2009.017

Grouls, John

Gift

Gift of John Grouls.

1964 - 1964

Date(s) Created: 1964 Date(s): 1964-1964

Notes: THE JERSEY JOURNAL, JERSEY CITY, N. J., MONDAY, MARCH 2, l964 Political intellectual Harold Grouls, 56, Reform Deputy Mayor of Hoboken Harold Grouls, 56, former deputy mayor of Hoboken who was one of the main organizers of the political movement that unseated former Mayor Bernard McFeely, will be buried Wednesday from the Field Funeral Home, Hoboken. Mr. Grouls was described by Hoboken Councilman John J. Palmieri as "unique-an intellectual who enjoyed the political game." Another associate said he was "an idealist who felt a duty to participate in civic affairs." MR. GROULS, who lived at 205 Sixth St., Hoboken, died Saturday at St. Mary Hospital after a heart attack. In 1946 Mr. Grouls helped form a "Citizens Committee for Good Government" to oppose McFeely, who had served as mayor since 1927. When the committee's ticket, headed by Fred M. DeSapio, scored an upset victory. Grouls was appointed deputy mayor. "After three years, Mr. Grouls resigned in March, 1950, to accept a position on the legal staff of the Federal Public Housing Administration. He held this job at the time of his death. May, 1953, Mr. Grouls ran for councilman in the second ward as an independent. "The old firehorse got an itch to run," a relative said "even though he was underdog." He lost by a small margin finishing second in a three-man race. In his fight for councilman, Mr. Grouls summed up his philosophy when he said: "Good government will be had in Hoboken only when its elected officials act on the basis of what is for the best interests of the city and not for political expediency." IN JANUARY, 1942, Mr. Grouls enlisted in the Navy, and fought in the North African campaign. He then was asked to serve as an attorney in the legal department of the Navy, but soon reapplied for active duty and was with an attack transport in the battles of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. After the war, Mr. Grouls opened up a law practice in Hoboken. He received his law degreee from Newark Law School -now Rutgers Law School-in 1932, after being graduated from Columbia College with a bachelors degree in 1928. MR. GROULS was a longtime trustee of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Innocents in Hoboken, and was active for many years in the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL - ClO. He was chairman at one time of the Hoboken American-Christian Committee for Palestine, which supported the Israeli cause. Mr. Grouls was a member of a family which settled in Hoboken over 100 years ago. His father, the late John H. Grouls, was connected with the Hoboken Land and Improvement Association, and was well-known for his Masonic Activities. Mr. Grouls' widow is the former Antoinette Heitman of Hoboken. He also is survived by three children. David, 21, is a senior at Stevens Institute of Technology, and John, 15, attends Hoboken High School. A daughter, Mrs. Marion Ulloa, lives in Rochester, Minnesota. [end[ Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2009-05-31