John Michael McCormack – Politician?

Digging around the various newspaper sites is something that I really like to do. You find things about your ancestors that is priceless! You find out about vacations and trips that they take. You find out about graduation mostly from college. You also find out about marriages and deaths in the your family.

Today, I would like to show you one particular fact that I have found out about my great-grand uncle, John Michael McCormack. He is well known as a hotel owner, stone mason. In fact, he started out in life as a stone mason reportedly working on the Brooklyn Bridge. I can’t remember when I saw this, but it got me wondering if he had another career that I hadn’t found out yet.

1912 Washoe County elections results [1]

You see John Michael’s name with the symbol of the Progressive party (P) next to his name under MEMBER STATE ASSEMBLY. I really didn’t pursue that lead any. I thought maybe that it was someone else with the same initials. Then I found these from another article.

Hard Up for Candidates [2]

John Michael McCormack’s “statement” to voters of the 3rd Ward of Reno. [2]

Then I saw this;

Candidates for the Assembly [3]

Finally, I found this gem;

John Michael McCormack’s candidate bio [4]

That was his bio as written by – I guess – the local Progressive party. But as you read earlier, John Michael wasn’t a candidate by choice. He was picked when he was out of town on business. I guess that this time in his life was pretty interesting. I wonder if he had some “choice” words for the local Progressive Party.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you learned something new today!

Footnotes;

1. John Michael McCormack, “Election Results—Returns From Washoe County,” 8 Nov 1912 (Friday), The (Daily) (Reno, Nevada) Nevada State Journal, p. 4, col. 3; digital images, NewspapersArchive.com (http://www.newspapersarchive.com : accessed 15 Feb 2012), Historical Newspaper Collection.
2. John Michael McCormack, “Voters of the Third Ward,” 5 May 1903 (Tuesday), The Daily (Reno) Nevada State Journal, p.1, col. 6; digital images, NewspapersArchive.com (http://www.newspapersarchive.com : accessed 15 Feb 2012), Historical Newspaper Collection.
3. John Michael McCormack, “For The Assembly, ” 8 Nov 1912 (Friday), The Nevada (Reno, Nevada) State Journal, p. 12, col. 3; digital images, NewspapersArchive.com (http://www.newspapersarchive.com : accessed 17 Apr 2016), Historical Newspaper Collection.
4. John Michael McCormack, “For The Assembly, ” 8 Nov 1912 (Friday), The Nevada (Reno, Nevada) State Journal, p. 12, col. 3; digital images, NewspapersArchive.com (http://www.newspapersarchive.com : accessed 17 Apr 2016), Historical Newspaper Collection.