BY IRMARI NACHT
CO-PRESIDENT, ENGLEWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.––When Tom Clancey, editor of the Northern Valley Press, suggested that we, Charlotte Bennett Schoen and I, co-presidents of the Englewood Historical Society, have a look at some primary documents from 1917 that a nice couple found in an attic in Englewood, we were intrigued. We are in the process of preparing an exhibition of the first 25 years of the 20th century, with an emphasis on the commemoration of U.S. entry into World War I.
When we looked at the marvelous dance cards, calling cards and photos we were hooked. Then there were the letters on Fort Dix and Camp Merritt letterhead from multiple male friends, some that started “Dear honey bunch” and ended with lots of “xxxx’s” – wow!
This memorabilia from 1912-1918 was neatly saved by a young woman, and later found in an attic over 35 years ago by the Apollo family, members of a professional house cleaning crew. The Apollos, recognizing something special, held on to them hoping to donate them to a caring historical organization.
We realized that this primary source information would tell a story of the period in a lively, personal manner. Reading about her everyday events and the things she did in her “normal life” made her live again as an individual and gave us insight into the times. The fact that she saved so much material, and we found them over 100 years later, was very exciting.
We enlisted the help of Theresa Thomas, our local genealogy expert, who was able to track her down through census information from 1900 to 1940 and the McQuillin Family Tree. We also checked the local telephone directories of the time (Tillotson, Polk and Richmond) and found street addresses and occupations for her and her family. We felt that we were detectives unearthing the past in a wonderful adventure!
Looking through the memorabilia, Ethel seemed to be a spunky young lady who had an active social life. We saw dance cards and invites to local dances in New Jersey and New York. The letters, like text messages of today, made plans to “meet a friend in Fort Lee before going to a dance,” or were a rebuke from another friend, “You missed the time of your life.”
One batch of letters stood out: we recognized the handwriting with use of the lowercase “i.” Even though many of them weren’t signed, we soon narrowed down the writer as Lawrence from Fort Dix and eventually found letters starting “My dear little sweetheart” and ending with “xxxx.” Yes, reader, she married him!
Taking into account the variety of spellings, various dates and clerical errors of past records, our best guess about Ethel Mahoney is that she was born circa 1895, daughter of James Mahoney and Margaret Coakley Mahoney. She was married to Lawrence Donahue, an Englewood fireman, and lived at various times on Van Brunt Street, Englewood Avenue and Armory Street. Her mother, Margaret, who married again to Walsh and Dwyer, died in 1916.
Ethel had two brothers, James Mahoney and Edward Walsh, and two daughters, Muriel and Margaret Donahue. She was married at age 25, just after 1920, and worked as a bookkeeper and later as a film splicer for the emerging motion picture industry. We place her year of death around 1972.
In the collection were a small group of pictures of men and women in straw hats, the women in white lawn dresses, looking like they were enjoying an outing. Two other small pictures showed a woman in a soft hat and a fur boa, who we decided must be Ethel because she resembled one of the women in the group. Besides, why else would she save these portraits?
The Ethel Mahoney collection, with blow-ups, facsimiles of some of the letters, and background data will be a featured part of the Englewood Historical Society’s upcoming exhibition on America’s entry into World War I and the first 25 years of the 20th century in Englewood. The exhibit will also include life-size blow-ups, memorabilia, ephemera and photos highlighting Englewood’s diverse population. What was happening in Englewood in the early 20th century was a microcosm of what was going on during these years in Bergen County, New Jersey, and nationally.
The exhibition, to take place at the historic Mackay Park Gatehouse, was partially funded by a 2017 Bergen County History Grant for Special Projects.
There will be an opening reception on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 1-5 p.m. The exhibit will continue on weekends from 1-4 p.m., through Dec. 17. The Mackay Park Gatehouse is located at 130 Englewood Ave., Englewood.
Anyone with further information about Ethel Mahoney or other interesting materials about the 1900-1925 period in Englewood is encouraged to contact the author, Irmari Nacht, at irmarinac@yahoo.com.
