Richard Croker was born in the townland of Ballyva, in the parish of  Ardfield, six miles south of Clonakilty in County Cork on November 24, 1843, son of Eyre Coote Croker (1800–1881) and Frances Laura Welsted (1807–1894).
He was taken to the United States by his parents when he was just two years old.
They boarded the Henry Clay in Cobh, County Cork and headed for the land of opportunity.

There were significant differences between this family and the typical family leaving Ireland at that time.
They were Protestant, and were not land tenants.
Eyre Coote Croker owned an estate in Ardfield, in south west Cork.
Upon arrival in the United States, Eyre Coote Croker was without a profession, but he had a general knowledge of horses and soon became a veterinary surgeon.
During the Civil War, he served in that same capacity under General Daniel Sickles.

Richard Croker was educated in New York public schools.
Croker dropped out of school at age twelve or thirteen to become an apprentice machinist in the Harlem Railroad machine shops.
Not long after, he became a valued member of the Fourth Avenue Tunnel Gang, a street gang that attacked teamsters and other workers that gathered around the Harlem line's freight depot.
Croker eventually became the gang's leader.
He joined one of the Volunteer Fire Departments in 1863, becoming an engineer of one of the engine companies.
That was his gateway into public life.
James O'Brien, a Tammany associate, took notice of Croker after Croker won a boxing match against Dick Lynch whereby Crocker knocked out all of Lynch's teeth.
Croker became a member of Tammany Hall and active in its politics.
In the 1860s he was well known for being a "repeater" at elections, voting multiple times at the polls.
He was an alderman from 1868–70, Coroner of New York County, New York from 1873–76.
Croker was charged with the murder of John McKenna, a lieutenant of James O'Brien, during a fight on election day of 1874 with O'Brien's rival political group.
O'Brien was running for Congress against the Tammany-backed Abram S. Hewitt.
John Kelly, the new Tammany Hall boss, attended the trial and Croker was freed after the jury was undecided.
Croker moved to Harrison, New York by 1880.
He was appointed the New York City Fire Commissioner in 1883 and 1887 and city Chamberlain from 1889-90.

After the death of John Kelly, Croker became the leader of Tammany Hall, and for some time almost completely controlled that organization.
As head of Tammany, Croker received bribe money from the owners of brothels, saloons and illegal gambling dens.
Croker was chairman of Tammany's Finance Committee but received no salary for his position.
Croker also became a partner in the real estate firm Meyer and Croker with Peter F. Meyer, from which he made substantial money.
This money was often derived from sales under the control of the city through city judges.
Other income came by way of gifts of stock from street railway and transit companies, for example.
The city police were largely still under the control of Tammany Hall, and payoffs from vice protection operations also contributed to Tammany income.
Croker survived Charles Henry Parkhurst's attacks on Tammany Hall's corruption and became a wealthy man.
Several committees were established in the 1890s, largely at the behest of Thomas C. Platt and other Republicans, to investigate Tammany and Croker, including the 1890 Fassett Committee, the 1894 Lexow Committee, during which Croker left the United States for his European residences for three years, and the Mazet Investigation of 1899.

Croker's greatest political success was his bringing about the 1897 election of Robert A. Van Wyck as first mayor of the five-borough "greater" New York, and during Van Wyck's administration Croker is popularly supposed to have completely dominated the government of the city.

Croker was in the newspapers in 1899 after a disagreement with Jay Gould's son, George Gould, president of the Manhattan Elevated Railroad Company, when Gould refused Croker's attempt to attach compressed-air pipes to the Elevated com
Richard Croker was born in the townland of Ballyva, in the parish of  Ardfield, six miles south of Clonakilty in County Cork on November 24, 1843, son of Eyre Coote Croker (1800–1881) and Frances Laura Welsted (1807–1894). He was taken to the United States by his parents when he was just two years old. They boarded the Henry Clay in Cobh, County Cork and headed for the land of opportunity.
There were significant differences between this family and the typical family leaving Ireland at that time. They were Protestant, and were not land tenants. Eyre Coote Croker owned an estate in Ardfield, in south west Cork. Upon arrival in the United States, Eyre Coote Croker was without a profession, but he had a general knowledge of horses and soon became a veterinary surgeon. During the Civil War, he served in that same capacity under General Daniel Sickles.
Richard Croker was educated in New York public schools. Croker dropped out of school at age twelve or thirteen to become an apprentice machinist in the Harlem Railroad machine shops. Not long after, he became a valued member of the Fourth Avenue Tunnel Gang, a street gang that attacked teamsters and other workers that gathered around the Harlem line's freight depot. Croker eventually became the gang's leader. He joined one of the Volunteer Fire Departments in 1863, becoming an engineer of one of the engine companies. That was his gateway into public life. James O'Brien, a Tammany associate, took notice of Croker after Croker won a boxing match against Dick Lynch whereby Crocker knocked out all of Lynch's teeth. Croker became a member of Tammany Hall and active in its politics. In the 1860s he was well known for being a "repeater" at elections, voting multiple times at the polls. He was an alderman from 1868–70, Coroner of New York County, New York from 1873–76. Croker was charged with the murder of John McKenna, a lieutenant of James O'Brien, during a fight on election day of 1874 with O'Brien's rival political group. O'Brien was running for Congress against the Tammany-backed Abram S. Hewitt. John Kelly, the new Tammany Hall boss, attended the trial and Croker was freed after the jury was undecided. Croker moved to Harrison, New York by 1880. He was appointed the New York City Fire Commissioner in 1883 and 1887 and city Chamberlain from 1889-90.
After the death of John Kelly, Croker became the leader of Tammany Hall, and for some time almost completely controlled that organization. As head of Tammany, Croker received bribe money from the owners of brothels, saloons and illegal gambling dens. Croker was chairman of Tammany's Finance Committee but received no salary for his position. Croker also became a partner in the real estate firm Meyer and Croker with Peter F. Meyer, from which he made substantial money. This money was often derived from sales under the control of the city through city judges. Other income came by way of gifts of stock from street railway and transit companies, for example. The city police were largely still under the control of Tammany Hall, and payoffs from vice protection operations also contributed to Tammany income. Croker survived Charles Henry Parkhurst's attacks on Tammany Hall's corruption and became a wealthy man. Several committees were established in the 1890s, largely at the behest of Thomas C. Platt and other Republicans, to investigate Tammany and Croker, including the 1890 Fassett Committee, the 1894 Lexow Committee, during which Croker left the United States for his European residences for three years, and the Mazet Investigation of 1899.
Croker's greatest political success was his bringing about the 1897 election of Robert A. Van Wyck as first mayor of the five-borough "greater" New York, and during Van Wyck's administration Croker is popularly supposed to have completely dominated the government of the city.
Croker was in the newspapers in 1899 after a disagreement with Jay Gould's son, George Gould, president of the Manhattan Elevated Railroad Company, when Gould refused Croker's attempt to attach compressed-air pipes to the Elevated com
Richard Croker