Brother Knight Edward F. McSweeney
Born 1864 Marlborough, MA
Died 1928 Framingham, MA
Edward F. McSweeney Assembly 400
Chartered October 25, 1936
Hudson, MA
On October 25, 1936, the Fourth Degree Members of the seven founding Councils of newly Chartered Fourth Degree Assembly 400 chose to name their Assembly after deceased Brother Knight Edward F. McSweeney. What follows are excerpts about this remarkable Patriot from the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council book: By Their Works, Profiles of Men Who Made a Difference, Produced by the Philip Lief Group, Inc., January 2006.
Edward F. McSweeney was the first of eight children born to John and Mary McSweeney in Marlborough, MA. He attended Marlborough Public Schools, but as the oldest he was expected to start earning money as soon as possible, and so at thirteen he left school and began working as a shoemaker. He continued to read voraciously, and his attentiveness, keen mind and leadership qualities soon carried him well beyond the cobbler’s trade.
What Edward F. McSweeney lacked in formal education he more than made up for with a passion for knowledge, a talent for leadership, an intense patriotism and a strong appreciation of the importance of history.
Among his accomplishments:
- Among the founders of the Laster’s (fasteners of shoe upper to sole) Union.
- At age 21, editor of the union’s news trade paper.
- 1886-1902, General President of Laster’s Union.
- 1892, Massachusetts publicity organizer for President Grover Cleveland’s reelection race.
- 1893-1902, Assistant U.S. Commissioner of Immigration, Port of New York at Ellis Island.
- 1897, Joined Knights of Columbus as Member of Dongan Council 164, New York.
- Transferred few years later to Council 116, Dorchester.
- 1905 – 1910, Editor -In-Chief Boston Traveler Newspaper, promoted improved health care and safer working conditions.
- Chairman Boston Consumptives Hospital Trustees – was key player in developing advance treatment for tuberculosis patients.
- Member Massachusetts Industrial Accidents Board after campaigning for a state workman’s compensation statute.
- 1921-1925, Chairman of newly formed Knights of Columbus Historical Commission after joining with Supreme Master of the Fourth Degree John H. Reddin to create it for the purpose of countering the nativism then prevalent after WW I in America.
- The result of the Historical Commission was a remarkable collection of papers and monographs by notable literary historians that demonstrated how America was the product of contributions by an array of Catholics and other minorities from all over the world and rightfully recognizing them as a valued part of American history.
- 1925, Once the Historical Commission had completed its work, he turned his energies toward the educational system in his home state – building several schools in rural Massachusetts.
- Became Vice President American Irish Historical Society in Boston.
- Moved to Framingham where he lived on Salem End Road in what is now known as the 1812 House, part of Framingham State University.
- November 1928, Brother Edward F. McSweeney, then 63, was killed when a train struck his automobile at the Pleasant Street crossing in Framingham.
- October 25, 1936, the charter members of the newly formed Edward F. McSweeney Assembly chose to name our Assembly after this remarkable Catholic American and Patriot who definitely made a difference.
His legacy was a conviction that the United States was the proud product of an almost infinite variety of people drawn to a common cause by a shared devotion to the principles of the American founders.