William Henry McKeighan (July 1, 1886 – September 15, 1957) was a Michigan politician and state political boss based in Flint. Together with Detroit Mayor Ed Barnard and Grand Rapids politician-businessman Frank D. McKay form a Republican political triumvirate with ties to the Purple Gang of Detroit.

Biography

William H. McKeighan was born in 1886 in Cleveland. In Saginaw, he attended high school. He moved to Flint in 1908, initially working in a drug store. A year later, he opened his own pharmacy. McKeighan established a "base of operations at Leith Street and Industrial Avenue" where he owned a barber shop and pool hall, then organized his political machine. McKeighan in 1913 was elected as a Flint city alderman at age 27. He was elected five times to the office of

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

of City of Flint. His first time was in 1915 for a single 1-year term then again in 1922 defeating Marvin C. Barney, Citizens Party candidate. On April 3, 1923, he was defeated in the race for mayor by David R. Cuthbertson. He was elected as mayor again in 1927. A recall election to remove McKeighan in 1927 failed during which the police arrested recall supporters. In 1928, he faced conspiracy charges. McKeighan was under investigation for a multitude of crimes and ticked off the rest of the city leaders that they pushed for changes in the city charter to a council-manager form with the council called commission. So, he ran the "Green Slate" of candidates who won in 1931 and 1932 that he was selected Flint Mayor in 1931 by the other City Commissioners. He entered the 1932 primary

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the stat ...

race. In 1940, he was a delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...

from Michigan. Along with his political ally, Frank D. McKay, McKeighan was charged with conspiracy to violate state liquor laws in 1945; he was given a judge-directed verdict of not guilty.

References

Mayors of Flint, Michigan Michigan Republicans 1886 births 1957 deaths 20th-century American politicians {{Michigan-mayor-stub