McCormack (John W.) is born in South Boston.

The son of Irish immigrants, John McCormack is born and grows up on Vinton Street, attends the John Andrew School, then goes to work, first selling newspapers, then as an office boy in a law office. He becomes a lawyer in 1913, serves in the U.S. Army in World War II, then in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1921-22), the Massachusetts Senate (1922-29), the U.S. House of Representatives (1929-71) and as Speaker of the House (1962-71). A New Deal liberal, he is credited with shepherding many socially progressive bills into law. McCormack dies in Dedham on November 22, 1980, and is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury.