Frank C. Walker
Walker leaving the White House withDNC executives W. Forbes Morgan andJames Farley after meeting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt (December 30, 1936)
Chair of theDemocratic National Committee
In office January 18, 1943 – January 23, 1944
Preceded by	Edward J. Flynn
Succeeded by	Robert E. Hannegan
51stUnited States Postmaster General
In office September 10, 1940 – May 8, 1945
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	James Farley
Succeeded by	Robert E. Hannegan
Executive Director of the National Emergency Council
In office 1933–1935
Appointed by	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	position established[1]
Succeeded by	Donald R. Richberg[2]
Treasurer of theDemocratic National Committee
In office July 31, 1932 – January 17, 1934
Preceded by	James W. Gerard
Succeeded by	Walter J. Cummings
Member of theMontana House of Representatives fromSilver Bow County
In office January 6, 1913[3] – January 4, 1915[4]
Preceded by	multi-member district[3]
Succeeded by	multi-member district[4]
Personal details
Born	Frank Comerford Walker (1886-05-30)May 30, 1886 Plymouth, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	September 13, 1959(1959-09-13) (aged 73) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Hallie Boucher
Children	2
Relatives	Thomas Joseph Walker (brother)
Education	Gonzaga University (BA) University of Notre Dame (LLB)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	First Lieutenant
Battles/wars	World War I

Frank Comerford Walker (May 30, 1886 – September 13, 1959) was an American lawyer and politician. He was theUnited States Postmaster General from 1940 until 1945, and the chairman of theDemocratic National Committee from 1943 until 1944.

Frank Walker was born inPlymouth, Pennsylvania, the son of David Walker (1848–1902), a grocer,^[5] and his wife, Ellen Comerford (1851–1916). His father moved his family to Montana about 1890, where he became the foreman of the Butte City Copper Mine. He died in 1902 of tuberculosis.^[6][7]

Frank Walker attendedGonzaga University inSpokane, Washington for three years and earned a law degree fromNotre Dame in 1909. He then joined his older brotherThomas in a law practice inButte, Montana. In 1913, he was elected to a term as aMontana state representative.

DuringWorld War I, Walker volunteered for theU.S. Army. He became afirst lieutenant and saw action on theWestern Front. After the war, he returned to his law practice.

He married Hallie Victoria Boucher (1892–1969) at Butte on November 11, 1914.^[8] They had two children, Thomas and Laura.^[9]

In 1925, he moved toNew York City to become manager and general counsel of Comerford Theatres, a chain ofmovie theaters owned by his uncle Michael E. Comerford. For a time he was the pro-bono legal advisor to the Motion Picture Theater Owners of America, a trade organization.

In New York, Walker expanded his political activities, and became an early supporter ofFranklin D. Roosevelt. In 1931, he co-founded the Roosevelt for President Society, and from 1932 to 1934, served as Treasurer of theDemocratic National Committee (DNC).^[10][11] Until Roosevelt's death, Walker was one of his closest advisers.

When Roosevelt became President in 1933, he appointed Walker executive secretary oftheNational Emergency Council, aNew Deal agency related to theNRA.

In 1940, Walker became Postmaster General (succeedingJames Farley, who had also been DNC Chairman and Roosevelt's campaign manager). As Postmaster General, Walker continued his role as political adviser, often taking part in matters far removed from thePost Office. For example, during the negotiations which preceded the December 1941attack on Pearl Harbor, he was in regular contact withJapanese AmbassadorNomura.^[12]

In 1943, Walker became Chairman of the DNC, serving until 1944, when he stepped down and was succeeded byRobert Hannegan. In May 1945, Walker announced his retirement as Postmaster General, to allow PresidentHarry Truman to appoint his own candidate to the office. Truman selected Hannegan to succeed Walker in this office too, effective July 1.

Later in 1945, Truman appointed Walker as a member of the first U.S. delegation to theUnited Nations.

He died inNew York City on September 13, 1959, at the age of 73 and was buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery,Butte, Montana.

Walker, Frank Comerford (1997).Ferrell, Robert H. (ed.).FDR's Quiet Confidant: The Autobiography of Frank C. Walker. University Press of Colorado.ISBN 0870813978.LCCN 96054006.

• University of Virginia's Miller Center

• 1886 births
• 1959 deaths
• 20th-century American lawyers
• Democratic National Committee chairs
• Franklin D. Roosevelt administration cabinet members
• Laetare Medal recipients
• Democratic Party members of the Montana House of Representatives
• People from Plymouth, Pennsylvania
• Truman administration cabinet members
• United States postmasters general
• Notre Dame Law School alumni
• United States Army personnel of World War I
• United States Army officers
• Democratic National Committee treasurers
• Military personnel from Pennsylvania
• 20th-century members of the Montana Legislature

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata