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Joseph F. Hogan City of Troy |
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Joseph F. Hogan City of Troy |
JOSEPH F. HOGAN. One of the most widely-known men of the city of Troy, New York, is Joseph F. Hogan, who has for many years been a leader in the public life of this city, as well as an active executive in the business progress of Rensselaer county. A man of broad vision, alert to all phases of civic, social and economic advance, Mr. Hogan has made himself eminently useful in the community and has been the means of bringing about many progressive movements which have resulted in great good for the people. He is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Gleason) Hogan, both natives of Ireland, who came to this country in their youth and settled at Troy, where they spent their remaining years and where they both died.
Joseph F. Hogan was born in Troy, New York, May 4, 1857, within a block of where he now lives. His education was received in the Ninth Ward schools of Troy, and at the age of fourteen years he entered the employ of the Troy Stamping Works. He later became identified with the Rensselaer Iron Works, and still later worked for a time for the Clinton Foundry, eventually returning to the Rensselaer Iron Works, where he remained for a considerable period. While he was engaged in the iron
industry, Hogan Lodge, No. 1, of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers of America, was formed. This was named for Mr. Hogan, who was made their president, serving in that capacity from the organization in 1879 until 1882. He was at that time also an active member of the Knights of Labor. In the eighties he left the iron industry and became traveling and local salesman in the employ of John A. Healey, a Troy produce merchant, who was then active on a large scale in this city. Mr. Hogan was thereafter identified in turn with the Isenhardt Brewing Company and the Ruscher Brewing Company for a time, and was associated with the latter concern when he was elected mayor of Troy.
In the public service Mr. Hogan has for fully thirty years been a leader of progress. He was first elected alderman from the Ninth Ward in 1893 and served in that capacity for a decade. During the greater part of this time he filled the very responsible position as chairman of the auditing committee, the importance of this committee being self-evident. He also served on the railway committee, and his record on the Board of Aldermen gave him such high standing in the esteem and confidence of the people that in the year 1903 he was elected mayor of the city of Troy for the two succeeding years. Mr, Hogan's work in this, the highest local office in the gift of the people, was in a very marked degree constructive and commendable, and regardless of party affiliations or convictions, the people acclaimed him as a broadly progressive and forwardreaching
executive with the interest of the public at heart. For some years after the expiration of his term of service as mayor, Mr. Hogan accepted no further official responsibilities, but was selected as delegate to the Democratic State Convention, held at Syracuse, New York, at which Governor Smith was nominated.
In 1907 he became interested in the insurance business, also taking over this district for the Casualty Insurance Company of America, and was engaged along this line until the year 1913. Meanwhile, the Forbes Manor Realty Company had been formed, in 1905, Mr. Hogan becoming a stockhelder, and in 1913 he was elected secretary of this corporation. He still fills this office and is active in the advance of the corporation. In 1922 he also founded the Troy Fire Alarm Service, Inc., of which he is president and treasurer; the former of these interests has made interesting history in real estate affairs in Rensselaer county,
and the latter concern is promising great things in the way of useful development. In January, 1923, Mr. Hogan was recalled to important public service by his appointment by the Troy Board of Education as superintendent of repairs of public school buildings, and he is the first to serve in this responsible office, as it was created at that time. The need of such an executive has long been felt by the local Board of Education, and the securing of Mr. Hogan's service in this capacity is felt to be something for which the cause of education locally may be congratulated. Although Mr. Hogan has many years of usefulness to his credit, and long experience and activity in various lines of endeavor, the years have only served to give him breadth of view and a large optimism, and in spite of advancing years, he is full of the enthusiasm of youth. Mr. Hogan is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the North End Rod and Gun Club, and his chief
recreative interest is in out-door sports, particularly hunting and fishing, in which he was quite noted in earlier years.
Mr. Hogan married, on January 17, 1889, Helen Curry, of Troy, daughter of Patrick and Helen (McCann) Curry. Their beautiful home, at No. 336 Third street, was erected in 1909, and is the center of a large and brilliant sfjcial group.
