Representative Vincent John Dellay

Vincent John Dellay (June 23, 1907, Union City, New Jersey – April 16, 1999, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey) was an American banker, World War II veteran, and politician who represented New Jersey’s 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1957 to 1959. Born to Italian immigrant parents in what is now Union City, he spent most of his life in northern New Jersey and was a longtime resident of West New York. His early life in a working-class immigrant community helped shape his understanding of the concerns of urban and ethnic constituencies that he would later represent in Congress.

Dellay was educated in the public schools of West New York, attending West New York High School, and continued his studies at New York Evening High School. He pursued specialized training in finance at the American Institute of Banking, preparing for a career in the banking and financial sector. This combination of secondary education and professional banking instruction provided the technical background that underpinned his later work as a banker, auditor, and public official.

Beginning his career in finance at a young age, Dellay joined Irving Trust Company in New York City in 1923, where he rose from the position of messenger to bookkeeper, serving there until 1929. He then became assistant comptroller of Sterling National Bank & Trust Company in New York City, a post he held from 1929 to 1936. In 1936 he entered public service as an auditor with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, a position he held for two decades, from 1936 to 1956. His long tenure as a state auditor gave him extensive experience in public finance and governmental operations, experience that would later inform his legislative work.

During World War II, Dellay served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1945, contributing to the national war effort in uniform. After the war, he continued his military involvement as a member of the New Jersey National Guard from 1949 to 1960. His combined service in the Navy and the National Guard reflected a sustained commitment to national and state defense during and after the global conflict of the mid-twentieth century.

Dellay first sought federal office as a candidate for the Eighty-fourth Congress in 1954 but was unsuccessful. He remained active in politics and, running as a Republican, was elected to the Eighty-fifth Congress, serving from January 3, 1957, to January 3, 1959, as the representative of New Jersey’s 14th congressional district. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by the early stages of the civil rights movement and the intensification of Cold War tensions. As a member of the House of Representatives, Dellay participated in the legislative process, represented the interests of his constituents, and contributed to national policy debates.

Originally elected as a Republican, Dellay made a notable political realignment during his term. In 1957 he announced that he would support Democratic candidate Robert B. Meyner for Governor of New Jersey and that he would caucus with the Democrats in Congress. This decision effectively shifted his working affiliation in the House from the Republican to the Democratic Party, and he is often identified as a Democrat for this period of his service. During his term, Dellay voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, a landmark piece of civil rights legislation and the first such federal act since Reconstruction. After deciding to change his political affiliation, he sought to continue his congressional career as an Independent and was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the Eighty-sixth Congress.

Following his departure from Congress, Dellay returned to his prior professional field. He resumed work as a field auditor for the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, continuing in that capacity until his retirement in 1971. In his later years he resided in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. Dellay died at the age of 91 on April 16, 1999, at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. In recognition of his military service, he was interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.