{{short description|American politician, Army officer and football coach (1882–1963)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = D. John Markey | image = D John Markey.jpg | alt = | caption = Markey at Maryland Agricultural in 1902 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1882|10|7}} | birth_place = Frederick, Maryland, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1963|7|20|1882|10|7}} | death_place = Newcomb, Maryland, U.S. | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1900 | player_team1 = Western Maryland | player_years2 = 1902–1903 | player_team2 = Maryland | player_positions = Halfback | coach_years1 = 1900 | coach_team1 = Western Maryland (assistant) | coach_years2 = 1902–1904 | coach_team2 = Maryland | overall_record = 12–13–4 | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''David John Markey''' (October 7, 1882 – July 20, 1963) was an American politician, Army officer, businessman, and college football coach. He ran a controversial unsuccessful campaign for a United States Senate seat against former Maryland governor Herbert R. O'Conor in 1946.
Markey also served as the head football coach at Maryland Agricultural College—now known as the University of Maryland, College Park—from 1902 to 1904, compiling a record of 12–13–4.
==Early life== Markey was born in Frederick, Maryland, on October 7, 1882, to parents John Hanshew and Ida Maria (née Willard) Markey.<ref name=fred /><ref name=mono /> D. John Markey attended Frederick City High School. In 1898, he left high school and volunteered to serve in the Spanish–American War in the United States Army as part of a company of the First Maryland Infantry Regiment raised in Frederick.<ref name=fred /><ref name=bealle /> One of his ancestors, Johann David Markey, immigrated to Frederick from the Electorate of the Palatinate in 1736.<ref name=ancestor /> Johann David Markey's son of the same name served in the War of 1812 and with the 16th Regiment of the Maryland Militia.<ref name=ancestor>Martha and Bill Reamy, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ODVSVKa-ecEC ''Immigrant And Ancestors of Marylanders, as Found in Local Histories''], p. 150, Heritage Books, 2007, {{ISBN|1-58549-527-1}}.</ref>
The Markey family was alternatively described as of Scotch-Irish origin and "early settled in Frederick County".<ref name=fred /> Markey's grandfather, also D. John Markey, was an owner of lumber yards and mills in the county.<ref name=fred /> His father, John Hanshew Markey, was born in Frederick in 1834 and became a prominent resident of the city, long-time shoe merchant, and a lifelong Democrat and member of the Episcopal Church.<ref name=fred />
==Coaching career== In his youth, Markey played sandlot football for several years in his native Frederick. During his service in the First Maryland Infantry Regiment, he played as a reserve halfback on the unit's football team, which featured former players from several Eastern colleges including Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale.<ref name=bealle>Morris Allison Bealle, ''Kings of American Football: The University of Maryland, 1890–1952'', pp. 40–42, Columbia Publishing Co., 1952.</ref> In 1900, he served as an assistant football coach at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College),<ref name=fred/> where he also played as a halfback.<ref name=bealle/> In 1902, the Maryland Agricultural College (now the University of Maryland) hired Markey as the first professional head coach of its football team with a salary of $300 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|300|1902|r=0}}}} adjusted for inflation).<ref name="ungrady">David Ungrady, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=kty1Jvi1j0IC Tales from the Maryland Terrapins]'', 2003, p. 10, Sports Publishing LLC.</ref> Markey reinstated a physical training regimen, which had first been implemented by Grenville Lewis in 1896, and also introduced the tackling dummy to team practices.<ref>Ungrady, p. 8–10.</ref> His coaching stressed the fundamentals of blocking and tackle, and he was assisted by Emmons Dunbar, who had been mentored as a youth by legendary coach Glenn "Pop" Warner in his native Springville, New York.<ref name=bealle/>
Although he had not intended to play on the team as its head coach, Markey filled in for a Maryland halfback, Ed Brown, who quit after receiving a death threat from a Georgetown fan in the season-opener.<ref name=bealle/><ref name=ungrady/> Markey led Maryland to a 3–5–2 record in his first season and improved to 7–4 in 1903.<ref name=cfbdw/> In 1904, after the school refused him a salary increase, he coached only part-time.<ref name=ungrady12/> Markey commuted from Frederick twice a week to coach the team, while chemistry professor Buck Wharton was responsible for coaching duties the other four days.<ref>Bealle, p. 47.</ref> After the team posted a 2–4–2 record that season, Markey and the school ended their arrangement by mutual consent,<ref>Bealle, p. 49.</ref> and he was replaced as coach by State Department lawyer Fred K. Nielsen.<ref name=ungrady12>Ungrady, p. 12.</ref> During his tenure at Maryland from 1902 to 1904, Markey compiled a 12–13–4 record.<ref name=cfbdw>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1448 John Markey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215091033/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1448 |date=2010-02-15 }}, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved June 2, 2010.</ref>
==Return to Frederick== He returned to Frederick to enter business selling hats and shoes, and became "one of the best known and leading of the younger business men of Frederick".<ref name=fred/> In 1905, at the rank of captain, he was responsible for standing up Company A of the Maryland National Guard.<ref name=fred/> At this time, he held an independent political affiliation, served as the director of the Frederick Young Men's Christian Association, and participated in the city's Junior Fire Company.<ref name=fred>Thomas John Chew Williams and Folger McKinsey, [https://books.google.com/books?id=h6w1YPiY0nYC ''History of Frederick County, Maryland''], p. 772, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1979, {{ISBN|0-8063-7973-1}}.</ref> Markey was a member of the Reformed Church.<ref name=fred/> On June 13, 1907, he married Edna née Mullinix.<ref name=fred/> In 1912, he became the first president of the newly established Frederick Chamber of Commerce.<ref>[http://www.frederickchamber.org/cwt/external/wcpages/about_us/history.aspx History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404001634/http://www.frederickchamber.org/cwt/external/wcpages/about_us/history.aspx |date=2010-04-04 }}, Frederick Chamber of Commerce, retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref>
==World War I service== In 1916, at the rank of major, Markey commanded the 112th Machine Gun Battalion of the 1st Maryland Infantry Regiment.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130131174606/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ajc_historic/access/554819632.html?dids=554819632:554819632&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Sep+30,+1917&author=&pub=The+Atlanta+Constitution&desc=FIRST+M'CLELIAN+MAN+SENT+TO+ATLANTA+PEN&pqatl=google FIRST MCCLELLAN MAN SENT TO ATLANTA PEN], ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', September 30, 1917.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1916/10/25/archives/soldiers-vote-for-wilson-baltimore-guardsmen-favor-the-president-on.html SOLDIERS VOTE FOR WILSON; Baltimore Guardsmen Favor the President on a Straw Ballot.], ''The New York Times'', October 30, 1916.</ref> Markey later received a Distinguished Service Medal for acting as Brigade Adjutant in addition to his duties as commander of the Machine Gun Battalion, 58th Brigade, 29th Division in 1918 north of Verdun.<ref>[http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=17878 Awards for David John Markey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016014104/http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=17878 |date=2012-10-16 }}, ''The Military Times'', retrieved June 5, 2010.</ref> He eventually took command of the 115th Infantry Regiment.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/2-115in.htm 2nd Battalion, 115th Infantry Regiment], Global Security, retrieved June 2, 2010.</ref> During the war, Markey rose to the rank of brigadier general, and served on the General Staff of the U.S. Army.<ref name=mono>Calvin Edward Schildknecht, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5QOGIPue0wC ''Monocacy and Catoctin, Volume 3''], p. 66, Heritage Books, 2000, {{ISBN|1-58549-291-4}}.</ref> In 1923, Markey was serving as the Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee of the American Legion.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1923/03/25/archives/war-profiteers-hit-in-harding-letter-legion-weekly-publishes-com.html WAR PROFITEERS HIT IN HARDING LETTER; Legion Weekly Publishes Com- munication Written Last Fall to D. John Markey. FAVORS UNIVERSAL SERVICE Expresses Hope That Veterans May Work Out Practical Plan to Pre- vent Recurrence of Frauds.], ''The New York Times'', March 25, 1923.</ref> From 1924 to 1963, he was on the American Battle Monuments Commission.<ref name=mono/> Under General John J. Pershing, from 1933 to 1937, he was responsible for the building of nineteen chapels and war monuments in Europe.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1933/10/18/archives/ocean-travelers.html Ocean Travelers], ''The New York Times'', October 18, 1933.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1937/07/04/archives/u-s-will-dedicate-13-war-memorials-pershing-to-finish-his-biggest.html U. S. WILL DEDICATE 13 WAR MEMORIALS; Pershing to Finish His Biggest Peace Time Job in October at Chateau-Thierry], ''The New York Times'', July 4, 1937.</ref>
==Political career== In 1946, Markey ran a closely contested but unsuccessful campaign for one of Maryland's U.S. Senate seats as a Republican against former Governor Herbert O'Conor. After the vote, both candidates claimed victory,<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fygjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AGoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2904,5020541&dq=john-markey&hl=en House, Two Senate Seats Still in Doubt; Official Canvass May be Required To Decide Contests], ''The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', November 7, 1946.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1947/05/14/archives/oconor-recount-in-maryland-is-likely-senate-group-urges-it-on-vote.html O'Conor Recount in Maryland Is Likely; Senate Group Urges It on Vote Charges], ''The New York Times'', May 14, 1947.</ref> before the official count declared O'Conor the winner by a margin of 2,232 out of more than 470,000 votes cast.<ref name=sen>[https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/contested_elections/127Markey_OConor.htm The Election Case of D. John Markey v. Herbert R. O'Conor of Maryland (1948)], United States Senate, retrieved June 2, 2010.</ref> On December 10, 1946, Markey requested the Special Committee to Investigate Senatorial Campaign Expenditures conduct a recount in Baltimore and Montgomery County, which had used voting machines.<ref name=sen/> He asked for a prompt recount and also alleged his opponents' campaign had committed financing violations.<ref name=sen/> The committee agreed because Maryland was unable to conduct its own official recount, and found a variation of about 400 votes.<ref name=sen/> The committee then sought to survey five additional counties that were likely to have irregularities.<ref name=sen/> Markey requested a full recount of the entire state.<ref name=sen/>
In the meantime, O'Conor was sworn into the Senate seat on January 4, 1947, after a slight delay.<ref name=sen/> Throughout the recounts, Markey implored the process be done quickly, and implied that the election evidence could go missing at any moment. In May 1947, upon completion of the recount of the five additional counties, O'Conor still maintained a margin of 1,465 votes.<ref name=sen/> In the aftermath, Markey complained of the O'Conor administration's control of the state government, the Democratic Party's control of the state since 1864, and law enforcement's failure to prevent polling abuses.<ref name=sen/> By contrast, Democratic Maryland senator Millard Tydings alleged partisan bias on the part of the Republican-led investigating subcommittee.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iostAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Np0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6082,6070584&dq=john-markey&hl=en Probe Hit By Tydings; Maryland Election Investigation Draws Senator's Comment], ''The Reading Eagle'', July 19, 1947.</ref> The committee completed its full recount of the state in January 1948, and concluded that O'Conor had secured a 1,624-vote majority.<ref name=sen/>
Markey made another unsuccessful senate bid in 1950 against Republican businessman John Marshall Butler.<ref>[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/421359571.html?dids=421359571:421359571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+19%2C+1950&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Tydings+Sweeps+to+Victory+in+Maryland+Vote&pqatl=google Tydings Sweeps to Victory in Maryland Vote] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102113345/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/421359571.html?dids=421359571:421359571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+19,+1950&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Tydings+Sweeps+to+Victory+in+Maryland+Vote&pqatl=google |date=2012-11-02 }}, ''The Los Angeles Times'', September 19, 1950.</ref> Markey held a position as commander of the Maryland American Legion from 1923 to 1924.<ref>[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/890068422.html?dids=890068422:890068422&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+18%2C+1950&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Legion+News+And+Review+Of+Activities&pqatl=google Legion News And Review Of Activities; Nutmeg Boys State and Laurel Girls State to Open at UofC June 25] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102113411/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/890068422.html?dids=890068422:890068422&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+18,+1950&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Legion+News+And+Review+Of+Activities&pqatl=google |date=2012-11-02 }}, ''The Hartford Courant'', June 18, 1950.</ref>
==Death== Markey killed himself on July 20, 1963, by shooting himself with a .22 caliber rifle.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Ex-Guard General Takes Own Life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80012177/oakland-tribune/ |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |location=Oakland, California |agency=United Press International |date=July 21, 1963 |page=31 |access-date=June 21, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}</ref> He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name=mono/> Markey and wife Edna had two children, D. John "Jack" Markey and Mary Elizabeth Hooper.<ref name=mono/>
==Head coaching record== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Maryland Aggies | conf = Independent | startyear = 1900 | endyear = single }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1902 | name = Maryland | overall = 3–5–2 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1903 | name = Maryland | overall = 7–4 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1904 | name = Maryland | overall = 2–4–2 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Maryland | overall = 12–13–4 | confrecord = }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 12–13–4 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = | legend = no }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgZNYXJrZXkSBURhdmlk/ Arlington National Cemetery]
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{succession box |before= Harry Nice |title= Republican nominee for United States Senator from Maryland<br>(Class 1) |years= 1946 |after= James Glenn Beall}} {{s-end}}
{{Maryland Terrapins football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Markey, John}} Category:1882 births Category:1963 suicides Category:1963 deaths Category:American football halfbacks Category:Player-coaches Category:Maryland Terrapins football coaches Category:Maryland Terrapins football players Category:McDaniel Green Terror football players Category:McDaniel Green Terror football coaches Category:Maryland Republicans Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Category:National Guard (United States) officers Category:United States Army officers Category:United States Army personnel of World War I Category:Sportspeople from Frederick, Maryland Category:Coaches of American football from Maryland Category:Players of American football from Maryland Category:Reformed Church in America members Category:American military personnel who died by suicide Category:American politicians who died by suicide Category:Suicides by firearm in Maryland Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Category:American athlete-politicians