biography
| name: |
Croker, Richard
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| |
known as Boss Croker
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1841–1922)
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| biography:
| US politician, born in Co Cork, Ireland. His family came to New York City when he was three years old. He worked as a machinist and led a street gang, was a prize fighter, and became involved in Democratic Party politics by serving as an aide to John Kelly of Tammany Hall. Croker was elected alderman (1868), and when Kelly replaced the ousted (1871) ‘Boss’ Tweed as the boss of New York City (1874), Croker gained influence. When Kelly retired (1884) he left control of Tammany Hall to Croker. Although he held only one formal office during this period, that of city chamberlain (1889–90), for the next 17 years he had a large say in who was elected New York mayor, and he also controlled patronage. When reform candidate Seth Low was elected mayor (1901), Croker lost influence and returned to Ireland (1903), where he purchased a large estate and bred race-horses, one of which won the coveted English Derby. He was married twice, the second time to a Cherokee Indian. |
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