The Political Graveyard: Kerner-Cermak family of Illinois

Kerner-Cermak family of Illinois

Note: This is just one of 643 family groupings listed on The Political Graveyard web site. These families each have three or more politician members, all linked together by blood, marriage or adoption.

Some families traditionally (and perhaps properly) considered separately are joined together here if linked by marriage or otherwise. These groupings — even the names of the groupings, and the state or lists of states of main activity — are the result of a computer algorithm, not the choices of any historian or genealogist.

Anton Joseph Cermak (1873-1933) — also known as Anton J. Cermak; "Pushcart Tony" — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill. Born in Kladno, Bohemia (now Czech Republic), May 9, 1873. Father of Helena I. Cermak (who married Otto Kerner, Jr.). Democrat. Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1924, 1928, 1932; candidate for U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1928; mayor of Chicago, Ill., 1931-33; died in office 1933. Shot and mortally wounded, by Guiseppe Zangara, in what may have been an assassination attempt against president-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, on February 15, 1933, and died, in Miami, Dade County (now Miami-Dade County), Fla., March 6, 1933. Interment at Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Ill.
- See also: Wikipedia article; NNDB dossier.
Otto Kerner (1884-1952) — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill.; River Forest, Cook County, Ill. Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., February 22, 1884. Father of Otto Kerner, Jr.. Democrat. Lawyer; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1920; circuit judge in Illinois, 1927-31; Illinois state attorney general, 1933-38; Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, 1939. Member, American Bar Association; Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Elks. Died December 13, 1952. Interment at Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Ill.
Otto Kerner, Jr. (1908-1976) — of Glenview, Cook County, Ill.; Chicago, Cook County, Ill. Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., August 15, 1908. Son of Rose Barbara (Chmelik) Kerner and Otto Kerner; married, October 29, 1934, to Helena I. Cermak (daughter of Anton Joseph Cermak). Democrat. Lawyer; colonel in the U.S. Army during World War II; U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, 1947-54; county judge in Illinois, 1954-60; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1960, 1964; Governor of Illinois, 1961-68; Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, 1968-74; resigned 1974. Presbyterian. Member, American Bar Association; American Judicature Society; Freemasons; Shriners; Moose; Odd Fellows; Royal Arcanum; Military Order of the World Wars; Alpha Delta Phi; Phi Delta Phi. While serving as Governor, he and another official made a gain of over $300,000 in a stock deal which prosecutors later characterized as bribery. Convicted in 1973 on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury, and related charges; sentenced to three years in federal prison and fined $50,000. Died of cancer, May 9, 1976. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
- Cross-reference: Milton Rakove
- See also: National Governors Association biography; NNDB dossier.

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