Thomas McGrath (Wisconsin politician)

T. J. McGrath
T. J. McGrath
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly; from the Brown 1st district
	In office; January 4, 1897 – January 7, 1901
Preceded by	Henry F. Hagemeister
Succeeded by	Willard Burdeau
Personal details
Born	January 15, 1859; Victoria County, Canada West
Died	January 29, 1920 (aged 61); Danville, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Spring Hill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Eleanor Fuller
Children	several
Occupation	Laborer, contractor

Thomas Joseph McGrath (January 15, 1859 – January 29, 1920) was a Canadian American immigrant, contractor, and Republican politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the city of Green Bay and northwest Brown County during the 1897 and 1899 sessions. His name was often abbreviated as T. J. McGrath.

Biography

Thomas J. McGrath was born in Victoria County, Canada West, in January 1859. He was raised and educated there and emigrated to Wisconsin in December 1875.^[1] He lived in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, for two years, then moved to Minnesota in 1877, where he remained until 1888, working as a laborer and carpenter. In 1888 he moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he operated as a general contractor for forty years.^[1]

He was active with the Republican Party of Wisconsin and was elected on the Republican ticket to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1896. He represented Brown County's first Assembly district, which then comprised Green Bay and the northwest corner of the county.^[1] He went on to win re-election in 1898, serving in the 1897 and 1899 sessions of the Legislature.^[2]

He was one of the primary construction contractors on the building of the Green Bay Masonic Temple, now referred to as the Northeast Wisconsin Masonic Center and was active in Freemasonry.^[3]

He left Wisconsin in 1915, moving to Gordonsville, Virginia, and from there moved to Danville, Illinois, about 1918. He died at his home in Danville in January 1920.^[3]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1896, 1898)

Wisconsin Assembly, Brown 1st District Election, 1896^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 3, 1896
	Republican	Thomas J. McGrath	2,794	61.02%	+12.71%
	Democratic	John E. Shaughnessy	1,724	37.65%	-14.05%
	Prohibition	W. M. Ringsdorf	61	1.33%
Plurality			1,070	23.37%	+19.98%
Total votes			4,579	100.0%	+32.76%
	Republican gain from Democratic

Wisconsin Assembly, Brown 1st District Election, 1898^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 8, 1898
	Republican	Thomas J. McGrath (incumbent)	1,923	56.34%	-4.67%
	Democratic	Albert L. Gray	1,490	43.66%	+6.01%
Plurality			433	12.69%	-10.68%
Total votes			3,413	100.0%	-25.46%
	Republican hold

References

1 2 3 4 Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 671. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
1 2 Froehlich, William H., ed. (1899). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 763. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
1 2 "T. J. M'Grath Passes Away at Danville Home". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 30, 1920. p. 13. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

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[1897bio-1] 1 2 3 4 Casson, Henry, ed. (1897). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 671. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

[1899bio-2] 1 2 Froehlich, William H., ed. (1899). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 763. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

[obit-3] 1 2 "T. J. M'Grath Passes Away at Danville Home". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 30, 1920. p. 13. Retrieved May 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

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