CROWLEY, JOSEPH HERRON (23 Dec. 1893-16 Nov. 1984) chief legal council for the City of Cleveland for 24 years and scholar in the field of municipal law, was born in Long Island City, New York, the son of John Francis and Elizabeth Herron Crowley. After his father's death, his maternal grandfather Patrick Herron brought Joe, his older brother John Francis, and his mother to Cleveland in 1895. He attended Central High School, and Adelbert College, graduating in 1916. He received an LL.B. and LL.M. from Ohio Northern University in 1921 and 1923 respectively. In 1923, he was named attorney for the Cleveland Humane Society.
Crowley joined the city law department in 1929 as assistant police prosecutor, and the following year he was appointed assistant law director. He became Chief Counsel of the city in 1938, serving in that capacity until his retirement at the end of 1962. Six mayors from Ray T. Miller to Ralph Locher sought his legal advice. He did legal work for the Great Lakes Exposition, the ERIEVIEW project, and creation of the Public Defender's office and also taught at John Marshall Law School. The three volumes of his authoritative Crowley's Ohio Municipal Law, Procedure and Forms were published by BANKS-BALDWIN LAW PUBLISHING COMPANY in the 1960s.
Crowley married Margaret Comyns 1 Sept. 1923, and they had three children, Joan Margaret (Mrs. Edward Svetina), Virginia Helen (deceased), and Denis Joseph. Crowley, a resident of CLEVELAND HEIGHTS was buried at Calvary Cemetery.
Joseph Crowley, Law Director Files WRHS.