Los Angeles County
Biographies
MICHAEL JOSEPH McGARRY
M’GARRY (sic), MICHAEL JOSEPH, Attorney at Law, Los Angeles, California was born in Chicago, Illinois, April 13, 1872. His father was D. M. McGarry and his mother Margaret (McCaughan) McGarry. He married Mary Evaline Quinlan, May 13, 1898. Their children are Florence, Paul, Madeline and Evaline.
Mr. McGarry spent his childhood in Chicago, where his father was a large coal operator. Later the elder McGarry became a conspicuous figure in the life of Los Angeles. He was active in politics and served two terms in the City Council, during which time numerous measures for the improvement of the city were put into effect. He also was a director of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, an organization of civic upbuilders, and was on the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Los Angeles.
Mr. McGarry’s education was a careful one, covering a period of many years, and obtained on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. He began in the All Saints School of Chicago, but his parents deciding to go west he was compelled when a lad of nine, to halt his studies. His family settled in Los Angeles in 1881 and there the boy was placed in St. Vincent’s College, one of the leading educational institutions of the west. He studied there for several years, in preparation for college and then went to Ireland, where he became a student at the Clongowes Wood College, County Kildare. In 1890 he returned to the United States and enrolled in Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana. There he remained until 1894, when he received the degree of LL.B. In 1911 he received the A. M. degree from St. Vincent’s College.
Mr. McGarry was admitted to the Bar at South Bend, Indiana, in the same month of his graduation from Notre Dame University and to the California Bar, October 9, of the same year. He began practice at Los Angeles where he has continued since.
He has always been a staunch Democrat in politics and has played a prominent part in numerous campaigns in Los Angeles. He has served twice as a member of the Park Commission of Los Angeles and once as a member of the Fire Board. His first term as a member of the Park Commission was under Mayor Snyder and later he acted under Mayor McAleer. While he was on the Park Commission, numerous improvements were made in the park system of the city, Mr. McGarry having proposed and pushed through to completion the installation of city water in the South Park District. As a fire commissioner Mr. McGarry instigated many reforms and helped others to adoption, with the result that Los Angeles today is freer from fire than any other city of its size in the United States.
Mr. McGarry still is active in politics in Los Angeles, and has always been an advocate of good government in city and state.
Mr. McGarry has pursued a general legal practice and has scored many notable successes. Most of his work has been in Los Angeles and vicinity. He has also been an active factor in real estate development and is president of the McGarry Realty Company of Los Angeles.
He is a man of strong personality; an assiduous scholar, fond of good literature and is an authority on Shakespeare. He is a deep student of history.
He is prominently identified with many of the larger clubs and legal organizations of Southern California, and is an active lodge man. He is a charter member of the Newman Club, belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and was Past Exalted Ruler of the B. P. O. Elks, No. 99, Los Angeles. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and at one time was its Lecturer; was twice State President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of the State of California, and is a member of the County and State Bar Associations.
Transcribed 5-20-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 278,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES