Joseph M. McCormick
Encyclopedia
Joseph Medill McCormick known as Medill, was part of the McCormick family
of businessmen and politicians in Chicago
. He became a Representative
and a Senator
from Illinois
in the United States
.
on May 16, 1877, Joseph Medill McCormick's father was diplomat Robert Sanderson McCormick
(1849–1919), who was nephew of Cyrus McCormick
.
McCormick attended Groton School
at Groton, Massachusetts
and graduated from Yale University
in 1900, where he was elected to the secret society Scroll and Key
. He worked as a newspaper reporter, publisher, and owner of the Chicago Daily Tribune
. He also later purchased an interest in The Cleveland Leader and Cleveland News
. He was a war correspondent
in the Philippine Islands in 1901. In 1903 he married Ruth Hanna
, daughter of Ohio Senator Mark Hanna
.
and hoped that leadership of the paper would pass from her brother-in-law, Robert Wilson Patterson
, to her son. Medill took over much of the management of the paper between 1903 and 1907, but became increasingly depressed and alcoholic. In 1907–1908, he spent some time under the care of Carl Jung
in Zurich, subsequently following Jung's advice to detach himself from the family newspaper.
His younger brother Robert Rutherford McCormick
(1880–1955), would also become involved in the newspaper for the next four decades.
in 1912 and 1914. Afterwards he was elected to the United States House of Representatives
, serving from March 4, 1917 to March 3, 1919. He was elected to the United States Senate
in 1918 and served from March 4, 1919 until his death. In the Senate, McCormick was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Labor and the Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments.
McCormick lost the nomination in 1924 to Charles S. Deneen
, and died on February 25, 1925 in a hotel room in Washington, DC.
Although kept quiet at the time, his death was considered suicide.
McCormick was interred in Middle Creek Cemetery, near Byron, Illinois
. He was the husband of Ruth Hanna McCormick
and father of Al-Marah Arabians owner Ruth "Bazy" McCormick Miller Tankersley and of Katrina McCormick Barnes. His son Medill, called "Johnny," died in a mountain-climbing accident in 1938.
McCormick family
The McCormick family is a family of business people and politicians from the United States.They descend from Robert McCormick and Mary Ann Hall.Below is a list of members:...
of businessmen and politicians in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He became a Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and a Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life
Born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on May 16, 1877, Joseph Medill McCormick's father was diplomat Robert Sanderson McCormick
Robert Sanderson McCormick
Robert Sanderson McCormick was a United States diplomat. Born in rural Virginia, his extended McCormick family became influential in Chicago.-Life:...
(1849–1919), who was nephew of Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus Hall McCormick, Sr. was an American inventor and founder of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of International Harvester Company in 1902.He and many members of the McCormick family became prominent Chicagoans....
.
McCormick attended Groton School
Groton School
Groton School is a private, Episcopal, college preparatory boarding school located in Groton, Massachusetts, U.S. It enrolls approximately 375 boys and girls, from the eighth through twelfth grades...
at Groton, Massachusetts
Groton, Massachusetts
Groton is a town located in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The population was 10,646 at the 2010 census. It is home to two noted prep schools: Groton School, founded in 1884, and Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 1793. The historic town hosts the National Shepley Hill Horse...
and graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1900, where he was elected to the secret society Scroll and Key
Scroll and Key
The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the wealthiest and second oldest Yale secret society...
. He worked as a newspaper reporter, publisher, and owner of the Chicago Daily Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
. He also later purchased an interest in The Cleveland Leader and Cleveland News
Cleveland News
The Cleveland News was a daily and Sunday American newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio, published from 1905 to 1960, when it was absorbed by rival paper The Plain Dealer.-History:...
. He was a war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
in the Philippine Islands in 1901. In 1903 he married Ruth Hanna
Ruth Hanna McCormick
Ruth Hanna, Ruth Hanna McCormick or Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms was a United States Representative from Illinois.-Life:Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms was the daughter of Mark Hanna and the wife of Sen...
, daughter of Ohio Senator Mark Hanna
Mark Hanna
Marcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
.
Joining and leaving the Chicago Tribune
McCormick's mother, Katherine Medill McCormick, was the daughter of Tribune owner Joseph MedillJoseph Medill
Joseph Medill was an American newspaper editor and publisher, and politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune, and was Mayor of Chicago.-Biography:...
and hoped that leadership of the paper would pass from her brother-in-law, Robert Wilson Patterson
Robert Wilson Patterson
Robert Wilson Patterson was an American newspaper editor and publisher. He was born in Chicago, attended Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois, and graduated from Williams College in 1871, and then began the study of law...
, to her son. Medill took over much of the management of the paper between 1903 and 1907, but became increasingly depressed and alcoholic. In 1907–1908, he spent some time under the care of Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
in Zurich, subsequently following Jung's advice to detach himself from the family newspaper.
His younger brother Robert Rutherford McCormick
Robert R. McCormick
Robert Rutherford "Colonel" McCormick was a member of the McCormick family of Chicago who became owner and publisher of the Chicago Tribune newspaper...
(1880–1955), would also become involved in the newspaper for the next four decades.
Political career
McCormick was vice chairman of the national campaign committee of the Progressive Republican movement from 1912 to 1914. He was elected to the Illinois House of RepresentativesIllinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
in 1912 and 1914. Afterwards he was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, serving from March 4, 1917 to March 3, 1919. He was elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1918 and served from March 4, 1919 until his death. In the Senate, McCormick was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Labor and the Committee on Expenditures in Executive Departments.
McCormick lost the nomination in 1924 to Charles S. Deneen
Charles S. Deneen
Charles Samuel Deneen was the 23rd Governor of Illinois, serving from 1905 to 1913, and was the first to serve two terms. He served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1925–1931. Deneen also served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1892...
, and died on February 25, 1925 in a hotel room in Washington, DC.
Although kept quiet at the time, his death was considered suicide.
McCormick was interred in Middle Creek Cemetery, near Byron, Illinois
Byron, Illinois
Byron is a city in Ogle County, Illinois, United States, probably best known as the location of the Byron Nuclear Generating Station, one of the last nuclear power plants commissioned in the United States. Byron is located in Byron Township, along the Rock River. The population was 3,753 at the...
. He was the husband of Ruth Hanna McCormick
Ruth Hanna McCormick
Ruth Hanna, Ruth Hanna McCormick or Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms was a United States Representative from Illinois.-Life:Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms was the daughter of Mark Hanna and the wife of Sen...
and father of Al-Marah Arabians owner Ruth "Bazy" McCormick Miller Tankersley and of Katrina McCormick Barnes. His son Medill, called "Johnny," died in a mountain-climbing accident in 1938.