Daniel William Tracy (1886 – 1955) Union
Organiser & Government Executive Officer
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Daniel William Tracy served for 35 years as an
officer of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and during
those years saw the IBEW rise to its greatest heights. During the war years
he served his county as an assistant Secretary of Labor. Later he served on
the executive council of the American Federation of Labor. Daniel
William Tracy was born April 7, 1886 in Bloomington, Illinois to Daniel Tracy,
a native of Aglish Co. Waterford, and Kate O’Brien a native of Co. Sligo. The family home was
at 1311 W. Walnut Street. He completed grade school, worked briefly at
the C&A shops and then began working for the street railways,
occasionally listed as a laborer and later as an electrician. He completed his apprenticeship in Oklahoma and in
1910, he went to Houston Texas. One of his first electrical jobs was at the
Rice Hotel. He was initiated into Local Union 716 on October 2 1913, and
worked as a lineman and wireman in the Oklahoma-Texas area. He was elected
business manager of 716 and 66. He
married Mrs. Julia E. Huff Howard on the 29 of August 1916 in Houston
Texas. In less than 7 years, on January 1 1920 he was
elected International Vice President for south central and southwestern
states. On July 10 1933 he filled the office of International President. At
that time the union's membership at a record low because of the Depression,
when there were 50,000 members. New electric technology provided Tracy's road
to success. By 1940, under Tracy's leadership and thanks to new legislation
favorable to union organization, the IBEW had 200,000 members. He was a strong supporter of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and in 1935, he attended, as the labor delegate appointed by
President Roosevelt, the International labour Conference at Geneva
Switzerland, one of four delegates from the USA representing the government
(2) employers (1) and labor(1). In 1938, he was appointed Labor Advisor to
Secretary of State Cordell Hull at the Pan American Conference in Lima Peru. |
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In July 1940, President Roosevelt appointed him
Assistant Secretary of Labor in preparations for war. The Washington Star
described him as "a key man in the U.S. preparedness progam". He
also served as Chairman of the IBEW International Executive Council. At the
end of the war, he resigned his Government post to become Labor Director of
the International Labor Organization. He also served as Labor Delegate to the
creation of the United Nations. On January 1 1947, he resumed his position as
President of the IBEW and led the IBEW as it grew to 360,000 members. He was
elected as Vice President of the Metal Trades Department of the Executive
Council of the American Federation of Labor until the time of his death. He
helped strengthen the union's apprenticeship programs and established a
pension fund in 1946. A fierce anti-communist, Tracy's post-war reign was
marked by tension with unions accused of being communist-led. He was a longtime campaigner in the fight for
minority rights. He was outspoken in AFL union councils and in public on all
matters affecting the rights of these groups, not only as a matter of human
decency but also as a defence of workers. In 1950 he represented organized
labor on the National Civil Service Board, created by the Truman
administration to investigate discrimination against minorities. On April 15 1954 he resigned as President of the
IBEW but continued to serve as President Emeritus. In his speech, he stated: "I have deeply enjoyed my many years of
association with the Brotherhood and with organized labor. I know of no
greater cause to which I could have given my time and effort than to the
labor movement. My years in this field have given me profound and solid
satisfaction." On March 22 1955, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage
in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel Washington, where he lived, and died on
route to hospital. Funeral services were held in the nation's capital, and
his body was taken to Bloomington, Ill., for family services and burial. Ref: Electrical Workers Journal 1955-03 https://archive.org/details/Electrical_Workers_Journal_1955-03 Technical Engineer. April 1955 www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-IBEW/IBEW-1955-04.pdf The Journal of Electrical Workers and Operators.
No.7 Vol. XXXIV, Washington DC 1935. www.ibew.org/Journals/scans/.../1935-07%20July%20Electrical%20Worker.pdf Utility Facts Oakland, California, January 18, 1950 http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utarl/02288/arl-02288.html Other Ref: Wanek, Martiemmi Gabriele (1959) Daniel William
Tracy, 1886-1954: a contribution to the history of leadership in the American
labor movement. Thesis (Ph.D.), Georgetown University, 1959. |
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Daniel
Tracy 1940s |
Daniel
Tracy in Geneva in 1935 |
Daniel
Tracy passport application 1921 |
FAMILY NOTES
Daniel Tracy married Kate O Brien 15 Feb 1870 McLean
County IL Marriage Records
John W. Tracy b. 1878 McLean Co. Ill
1880 Census - Bloomington, McLean, Illinois
Daniel Tracey Self
M 40?
Ireland, Iron & Brass
Mooulder
Kate Tracey Wife
F 30
Ireland
Maggie Tracey Daughter
F 10 IL
Mary Tracey Daughter
F 9 IL
Kate Tracey Daughter
F 7 IL
John Tracey Son
M 2
IL
Margaret Tracy, 27, b. 1873 married Frank Sheridan,
28, b. 1872 14 Oct 1900 Chicago Cook Illinois
Margaret Sheridan, d.
26 Jan 1944 Bloomington McLean Illinois, age 66, Buried 29 Jan 1944 St.
Mary's Bloomington McLean Illinois, Spouse Frank Sheridan,
b. 18 Apr 1877 Bloomington, Illinois (d. of Daniel
Tracy b. Co. Waterford Ireland &
Kate O'Brion b. Co. Sligo, Ireland)
Margaret M Sheridan, 29, single, of 810 W Malberry St Bloomington
McLean Ill, b. 12 Nov 1902 Chicago Ill, stenographer (d. of Frank Sheridan b.
Ireland & Margaret Tracy b. Bloomington Ill) married Willis P Lenoir, 32,
single, of 334 Third St Niagara Falls, b. 23 Aug 1899 Magnolia Miss, salesman
(s. of Vince T Lenoir b. Magnolia Miss & Nannie Dickey b. Magnolia Miss) on
the 26 Oct 1931 Niagara, New York, United States
James D. Sheridan died 18 Nov 1933 Bloomington McLean
Illinois, age 29, b. 24 May 1904 Plano Ill (s. of Frank Sheridan b. County
Cavan Ireland & Margaret Tracey b. Bloomington, Illinois), Electrician,
buried 21 Nov 1933 Bloomington McLean Ill
Margaret Tracy b. Bloomington, Illinois, age 38, b.
1869 & Frank Sheridan b. County Cavin Ireland, age 39, b. 1869
Francis Leo Sheridan b. 10 Oct 1907 Chicago, Cook,
Illinois, United States. Registration Date: 22 May 1942 Cook, Illinois
Mary Tracey (d. of Daniel Tracey & Kate O'Brien)
married Patrick Norton (s. of Malachie Norton & Elizabeth Murray) 20 May
1900 Bloomington, Mclean, Illinois
Mary Norton died 14 Sep 1936 6956 Yale Ave Chicago
Cook Illinois, 59 years, buried 17 Sep 1936 Mt Olivet Chicago Illinois, b. 22 May 1877 Bloomington Illinois (d. of Daniel Tracy & Kate O Brien),
Widowed, married Patrick, Informant Donald J Norton
Mary Ellen Tracy, b. Bloomington, Illinois & James
Patrick Norton, b. Ireland
Helen Elizabeth Norton Clay b. 30 Aug 1914 Chicago,
Cook, Illinois, United States. Registration Date: 9 Apr 1951 Cook, Illinois
Helen Elizabeth Norton, 23, b. 1914, (d. of Patrick
Norton & Mary Tracy) married Paul LeRoy Clay, 23, b. 1914, (s. of Harry L
Clay & Elsie Raker) 25 Nov 1937 Scott, Iowa, United States
1910 Census – 1311 West Walnut Street, Bloomington
Ward 5, McLean, Illinois
Daniel Tracy Head
M 55
Ireland, immigrated 1875, Na, watchman
Traction Co
Katie Tracy Wife
F 55
Ireland, married 35 years, 7
child 5 alive, emigrated 1873, married 35 years, 7 children 5 alive
Daniel W Tracy Son
M 34
Illinois, Inspector City
Electric
Dancel William Tracy married Julia Elizabeth Howard 29
Aug 1916 Harris Co., Texas, United States
1917 The American Journal of Nursing
On August 29, at Houston, Texas, Mrs. Julia E. Huff
Howard, class of 1907, Charity Hospital, New Orleans, to Daniel Tracy. Mr. and
Mrs. Tracy will live in Houston.
Julia Eva Huff, of Lalayette La (d. of William Huff
& Julia Creighton) married Joseph John Howard, of Norfolk Co (s. of Joseph
John Howard & Mary Keenan) 5 Jan 1909 (1902 Cleveland Ave) Orleans,
Louisiana, United States
1920 Census - 120 East 9th, Justice Precint #1,
Houstan Texas
Daniel W Tracy Head
M 33
New York, Father & Mother b.
Ireland, vice president Electrical Workers, renting
Julia E Tracy Wife
F 34
Louisiana, father b. Maryland
mother b. Louisiana
1921 Passport Application Texas, United States
Daniel William Tracy b. 7 Apr 1886, of 120 East Ninth
St Houstan Texas, Vice Pres Elec Wks
son of Daniel Tracy born Ireland, lives 1311 West
Walnut St Bloomington Illinois, emigrated from England about 1870, naturalised
at Bloomington 1878
35 years, mouth medium, 6', chin straight, forehead
high, hair dark, eyes blue, complexion fair, nose broad, face long.
Referee: Clarence George, City Electrician, Houstan
Texas - knows him 8 years.
To attend a conference in Mexico City May 25th 1921
1930 Census - 2505 Yupon, Houston, Harris, Texas
Julia E Tracy Head
F 44
Louisiana, married at 30, father
b. Maryland mother b. Louisiana
Daniel W Tracy Husband
M 44 Illinois,
Father & Mother b. Ireland, electrician electric
Ruth Mcclintock Sister
F 46
Louisiana, widow, married at 24,
father b. Maryland mother b. Louisiana
James B Sheridan Nephew
M 26
Illinois, single, parents b.
Illinois, electrician electric
9 Jan 1939 Santa Maria, Callac Peru to New York New
York, 1st Class Passangers
Dan W Tracy, 52, b. 4/7/86 Bloomington Ill, married,
lives 1301 Vermont Ave Washington D.C.
Julie Tracy, 52, b. 7/12/86 Lafayette LA, married,
lives 1301 Vermont Ave Washington D.C.
1940 Census - 2505 Yupon, Houston, Harris, Texas
Dan W Tracy Head
M 53
Illinois, married, same house
since 1935, President Electrical Workers Union, A. F. of L.
Julia H Tracy Wife
F 49
Louisiana,
27 Apr 1942 Draft Registration Washington DC, United
States
Daniel William Tracy, of 1301 Vermont Ave N.W. Wash
D.C., 56, b. 7 Apr 1886 Bloomington Illinois,
Light ruddy complexion, Blue eyes, Gray hair, 6', 192lb
Employer: U S Govt Labor Dept Wash D.C,
Relative: Mrs Julia E Tracy of 1301 Vermont Ave N.W.
Wash D.C
Jule Howard Tracy died 7 Jun 1958 Houston Harris Texas
United States, Widowed, b. 12 Jul 1883 Lafayette Louisiana (d. of William
Daniel Huff & Julia Elizabeth Creighton)
1920 Census - 1311 Walnut St, Bloomington Precinct 5,
McLean, Illinois
Dan Tracy Head
M 67
England [Ireland written over], emigrated
1880 Na 1887, parents b. Ireland, watchman railroad Co, own house
Kate Tracy Wife
F 60
Ireland, emigrated 1880 Na 1887,
parents b. Ireland
Danial Tracy died 3 Mar 1928 Bloomington McLean
Illinois, age 84, b. 3 Feb 1844 Co Waterford Ireland, Laborer, buried 6 Mar
1928 St Marys Cem
Daniel Tracy 1928
his wife Kate Tracy 1923
Daniel W. Tracy (1887-1955)
International Vice-Pres. 7th District 1920-1933
International President - IBEW 1933-1940 1947-1954
Assistant Secretary of Labor 1940-1946
Vice President - AFL 1947-1955
President Emeritus - IBEW 1954-1955
Jule Tracy July 12 1833 - June 7 1958
Daniel Tracy b. Feb. 3, 1844 County Waterford, Ireland
Death: Mar. 3, 1928
Kate O'Brien Tracy Jul. 15, 1858 County Sligo, Ireland
Death: Mar. 23, 1923 Bloomington McLean County Illinois, USA. Father Name: John
O'Brien
Children:
Margaret Tracy
Sheridan (1877 - 1944)*
Daniel William
Tracy (1887 - 1955)*
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35183498
Last update: 10
October 2017