New York State Library
NYSL Facebook page NYSL Instagram account NYSL Twitter account

Martin Henry Glynn
Papers, 1913-1924
SC21255

Quantity: 6 boxes (3.0 cubic ft.)
Access: Open to research
Acquisition: Gift of Woods McCahill and Dominick C. Lizzi, July 1996
Processed By: Scott Burke, Intern, College of St. Rose, August 1996

View catalog record

Biographical Note:

Martin H. Glynn was born in the town of Kinderhook, N.Y. on September 17, 1871. Shortly afterward, his family moved to Valatie, N.Y.

Glynn worked as a journalist and lawyer; he later became the publisher and editor of the Albany Times Union. He also served as member of Congress from the Albany district, 1899-1901, New York State Comptroller, 1906-1908, and Lieutenant Governor, 1913. Following the impeachment of Governor William Sulzer in 1913, he became the first Roman Catholic Governor of New York State.  Glynn was the Democrat Party candidate for Governor in 1914, but was defeated by his Republican opponent Charles Whitman.

Martin Glynn was active in the Progressive movement. He worked with Theodore Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryan, Woodrow Wilson, and William R. Hearst. Throughout most of his political career he was involved with the Albany and Tammany political machines. He also pursued his interest in Irish American affairs.

Glynn died on December 14, 1924 at the age of fifty-three.

Scope and Content Note:

The Martin H. Glynn papers contain an assortment of manuscript and printed material (1913-1924) related primarily to his political career as well as his role as editor and publisher of the Albany Times Union. The manuscripts consist chiefly of writings and speeches on a variety of topics, including Irish independence, Catholic patriotism, as well as speeches regarding foreign and domestic issues. Also included is one of his most famous speeches, the one he delivered at the 1916 National Democratic Convention. Serving as the keynote speaker, he praised the accomplishments of President Woodrow Wilson as well as the platform of the Democratic Party.

These papers also include photocopies of excerpts from books, periodical articles, newspaper clippings and other research materials collected by Dominick Lizzi while working on his book, Governor Martin H. Glynn, Forgotten Hero.  Many of these texts were annotated by Lizzi.

Box and Folder List:

Box Folder Contents
1   Scrapbook - Contains newspaper articles, editorials, and correspondence (June 14, 1916-June 15, 1919)
The articles reveal Glynn's feelings about President Wilson's foreign policy. Also included is press coverage of the National Democratic Convention as well as articles dealing with Catholic patriotism and the women's suffrage movement.
    Typed Speeches
2 1
  1. Thomas Jefferson, Address, April 1914, 6 p.
  2. Address before the New York State Waterways Association, October 30, 1913, 4 p.
  3. Flag Day speech, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, June 14, 1914, 6 p.
  4. Graduate class of Fordham University, June 9, 1914, 3 p.
  5. Unveiling of the Sheridan monument, Albany, October 7, 1916, 9 p.
  6. Welcome speech to President Wilson, New York City, November 2, 1916, 3 p.
  7. Renomination speech for Vice President Marshall, September 14, 1916, 2 p.
  8. Address to the State Federation of Labor at Schenectady, August 25, 1914, 2 p.
    Typed and Written Speeches
2 2
  1. List of governor's speeches, 3 p.
  2. Address of Martin H. Glynn (former Governor of New York), Temporary Chairman, Democratic National Committee, at St. Louis, Missouri, June 14, 1916, (booklet)
  3. Dinner address to honor Sir Esme William Howard, April 9, 1924, (booklet)
  4. Abstract of speech of Martin H. Glynn, 1 p.
  5. List of Governor's speeches and notes, 1 p.
  6. Speech on neutrality, 22 p.
  7. "Insert in prison speech," 2 p. (2 copies)
  8. Workman's Compensation Act speech, 1 p.
  9. "The Part That Germans and German Americans Have Played in the Making of the United States," Monday, February 13, [n.d.], 8 p.
  10. "The Truth Is Mighty and Shall Prevail ...", keynote speech delivered to by Glynn at the Democratic National Convention, June 14, 1916, (booklet)
  11. Speech regarding the impeachment of Governor Sulzer, 4 p.
  12. "Insert in speech on press," 2 p.
  13. Speech on U.S. relations with Europe following World War I, 4 p. (2 copies) annotated
2 3
  1. Speech delivered on Labor Day before Schoharie County farmers, September 6, 1920, 20 p.
  2. Speech delivered to Albany Italians, 3 p.
  3. Speech delivered at the inauguration of a movement for a statue to Sir Walter Scott, November 10, 1921, 5 p.
  4. Speech entitled "As Solomon Gave His Treasure," given at the dedication of the Vincentian institute, Albany, N.Y., May 24, 1917, (booklet)
  5. Speech given at the dedication of the Vincentian Institute, Albany, N.Y., May 24, 1917, 4p.
  6. Speech given to inaugurate a movement to erect a statue to General Philip Sheridan, February 11, 1914, 8 p.
  7. Address to the State Teacher's Association, November 22, 1914, 7 p.
  8. Speech delivered at the inauguration of Dr. John Huston Finley as Commissioner of Education, January 2, 1914, 5 p.
2 4
  1. Speech regarding Catholic patriotism in the United States, Washington, D.C., Memorial Day 1917, 14 p.
  2. Keynote speech delivered at the Democratic National Convention, June 1916, 22 p.
2 5
  1. Geography and statistical data on England and Ireland.
  2. Notes on Ireland, 15 p.
  3. "What is a Free State?" 16 p.
  4. "Issues Leading to the Formation of the United States," 6 p.
  5. Speech celebrating Irish independence on Saint Patrick's Day, 1 p.
  6. Oath for Ireland.
2 6
  1. "Liberty: Ireland and Poland," 8 p.
  2. "The Irish Free State," 6 p.
  3. Handwritten notes on "Without Prejudice by I. Zangwill," 12 p.
2 7
  1. Notes on relationship between religion and politics, 15 p.
  2. "Laws of Life," 4 p.
  3. " Jesus," 1 p.
2 8
  1. Proposal to the New York State Legislature for increased appropriations, 4 p.
  2. A typed letter regarding an Unemployment Bureau, 5 p.
  3. Notes on George Washington, 20 p.
  4. Speech about George Washington, 10 p.
2 9
  1. Statistical data on countries, 1 p.
  2. Notes regarding Ireland and England, 5 p.
    Editorials
3 1
  1. "Mrs. Wilson's Devotion and Care of President," Times Union, February 5, 1924, 2 p.
  2. "Sidelights on President Coolidge," Times Union, August 6, 1923, 4 p.
3 2
  1. "Personality of President Harding," Times Union, August 3, 1923, 3 p.
  2. "Woodrow Wilson," Times Union, August 4, 1924, 3 p.
3 3
  1. "President Harding," Times Union, August 3, 1923, 3 p.
  2. "A Tribute to our Soldiers and Sailors," Times Union, May 15, 1919, 1 p.
  3. "Dr. Henry Hun," Times Union, March 15, 1924, 2 p.
3 4 Speech: "The Man Who Worked with Dana on the Sun," January 1922, 7 p.
3 5
  1. A memorial written in relation to the death of Theodore Roosevelt, Times Union, January 10, 1919, 1 p.
  2. "The Inconsistencies of Roosevelt, the Somersaults of Root and the Policies of Wilson: A Reply by Martin Glynn to the Accusations of Elihu Root," 32 p.
3 6 Editorial: "A Well-Laid PLOT," Congressional Record, January 28, 1918, 1 p.
3 7
  1. Essay on debentures, 12 p.
  2. Paper on markets, 1 p.
  3. Paper on Magna Carta, 1 p.
  4. Paper on Labor Bureau, 1 p.
3 8 Typescript of Governor Martin H. Glynn: Forgotten Hero, written by Dominick Lizzi. June 1992. Prologue through Chapter 7.
3 9 Typescript of Governor Martin H. Glynn: Forgotten Hero, written by Dominick Lizzi. June 1992. Chapters 8 through 25.
4 1 1 photograph of Governor Glynn with four unidentified men. [Man on the right looks like Franklin Delano Roosevelt.]
4 2 2 small photographs: one of the governor with his wife in Africa, the other  unidentified.
4 3
  1. One copy of  Woodrow Wilson: A Biography, from Current History Magazine, March 1924.
  2. One copy of The New Republic, Wednesday, February 8, 1922.
  3. One copy of the The Ahenaeum, December 10, 1921.
  4. Newspaper clipping: "One of the Youngest Members."
  5. One copy of L'Intransigeant, March 30, 1922.
  6. Assorted newspaper clippings
    Correspondence to the Governor
4 4
  1. East Side News Publishing Co., September 26, 1914.
  2. Fly and Hobson Co., December 24, 1914.
  3. Tom C. Rye, December 12, 1914.
  4. Luke Lea, December 12, 1914.
  5. Morris Mayer, December 4, 1914.
  6. McMillin, December 12, 1914.
  7. List of county fairs attended by the Governor (2 copies)
  8. Election results, December 5, 1914.
  9. William E. Lewis, November 11, 1914.
  10. Certificate issued by James Hamilton verifying primary victory, April 15, 1924.
  11. Roy K. Moulton
  12. Wayne C. Williams
  13. Paul Herbert Midall [Midsall?], January 20, 1922.
  14. Carl Ackerman, December 21, 1925.
  15. Byron R. Newton, January 4, 1923.
  16. Notes. (10 pages)
  17. Letter to Max T. Dowdall from the secretary to the Governor, September 29, 1914.
    Sympathy telegrams/letters to Mrs. Glynn in relation to her husband's death
4 5
  1. Herbert Hoover, December 18, 1924.
  2. W.R. Hearst, December.
  3. Charles W. Latimer
  4. John H. Finley, December 15, 1924.
  5. Edward House, December 15, 1924.
  6. Joseph Kane, December 15, 1924.
  7. Norman Mack, December 15, 1924.
  8. John M. Graire.
  9. Robert W. Hill, December 15, 1924.
  10. John M. O'Hanlon, December 16, 1924.
  11. Richard Nelson, December 15, 1924.
  12. Charles C. Harruieou, December 15, 1924.
  13. Edward McKinney.
  14. Illegible; on stationery from The Bloomfield, Trenton, New Jersey, December 18, 1924.
  15. W. Church Osborn, December 17, 1924.
  16. Msgr. Michael J. Looney, December 16, 1924.
  17. Addison B. Colvin, December 15, 1924.
  18. Central Federation of Labor.
  19. William P. Rudd.
  20. State of New York Comptroller's Office
  21. George Barr Baker, Friends of Belgium.
4 6
  1. Lillie Daijeeling [Little Darjeeling?], December 16, 1924.
  2. Reverend Thomas Ewing Sherman, January 5, 1925.
  3. Mrs. Ten Eyck T. Mosher, March 9, 1925, on behalf of the Albany Colony Daughters of Columbia County Historical Society (original and photocopy)
  4. New York Times, December 15, 1924.
  5. William Rice, January 9, 1925.
  6. Obituary from National Hibernian [?], 1924.
  7. "Historical and Art Society in Glynn Tribute," Times Union, December 22, 1924.
  8. Tribute written by the Albany Institute Historical and Art Society that appeared in the Knickerbocker Press on December 21, 1924, and in the Albany Evening Journal, December 22, 1924.
  9. John and Lilly McCormack, December 15, 1924.
  10. H.L.P. Rice, February 3, 1925.
  11. R.U. Johnson, December 17, 1926.
  12. Stephen S. Wise, Central and Free Synagogues, December 20, 1924, includes printed tribute written by him
  13. James M. Cox, December 15, 1924.
  14. William Gorham Rice, December 16, 1924.
  15. Grace Root, February 1925.
  16. James Tracey, January 11, 1925.
  17. B.D. O'Dell, December 15, 1924.
  18. Nathan Miller, December 15, 1924.
  19. Robert Wagner, December 15, 1924.
  20. Robert Wagner, December 14, 1924.
  21. Frederick Wallis, December 16, 1924.
  22. H.L. Russell, December 16, 1924.
  23. Owen Young.
  24. John Sullivan, December 15, 1924.
  25. Melville Stone, December 16, 1924.
4 -- Audiotape: D.C. Lizzi. Gov. Martin H. Glynn ..., 9/28/97 [possibly audiotape of book]
    Dominick Lizzi Research Notes
5 1 Photocopies of death certificates.
5 2 Article: "Martin H. Glynn's Administration Eventful," [Hudson] Register Star, September 18, 1959
5 3 Program: Gov. Martin H. Glynn Celtic Fest, September 8, 2002
5 4 Photocopies of photographs, book pages, editorial cartoons, etc.
5 5 Notes taken during interviews with various persons with knowledge of Glynn's personal and public life.
5 6 Photocopies of articles written by Lizzi for the Chatham Courier, the [Albany] Independent Evangelist and the Ogdensburg Journal
5 7 Photocopies of newspaper articles, mostly related to Glynn
5 8 Biographical and historical notes on the life and political career of Glynn
5 9 Photocopies of pages from books:
Myers, Gustavus. The History of Tammany Hall.
Werner, M.R. Tammany Hall.
Forest, Jay W. and Malcolm, James. Tammany's Treason: Impreachment of Governor William Sulzer.
6 1 Programs, photographs, articles, etc. related to  dedication of plaque in honor of Martin Glynn, Albany September 17, 1998
6 2 Glynn's editorial; campaign literature; speeches (photocopies)
6 3 Letters to and from Dominick Lizzi, many relating to the Glynn book
6 4 Periodical articles, excerpts from books, etc. (annotated photocopies)
6 5 Periodical articles, excerpts from books, etc. (annotated photocopies)
Last Updated: February 17, 2022