Andrew Walsh (politician)

Andrew Walsh (May 24, 1838 – November 9, 1889) was an Irish-American politician and judge.

Life

Walsh was born on May 24, 1838{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://archive.org/details/eveningjournalal1866slsn/page/86/mode/1up|title=The Evening Journal 1866 Almanac|publisher=Weed, Parsons & Company|year=1866|isbn=|location=Albany, N.Y.|pages=86|via=Internet Archive}} in Dublin, Ireland. His family immigrated to America when he was young and settled in Brooklyn, New York.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=9 November 1889|title=Walsh is Dead|volume=49|page=6|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|issue=310|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50408504|access-date=|via=Brooklyn Public Library: Historical Newspapers}}

When he was 15, Walsh became an apprentice for bookbinder G. C. Mann. After he finished his apprenticeship, he began to take an interest in politics.{{Cite book|last=Fales|first=William E. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E3qI3lgdl1wC|title=Brooklyn's Guardians: A Record of the Faithful and Heroic Men who Preserve the Peace in the City of Homes|publisher=|year=1887|isbn=|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|pages=431–432|via=Google Books}} He served as a volunteer firefighter of Constitution Engine, No. 7 for five years.{{Cite book|last=Kernan|first=J. Frank|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D2QEAAAAYAAJ|title=Reminiscences of the Old Fire Laddies and Volunteer Fire Departments of New York and Brooklyn|publisher=M. Crane|year=1885|isbn=|location=New York, N.Y.|pages=755|via=Google Books}}

In 1863, Walsh was a clerk for the Collector of Taxes. That year, he was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Democrat, representing the Kings County 4th District. He served in the Assembly in 1864{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://archive.org/details/eveningjournalal1864slsn/page/77/mode/1up|title=The Evening Journal 1864 Almanac|publisher=Weed, Parsons & Company|year=1864|location=Albany, N.Y.|pages=77|via=Internet Archive}} and 1866. He then served as Clerk of the First District Police Court. In 1868, he was elected Police Justice. He began serving the position in 1869 and was re-elected to the office three times. Starting in 1880, he was appointed and re-appointed to the office by different mayors. Some months prior to his appointment as Justice, he was admitted to the bar.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=10 November 1889|title=Made His Own Career|volume=49|page=18|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|issue=311|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50408539|access-date=|via=Brooklyn Public Library: Historical Newspapers}}

Walsh was treasurer of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, a local chancellor of the Catholic Benevolent Legion, treasurer of the Central Parnell organization, and a member of the Emerald Society and St. Patrick Society. He was also treasurer of St John's Orphan Asylum. His son, John J., was a lawyer that succeeded Walsh as Police Justice after the latter's death.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=27 November 1889|title=Walsh Gets It|volume=49|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|issue=328|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50408731|access-date=|via=Brooklyn Public Library: Historical Newspapers}}

Walsh died at home on November 9, 1889.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=10 November 1889|title=Justice Andrew Walsh|volume=XXXIX|page=5|work=The New York Times|issue=11919|location=New York, N.Y.|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/11/10/100978194.pdf|access-date=}} He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=12 November 1889|title=Many Mourn: The Decease of the Late Andrew Walsh|volume=49|page=6|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|issue=313|location=Brooklyn, N.Y.|url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50408565|access-date=|via=Brooklyn Public Library: Historical Newspapers}}