Donald Lawrence O'Toole

Who was Donald Lawrence O'Toole?

Donald Lawrence O'Toole was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Brooklyn, he attended public and parochial schools, graduated from St. James Academy in Brooklyn in 1916, and from the law department of Fordham University in 1925. He was a postgraduate student at Columbia University and New York University, then was admitted to the bar in 1927, commencing practice in New York City. He was a member of the board of aldermen from 1934 to 1936 and was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-fifth and to the seven succeeding Congresses, holding office from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1953. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1952 to the Eighty-third Congress and for election in 1954 to the Eighty-fourth Congress and resumed the practice of law. He also served as executive director of New York State Department of Commerce and Industry from 1955 to 1957 and commissioner of the department from August 1, 1958 to April 29, 1959. A resident of Brooklyn, he died in Ocala, Florida in 1964. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn.