Pulitzer Prize winning dramatist and Park Hill resident Owen Davis, Sr.
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Member of the Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board, Chair of Revolutionary Yonkers 250 and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, October 14th
October 14, 1916: The North Yonkers Citizens’ Association formally commended Third Avenue Railroad Company’s Frederick Whitridge for his refusal to arbitrate the trolley strike.
The Association’s resolution stated, “There will be no peace in Yonkers until the Trolleymen’s Union is broken up once and for all.”
October 14, 1919: The First Presbyterian Church gave a Welcome Home reception for Susie, Katherine and Pauline Heermance. The sisters returned from an eighteen-months in Europe as part of the YMCA efforts on the various war fronts.
October 14, 1926: The Crestwood Branch of the Yonkers Public Library was opened with official ceremonies, declaring it a “milestone in the development of the community.” Area residents lobbied for a Crestwood branch for five years, while raising the funds to create it.
Tuesday, October 15th
October 15, 1933: Henrietta Wells Livermore of Yonkers passed away. An outstanding leader, a national figure, and close friend of three presidents, she revitalized the New York State Suffrage movement. She later organized and headed the Women’s National Republican Club.
October 15, 1951: The Yonkers Savings and Loan Association opened for business in its new home at One Manor House Square. It originally opened February 1888 in two offices—Rooms 2 and 3—in the old Putnam Station Building on South Broadway.
Wednesday, October 16th
October 16, 1916: Sinners, a play by dramatist and Park Hill resident Owen Davis, opened its run at the Warburton Theater. Davis wrote hundreds of plays and scripts for radio and film; he received the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his 1923 play Icebound. While living in Yonkers, the Davis family lived on Lanark Road and Park Hill Avenue.
October 16, 1952: Detective Sergeant Patrick Christopher, considered to be Yonkers ace detective, was honored on his 25th anniversary in the Detective Division, a YPD record. One of the most decorated members of the department, Christopher was presented a wallet with money from the members of the division, after spending the day directing the Johnny Acropolis murder investigation. He was considered one of the most efficient and respected men in the department by Captain Dominico. Appointed a patrolman in 1926, Christopher was assigned to the Detective Division on October 16, 1927.
During President Truman’s 1949 inauguration, the Washington DC Police Department requested Detective Sergeant Christopher be assigned to them, the first time this honor was given to a Yonkers police officer.
Thursday, October 17th
October 17, 1776: General George Washington traveled Tuckahoe Road to inspect troops, roads and fortified places along the Bronx River, leaving from his headquarters at Thomas Valentine’s home on Valentine Hill, now the location of St. Joseph’s Seminary and College.
October 17, 1910: Armour & Company celebrated their new “branch house” at 87-89 Woodworth Avenue with an open house. The public and trade were invited to investigate what Armour termed one of the largest, cleanest and best-equipped packing plants in the world, one that represented “the best that experience and money can buy to secure sanitary perfection and absolute cleanliness.”
October 17, 1930: Mrs. Gertrude Hickman Thompson, widow of Colonel William Boyce Thompson, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, succeeding her late husband. Colonel Thompson had endowed the Institute with $10 million to wipe out hunger.
Friday, October 18th
October 18, 1943: Former YPD Patrolman and Gorton High athlete Andrew Sukowsky, taking basic training in the Military Police School at Fort Custer MI, won the ten dollar first prize on the Michigan radio program “Let’s make Conversation.” Sutton was asked, “Is Marriage Complete Without Children?” He spoke so lovingly about his Yonkers wife and son, the audience voted him first prize without hesitation. The Private later told friends he thought the audience had to be mostly married people with children, “judging by the applause” given him.
October 18, 1945: City Manager Walsh accused Mrs. Edith Welty of constantly asking favors! He stated she continuously championed contractor John Canepi for city contracts, demanded removal of Health Commissioner McGillian because he was too friendly with Democratic political leaders, and demanded he reinstate a police officer removed from the job because of misconduct; the officer had worked on Welty’s campaign.
Saturday, October 19th
October 19, 1895: An irate citizen placed an ad in the Yonkers Statesman “in memory of Philipse Manor Hall, assassinated in 1895″ after the Common Council announced plans to erect a new City Hall on the Manor Hall grounds.
October 19, 1925: Yonkers Mayor Ulrich Wiesendanger sternly warned the Board of Education to “keep out of politics.”
October 19, 1942: Although City Manager William Walsh banned all commercial and church bingo games in Yonkers, Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson announced he would propose legalizing bingo in communities where five percent of the community wanted it and petitioned for it. He stated many people asked about “a change in the law to remove any question as to the legality of bingo game.”
Sunday, October 20th .
October 20, 1913: One of the pieces added to the Keskeskick Chapter’s display at Manor Hall was a copy of Martha Washington’s last will and testament. Frances Calkins of 9 Fairfield Road obtained the reproduction in Martha’s hometown of Fredericksburg, VA, and donated it to the Yonkers Keskeskick DAR Chapter.
October 20, 1944: Yonkers residents were surprised to see a photo of Sergeant Albert Altwarg of Hamilton Avenue in The Herald Statesman; the picture showed Altwarg portraying Hitler in the variety show, “Regimental Rhythm,” presented by his infantry unit in the 88th Division at the Fifth Army front!
Questions or comments on this column? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com.
For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org
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