Daniel E. Morgan
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edgar Morgan was an American politician of the Republican party who served as the second and last city manager
of Cleveland
, Ohio, but is often regarded as the 42nd mayor of the city. He was the last member of Cleveland City Council
to become mayor until Frank G. Jackson
was elected in 2005.
Morgan was born in Oak Hill, Ohio, to Elias and Elizabeth Jones Morgan. In 1897, he received his Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College
and a Bachelor of Laws
from Harvard Law School
in 1901. He began practicing law in Cleveland and in 1909, was elected to Cleveland City Council as a Republican. He supported home rule
and helped write Cleveland's new charter, supporting a large council with small wards. He was elected Ohio state senator
in 1928 and earned a reputation for improving pending legislation
In 1924, Cleveland adopted a city manager
plan. William R. Hopkins
became the first person to hold the position, but when council felt that Hopkins was becoming too powerful, they elected Morgan to replace him in 1930. As city manager, he opened all staff positions for African Americans at City Hospital, negotiated settlements over utility rates, and persuaded county officials to inclde a bond issue on the ballot to pay for public works to provide jobs during the Great Depression
. However, Morgan's financial plans for Depression aid did not last. In November 1931 the city manager plan was finally abolished and the city returned to a mayor-council government
. Morgan ran for mayor in 1932, but lost to a former mayor, Harry L. Davis
. He returned to private practice and became a judge of the Ohio Court of Appeals in 1939, serving until his death.
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio, but is often regarded as the 42nd mayor of the city. He was the last member of Cleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council
Cleveland City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Cleveland in Ohio. Its members are elected from 19 wards to four-year terms. The number of council members has decreased over the years...
to become mayor until Frank G. Jackson
Frank G. Jackson
Frank George Jackson is an American attorney and politician. He is currently the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. He was elected on November 8, 2005, unseating incumbent Jane Campbell and re-elected in 2009...
was elected in 2005.
Morgan was born in Oak Hill, Ohio, to Elias and Elizabeth Jones Morgan. In 1897, he received his Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1901. He began practicing law in Cleveland and in 1909, was elected to Cleveland City Council as a Republican. He supported home rule
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
and helped write Cleveland's new charter, supporting a large council with small wards. He was elected Ohio state senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
in 1928 and earned a reputation for improving pending legislation
In 1924, Cleveland adopted a city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
plan. William R. Hopkins
William R. Hopkins
William Rowland Hopkins was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the first city manager of Cleveland, Ohio from 1924 to 1929, during the brief period that Cleveland had a council-manager government instead of a mayor-council government.Hopkins was born in Johnstown,...
became the first person to hold the position, but when council felt that Hopkins was becoming too powerful, they elected Morgan to replace him in 1930. As city manager, he opened all staff positions for African Americans at City Hospital, negotiated settlements over utility rates, and persuaded county officials to inclde a bond issue on the ballot to pay for public works to provide jobs during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. However, Morgan's financial plans for Depression aid did not last. In November 1931 the city manager plan was finally abolished and the city returned to a mayor-council government
Mayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
. Morgan ran for mayor in 1932, but lost to a former mayor, Harry L. Davis
Harry L. Davis
Harry Lyman Davis was an American politician of the Republican Party. He served as the 38th and 44th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio and as the 49th Governor of Ohio....
. He returned to private practice and became a judge of the Ohio Court of Appeals in 1939, serving until his death.