The Hayes Family History Site

The newspaper article below was published in the Mount Kisco Record on December 20, 1890. It tells an interesting story how Chappaqua residents banded together to prevent a conflagration that could have destroyed their town.  A fire that started at Mr Alexander Yerk’s store quickly spread and challenged the residents of Chappaqua to save their town as there was no “Chappaqua Fire Department ” until 1910.  The story gets even more interesting when you look through the newspaper and gather related articles.  Prior to the fire, Mr Alexander Yerks was a well respected and generous member of the community.  In the five years leading up to the fire, he was also known for making the “Alexander Yerks Hall” available to the community for social events.  Countless community organizations including church groups utilized the space.

From the Mount Kisco Recorder:

• 18 Mar 1887 – Alexander Yerks hosts a “Japanese Surprise Social”
• 27 Jan1888 – Alexander Yerks and the Chappaqua Baptist Church hosts a “Donkey Socialable”
• 11 Jan 1889 – The Mount Kisco Recorder calls for his recognition of service to his Country.  He spent three years fighting for the North during the Civil War.
• 21 Jan 1889 – Cassius Yerks, Alexander’s son, left the Chappaqua Shoe Factory and took a position with a shoe Factory in Lynn, Massachusetts.
• 18 Jan 1889 – Alexander Yerks made signifiant improvements to his property, formally used as a Wheelwright Shop.
• 19 Apr 1889 – Alexander Yerks opens his new Grocery Store.
• 5 Dec 1890 – Just 15 days before the fire, the I.O.G.T  (possibly the International Order of Good Templars) voted to change Yerks’ Hall into a “Lodge Room”.

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This article was published in the Newtown Register on Thursday, February 9, 1911. According to this brief article, on Saturday, Jan 28, 1911 there was a surprise birthday party for Reginald W Parrett. Reginald was married to Irene Tierney. Irene is a daughter of Mary Jane Kinneary and Thomas W Tierney. They lived at 9 Chestnut Street in Corona, Queens. Corona is a dense neighborhood in the former Township of Newtown in the New York City borough of Queens. It is neighbored by Flushing to the east, Jackson Heights to the west, Forest Hills and Rego Park to the south, Elmhurst to the southwest, and East Elmhurst to the north.

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The following article was published on November 12, 1952 in The Brooklyn Eagle.  It tells the story of Raymond A Tierney Jr sterlings high school sports experience and the sports successes of numerous family members.  The article mentions that Raymond is the grandson of Police Inspector Frank A. Tierney.  Grandfather Frank was one of the outstanding rowers with the Dauntless on the Harlem River and won numerous titles.

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This story is about one of the Hone cousins on the Yerks side of the family. It was first published on October 21, 2009 in the Greenwich Times.  Thanks to Jean Yerks for sending me the link!
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For James Yerks Jr., serving with the Cos Cob Volunteer Fire Department is simply a way of life and has been for the last 70 years. His loyalty and service to the town were recognized last Wednesday when volunteer firefighters from 11 towns in the Fourth Congressional District were honored by Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz at a Public Service Awards ceremony.

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James T. Tierney, son of Sarah and James F. Tierney,  was killed on December 12, 1931 when the “hired automobile” he was driving went out of control on Edgecombe Avenue, 25 feet south of the Middle Bridge Viaduct.  The car  plunged 100 feet into Colonial Park, landing upright. Rescuers found him still sitting in the drivers seat, but accoding to his Death Certificate, he had suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries.

James was just 37 years old when the crash took his life.  He served with the American Expeditionary Force in Word War I and was  living in the Bronx at 2500 Webb Avenue.  According to his Death Certificate, he was a salesman for an unknown company and appears to have been married to a Mary L. Tierney.

James was born in Manhattan, New York on June 6, 1894 to James F. Tierney and Sarah Beattie Tierney. He died on December 12, 1931 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

At the turn of the Century, Thomas F. Lewis (b. 1858, d. 1924), president of the Brooklyn City Building & Loan Association Co-operative found himself in the middle of a major power struggle with other members of the board.

The Association was organized on March 2, 1887 in the old hall at Third Avenue and 24th Street in South Brooklyn.  It opened with 15 charter members.  Within the first year, it had accumulated over $80,000 of assets.  By 1890, the association’s assets had grown to $250,000. When the “great Panic of 1893″ occurred, the association not only survived, but actually increased it’s assets.  In 1895, the association moved its offices to 91 Court Street.  It also had a branch office at 76 39th Street.  In 1897, the assets had grown to a whopping $465,000.

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