Daniel Michael McGarry

Daniel Michael McGarry
Member of theLos Angeles City Councilfor the 7th ward
In office December 5, 1890 – December 5, 1892
Preceded by	J. T. Brown
Succeeded by	Thomas Strohm
Member of theLos Angeles Common Councilfor the 5th ward
In office December 8, 1883 – December 10, 1885
Personal details
Born	(1842-01-20)January 20, 1842 Loughgiel,County Antrim,Ireland
Died	August 4, 1903(1903-08-04)(aged 61) Santa Monica, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Margaret McCaughan ​ (m.1871)​
Children	6

Daniel Michael McGarry(January 20, 1842 – July 4, 1903) was a Chicago, Illinois, coal dealer and in the later part of his life a civic leader and businessman in Los Angeles, California, where he was a member of the Los Angeles City Council.

Biography

McGarry was born on January 20, 1842, inLoughgiel,County Antrim,Ireland, and came to the United States in 1865 settling at first inCleveland, Ohio,where, with a cousin, he "engaged in the fuel business."He returned to Ireland in 1871 to marry Margaret McCaughan and brought her back to Chicago. Their children were Michael Joseph, Daniel Francis, John A., Christina, Mary T., Anna M.(or Annie) and Patrick J.

The family visited Los Angeles in 1881 and, impressed, they decided to move there. McGarry sold his business in Chicago and relocated with his wife and children to Los Angeles later that year.

McGarry died on July 4, 1903, in hisSanta Monica, California,summer home. He had been suffering from anaffection of the heart.It was noted that McGarry's death came just "a few hours" after he had read of the impending death of his "intimate friend and associate," fellow civic leader John F. Francis.

On July 6, arequiem masswas celebrated at what theLos Angeles Timescalled "the largest funeral that has taken place atSt. Vibiana's Cathedralsince theobsequiesof the lateStephen M. White."A procession accompanied the casket to First and Alameda streets, where funeral streetcars took it and the mourners toCalvary Cemetery.The newspaper reported that:

when the funeral approached the Sisters' Orphanage onBoyle Heights[, the] bell was tolled and the girls stood with bowed heads and clasped hands, at the roadside, as the funeral passed by. This school had been a special object of charity at the hands of the deceased.

Vocation

In Ireland, after completing his education, McGarry was a teacher, and his first vocation after moving to Cleveland was that of a fuel dealer, in business with a cousin.

When he settled inChicagowith his bride, he established a retail and wholesalecoal business,which he sold when he decided to move to California. Once in Los Angeles, McGarry bought avineyardat 8th and Alameda streets, where he established his home for the next twenty years. He later subdivided and sold that property. He established areal-estatepartnership, McGarry & Innes, and became active in the city's development. He was a director of theFirst National Bank.

Public service

A Democrat,McGarry represented the 5thWardon theLos Angeles Common Councilin 1883–84 and 1884–85. After acity charterwas granted by the state, changing the electoral system to provide for anine-ward Los Angeles City Council,he was elected to represent the newly drawn7th Wardin 1890–92.

McGarry was a losing candidate in an 1898 election for a Board ofFreeholdersthat was chosen to draft the new charter for Los Angeles.

In 1900 McGarry was a member of a civic group called the "Committee of Fifteen," which had been appointed by a Citizens' Committee of Safety to "unearth municipal corruption."It made its report on November 7 of that year adversely criticizing theLos Angeles Police Department.

Memberships

McGarry was a member of theNewman Club,Los Angeles Pioneers Society,theElks Lodge,theKnights of Columbusand a Shakespearean society.He was also in theAncient Order of Hibernians.

References and notes

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