William Emmett Dever
Encyclopedia
William Emmett Dever served as the Democratic mayor of Chicago, Illinois
, U.S.
from 1923 to 1927.
and entered his family's leather tanning business when he was fifteen. He left Woburn in 1882 and moved to Boston, where he was based while he traveled on tannery
business for two years, during which time he met Kate Conway and they married. When Kate noticed an ad stating that leather tanners could make good money in Chicago, the couple moved west.
Upon arriving in Chicago in 1887, Dever got a job working at a leather tannery on Goose Island and he also began taking law courses at night at the Chicago College of Law. Upon graduation in 1890, he opened his own law practice. He ran for alderman
in 1900, but was defeated. Two years later, he was elected alderman of the 17th Ward. In 1910, he was elected to his first term as a judge and was re-elected in 1916 and 1922.
In 1923, Democratic party boss George E. Brennan
selected Dever as having the best chance of defeating incumbent mayor William "Big Bill" Thompson
. Dever ran on a reform platform and Thompson withdrew from the race in favor of Arthur C. Leuder, who was easily defeated by Dever.
Dever's term in office saw many improvements to the city's infrastructure, including the completion of Wacker Drive
, the extension of Ogden Avenue, the straightening of the Chicago River
and the building of the city's first airport, Municipal Airport. He also fought against the corrupting influence of bootlegging
and gangsters. Despite considering himself a "wet", he enforced prohibition
since it was the law of the land. The media labeled his war on bootleggers as the "Great Beer War" and it resulted in a decline of crime.
By 1925, Chicago was in the middle of a gang war and many public officials were murdered. Dever tried to stem the violence and noted that although prohibition was a "tremendous mistake," he had no choice but to enforce it. Because of his resolution to uphold the law, Dever became nicknamed "Decent Dever" by the press.
Dever ran for re-election in 1927 against "Big Bill" Thompson, who defeated him by 83,000 votes. Dever went on to serve as a vice-president of the Bank of America
, but took a leave of absence and died of cancer in 1929. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1923 to 1927.
Biography
Dever was born in Woburn, MassachusettsWoburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
and entered his family's leather tanning business when he was fifteen. He left Woburn in 1882 and moved to Boston, where he was based while he traveled on tannery
Tannery
Tannery may refer to:* Tannery , a facility where the tanning process is applied to hide to produce leather* Paul Tannery , a French mathematician and historian of mathematics...
business for two years, during which time he met Kate Conway and they married. When Kate noticed an ad stating that leather tanners could make good money in Chicago, the couple moved west.
Upon arriving in Chicago in 1887, Dever got a job working at a leather tannery on Goose Island and he also began taking law courses at night at the Chicago College of Law. Upon graduation in 1890, he opened his own law practice. He ran for alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1900, but was defeated. Two years later, he was elected alderman of the 17th Ward. In 1910, he was elected to his first term as a judge and was re-elected in 1916 and 1922.
In 1923, Democratic party boss George E. Brennan
George E. Brennan
-Biography:Brennan was born in Ireland and he lost his right leg when he was 13. He had substituted for a switchman who was off on a post-payday drunk, at a coal mine in Braidwood, Illinois. He tried to uncouple two cars from a moving train and his right foot became wedged in a railroad switch...
selected Dever as having the best chance of defeating incumbent mayor William "Big Bill" Thompson
William Hale Thompson
William Hale Thompson was Mayor of Chicago from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931. Known as "Big Bill", Thompson was the last Republican to serve as Mayor of Chicago, and ranks among the most unethical mayors in American history.Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Hale...
. Dever ran on a reform platform and Thompson withdrew from the race in favor of Arthur C. Leuder, who was easily defeated by Dever.
Dever's term in office saw many improvements to the city's infrastructure, including the completion of Wacker Drive
Wacker Drive
Wacker Drive is a major street in Chicago, Illinois, United States, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River...
, the extension of Ogden Avenue, the straightening of the Chicago River
Chicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of the same name, including its center . Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and...
and the building of the city's first airport, Municipal Airport. He also fought against the corrupting influence of bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
and gangsters. Despite considering himself a "wet", he enforced prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
since it was the law of the land. The media labeled his war on bootleggers as the "Great Beer War" and it resulted in a decline of crime.
By 1925, Chicago was in the middle of a gang war and many public officials were murdered. Dever tried to stem the violence and noted that although prohibition was a "tremendous mistake," he had no choice but to enforce it. Because of his resolution to uphold the law, Dever became nicknamed "Decent Dever" by the press.
Dever ran for re-election in 1927 against "Big Bill" Thompson, who defeated him by 83,000 votes. Dever went on to serve as a vice-president of the Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, but took a leave of absence and died of cancer in 1929. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.