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Edward McGarry (July 5, 1817 – May 17, 1899) was an Irish American immigrant, house painter, and Democratic politician, and a pioneer settler of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as the 4th Wisconsin prison commissioner (at that time an elected position), and represented Milwaukee County for five years in the Wisconsin State Senate and State Assembly.

Background

McGarry was born in County Down, Ireland, on July 5, 1817. He received what his official biography would describe vaguely as "a good education," and went into business in Liverpool as an inspector of cargo ships. He emigrated to the United States in 1841, and came to Milwaukee in 1847, where he worked with his brother in the housepainting business.

Legislative and other public service

McGarry served as a member of the Assembly in 1850 and 1853 and spent two years (1854-1855) in the Senate representing the 6th Senate district as successor to fellow Democrat Duncan Reed.

He served a year as deputy warden of the state prison at Waupun, and was elected state prison commissioner, which was also warden of the State Prison (at that time a partisan elected position) in 1855 on the Democratic ticket, serving from January 7, 1856, to January 4, 1858, in that position. His Senate seat was taken by fellow Democrat Edward O'Neill.

He returned for a one-year Assembly term in 1864 from the 8th Milwaukee Assembly district (Wauwatosa and Greenfield), succeeding Edward Collins (also a native of Ireland). He was not re-elected, but he was succeeded by John Weiler, who (like Collins and McGarry) was a Democrat.

Milwaukee County House of Correction

Because of his experience gained in the prison he was called to organize the Milwaukee County House of Correction (he had been interested in getting the law passed that organized the institution, and was instrumental in framing the rules for its management) and served as its "Inspector" (chief jailer) for about a year and a half. He quoted Dr. Johnson as saying, "Knock a man down and reason with him afterwards."

Death

He died May 17, 1899, in Milwaukee.

References

1. "Wisconsin Necrology" Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin at its Forty-Seventh Annual Meeting Held December 14, 1899 etc. Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1900; p. 94
2. Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999, Informational Bulletin 99-1, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 1999; pp. 12, 81 Archived April 4, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
3. Butterfield, C. W. "Wisconsin as a state", in The history of Columbia County, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources; an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages--their improvements, industries, manufactories, churches, schools and societies; its war record, biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin, statistics of the state, and an abstract of its laws and constitution and of the constitution of the United States Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880; p. 64
4. Stewart, Frank M.; Dean, John S., eds. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin, comprising Jefferson's manual, rules, forms and laws, for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference; Fourth Annual Edition Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, 1865; p. 138
5. Stewart, Frank M.; Dean, John S., eds. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin, comprising Jefferson's manual, rules, forms and laws, for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference; Fourth Annual Edition Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, 1865; p. 133
6. Giles, H. H., et al. "The Mlilwaukee House of Correction Investigation" in Public document no. 13: ninth annual report of the state board of charities and reform of the state of Wisconsin p. 118-119, pt. of Governor's message and accompanying documents Volume II Madison: David Atwood, 1880 (Covers 1878/1879)

• 1817 births
• 1899 deaths
• Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Politicians from County Down
• People from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
• American prison wardens
• Democratic Party Wisconsin state senators
• Irish emigrants to the United States
• House painters
• 19th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature