Charles F. Sullivan Explained

Charles F. Jeff Sullivan
Order:57th
Office:Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
Term Start:January 6, 1949
Term End:January 8, 1953
Governor:Paul A. Dever
Predecessor:Arthur W. Coolidge
Successor:Sumner G. Whittier
Office2:Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
Term Start2:1946
Term End2:1949
Predecessor2:William A. Bennett
Successor2:Andrew B. Holstrom
Office3:Massachusetts Senate
First Worcester District
Term Start3:1941
Term End3:1946
Predecessor3:Joseph Patrick McCooey
Successor3:William Daniel Fleming
Office4:Massachusetts House of Representatives
Term Start4:1937
Term End4:1940
Office5:City of Worcester, Massachusetts
Common Council
Term Start5:1936
Term End5:1937
Birthname:Charles F. Sullivan
Birth Date:October 10, 1904
Birth Place:Worcester, Massachusetts
Death Date:August 24, 1962 (aged 57)
Death Place:Worcester, Massachusetts
Party:Democrat
Profession:Restaurateur, Liquor store owner
Spouse:Helen

Charles F. Jeff Sullivan (October 10, 1904 – August 24, 1962) was an American politician who served as the 57th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1949 to 1953. Sullivan was also a member of the Worcester, Massachusetts Common Council, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, a Massachusetts State Senator and the Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts from 1946 to 1949.

Early life

Sullivan was the ninth of fifteen children born to Timothy and Mary Sullivan. When he was seven years old, Sullivan was nicknamed Jeff by a childhood friend who did not like the names Charles or Charlie. He eventually legally changed his name to Charles F. Jeff Sullivan. He dropped out of high school to work as an errand boy for the Reed and Prince Manufacturing Company. He earned extra money by selling lunches to his co-workers, which led to him opening a lunch cart.[1]

On September 3, 1928 he married Helen Norma McMahon. They had three daughters.

Entry into politics

At the age of thirty, Sullivan went into politics, he was first elected to the Worcester, Massachusetts Common Council in 1935, this was followed by election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1937 and to the Massachusetts Senate in 1940.

Mayor of Worcester

Sullivan first ran for Mayor in 1943, however he lost that election to the Republican candidate William Bennett. Sullivan ran again for the Mayoralty in 1945, this time he was elected. During his term as mayor Sullivan worked to develop the new Worcester Airport, blacktop the city's streets, covering up the old streetcar tracks that were no longer in use and to clean up the city's pension system. Sullivan was reelected mayor in 1948 and he served until 1949 when Worcester changed its city government to a Plan E format, under which the mayor is no longer popularly elected but is instead selected by votes of the City Council.[2]

Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts

On November 3, 1948, Sullivan was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, he was also reelected as mayor of Worcester and until 1949 he served in both capacities. Sullivan was reelected a lieutenant governor in 1950 of Massachusetts, he ran for reelection in 1952, however he lost in the Republican landslide of that year.

Post political career

Following his defeat, Sullivan retired from politics and opened up a liquor store. He died on August 24, 1962 at Saint Vincent Hospital.[3]

See also

Further reading


Notes and References

  1. News: Owens . C. R. . Jeff Sullivan Says Nickname Helped Career . The Boston Daily Globe . October 18, 1948.
  2. News: Southwick . Albert B . From Worcester mayor to lieutenant governor . Telegram & Gazette . November 26, 2006 .
  3. News: Chas. Jeff Sullivan, 51, Dies; Former Lieutenant Governor . The Boston Globe . August 25, 1962.