William C. McCreery

William Cornelius McCreery (December 22, 1896 – November 20, 1988) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Life

McCreery was born on December 22, 1896, in Brooklyn, New York.{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/493504/?offset=0#page=222&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1926 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=111 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}}

After finishing public school, McCreery attended Poly Prep. He graduated from there in 1916, after which he went to Fordham University School of Law. He graduated from there in 1919, and in 1920 he was admitted to the bar. He practiced law in Brooklyn, with law offices in 375 Fulton Street by 1926. His law office moved to 16 Court Street by 1935, at which point he resided at 159 Prospect Place.{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/572505/?offset=0#page=165&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1935 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1935 |editor-last=Hutchins |editor-first=Mason C. |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=111 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}}

In 1925, McCreery was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Democrat, representing the Kings County 10th District. He served in the Assembly in 1926, 1927,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/469882/?offset=0#page=135&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1927 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=84 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1928,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/440162/?offset=0#page=135&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1928 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=84 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1929, 1930, 1931,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/578300/?offset=0#page=113&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1931 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1931 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=91 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1932,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/560253/?offset=0#page=114&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1932 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1932 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=91 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1933,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/611820/?offset=0#page=121&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1933 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1933 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=95–96 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1934,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/119373/?offset=0#page=118&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1934 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1934 |editor-last=Malcolm |editor-first=James |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=95 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1935, 1936,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/560957/?offset=0#page=169&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1936 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1936 |editor-last=Hutchins |editor-first=Mason C. |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=114 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1937,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/559818/?offset=0#page=163&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1937 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1937 |editor-last=Hutchins |editor-first=Mason C. |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=108 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} 1938,{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/565909/?offset=0#page=144&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book, 1938 |publisher=J. B. Lyons Company |year=1926 |editor-last=Hutchins |editor-first=Mason C. |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=119 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} and the 162nd State Legislature.{{Cite book |url=https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/556129/?offset=0#page=171&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q= |title=The New York Red Book |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |year=1939 |editor-last=Hutchins |editor-first=Mason C. |location=Albany, N.Y. |pages=116 |language=en |via=FamilySearch}} He lost the 1940 re-election to Republican Francis E. Dorn.{{Cite web |title=NY Assembly - Kings 10 Race - Nov 05, 1940 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=530613 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Our Campaigns}} Shortly after his first election, he helped stop an attack on Governor Al Smith. In the Assembly, he was active in reforming the court system and was chairman of Judiciary Committee in 1935. He also sponsored legislation that banned child labor and expanded education aid. After leaving the Assembly, he resumed practicing trust and estate law in Brooklyn.

McCreery was a member of the Montauk Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Washington Club, and other civic associations in Brooklyn. He married his first wife, Consuela Gestelle, in 1929.{{Cite news |date=30 December 1929 |title=Consuela Gestelle Bride of Assemblyman McCreery |volume=82 |pages=1–2 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Times |location=Brooklyn, N.Y. |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/543687734 |via=Brooklyn Public Library Archive}} She died in childbirth in 1932.{{Cite news |date=19 July 1932 |title=Mrs. McCreery, Legislator's Wife, Dies in 27th Year |volume=91 |page=15 |work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle |issue=199 |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/693413698 |via=Brooklyn Public Library Archive}} In 1939, he married Florence Katherine O'Malley.{{Cite news |date=30 April 1939 |title=Miss Florence O'Malley Wed to William McCreery |volume=98 |page=B1 |work=Brooklyn Eagle |issue=119 |location=Brooklyn, N.Y. |url=https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52709169 |via=Brooklyn Public Library Archive}} His children were Cornelia, Virginia, William G., and Charles.

McCreery died at home from heart failure on November 20, 1988.{{Cite news |date=1988-11-21 |title=W.C. McCreery, Ex-Assemblyman, 91, Dies |language=en-US |volume=CXXXVIII |page=D13 |work=The New York Times |issue=47696 |location=New York, N.Y. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/21/obituaries/wc-mccreery-ex-assemblyman-91-dies.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |issn=0362-4331}}