Edward J. Flynn

Edward Joseph Flynn (September 22, 1891 The Bronx, then New York County, now Bronx County, New York City - August 18, 1953 Dublin, Republic of Ireland) was an American lawyer and politician. Flynn was a leading Democratic politician of the mid-1900s

Life

Flynn was the youngest son of Henry T. Flynn and Sarah Mallon Flynn. He graduated from Fordham Law School in 1912, and was admitted to the bar in June 1913. Flynn practiced law in partnership with Bill McKeown and later with Monroe Goldwater. He became involved in poltiics and became a prominent local member of the Democratic Party. He served as Assemblyman of Bronx county (1918–1921), Sheriff of Bronx County (1922–1925) Chamberlain of the City of New York (1926–1928), Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Bronx County Democratic Committee (1922–1953), Secretary of State for New York (1929–1939), Democratic National Committeeman from New York (1930–1953), and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (1940–1943). He was also the United States Commissioner General on the New York World's Fair Commission, from 1939-1940.

He was a close associate of Franklin D. Roosevelt for many years, but repeatedly refused offers for jobs in the Roosevelt Administration. He did accompany Roosevelt to the Yalta Conference remaining in Europe afterwords to carry out various missions for the president, until his trip was cut short by news of Roosevelt's death.

On June 15, 1927, he married Helen Margaret Jones. In 1947, Flynn wrote the book You're the Boss about his experiences in politics. He had helped Roosevelt through all of his elections. Flynn was one of the driving forces behind Harry S. Truman's 1948 election victory.^[1]

Flynn died in 1953 while on a visit to Ireland. His papers were given by his family to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, to be available for the public.

The phrase "in like Flynn" has sometimes been claimed to be a reference to Flynn, though its folk etymology more frequently associates it with actor Errol Flynn. Etymologist Eric Partridge presents evidence that candidates Flynn backed were almost automatically "in," citing usage during Flynn's life that refers to him.^[2]

References

Sources

• Biography at FDR Library website
• Political Graveyard
• Short biographical entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition, at Encyclopedia.com (giving wrong birth year), also available from Bartleby.com
• Obituary paragraph in TIME Magazine, on August 31, 1953