Walker, James J. (19 June 1881–18 November 1946), Tin Pan Alley songwriter and mayor of New York City, known as Jimmy Walker, was born James John Walker in New York City, the son of William Henry Walker, a carpenter and lumberyard owner, and Ellen Ida Roon. Walker’s father was an Irish immigrant and a local leader in the Tammany Hall Democratic organization. An apathetic student, Walker had a spotty educational record. He dropped out of college and business school before completing a degree at New York Law School in 1904....
