Herbert O'Conor

Herbert O'Conor
Herbert O'Conor
United States Senator; from Maryland
	In office; January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by	George L. P. Radcliffe
Succeeded by	James Glenn Beall
Chair of the National Governors Association
	In office; June 21, 1942 – June 20, 1943
Preceded by	Harold Stassen
Succeeded by	Leverett Saltonstall
51st Governor of Maryland
	In office; January 11, 1939 – January 3, 1947
Preceded by	Harry Nice
Succeeded by	William Preston Lane Jr.
Attorney General of Maryland
	In office; January 9, 1935 – January 11, 1939
Governor	Harry Nice
Preceded by	William Preston Lane Jr.
Succeeded by	William C. Walsh
Personal details
Born	Herbert Romulus O'Conor; November 17, 1896; Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	March 4, 1960 (aged 63); Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Eugenia Byrnes (m. 1920)
Children	5
Education	Loyola University, Maryland (BA); University of Maryland, Baltimore (LLB)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Unit	United States Naval Reserve
Battles/wars	World War I

Herbert Romulus O'Conor (November 17, 1896 – March 4, 1960) was an American lawyer serving as the 51st Governor of Maryland from 1939 to 1947. He also served in the United States Senate, representing Maryland from 1947 to 1953. He was a Democrat.^[1]^[2]

O'Conor was born in Baltimore, Maryland to James P. A. O'Conor and Mary Ann (Galvin) O'Conor. 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 to 1920. On November 24, 1920, O'Conor married Mary Eugenia Byrnes (1896–1971) and they had five children, Herbert R. Jr., Eugene F., James Patrick, Robert and Mary Patricia.

From 1921 to 1922, O'Conor served as the assistant state's attorney for Baltimore. In 1923, he was elected State's Attorney of Baltimore City, and served there until he was elected as the Attorney General of Maryland in 1934. O'Conor also served in the National Association of Attorneys General in 1937. His secretary, Camilla Conroy, died in the burning of the luxury liner SS Morro Castle in 1934. O'Conor identified her body which was found floating face down close to the wreck site.

O'Conor was elected as Governor of Maryland in 1938, defeating incumbent Republican governor Harry W. Nice. In doing so, he became the first Roman Catholic of Irish descent to serve in that position. As governor, O'Conor created the Maryland Council of Defense during the Second World War. He also worked towards improving the state transportation system, and worked towards the construction of new bridges over the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers. He also worked with other states to encourage inter-state cooperation, and served in positions including the Chairman of the Governor's Conference in 1941, and the President of the Council of State Government in 1943.

Near the end of World War II, O'Conor sought to improve the effects of the War and founded the Commission on Post War Reconstruction and Development. He also sought to improve the Maryland healthcare system.

O'Conor was elected to the United States Senate in 1946, but chose not to run for re-election in 1952. In the Senate, O'Conor served as chairman of the Special Committee on Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce from May to September, 1951, during the Eighty-first Congress. After his tenure in the Senate, he continued the practice of law in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., until his death in Baltimore. He is interred in New Cathedral Cemetery.

Building dedications[edit]

Herbert R. O'Conor State Building in Baltimore, Maryland. A building created by an early James Rouse and Guy T. O. Hollyday committee using the 1947 Federal Redevelopment Act funds to subsidize development and resale for a profit.^[3] [1]

References[edit]

^ "Herbert R. O'Conor Biographical Series; Governor of Maryland 1939-1947 (Democrat)". Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-1482. Maryland State Government. 14 March 2001. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
^ White, Frank F. Jr. (1970). The Governors of Maryland 1777-1970. Annapolis: The Hall of Records Commission. pp. 271–276. ISBN 978-0942370010. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
^ Joseph Rocco Mitchell, David L. Stebenne. New City Upon a Hill. p. 39.

Herbert O'Conor. December 9, 1998. Maryland State Archives. October 25, 2004. [2]

United States Congress. "Herbert O'Conor (id: O000032)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

External links[edit]

Addresses, Messages and Public papers. From The Archives of Maryland
A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Sen. Herbert R. O'Conor (December 1, 1952)" is available for viewing at the Internet Archive

Legal offices
Preceded by William Preston Lane Jr.	Attorney General of Maryland 1935–1939	Succeeded by William C. Walsh
Party political offices
Preceded by Albert Ritchie	Democratic nominee for Governor of Maryland 1938, 1942	Succeeded by William Preston Lane Jr.
Preceded by George L. P. Radcliffe	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Maryland (Class 1) 1946	Succeeded by George P. Mahoney
Political offices
Preceded by Harry Nice	Governor of Maryland 1939–1947	Succeeded by William Preston Lane Jr.
Preceded by Harold Stassen	Chair of the National Governors Association 1942–1943	Succeeded by Leverett Saltonstall
U.S. Senate
Preceded by George L. P. Radcliffe	United States Senator (Class 1) from Maryland 1947–1953 Served alongside: Millard Tydings, John Butler	Succeeded by James Glenn Beall

[archives1-1] "Herbert R. O'Conor Biographical Series; Governor of Maryland 1939-1947 (Democrat)". Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-1482. Maryland State Government. 14 March 2001. Retrieved 11 September 2018.

[archives2-2] White, Frank F. Jr. (1970). The Governors of Maryland 1777-1970. Annapolis: The Hall of Records Commission. pp. 271–276. ISBN 978-0942370010. Retrieved 11 September 2018.

[3] Joseph Rocco Mitchell, David L. Stebenne. New City Upon a Hill. p. 39.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Governors of Maryland
Provincial (1632–1776)	L. Calvert Greene Stone Fendall P. Calvert C. Calvert, 3rd Baron Wharton Notley C. Calvert, 3rd Baron B. Calvert Joseph Coode Neh. Blakiston Copley Lawrence Andros Greenberry Andros Lawrence Nicholson Nat. Blakiston Tench Seymour Lloyd Hart Brooke C. Calvert, 5th Baron B. L. Calvert Ogle C. Calvert, 5th Baron Ogle Bladen Ogle Tasker Sharpe Eden
State (since 1776)	Johnson T. Lee Paca Smallwood J. Howard Plater Brice T. Lee Stone Henry Ogle Mercer R. Bowie Wright E. Lloyd R. Bowie Winder Ridgely C. Goldsborough Sprigg Stevens Kent Martin T. Carroll Martin G. Howard J. Thomas Veazey Grason F. Thomas Pratt P. Thomas Lowe Ligon Hicks Bradford Swann O. Bowie Whyte Groome J. Carroll Hamilton McLane H. Lloyd Jackson Brown Lowndes Smith Warfield Crothers P. Goldsborough Harrington Ritchie Nice O'Conor Lane McKeldin Tawes Agnew Mandel B. Lee Hughes Schaefer Glendening Ehrlich O'Malley Hogan Moore
Italics indicate acting officeholders

v t e United States senators from Maryland
Class 1	Carroll Potts Howard S. Smith Harper Hanson Pinkney S. Smith Kent Merrick Johnson Stewart Pratt Kennedy Johnson Whyte Hamilton Whyte Gorman McComas Rayner Jackson Lee France Bruce P. Goldsborough Radcliffe O'Conor Beall Sr. J. Tydings Beall Jr. Sarbanes Cardin
Class 3	Henry J. Lloyd Hindman Wright Reed R. Goldsborough E. Lloyd Chambers R. Goldsborough Spence Kerr Pearce Hicks Creswell Vickers Dennis Groome Wilson Gibson Wellington Gorman Whyte J. Smith Weller M. Tydings Butler Brewster Mathias Mikulski Van Hollen

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