By Mary Hoar, President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, August 30th
August 30,1902: Renowned magician Harry Kellar left his home in Ludlow to begin an eight-month national tour. Known as the “Dean of American Magicians,” one of Kellar’s most popular illusions was “The Levitation of Princess Karnac.” Harry Blackstone, Sr., purchased and used this illusion for many years after Kellar retired.
Towards the end of his career, Kellar befriended Harry Houdini. Houdini convinced Kellar to perform once more in 1917 for a benefit for families of soldiers killed when the USS Antilles was sunk. At the end of the performance, Houdini stopped Kellar from leaving; members of the Society of American Magicians seated Kellar in a sedan chair, and carried him off the stage while the orchestra played “Auld Lang Syne.” He passed away five years later in Los Angeles.
Tuesday, August 31st
August 31, 1883: Thomas Hendricks came to Graystone for an overnight visit with Samuel Tilden. Hendricks, Tilden’s Vice Presidential candidate in 1976, had a very cordial visit, but did not share details about the visit between the two Democratic statesmen. He later ran as Cleveland’s Vice Presidential candidate in 1884 and won.
August 31, 1945: Albert Blasewitz, son of Alfons Blasewitz of Park Avenue, flew back to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, after visiting his dad for five days. Albert had worked on the atomic bomb project since his graduation from Columbia University in November 1943.
August 31, 1955: Calvary Baptist Church honored NY Giants Captain and Shortstop Alvin Dark for his church attendance, tithing, family life and overall contributions to church life.
Wednesday, September 1st
September 1, 1935: Yonkers Police reports showed YPD arrested 94 people on gambling charges; eighty-seven people each paid fines of $10.
September 1, 1955: Mayor Kristen Kristensen gave the best wishes of all Yonkers people to National PGA and Tam O’Shanter All American Gold Champion Doug Ford at a “Welcome Home” ceremony held in the Getty Square Municipal Parking Area.
September 1, 1955: The Yonkers League of Women Voters displayed mementos of the Yonkers Suffrage League and the Yonkers women who fought for the right to vote. This display marked the 35th anniversary of the Proclamation of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
Thursday, September 2nd
September 2, 1862: The 135th New-York Infantry was organized at Yonkers and mustered into service under Colonel William H. Morris and Lieutenant Colonel J. Howard Kitching.
September 2, 1932: The William Spear family of four, all with Native American heritage were invited to participate in the Indian Village of the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago! Father William was 50% Cherokee and mother Florence was 50% Cree Indian. The family lived at 46 Palisade Avenue.
September 2, 1955: A low ceiling of clouds forced two Air Force helicopters to land at Cook Field; on their way back to Fort Bragg from doing flood rescue work in Connecticut, they had to wait for clearance to fly over New York City.
Friday, September 3rd
September 3, 1918: Former Yonkers resident William G. McAdoo, General Director of Railroads, announced $25 a month raises for almost a million railroad employees; this included everyone from clerks to maintenance men to track workers. This was the second largest salary boost in American industrial history.
September 3, 1936: Rumors swirled around Yonkers and the controversy over Schools Superintendent Lamont Hodges’ resignation after 25 years of service to the Yonkers Public Schools. Hodges charged harassment by three school Trustees, claiming they subjected him to “indignities and constant attacks.” Among the allegations that came out was that it was impossible for a Catholic to be hired. At one point, Board President Maurice Blinken stated in a conversation with Hodges his resignation would make it possible for Yonkers to hire the best qualified Catholic individual for that job. Trustee Luther McConnell later explained many had decried the discrimination against hiring Roman Catholics in the school system, “it would be fortunate if the best qualified individual for the job happened to be a Catholic, because that would destroy once and for all the continued cry of discrimination against Catholics in the school system of Yonkers.” Hodge also was criticized for hiring few Yonkers teaching applicants, for advocating an involuntary pay cut for all teachers and a “merit system” for teacher appointments.
Saturday, September 4th
September 4, 1908: A weekly publication for African Americans was published for the first time. Know as the Weekly Standard, Yonkers resident John Edward Bruce not only cofounded the periodical, he edited it. Bruce, born a slave in Maryland, became a journalist, historian, orator and civil rights activist. During the time he
lived in Yonkers, he founded the Negro Society of Historical Research with Arthur Schomburg; this organization later became the foundation for the Arthur Schomburg Center for Research.
September 4, 1942: John Acropolis, the future Secretary-Treasurer of Local 456 Teamsters and Chauffeurs’ Union, was appointed to teach Physical Education in the Yonkers School System, at an annual salary of $1,565. Acropolis had been a star athlete at Yonkers High School, and captained the Colgate University Basketball team.
Sunday, September 5th
September 5, 1917: Yonkers firefighters, responding to a barn fire on Central Avenue, had to form a bucket brigade to get water to the blaze, as the closest hydrant was almost a mile away.
September 5, 1920: Vincent DeCarlo was named chairman of the dedication of the Waverly Street Armory as Columbus Hall, the Yonkers home of the Sons of Italy.
September 5, 1930: E. Bright Wilson of 209 Van Cortlandt Park Avenue complained to the Mayor about a herd of goats invading his property and creating a nuisance. City Dogcatcher Edward Smith was assigned to investigate the problem.
Questions or comments? 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 yhsociety@aol.com.
