| Birth date | March 2, 1887 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | South Boston, Massachusetts, US |
| Death date | December 1, 1952 (aged 65) |
| Death place | Boston, Massachusetts, US |
| Party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Boston University School of Law |
| Title | District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts |
| Term start | 1927 |
| Term end | 1952 |
| Predecessor | Thomas C. O'Brien |
| Successor | Garrett H. Byrne |
| Office 1 | Member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council |
| Term start 1 | 1921 |
| Term end 1 | 1923 |
| Office 2 | Member of the Massachusetts Senate |
| Term start 2 | 1919 |
| Term end 2 | 1921 |
| Office 3 | Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives |
| Term start 3 | 1915 |
| Term end 3 | 1919 |
| Relations | William J. Foley Jr. (son) |
William J. Foley (March 2, 1887 – December 1, 1952) was an American attorney and politician who served as District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts from 1927 until his death 1952.
Early life and educati9n
Foley was born on March 2, 1887, in South Boston, to Patrick A. Foley and Julia (née Hayes) Foley.[1] He attended South Boston High School and The English High School.[2] He graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1908 and began practicing law that year.[3]
Career
A Democrat, Foley was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1915 to 1919. He then served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1919 to 1921 and on the Massachusetts Governor's Council from 1921 to 1923.[4] In 1927, he defeated incumbent Thomas C. O'Brien to become District Attorney of Suffolk County.[2] In 1933, he unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of Boston. He finished a close third behind Frederick Mansfield and Malcolm Nichols.[5] He ran again in 1937 and finished fourth behind Maurice J. Tobin, James Michael Curley, and Nichols.[6]
Personal life and death
Foley was Catholic. In 1922, he married Theresa Liston;[1] they had two children together, including William J. Foley Jr., who went on to become a lawyer.[2] Foley was found dead in his home on December 1, 1952, aged 65. The cause of death was a heart attack. Foley's first assistant, Garrett H. Byrne, was chosen by Governor Paul A. Dever to succeed him as district attorney, despite pressure to give the job to the younger Foley or another well known political figure.[7]
See also
- 1915 Massachusetts legislature
- 1916 Massachusetts legislature
- 1917 Massachusetts legislature
- 1918 Massachusetts legislature
- 1919 Massachusetts legislature
- 1920 Massachusetts legislature
References
- ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Fogle to Folse". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2026-01-17.
- ^ "Dist. Atty. Foley Dead of Heart Attack at 65". The Boston Globe. December 2, 1952.
- ^ "William J. Foley". The New York Times. December 2, 1952.
- ^ Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1921-22
- ^ "Mansfield Beats Nichols by 2397". The Boston Daily Globe. November 8, 1933.
- ^ Annual Report of the Election Department. Boston [Election Dept.] 1937. p. 40.
- ^ Farrell, David (November 6, 1977). "Byrne to soon mark 25 years as district attorney". The Boston Globe