He was the seventh of thirteen children born to Frank and Bridget (Berkeley) Carr, Irish immigrants who met and married in the United States.
[1][2] At the age of 21 he passed a civil service examination and got a job as a teller's clerk in the Boston Collectors office.
He moved to Hartford, Connecticut, for business the following year, however he later returned to Medford and served two more terms on the Board.
Two years later, Carr won the nomination unopposed, but lost in the general election to Republican incumbent Horace T.
[5] During World War II, Carr rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served as Military Governor of Manila and Tacloban.
His candidacy was supported by Paul A. Dever, Maurice J. Tobin, James Michael Curley, and John William McCormack.
[10] During his tenure as City Manager, Carr promoted the construction of the Public Safety Building and the Kennedy School.