# John A. Keliher

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American politician (1866–1938)

John Austin Keliher John A. Keliher circa 1908[1] Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th district In office March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 Preceded by Joseph A. Conry Succeeded by William Francis Murray Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives[1] Member of the Massachusetts Senate[1] In office 1899–1900 Sheriff of Suffolk County, Massachusetts[2] In office May 3, 1917 – September 21, 1938 Preceded by John Quinn Succeeded by John F. Dowd Delegate to the 1917 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention[3] In office June 6, 1917[3] – August 13, 1919[4] Personal details Born (1866-11-06)November 6, 1866 Boston Died September 21, 1938(1938-09-21) (aged 71) Boston Party Democratic Occupation Real estate

**John Austin Keliher** (November 6, 1866 – September 21, 1938) was a United States [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) politician.

He was born in [Boston, Massachusetts](/source/Boston%2C_Massachusetts). He was elected as a Democrat to the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) from [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) and served from March 4, 1903, to March 3, 1911.[5] Congressman Keliher was the uncle of Brigadier-General John J. Keliher and Rear Admiral Thomas Joseph Keliher.

## Defeats in the 1910 congressional election

In 1910 Keliher lost his bid for reelection, first losing in the Democratic primary,[6] and in the general election as an independent candidate,[7] losing both times to [William F. Murray](/source/William_Francis_Murray).[8]

## Sheriff of Suffolk County

On April 11, 1917, the incumbent sheriff of Suffolk County, "Honest John" Quinn, died from diabetes.[9] On April 18, 1917 [Governor McCall](/source/Samuel_W._McCall) submitted Keliher's name to the Executive Council to fill the vacancy.[10] Keliher's appointment was approved by the Executive Council and he was sworn into office on May 3, 1917.[11] On November 6, 1917[12] Keliher was elected in his own right and re-elected in every election until 1938.[2]

## 1917 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention

In 1916 the Massachusetts legislature and electorate approved the calling of a Constitutional Convention.[13] In May 1917 Keliher was elected to serve as a member of the convention, representing Massachusetts' 11th Congressional District.

## Electoral defeat and death

In September 1938 Keliher ran in the primary for renomination as sheriff of Suffolk County. After the returns showed that he was losing the election, he had a heart attack and died[14][15] in Boston.

## Bibliography

- *Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts* (1919) pp. 7–8, 865, 971.

- *The Municipal Register for 1918* City of Boston (1918) p. 110.

- *Who's who in State Politics, 1908* Practical Politics (1908) p. 14.

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Joseph A. Conry Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th congressional district March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 Succeeded by William Francis Murray

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Whowho1908_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Whowho1908_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Whowho1908_1-2) *Who's Who in State Politics, 1908*, Boston: Practical Politics, 1908, p. 14

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-John1938_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-John1938_2-1) "John A. Keliher; Sheriff in Boston Since 1917 Dies While Losing Renomination", *The New York Times*, p. 22, September 22, 1938

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Journalof1919_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Journalof1919_3-1) *Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts*, Boston: Wright & Potter printing co., state printers, 1919, p. 8

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** *Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts*, Boston: Wright & Potter printing co., state printers, 1919, pp. 865, 971

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cd_5-0)** ["S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903"](https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/SERIALSET-04562_00_00-001-0001-0000). *GovInfo.gov*. U.S. Government Printing Office. 9 November 1903. p. 50. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Both Lose Renomination: Keliher and O'Connell Defeated in Massachusetts Primaries. Majority of the Delegates to Democratic State Convention Will Go Uninstructed", *The Washington Post*, p. 3, September 28, 1910

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** "Murray Speaks in His Home District: Buckley Predicts He Will Sweep District. Keliher Has Three Rallies, Two of Them in Charlestown", *The Boston Daily Globe*, p. 4, November 5, 1910

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** "Foss Wins By 22,000 In Massachusetts; But the Rest of the Democratic State Ticket Has Probably Been Defeated.", *The New York Times*, p. 2, November 9, 1910

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ""Honest John" Quinn Is Dead: Sheriff Yields Suddenly at the Charles-St Jail Long A Familiar and Genial Figure in Boston Politics", *The Boston Globe*, p. 1, April 12, 1917

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** "Keliher Given Quinn's Berth: Sheriff Until Jan 1 With Election in Meantime Far-Reaching Political Effects Likely--Republicans Angry", *The Boston Globe*, p. 13, April 19, 1917

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** "It's Now Sheriff John A. Keliher: Ex-Congressman Sworn In and Visits Jail Reappoints Deputies--Agrees to Sit in Constitutional Convention", *The Boston Globe*, p. 11, May 4, 1917

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** *The Municipal Register for 1918*, Boston: The City of Boston, 1917, p. 110

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts*, 1919, pp. 7–8

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** "John A. Keliher; Sheriff in Boston Since 1917 Dies While Losing Renomination", *The New York Times*, p. 23, September 22, 1938

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** "J. A Keliher, Sheriff, Dies In Bay State Suffolk County Official Had Held Post Since 1917; Congressman 4 Terms; Ran For Mayor", *The Hartford Courant*, Hartford, Connecticut, p. 4, September 22, 1938

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

Authority control databases: People US Congress

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