Recently we made a curious discovery in Kilgobbin Cemetery, a small local cemetery: an unusually large grave containing only two people with different surnames: Stella Bowman and Richard Welsted Croker.
Richard Croker descended from a wealthy Irish landowning family. However, his father was only a fourth son, and quickly spent the small inheritenace he received. Born in Clonakilty in 1841, Richard emigrated to America as a child when his father moved the family to New York. Starting as a boxer, Richard was recruited by Tammany Society leader John Kelly, who recognised his potential beyond just physical strength.
Richard rose through the ranks of New York’s Democratic political machine, becoming incredibly wealthy through corruption and bribes. After Kelly’s death in 1884, he became the undisputed leader of Tammany, controlling New York politics for 17 years until political defeats forced his resignation in 1901.
He retired to Ireland, purchasing Glencairn estate in Sandyford, where he bred racehorses successfully – his horse Orby won the 1907 Epsom Derby. While still married to Elizabeth Frazier, Richard was said to have had a relationship with Stella Bowman, officially his housekeeper, who died in 1914 from cancer, still a young woman. Her possible relationship with Richard would explain the large plot in Kilgobbin, which was a local cemetery for Glencairn.
After Richard’s death in 1922, legal battles over his estate forced his second wife Bula to sell Glencairn. Short of funds, she had his body moved from the estate tomb to share Stella’s grave in the modest local cemetery. And this is how this became the last resting place of “Boss Croker” of Tammany Hall fame.