My City July 2022

MYHISTORY

William H. McKeighan 1915-16, 1922-23, 1927-28, 1931-33

Perhaps the biggest swindler to ever take the reigns of Flint, McKeighan was one of three political bosses of his day (along with Detroit’s Ed Barnard and Grand Rapids’ Frank D. McKay) with ties to Detroit’s Purple Gang and the corruption and lawlessness that came with it. Born in 1886 in Cleveland, OH he attended school in Saginaw, MI. He moved to Flint in 1908 and established a legitimate pharmacy, also spending some time as a motion picture operator, garage manager and auto salesman. Just before his political career began, he

opened a pool hall and barbershop on the corner of Leith and Industrial that served as his base of operations for future “business.” In 1913, he was elected alderman of the city and routed that in‘uence into a 1915 mayoral run. McKeighan was elected to three terms by popular vote, and two via the city’s 1929 charter that stipulated a council-manager form of government for which he was directly responsible. In 1927, McKeighan faced a recall election, during which he had police round up and arrest recall supporters. He survived his recall, yet in the next year, was under investigation for an assortment of crimes including bribery and vote-tampering. His turbu lent term resulted in a change to the city charter and installation of the council-manager form of government. Still, he was named manager in 1931 by the council which ended two years later when his council cronies were themselves arrested for fraud.—rough it all, McKeighan continued to skate free and even served in 1940 as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1945, he was charged with conspiracy to violate state liquor laws. With a judge-directed verdict of “not guilty”, McKeighan again dodged the law. He died in 1957, having never once been held accountable for his crimes.

Earl F. Johnson 1916-17

Earl F. Johnson was Genesee County-made. He was born in —etford Township in 1868 and was educated in that area until his high school years when he attended Flint High School. He worked as a school teacher for three years until opening a general store at East —etford which he operated for ten. While there, he served as township supervisor and treasurer. In 1898, he was elected Genesee County treasurer and followed that election with a move to Flint. In 1903, he was appointed division deputy revenue collector for the First District of Michigan – a post he held until 1914. He then became a business agent for the Union Trust and Savings Bank of Flint in 1915. He was an extremely well-known and respected man about town and when he ran for mayor in 1916, he won by the greatest majority ever given a candidate in Flint at that time. Like many before him, he was quite active socially and was a member of the Freemasons, Knights Templar, Nobles of the Moslem Tem ple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and Elks. In 1923, he served as a member of the State Senate and State Insti tute Commission. During his time as mayor, the Koegel meat company was founded. Johnson died in 1947.

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