This article is about the Connecticut politician. For other people with the same name, see John Dempsey (disambiguation)

John Dempsey

John Dempsey may refer to:* John Dempsey , Irish retired footballer* John Dempsey , also playwright* John Dempsey , American sailor and Medal of Honor recipient...

John Noel Dempsey (January 3, 1915 – July 16, 1989), was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician, born in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, who was the 81st Governor of Connecticut.

Early life

Dempsey was born in Cahir

Cahir

Cahir is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. The town is best known for its castle and the Swiss Cottage. It is in the barony of Iffa and Offa West.-Location and access:...

, County Tipperary

County Tipperary

County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. He was the only son of a career British Army officer. In 1925, the family moved to Putnam, Connecticut

Putnam, Connecticut

Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...

, in the northeastern corner of the state. Dempsey worked there in the textile industry and then in the Town Hall, which made the start for his rise in state politics. While living in Putnam Dempsey was the Soccer Coach at the Pomfret School

Pomfret School

Pomfret School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school in Pomfret, Connecticut, United States for grades 9 through 12 plus a post-graduate year. Pomfret School was founded in 1894, on the principles of intellectual rigor and the development of character...

 in Pomfret.

Political career

Dempsey was an Irish Catholic

Irish Catholic

Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...

 Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

. He was elected to the Putnam City Council at the age of 21. From 1948 he had six two-year terms as mayor of the city. He was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1949, but managed to divide his time between state and local affairs. He served in the General Assembly until 1955, when he became executive secretary of governor Abraham A. Ribicoff

Abraham A. Ribicoff

Abraham Alexander Ribicoff was an American Democratic Party politician. He served in the United States Congress, as the 80th Governor of Connecticut and as President John F. Kennedy's Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare...

.

Governor

John Dempsey was the Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant governor

A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...

 of Connecticut

Connecticut

Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

 during Ribicoff's last term as governor, from 1959-1961. He then succeeded Ribicoff as Governor of Connecticut and served from January 21, 1961 to January 6, 1971. He was an ally of party chairman John M. Bailey

John Moran Bailey

John Moran Bailey was a U.S. political figure.He dominated Connecticut Democratic politics as a party boss for many years. He served as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1961 until 1968, and was generally seen as one of the main behind-the-scenes backers of John F...

. He chose not to run for re-election in 1970 and was succeeded by Republican Thomas J. Meskill.

The University of Connecticut Health Center

University of Connecticut Health Center

The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the , School of Dental Medicine, , the UConn Medical Group, UConn Health Partners and . Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of providing outstanding health care education in an environment of exemplary patient care, research and...

 in Farmington, Connecticut

Farmington, Connecticut

Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...

 is known as John Dempsey Hospital. He was treated for lung cancer there himself in the last month of his life.

He was married to Mary Frey and they had three sons and a daughter.

External links