Background
McGarry was born in County Down, Ireland, on July 5, 1817.
McGarry was born in County Down, Ireland, on July 5, 1817.
He received a good education and went into business in Liverpool as an inspector of cargo ships. He served a year as deputy warden of the State Prison at Waupun, and was elected state prison commissioner, which was also warden of the State Prison (at that time a partisan elected position) in 1855 on the Democratic ticket, serving from January 7, 1856 to January 4, 1858 in that position. His Senate seat was taken by fellow Democrat Edward O"Neill.
He returned for a one-year Assembly term in 1864 from the 8th Milwaukee Assembly district (Wauwatosa and Greenfield), succeeding Edward Collins.
He was not re-elected, and was succeeded by John Weiler, who (like Collins and McGarry) was a Democrat. Because of his experience gained in the prison he was called to organize the (he had been interested in getting the law passed that organized the institution, and was instrumental in framing the rules for its management) and served as its "Inspector" (chief jailer) for about a year and a half.
He quoted Doctor Johnson as saying, "Knock a man down and reason with him afterwards."
He died May 17, 1899 in Milwaukee.
McGarry served as a member of the Assembly in 1850 and 1853 and spent two years (1854-1855) in the Senate representing the Sixth District as successor to fellow Democrat Duncan Reed.