Charles S. Witkowski


Charles Stanley Witkowski was mayor of Jersey City from 1957 to 1961.

Biography

Witkowski was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Blanche and Joseph Witkowski, who were Polish immigrants. He was elected Police Commissioner in 1949, as part of the independent Freedom Ticket that led to the election of John V. Kenny as mayor. Witkowski ran and lost in 1953 in his first bid for mayor, and won his single term in office in 1957.
He received his undergraduate degree at the Villanova University and was awarded a law degree from the John Marshall Law School. A football player while at Villanova, Witkowski was named an All-American tackle.
Witkowski had a heart attack and died on June 1, 1993, at Saint Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in Manhattan, New York City.

Legacy

He is the maternal grandfather of actors Jerry O'Connell and Charlie O'Connell.