy entered city politics. He was made sixth clerk in the Croton Aqueduct Board at a salary of $1,250 a year, and married a Miss Sheridan at St. Patrick’s Church. The couple set up housekeeping at Eugene and Mott Streets, which was supposed to be very far uptown in those days. They had twelve children. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Gilroy became messenger for William M. Tweed, and later confidential clerk for "Prince Hal" Genet. Then he worked in the County Clerk’s office till 1874, when he was appointed Clerk of the Tenth District Court, Mott Haven. He became a Deputy County Clerk under County Clerk Flack in 1885. All this time he had been working energetically for Tammany. He was leader of the Twenty-third Assembly District and Secretary of the General Committee. He was chosen by Tammany to manager the campaign of Mayor Grant, who preceded him in the Mayoral office.
Mr. Gilroy distinguished himself by re-organizing the County Clerk’s office, abolishing it’s free system and making it a salaried office, and remodeling the searcher’s Bureau. Then he was appointed receiver of Mitchell, Vance and Co., and performed this duty satisfactorily, although his appointment at first was criticized as a political one. He became Deputy Sheriff and Commissioner of Public Works under Mayor Grant, cutting down the salary list of the latter office many thousands of dollars and instituting other reforms. He was elected Grand Sachem of Tammany Hall in 1891, and was elected as Tammany Mayor of the city the following year.
Mr. Gilroy was one of the most striking looking Mayors this city has ever had, with iron-gray hair, a heavy mustache, a well-knit, erect physique, and ruddy cheeks. He was a great lover of horses and pushed through the plans for the Harlem Speedway and did much to improve street and paving conditions. But the Lexow investigation of the Police Department occurred in his administration, and the scandals of the "red Light District" broke, and in 1895 he was replaced by the reform and fusion candidate, William L. Strong. He became one of the Greater New York Commissioners.
Since leaving the Mayoralty, Mr. Gilroy has lived in retirement. He was president of the Twelfth Ward Bank for a short time, but gave up this position because of failing health. Ever since the days before he was Mayor he has maintained a city house in West 121st Street and a country home in Far Rockaway and he resided either at one or other of these places to the time of his death. He had been spoken of in recent years as a builder and real estate dealer, but this according to his relatives last night applied merely to some minor operations in Far Rockaway. He was a member of the Manhattan Club and the Riders and Driver’s Club.
