Frederick Philipse III, the last Lord of the Manor
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and the Key to the City of Yonkers, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Founder of Revolutionary Yonkers 250 and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, November 24th:
November 24, 1942: Gorton and Yonkers High School students gathered the evening before the school’s annual Thanksgiving football game, source of their longtime rivalry. Three boys were arrested for throwing rocks at Yonkers High; 55 windowpanes were broken. An unreported number of windows also were broken at Gorton. Students attacked several trolleys, breaking 21 windows; students also stole lights from inside the trolleys.
Traditional school bonfires were forbidden because of US Army war dimout regulations, but students gathered at the Park Hill ruins set several fires, which YPD extinguished to prevent breaking the regulations. Although forbidden, nearly 500 students rallied on Park Avenue by Gorton. They broke streetlights, leaving blocks near Gorton in the dark. Students also pulled down trolley poles, blocking traffic and cutting the trolley system operating power.
Tuesday, November 25th:
November 25, 1917: Captain McVicar announced more than 375 pounds of turkey and 500 packs of cigarettes were sent to the Yonkers men of Company G.
November 25, 1943: Although most of Yonkers celebrated Thanksgiving, war workers at Smith Carpet factory, Habirshaw Cable, and many workers at Otis Elevator reported to work.
Few Yonkers’ families celebrated with traditional turkey dinners as supplies “remained scarce.”
Wednesday, November 26th:
November 26, 1924: Gorton and Yonkers High Schools’ students went on a rampage the night before the Thanksgiving football game between the two schools. Students smashed windows at both schools and on trolley cars. Police needed to break up several impromptu street corner rallies that became disorderly.
November 26, 1926: Because of the economy measures instituted by Mayor William Walsh, prisoners in the City Jail did not have turkey for Thanksgiving dinner; they were served roast chicken.
November 26, 1932: Margaret George, Publicity Director for the War Industries Training Program, revealed executives at Tarrytown’s Eastern Aircraft referred to the Yonkers School of Aeronautical Manufacturing the “West Point of the Air.” Hundreds of the school’s certified graduates, reflecting the wide variety of ethnic, social and religious backgrounds of Yonkers, worked together in the school and in the Eastern Aircraft plant united in one goal, to end the war.
Thursday, November 27th:
November 27, 1916: Yonkers women inaugurated an egg boycott to protest the rise of prices to 43 cents a dozen. Retail grocers put signs in their windows asking customers not to buy eggs; public school teachers circulated details of the embargo to their students’ families.
November 27, 1943: Yonkers Private First Class Vance Campbell was one of more than 350 GIs who appeared in the movie, “This is the Army.” All film proceeds, shown locally at RKO Proctor’s, went to the Army Emergency Relief Fund.
Campbell portrayed an Army Chaplain, performing with George Murphy, Ronald Reagan and Joan Leslie. Romance, of course, was part of the film; when Reagan and Leslie’s characters reached the marrying stage, Campbell performed the ceremony.
Friday, November 28th
November 28, 1776: Frederick Philipse III signed the Declaration of Dependence! His signature was prominent on the first page, one of the Loyalist signers who pledged to continue to support Great Britain’s supremacy over the Colonies.
November 28, 1908: The Mercury Athletic Club ran its second annual Yonkers Marathon; starting in Getty Square, the race went through the river towns before ending at Empire City track.
J. F. Crowley of the Irish American Athletic Club of NYC won it. Samuel Mellor of Yonkers was second and Robert Fowler of Cambridge MA came in a distant third.
Saturday, November 29th
November 29, 1884: Alexander Smith’s Sons Carpet Mills put up notices stating the mills would stop work indefinitely because of the depression, putting 12,000 people out of work.
November 29, 1913: Two Yonkers men had a part in Army’s crushing defeat of Navy in the annual Army-Navy Football game; the final score was 22 to 9. Referee for the game was Shonnard Terrace’s W. S. Lanford, and Lieutenant Joseph W. Stilwell, later General “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell, was a coach for the Army.
November 29, 1922: The Hudson P. Rose Company ran its first ad in the New York Amsterdam News advertising real estate lots for sale in what was to become the Runyon Heights neighborhood
Sunday, November 30th
November 30, 1918: Yonkers Health Officer Dr. Clarence Buckmaster announced for the second time in our history, Yonkers’ Contagious Disease Hospital did not have one patient!
November 30, 1927: Stating the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Factory was the “greatest single factor in this city’s prosperity,” Tax Commissioner Timothy Murray announced the
company had received a $700,000 reduction in the assessed valuations on its Yonkers properties.
November 30, 1944: A letter from Army Sergeant Joseph Sawyer, stationed “somewhere in the Pacific,” made several families very happy; Sawyer filled it with news of Yonkers men.
Mail was an issue, one that upset the folks back home. Sawyer’s own parents, living on Oliver Avenue, had not heard from him in four months!
One of the men Joseph’s letter mentioned was Bill Cummings of Orchard Street, and asked his family locate Cummings’ parents to let them know.
They brought their son’s letter to The Herald Statesman, where someone realized one of the paper’s employees was named Cummings and lived on Orchard Street! His dad, who had not heard from son Bill for several months, was thrilled to read he was doing well. The letter also mentioned Thomas Whalen of Moquette Row served with Sawyer and also was well.
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.
