Austin Volk
Encyclopedia
Austin Nicholas Volk was an American
businessman and politician from New Jersey
. A member of the Republican Party
, Volk served as the Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
, and in the New Jersey State Assembly for two terms during his political career.
on December 28, 1918, to Nicholas and Helen Volk. He graduated from Dwight Morrow High School
in Englewood in 1937.
Volk graduated from Brown University
, where he became a cadet
in the U.S. Naval Reserve Officer Training Program and a Delta Kappa Epsilon
member. Volk served in the United States Navy
during both World War II
and the Korean War
, reaching the rank of Captain. Volk owned an insurance business and was Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
from 1960 to 1963 and 1966 to 1970. He later served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
. During World War II, Volk was a participant at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands
as the commanding officer
of a landing craft
. Volk is credited with discovering and naming the Brown Bear River in the Solomon Islands after Brown University during the war.
Volk returned to New Jersey
following the end of World War II. He began working at Nicholas Volk and Co., his family's insurance
office in New York City
. He remained a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. Volk became a logistical support team commander during the Korean War. He once again returned to his family's insurance business after the Korean War. He would later retire from the United States Navy
in 1965, having reached the rank of captain.
The 1967 Newark riots
, which lasted from July 12 to July 17, 1967, broke out in Newark, New Jersey
, which is located south of Englewood. On July 21, 1967, days after the end of Newark's violence, unrest broke out in a Englewood's 4th Ward, a predominantly African American
section of Englewood. African Americans had complained of substandard, slum housing and police neglect in the otherwise affluent city. The Englewood unrest, which lasted for five days. included instances of rock throwing, broken windows and one example of gunfire. Several police officers and residents were injured. At one stage of the troubles he used a helicopter to direct the police.
Volk, who was 17 months into his second term at the time of the unrest, agreed to meet with African American leaders and ministers to discuss their grievances during the Englewood riots. He vowed to demolish slum properties in the 4th Ward and increase career prospects for residents. Volk also condemned the violence in Englewood committed by some rioters.
At one point during the unrest, Volk wore his navy uniform as he walked down Palisade Avenue in the 4th Ward with Englewood police and fire fighters. Volk felt that walking with the police and fire fighters would project stability and the need to negotiate the end to the riots. After the riots he appointed a community relations committee to help defuse racial tensions by integrating classes in five elementary schools. However, his actions and use of the police were questioned by some African American leaders. Arnold Brown, who was serving as the first African American state assemblyman from Bergen County at the time, felt that Volk "elevated the situation" through the heavy use of police in remarks about Volk in 2010. Brown explained that, "We had our differences in the ’60s... He was just a conservative looking for the status quo."
In the Fall of 1967, Volk was defeated in his bid for a third term term by his Democratic opponent. Democrats also gained the majority of seats on the Englewood City Council in the election. Volk left office in January 1968.
Volk was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly in 1970 representing the 37th Legislative District
. He served two terms in the Assembly. Volk retired from the insurance industry in the late 2000s.
Austin Volk died at his home in Southampton, New York
, on September 18, 2010, at the age of 91. He had been a longtime summer resident of Southampton. He was buried at Brookside Cemetery
in Englewood.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and politician from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. A member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Volk served as the Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
Mayors of Englewood, New Jersey. The terms begin on January 1 of the new year.*Frank Huttle III 2010 to present.*Michael Wildes 2004 to 2009.*Paul T. Fader 1998 to 2003....
, and in the New Jersey State Assembly for two terms during his political career.
Early life
Volk was born at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New JerseyEnglewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
on December 28, 1918, to Nicholas and Helen Volk. He graduated from Dwight Morrow High School
Dwight Morrow High School
Dwight Morrow High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Englewood, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Englewood Public School District. The school also serves students from Englewood Cliffs, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship...
in Englewood in 1937.
Volk graduated from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, where he became a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in the U.S. Naval Reserve Officer Training Program and a Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon
Delta Kappa Epsilon is a fraternity founded at Yale College in 1844 by 15 men of the sophomore class who had not been invited to join the two existing societies...
member. Volk served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during both World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, reaching the rank of Captain. Volk owned an insurance business and was Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey
Mayors of Englewood, New Jersey. The terms begin on January 1 of the new year.*Frank Huttle III 2010 to present.*Michael Wildes 2004 to 2009.*Paul T. Fader 1998 to 2003....
from 1960 to 1963 and 1966 to 1970. He later served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. During World War II, Volk was a participant at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
as the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of a landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
. Volk is credited with discovering and naming the Brown Bear River in the Solomon Islands after Brown University during the war.
Volk returned to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
following the end of World War II. He began working at Nicholas Volk and Co., his family's insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
office in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He remained a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve and was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. Volk became a logistical support team commander during the Korean War. He once again returned to his family's insurance business after the Korean War. He would later retire from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1965, having reached the rank of captain.
Political career
Volk was elected to two nonconsecutive terms as Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey during the 1960s. He served his first term as Mayor from 1960 until 1963. The city of Englewood was ordered to desegregate its public school system during Volk's first term. He was elected to a second, nonconsecutive term as Mayor in 1965, and took office in January 1965.The 1967 Newark riots
1967 Newark riots
The 1967 Newark riots were a major civil disturbance that occurred in the city of Newark, New Jersey between July 12 and July 17, 1967. The six days of rioting, looting, and destruction left 26 dead and hundreds injured.-Social unrest:...
, which lasted from July 12 to July 17, 1967, broke out in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, which is located south of Englewood. On July 21, 1967, days after the end of Newark's violence, unrest broke out in a Englewood's 4th Ward, a predominantly African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
section of Englewood. African Americans had complained of substandard, slum housing and police neglect in the otherwise affluent city. The Englewood unrest, which lasted for five days. included instances of rock throwing, broken windows and one example of gunfire. Several police officers and residents were injured. At one stage of the troubles he used a helicopter to direct the police.
Volk, who was 17 months into his second term at the time of the unrest, agreed to meet with African American leaders and ministers to discuss their grievances during the Englewood riots. He vowed to demolish slum properties in the 4th Ward and increase career prospects for residents. Volk also condemned the violence in Englewood committed by some rioters.
At one point during the unrest, Volk wore his navy uniform as he walked down Palisade Avenue in the 4th Ward with Englewood police and fire fighters. Volk felt that walking with the police and fire fighters would project stability and the need to negotiate the end to the riots. After the riots he appointed a community relations committee to help defuse racial tensions by integrating classes in five elementary schools. However, his actions and use of the police were questioned by some African American leaders. Arnold Brown, who was serving as the first African American state assemblyman from Bergen County at the time, felt that Volk "elevated the situation" through the heavy use of police in remarks about Volk in 2010. Brown explained that, "We had our differences in the ’60s... He was just a conservative looking for the status quo."
In the Fall of 1967, Volk was defeated in his bid for a third term term by his Democratic opponent. Democrats also gained the majority of seats on the Englewood City Council in the election. Volk left office in January 1968.
Volk was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly in 1970 representing the 37th Legislative District
37th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 37th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Bergen County municipalities of Bergenfield, Bogota, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Hackensack, Leonia, Maywood, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, Rochelle Park, Teaneck and Tenafly...
. He served two terms in the Assembly. Volk retired from the insurance industry in the late 2000s.
Later life
Volk married his wife, the former Rae P. Glidden, in 1979. Glidden was the widow of John C. Glidden, who had served as the president of the Englewood City Council. The couple remained together until her death in 2009.Austin Volk died at his home in Southampton, New York
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
, on September 18, 2010, at the age of 91. He had been a longtime summer resident of Southampton. He was buried at Brookside Cemetery
Brookside Cemetery, Englewood
-History:It was started in May 1876, by a group of Englewood residents who purchased of land for a cemetery. The property sits on the East side of Engle Street adjacent to Tenafly, New Jersey. The cemetery was named for the brook running beside its eastern boundary. A chapel built with the local...
in Englewood.