Malcolm Wilson (politician)
Malcolm Wilson | |
---|---|
50th Governor of New York | |
In office December 18, 1973 – December 31, 1974 | |
Lieutenant | Warren M. Anderson (acting) |
Preceded by | Nelson Rockefeller |
Succeeded by | Hugh Carey |
Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
In office January 1, 1959 – December 18, 1973 | |
Governor | Nelson Rockefeller |
Preceded by | George DeLuca |
Succeeded by | Warren M. Anderson (acting) |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Westchester County 1st district | |
In office January 1, 1945 – December 31, 1958 | |
Preceded by | Christopher H. Lawrence |
Succeeded by | Christian H. Armbruster |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the Westchester County 5th district | |
In office January 1, 1939 – December 31, 1944 | |
Preceded by | Arthur J. Doran |
Succeeded by | Christopher H. Lawrence |
Personal details | |
Born | Charles Malcolm Wilson February 26, 1914 Gate of Heaven Cemetery Hawthorne, New York |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Katherine McCloskey |
Children | 2 |
Education | Fordham University (AB, LLB) |
Profession | Lawyer |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1943–1945 |
Rank | Lieutenant (Junior Grade) |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Charles Malcolm Wilson (February 26, 1914 – March 13, 2000) was the 50th
In 1994, the original Tappan Zee Bridge was renamed in Wilson's honor.[1] There is also a park in Yonkers, New York named for him.
Early life
Wilson was born in New York City, one of four children born to patent attorney Charles H. Wilson and Agnes (Egan) Wilson.
Education and professional career
Wilson attended Manhattan's St. Thomas Academy and the Elizabeth Seton Academy in White Plains.[6] He then attended Fordham Preparatory School, from which he graduated in 1929 at age 15.[6] Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University in 1933 at age 19 and a LL.B. from Fordham University School of Law in 1936 at age 22.[2] He was admitted to the bar and joined the White Plains firm that eventually became known as Kent, Hazzard, Jaeger, Greer, Wilson, and Fay.[7] Wilson practiced law at this firm for his entire career, and became a partner in 1946.[7]
Political career
At age 24, just two years after graduating from Fordham Law, Wilson was elected to the New York State Assembly where he represented the 5th district of Westchester County from 1939 to 1945, and after re-districting the 1st district from 1945 to 1959. He sat in the 162nd, 163rd, 164th, 165th, 166th, 167th, 168th, 169th, 170th and 171st New York State Legislatures. During his tenure as a legislator, Wilson sponsored a large number of bills that became law. Among his bills that came into law was the Wilson Pakula Act, which prevented candidates from running in a party primary if they were not members of that party.[8]
Wilson's political and legal careers were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.[9] He joined the United States Navy as an ensign in June 1943 and trained at the Little Creek, Virginia Armed Guard School.[9] He served as a gun crew commander on Liberty ships, including duty in the British Isles and the Mediterranean, and also took part in the Operation Overlord invasion of Normandy.[9] He was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) in December 1944 and transferred to the inactive reserve in October 1945.[9] While he was at war, in 1944 Wilson won reelection to the Assembly in absentia.[10]
Rockefeller's right-hand man
In
The Rockefeller-Wilson ticket defeated the incumbent Democrats
Governor of New York
In December 1973, Rockefeller resigned as governor to run the
While governor, Wilson worked to improve passenger rail service in the state and under his leadership, New York City-Albany-Montréal and New York City-Buffalo-Detroit service were revived. Concerned that city governments, especially New York City, were financing their budgets with financial sleight-of-hand, Wilson warned New York State's mayors that there would be a reckoning unless they got their fiscal houses in order. His warning turned out to be prescient when New York City was found to be nearly bankrupt, and had to resort to federal assistance to regain a sound footing. But Wilson's concern over government finances turned into a campaign issue for Carey in the 1974 election, when an agency under Wilson's purview, the state's Urban Development Corporation, was discovered to be near bankruptcy. After taking office, Carey accused Wilson of hiding the severity of the crisis, and complained that the Wilson administration had not been helpful or engaged during the transition between governors.
Later life and death
After losing the election, Wilson returned to his legal practice and served as Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Manhattan Savings Bank from 1977 until 1986.[11]
Wilson's wife, Katherine, (née McCloskey) died in 1980.[12] In 1991 Wilson's health deteriorated and he retired to New Rochelle, New York.
Wilson died in New Rochelle on March 13, 2000. His memorial service was held at Holy Family Church in New Rochelle. He was buried at
Personal life
Wilson had two daughters, Katharine, an attorney, and Anne, and six grandsons. Wilson was a Catholic and attended the St. Denis Catholic Church in Yonkers, New York.
Notes
- ^ Tappan Zee Bridge Fact Book Archived June 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, NYS Thruway Authority
- ^ a b c Griffin, Ernest Freeland (1946). Westchester County and Its People. Vol. 3. New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 208 – via Google Books.
- ^ Manual for the Use of the Legislature of the State of New York. Albany, NY: New York Secretary of State. 1962. p. 457.
The family moved to Yonkers in 1920, and Mr. Wilson has lived there since.
- ^ Manual for the Use of the Legislature of the State of New York. Albany, NY: New York Secretary of State. 1975. p. 475.
Malcolm Wilson, Republican of Yonkers...
- ^ Reeves, Richard (October 18, 1971). "Malcolm Whatshisname, Our Next Governor?". New York Magazine. New York, NY: NYM Corporation: 61.
Malcolm Wilson of 24 Windsor Road, Yonkers...
- ^ a b "Hon. C. Malcolm Wilson, Class of 1929". Hall of Honor Inductees. Bronx, NY: Fordham Preparatory School. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ TimesMachine.
- ^ Martin v. Alverez (Supreme Court, State of New York, Suffolk County 2005), Text.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gilpin, Kenneth N. (January 23, 1986). "Business People: Top Management Shifts At Manhattan Savings". The New York Times. New York, NY.
- ^ Ralph Blumenthal (January 23, 1980). "Katherine McCloskey Wilson Dies". The New York Times. New York, NY. p. B6. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
References
- Wolfgang Saxon, Former Gov. Malcolm Wilson, 86, Is Dead, passim