By Mary Hoar, President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday January 17th
January 17, 1904: Ludlow Park resident (Heinrich aka Harry) Kellar the Magician performed for President Roosevelt and his family at the Lafayette Theatre in Washington. Kellar lived at 75 Sunnyside Drive.
January 17, 1929: Yonkers High graduate Lieutenant Frederick Hopkins of Riverdale Avenue, a professor of military science and tactics at NYU’s Guggenheim Aeronautics School, addressed the Yonkers Citizens Military Training Camp Club at the new North Broadway Armory. While addressing the crowd, he predicted one day airplanes would replace artillery. Previously an Air Corps instructor at San Antonio’s Kelly Field, Hopkins told of amusing incidents that happened to soon-to-be famous aviators during their training at Kelly. Lieutenant Lester Maitland, considered an aviation pioneer, was given the “Dumbbell Trophy;” instead of flying north, he ended up fifty miles south of his assigned landing point. Hopkins also shared Colonel Charles Lindbergh would not have been memorable during his student days at Kelly, except for a serious mid-air collision eight days before his graduation; Lindbergh bailed out to save his life.
Hopkins transferred to the Air Force in 1947 when it became a separate branch of the service; he retired a few years later in 1951 holding the rank of Major General. Among awards he received were the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Tuesday January 18th
January 18, 1911: William Port East of Nepperhan Avenue became the oldest man in Yonkers; in his 99th year, he had lived in Yonkers for more than half a century. He passed away the following December.
January 18, 1938: Mayor Joseph Loehr indicated he was ready to work with the Council Republican majority to break the deadlocked city budget. While discussing this, he revealed he had met with Republican Majority Leader Alderman Fred Storay a few hours before the Council vote and reached an agreement to reduce the budget $328,000. Loehr, denying he had “packed the 1938 budget with political jobs,” released a list of the jobs in the original budget, including police officers and laborers previously paid to do city jobs by WPA. Storay later denied a meeting took place after the vote, ignoring Loehr’s assertion it happened before the vote.
Wednesday, January 19th
January 19, 1938: Mayor Joseph Loehr appointed songwriter Bud David Green of Lee Avenue a Commissioner of the Board of the Yonkers Museum of Science and Arts. Green, who previously worked in the movie industry in California, moved to Yonkers after selling his company to Warner Brothers. Green wrote many well-known songs such as “Once In A While,” “Sentimental Journey,” “I’ll Always Be In Love With You,” and “Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy).”
January 19, 1938: Yonkers Corporation Counsel advised City Clerk Heafy that the 1938 budget was “not passed within the time prescribed by law and was furthermore vetoed by the Mayor and never properly passed over his veto.” The Republicans would have needed 9 votes to overturn the veto; they had seven. Hence, Heafy was not able to compute property taxes to send property tax bills.
Thursday January 20th
January 20, 1923: Patrolman William Comey saw a woman fall onto the trolley tracks; he rushed over to grab and pull her to safety just as a trolley car was about to reach here.
January 20, 1938: Civic leader James Moseley volunteered to act as a mediator in the City Hall budget deadlock; he sent telegrams to Mayor Loehr and Republican Majority Leader Fred Storay offering his services. Moseley was VP of the American and Foreign Power Company, former president of the Ludlow Home Owners’ Association and the Council of Yonkers Civic Associations.
Friday, January 21st
January 21, 1945: Dr. Edward Jones, whose dental office was at 45 Warburton Avenue, attended President Franklin Roosevelt’s inauguration. Dr. Jones, Cochairman of the New York State Campaign for President Roosevelt; had recruited African American voters for the president.
January 21, 1987: Show business Columnist Earl Wilson of Marshall Road passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Saturday, January 22nd
January 22, 1937: More than 100 drivers got new license plates at the first Yonkers office of the County Automobile Bureau office, opened at Tibbetts Brook Park.
January 22, 1938: City Comptroller James Hushion filed for a State Supreme Court hearing to kill the Common Council’s economy budget and force the Republican Aldermen to approve the budget submitted by the Board of Estimate. Although the Comptroller was trying to get the Loehr administration budget approved, Mayor Loehr was named as one of the 15 defendants. Others named in the suit were Council President Fiorillo, City Clerk Heafy, and all 12 Yonkers Aldermen. Supreme Court Justice Gerald Nolan signed the papers at 9 pm; all defendants immediately were served copies. Former Corporation Counsel Harry Laragh would defend the Republicans named in the legal action.
Sunday, January 23rd
January 23, 1931: Ending its longest season in the history of the ferry service, the Yonkers-Alpine ferry announced they would close until March 1st The severe cold weather created dangerous ice floes in the river, making it necessary to stop service.
January 23, 1945: The Yonkers Common Council unanimously approved a zoning change on 22-acres of the Grassy Sprain Golf Course to permit the Celanese Corporation to build a $1 million scientific research laboratory on the site.
January 23, 1951; After discovering fire in her apartment at the Coyne Park veterans’ housing, June Casey rushed through the smoke-charged rooms to get her three children. She carried the children to a window where Joseph Magariello was waiting to take them. Magariello, who lived in the next building, spotted the fire and tried unsuccessfully to kick down the door.
Questions or comments? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com.
For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit the Yonkers Historical Society’s website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org or call 914-961-8940.
