Random Nuggets – John W. Coughlin & Josephine McGinn

 

As Mayor of Fall River

 

Mayor Coughlin is back row, second from right.  Franklin D. Roosevelt is seated, center.

Coughlin, John W. (1861-1920) — of Fall River, Bristol County, Mass. Born in Fall River, Bristol County, Mass., June 9, 1861. Democrat. Physician; mayor of Fall River, Mass., 1891-94; defeated, 1889; Massachusetts Democratic state chair, 1896; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, 1901; member of Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, 1901-20; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1904, 1912 (speaker); member of Democratic National Committee from Massachusetts, 1912; candidate for U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 15th District, 1912.  Clearly, he was a

He died December 3, 1920 (age 59 years, 177 days), less than 3 months after the above group picture was taken.

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I was in Fall River during the demotion of the Leary Press.  Exploring through the rubble I found this check receipt laying in plain sight payable to Josephine McGinn, written in 1993 by her grand-daughter and my friend, Martha McGinn , in the amount of $10,000.  Martha ran the Leary Press after John died and made periodic payments to her.  (Note:  There’s a certain symmetry to the fact the check is drawn on the Citizen Savings Bank – the bank which Andrew Borden was President when he died.)

Mayor Coughlin died when Josephine was just a little girl.  The Leary Press no longer stands.  The House at “92 Second Street” still stands.  And the enduring fascination of Lizzie Borden grows stronger with each generation.