Mayor David E Walsh passed away on January 27, 1927 by Kevin Dayhoff

Mayor David E Walsh passed away on January 27, 1927

© By Kevin Dayhoff January 27, 2009

This is the long version of my column that appeared in Explore Carroll on January 29, 2009: “Remembering the life of former mayor David E. Walsh.”

On Thursday, January 27, 1927 former Westminster mayor David E. Walsh passed away.

His passing was noted in a now defunct Westminster Advocate newspaper article which appeared on January 28, 1927 – “Ex-Mayor Walsh Dead – Was Stricken With Paralysis While Attending A K. of C. Meeting.”

His granddaughter, current Westminster councilwoman Suzanne Albert, was kind enough to provide me with a copy of the obituary some time ago to further my ongoing research on the city of Westminster’s elected officials.

As a matter of fact, if you have any old newspaper articles, photographs, or any historic information on Westminster city government, Westminster mayors, burgesses, commissioners, or council members, please be in touch.

The 1927 article on Mayor Walsh reported that he was only 53 years-old when he died. “Mr. Walsh had been in ill health for the past two years. He was in this city Tuesday evening and attended the meeting in St. John’s Hall.

“His death was caused from paralysis… (He was present at a meeting in the K. of C. (Knights of Columbus) Hall, Baltimore, Wednesday night when taken ill and was removed to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he died at 12:30 yesterday afternoon.”

He had served our community as mayor from May 20, 1912 – May 15, 1916. His predecessor was Mayor Ernest J. Sponseller, who took his turn in office from May 16, 1910 – May 20, 1912. His successor was Mayor Howard E. Koontz who served from May 15, 1916 – May 17, 1926.

The 1910s were busy in Westminster. The population of Carroll County in 1910 was 33,934. It was during his term as mayor that Carroll County voted to become a “dry” county in 1914.

The automobile was beginning to bring about great changes in the community. According to a history of Carroll County during the 1900s, “From Our Front Porch,” by Jim Lee, gasoline cost 13 cents per gallon in October 1911. A Model T Ford cost $295 in 1923.

According to the Historical Society of Carroll County, on May 4, 1912, just days before Mayor Walsh took office, “Ex-President and Bull Moose Party candidate Teddy Roosevelt made a whistle-stop appearance in Westminster… He delivered a campaign speech from the front of the American Sentinel newspaper office near the intersection of Liberty and E. Main Streets.”

When I was growing up in Westminster in the 1950s and 1960s, Mayor Walsh was still mentioned in terms of great respect and appreciation. And for good reason; much of the article was devoted to his many accomplishments and the numerous civic organizations to which he belonged:

“He was a charter member of the Westminster Council, Knights of Columbus, of which he served as Grand Knight, and at the time of his death, he was connected with the Maryland State Council as District Deputy.

“He served two terms as Mayor of Westminster with exceptional ability.” In those days, mayors served two-year terms.

“He was a member of the Carroll County Bar. When the United States entered the World War (WWI,) he entered the Ordinance, where he remained until after the Armistice, when he was transferred to the United States Veterans’ Bureau, where his services will be remembered by many disabled soldiers.”

Mayor Walsh’s funeral was held on Saturday, January 29 at St. John Catholic Church. At the time, the church was located on East Main Street in Westminster where the Westminster branch of the Carroll County Public Library is now.

A February 4 newspaper article noted that his funeral “was largely attended and numerous beautiful floral tributes testified to the high esteem in he was held.”

Father Martin P. J. Egan conducted the services before he was laid to rest in the Westminster Cemetery. The names of the pallbearers read like a who’s who of prominent Westminster community leaders: J. Gloyd Diffendal, Paul A. Logue, Nathaniel H. Baumgardner, C. Gloyd Lynch, Norman B. Boyle, Edward W. Case, J. Carbery Boyle, and C. Eugene Tubman.

A February 4 newspaper article noted that his funeral “was largely attended and numerous beautiful floral tributes testified to the high esteem in which he was held.”

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Westminster Mayor 1912 1916 Walsh, Westminster Mayor 1910-12 Sponseller, Westminster Mayor 1916 1926 Koontz

Mayor Ernest J. Sponseller, who took his turn in office from May 16, 1910 – May 20, 1912.

Mayor David E. Walsh served our community as mayor from May 20, 1912 – May 15, 1916.

Mayor Howard E. Koontz served from May 15, 1916 – May 17, 1926.

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Art http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/