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1874 - 1936 (61 years)
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Name |
Harold John Mahon |
Born |
16 May 1874 |
Falls, Pennsylvania |
Gender |
Male |
Census |
1880 |
Plains, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
Census |
1900 |
Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
Census |
1910 |
Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
Died |
1936 |
Buried |
Pittston City Cemetery, Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
Person ID |
I22024 |
All |
Last Modified |
21 Mar 2013 |
Family |
Margaret Craig, b. Aug 1869, Pennsylvania , d. 1950 (Age ~ 80 years) |
Married |
25 Sep 1903 |
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania |
Notes |
Married:
- Harold Mahon was a lawyer and was President of First National Bank. Margaret & Harold Mahon visited relatives in Stratford, Ontario annually and would come to dinner at the home of Frederick William and Dora (Bowman) Holman. They brought a new dress for each of the three Holman girls with every visit. The Mahon's also helped Hilda (Bowman) Shelley who was widowed with two young daughters. The Mahon's did not have any children of their own and neither had any siblings that can be recalled. Mahon's chauffeur was Charlie and their housekeeper was a woman named Benny. Harold predeceased Margaret. Margaret was murdered. A suspect was never arrested.
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Last Modified |
21 Mar 2013 |
Family ID |
F6222 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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Notes |
- From undated newspaper clipping
HAROLD J. MAHON, ATTORNEY, BANKER CIVIL LEADER DIES
Harold J. Mahon, who spent nearly all his life as a resident of Pittston, and who rose to prominence in the legal profession and the banking business, and was a leader in the civic life of the community, was called from this life with tragic suddenness Saturday afternoon. About five o'clock, Mrs Mahon, returning home after a short absence, found her husband seated in his favorite rocking chair near the kitchen stove. Apparently he had fallen asleep, but when Mrs. Mahon's calls failed to gain response, she discovered that her husband had passed away. Dr. Muschlitz, the family physician, was called, and came quickly, only to confirm the fear that Mr. Mahon had been taken by death. An examination revealed that he had succumbed to a heart attack and that he had been dead for probably a half hour. Mr. Mahon had never complained of a heart affection. On the contrary, during the past week,he had answered inquiries as to his health by saying that he had never felt better in his life, and he seemed to be in excellent spirits. He was at his post as president of the First National Bank on Saturday up to the closing hour of noon, had his lunch, as usual, in town, and then went to his home, where he remained quietly during the afternoon. There was not the slightest indication when Mrs. Mahon left home for a short time that he was not in the best of health.
Residents of the community were shocked beyond measure when the news quickly spread of the passing of one who had, until the very last, been so active in the life of his home city. For more than 40 years Harold Mahon had been busy and helpful in every worthy enterprise in the community. No man responded more cheerfully to calls for personal service of a public or private nature, and his whole life was filled with kindly deeds and useful labor in the interest of a community that he came to love. Largely through his own efforts he gained an education that gave him excellent preparation for the legal profession, in which he was busy for many years. While occupied with his professional duties he found time to lend his aid to a great variety of community enterprises. And the demands on him were numerous and continuous. As a young man he was interested in athletics, and gained a local reputation as a sprinter, making some rather remarkable records for an amateur. As the years passed, his service became wider and more valuable to his home community. He was a Republican in his political beliefs, and over a long period of years, without holding party offices, he have liberally of his time and talent and means, for the advancement of the interests of the party in which he had intense interest. Many are the stories told of his activity and zeal in behalf of Republican ideals and candidates. In community affairs, especially those of a charitable and character-building nature, he was a tower of strength. His counsel was sought daily in the interest of various organizations, and no man was more generous with his time and means in their behalf. It is noteworthy that among the last acts of his busy life was a notable address, carefully prepared, that he delivered before the Community Chest workers in behalf of the Y.M.C.A. and also the drawing of personal checks in aid of several local agencies that had always appealed to him and enlisted his practical interest.
Notwithstanding these manifold demands on his time, Mr. Mahon lead a happy and comparatively quiet personal life. In later years he had tried to spend more and more of his leisure time in his home and in the companionship of a group of personal friends, which included a number of young people as well as those of his own age. All his life he had been interested in good literature, and his library was composed of carefully selected books, largely by the standard authors. The books so chosen he knew intimately, and frequently in small groups of friends he recited quotations from prose and poetry that revealed how deeply interested he was in the serious and beautiful things of literature. Occasionally his quotation was a verse of an old and familiar hymn and as late as a week or two ago, at a meeting of Y.M.C.A directors, he gave expression to his firm conviction as to the importance of the spiritual life. He was a many-sided man, who achieved success in material things, and in doing so, did not fail to give a duo measure of attention to those things of the higher nature that lead to unselfish service to his fellows, without hope of reward other than a consciousness of duty well done.
Harold J. Mahon was born at Falls, Pa., May 16, 1874., and was in his sixty-third year. He was the son of Dr. John B. Mahon and the late Mary O'Neil Mahon. In his boyhood days he came with his parents to Pittston and his home was here until the end of his life. He attended the Pittston city schools and was graduated from the City High school in the class of 1891, which was the fifth class to be graduated. Throughout his life he maintained a keen interest in his alma mater, and it was one of the proudest days in his career when he was invited last June to deliver the commencement address at the fiftieth anniversary of the High school. On leaving High school he entered the Business College of Wyoming Seminary, from which he was graduated.
In 1898 at the opening of the Spanish American war, he was a member of Co. C, this city, connected with the Ninth Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and was among the members of the regiment who enlisted for service under the federal government. He went with his regiment to camp at Chickamagua, Tenn., and was stricken with illness there, together with large number of other soldiers, but finally recovered. He had by this time risen to a position on the regimental staff and during his camp experiences he served as correspondent for the Pittston Gazette, sending home interesting letters concerning the boys in camp. It was during his camp life that incident developed which showed the moral courage that ever characterized him. A liquor canteen had been established by the regimental camp. He was opposed to the selling of liquor in camp and did not hesitate to criticise it in the letters which he sent home. He incurred opposition from the regimental officers, but very generally was supported in his stand by the people at home.
Returning from camp, the war having ended before the Ninth Regiment boys were sent to the scene of action, Mr. Mahon, still young in years, decided to enter the legal profession and became a law student in the office of Attorney Henry W. Palmer, on of Luzerne county's leading lawyers, who later became attorney general of Pennsylvania and a member of Congress from Luzerne county. He was not merely a law student under the direction of Mr. Palmer, but became one of Mr. Palmer's right hand men in legal and political affairs, and gave him loyal and enthusiastic support. During his days as a law student he served a term as deputy clerk of the courts. Some 40 years ago he was admitted to the Luzerne County Bar, and for a period of thirty years was actively engaged in his profession, having built up an extensive office practice and also appearing frequently in the trial of cases in court. He became a member of the law firm of Anderson, Parke & Mahon, which had offices in the Miner's Bank Building, and there grew up a very close bond of friendship between Mr. Mahon and his legal associates, the late J. N. Anderson and the late S. M. Parke.
Mr. Mahon's connection with the First National Bank of Pittston was one of his outstanding services in this community. In 1911 he became a director of the bank and made a close study of banking, for which his legal experience gave him a valuable background. When President Joseph L. Cake died in August, 1926. Mr. Mahon was regarded as the logical man to be his successor, and during the past ten years he had been the executive officer of the bank. He gradually gave up the bulk of his legal practice, in order to give full time to the interests of the bank, and gave valuable service as president during a period of great general stress and strain in the financial world. He was rarely absent from his post and patrons of the bank very generally recognized his sound judgment in matters of business and finance.
During all of these years Mr. Mahon was active in the community life. As vice president of the Pittston Hospital Association, he was deeply interested in its welfare, and gave invaluable service in the conduct of the business affairs ofthe institution and in the matter of financing. Likewise as a member of the Y. M. C. A. for a continuous period of 40 years, and a member of the board of directors for more than 25 years, as his father had been before him, he gave devoted service, attending the board meetings regularly and holding himself ready at all times to give personal service of a varied nature.
Ever since the Community Chest was organized seven years ago he had been one of its most ardent supporters, giving generously of his time and means for the advancement of the interests of the various agencies supported by the chest. In every worthy community undertaking he had a large and definite part. Whatever he undertook to do he threw his heart and soul into it, and his service was of a positive, determined character that usually brought results.
Pittston Library Association was among the community organizations in which Mr. Mahon was interested, and he gave it loyal and generous support. He had been a member of the Library's board of directors for many years and during the past few years served as vice president of the board.
Other organizations with which Mr. Mahon was affiliated were: The First Presbyterian Church of Pittston; Valley Lodge of the Masonic Order since Dec. 18, 1902, serving as worshipful master of the lodge in 1909; Pittston Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Wyoming Valley Commandery, Knights Templar; Irem Temple of Shriners; Pittston Lodge of Elks; Westmoreland Club, Wilkes-Barre; Pittston Camp, Spanish-American War Veterans; director of Hitchener Biscuit Co.
In the bankers' organization with which he was affiliated he was highly esteemed by this fellow members as indicated by the fact that he had served as president of the Northern (?) Anthracite Bankers' Association.
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