It Happened Here -- Uncle Dan's Town
When the city of Albany celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1986 it appropriated money for the creation of several New York State (type) Historical Markers but ended up creating only one marker that celebrated an historic person. (The rest identified several parks and green spaces around the city and mentioned a little about their origins.) Though no one would dispute the importance of Daniel P. O'Connell to the history of 20th century Albany, it is a bit ironic that "Uncle Dan" who among Albany's many politicians and famous people over the centuries should be so honored, for Albany's Democratic boss made a career of shunning the limelight and making things happen behind the scenes. 
Dan O'Connell was one of five children born to John "Black Jack" O'Connell, a farmer turned saloon keeper in the South end of Albany, around the turn of the 19th century. Saloons, like the taverns before them, were important places where men gathered and were natural places for political discussion and "politicking". It was not surprising that most of the four O'Connell boys would be drawn to politics. Patrick O'Connell, the eldest, became the South End's Democratic First Ward leader. Edward, graduated from Union College and Albany Law School and became active in city politics. John J. "Solly" O'Connell eschewed politics and became involved in prize fight promotion, night-clubbing and gambling, but continued to be an O'Connell brothers confidant and liaison to the Albany underworld. And Daniel after quitting school in 5th grade (or 10th grade--accounts differ) held down a variety of jobs--clerk, brick layer, tradesman, bar keeper, bakery worker before enlisting at the beginning of World War I as a cook on a supply ship. After the war Daniel's brothers encouraged him to run for a seat on the tax assessment board.
Over the years, Albany had seen a succession of political machines. During and following the Revolution the Clinton family had dominated state politics using favors and jobs in exchange for political support. Martin Van Buren and his "Albany Regency" dominated Albany politics for the next quarter of a century. The elimination of property restrictions and the broadening of the electorate meant that political parties had more people to keep track of and court with favors--large and small, to win elections. Organization became increasingly important to steer naive newcomers or casually interested voters, and graft became an increasingly important source of funding for these operations. City political organizations developed vast organizations of Ward leaders and neighborhood committeemen. The term "Machine" came to characterize them. In New York City Tammany Hall became an institution, headed in the post civil war years by William Marcy Tweed, who would eventually be brought down when the scale of his bribe taking, overcharges for city purchases and variety of money generating schemes, collectively labelled "corruption" were revealed in the press. In the 1890's Albany politics was dominated by the Democrats, a legacy of the Albany Regency. Conflicts within the Democratic ranks resulted in a Republican victory in 1899 led by an energized and newly disciplined party led by William Barnes. It was this Republican party that Dan O'Connell faced in 1919.
O'Connell ran as a reform candidate, promising (1) lower taxes (2) fair assessment of property at its fair market value (3) keeping politics out of the Board of Assessment and (4) assessing corporations on the true value of their property, without regard for their support for any political party.* To everyone's surprise O'Connell won, eking out a 145 vote victory in a field swept by Republicans. Party regulars noted the tremendous support O'Connell received in the South End--a testament to the brothers political skills.
As sole victor, Dan O'Connell was immediately heralded in some circles as a new heir to the Albany Democratic party but it would be several years before the O'Connells in league with the Corning family would wrest control of the party. In 1921 a slate of O'Connell/Corning candidates for office won the Democratic party primary and in 1923 Dan O'Connell was elected Albany County Democratic Committee Chairman. It was the only official office he would hold for the rest of his long life. With his brothers and Edwin Corning the O'Connells ran the party, which in turn ran the city. Dan O'Connell particularly enjoyed the face to face contact with constituents, personally granting favors and solving problems for individuals, establishing large networks of quid pro quo relationships that resulted in solid Democratic pluralities at election time. In his younger years it was said Dan O'Connell liked to walk to work, taking a different route to work every morning, meeting people from the neighborhoods, and carrying with him hundreds of dollars. By the time he reached his office he would often have barely enough money to buy breakfast!
Over the decades, as his older brothers and Edwin Corning passed away, Dan O'Connell became
sole party boss. In 1941 he joined forces with Edwin's son, Erastus Corning II to elect him mayor. In later years the younger Corning increasingly assisted O'Connell in the running of the party. In 1977 Dan O'Connell died. Erastus Corning served on as mayor until 1983 when he, too, died in office, having been mayor of Albany for 42 years.
Over the years, Albany had seen a succession of political machines. During and following the Revolution the Clinton family had dominated state politics using favors and jobs in exchange for political support. Martin Van Buren and his "Albany Regency" dominated Albany politics for the next quarter of a century. The elimination of property restrictions and the broadening of the electorate meant that political parties had more people to keep track of and court with favors--large and small, to win elections. Organization became increasingly important to steer naive newcomers or casually interested voters, and graft became an increasingly important source of funding for these operations. City political organizations developed vast organizations of Ward leaders and neighborhood committeemen. The term "Machine" came to characterize them. In New York City Tammany Hall became an institution, headed in the post civil war years by William Marcy Tweed, who would eventually be brought down when the scale of his bribe taking, overcharges for city purchases and variety of money generating schemes, collectively labelled "corruption" were revealed in the press. In the 1890's Albany politics was dominated by the Democrats, a legacy of the Albany Regency. Conflicts within the Democratic ranks resulted in a Republican victory in 1899 led by an energized and newly disciplined party led by William Barnes. It was this Republican party that Dan O'Connell faced in 1919.
O'Connell ran as a reform candidate, promising (1) lower taxes (2) fair assessment of property at its fair market value (3) keeping politics out of the Board of Assessment and (4) assessing corporations on the true value of their property, without regard for their support for any political party.* To everyone's surprise O'Connell won, eking out a 145 vote victory in a field swept by Republicans. Party regulars noted the tremendous support O'Connell received in the South End--a testament to the brothers political skills.
As sole victor, Dan O'Connell was immediately heralded in some circles as a new heir to the Albany Democratic party but it would be several years before the O'Connells in league with the Corning family would wrest control of the party. In 1921 a slate of O'Connell/Corning candidates for office won the Democratic party primary and in 1923 Dan O'Connell was elected Albany County Democratic Committee Chairman. It was the only official office he would hold for the rest of his long life. With his brothers and Edwin Corning the O'Connells ran the party, which in turn ran the city. Dan O'Connell particularly enjoyed the face to face contact with constituents, personally granting favors and solving problems for individuals, establishing large networks of quid pro quo relationships that resulted in solid Democratic pluralities at election time. In his younger years it was said Dan O'Connell liked to walk to work, taking a different route to work every morning, meeting people from the neighborhoods, and carrying with him hundreds of dollars. By the time he reached his office he would often have barely enough money to buy breakfast!
Over the decades, as his older brothers and Edwin Corning passed away, Dan O'Connell became
sole party boss. In 1941 he joined forces with Edwin's son, Erastus Corning II to elect him mayor. In later years the younger Corning increasingly assisted O'Connell in the running of the party. In 1977 Dan O'Connell died. Erastus Corning served on as mayor until 1983 when he, too, died in office, having been mayor of Albany for 42 years.
*The irony of these promises won't be lost on readers who lived through the O'Connell years when property assessments might fluctuate wildly from year to year and it often appeared that a favored tactic of the Machine was to reward supporters with low assessments and discipline troublemakers with higher ones. In later years public scrutiny dampened more blatant cases of discrimination and all properties were routinely reassessed when new owners took over but "the Machine" continued to offer "help" in protesting assessments to people who showed an inclination to be Party supporters.
Marker of the Week -- You might wonder if Matthew B. lent his surname to become a generic name for young bulls or steers, but "bulluc" is a word originating in Old English, predating the American agricultural entrepreneur by many centuries.
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| Bullock Rd., New Scotland, Albany Co. |
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