Camden People - Andrew J. McMahon

ANDREW J. McMAHON was born February 14, 1895. A fine athlete as a youth, he boxed both as an amateur and as a professional, was a star in the old Eastern Basketball League, played with number of semi-pro baseball clubs, and was well known as a baseball and basketball referee.

Andrew J. McMahon ran unsuccessfully for the New Jersey State Assembly in 1933 and 1934. A Democrat, he backed Edward J. Kelleher in the bitter fight to wrest control of the Democrat party in Camden County from Harry Maloney and Emma Hyland. In August of 1935 newly elected Mayor George Brunner named Andrew McMahon as commissioner of the city's municipal baseball league. He served as a Freeholder from Camden's 14th Ward in the mid-1930s, and played a role in bringing Civil Service protection to Camden County employees. By 1947 he was a Commissioner on the Camden County Jury Commission.

By 1947 Andrew J. McMahon made his home at 1095 Trent Road in Camden. He would reside on Trent Road until his passing in December of 1976.

Camden Courier-Post - February 2, 1938

K. Of C. HERE PLANS WASHINGTON BALL
Pre-Lenten Social Function Set for Feb. 22 in Honor of First President

Camden Council, Knights of Columbus, will hold a "George Washington Birthday Ball" February 22, at the Hotel Walt Whitman.

Grand Knight J. Frank Crawford says he can find no trace of a civic affair of this nature ever having been given in Camden to pay honor to the first President of the United States.

Usually the Knights' pre-Lenten ball is held on the Friday evening preceding Ash Wednesday, but the dates are so close this year that the suggestion for a Washington's Birthday Ball met with instant favor.

Both the main and junior ballrooms of the hotel have been engaged for the dance while numerous rooms in the hostelry have been reserved for dinner parties to precede the ball.

Arrangements have been made for lavish and substantial decorations. A life-size statue of Washington on a pedestal will be surrounded by the Stars and Stripes, palms and floodlights.

The ballrooms will be replete with bunting and shields, alternating to achieve the patriotic and nationalistic tinge that the Knights believe this annual occasion should invest the affair.

To carry out the significance of the event and to furnish an exceptional touch to the evening, a committee of women, with Mrs. Jere Crean as chairman, will have charge of the features of the entertainment.

This program will partake of early colonial social activities. There will be dances of those early days together with the march of "The Three Minutes," the patriots whose picture has become as familiar to Americans as the sun and the moon.

Other, members of this features committee include Mrs. Kirk B. Barb, Mrs. Patrick O'Connor, Mrs. Joseph McShane, Mrs. Sabba Verdiglione, Mrs. Joseph E. Mears, Mrs. Vincent de Paul Costello, Mrs. James L. Hughes, Mrs. John Reynolds, Mrs. Frank Daly and Mrs. Andrew J. McMahon.

There Is also a Junior Ladies' Committee headed by Miss Mary Verga and comprising the Misses Catherine Kelley, Margaret Powell, Madeline McFeely, Alice Dolly, Teresa Regnery, Catherine Fay, Julia Kirk, Margaret Kelley, Winifred Cogan, Marie Carr and Marie Stanton Daly.

Thomas J. McCloskey is chairman of the committee on decorations; William J. Hartman of music, and Francis J. Poplaski of publicity. District Deputy George J. Reed heads the reception committee with Grand Knight Crawford, Past Grand Knight John A. Reynolds is in charge of the general committee, with Theodore J. Stiles, secretary; Francis Halstead, treasurer, and Daniel Roche, treasurer of Camden Council, as advisory member.

CAMDEN COURIER-POST - FEBRUARY 14, 1938

PRE-LENTEN BALL PLANNED BY K.OF C.
Mrs. Jere Crean Heads Women's Committee for Event Feb. 22

One of the principal pre-Lenten events in this city will be the Knights of Columbus Ball which is to be held in the Hotel Walt Whitman on Tuesday evening, February 22.

Since the ball falls on Washington's birthday the program has been centered around the observance of the national holiday.

The Women's Committee has completed plans for its participation in the affair and has announced that many dinner parties are being arranged, preceding the ball.

John A. Reynolds is general chairman of the ball committee. Mrs. Jere Crean heads the women's committee and is assisted by Miss Margaret Powell, Miss Madeline McFeeley, Miss Alice Dolly, Miss Margaret Moore, Miss Winifred Cogan, Miss Julia V. Kirk, Miss Kathryn Kelley, Miss Mary McGrath, Miss Teresa Regnery, Miss Margaret Kelley, Miss Jule M. Carey, Miss Winifred Stafford, Miss Rose Mary McKernan, Miss Marie B. Carr, Miss Rita Reigert, Miss Frances Jagod, Miss Mary Verga, Miss Anna Connell, Miss Monica Barrett, Mrs. Kirk B. Barb, Mrs. Marie Stanton Kelly, Mrs. Andrew McMahon, Mrs. Sabba Verdiglione, Mrs. John Reynolds, Mrs. Joseph Mears, Mrs. Charles Grimley, Mrs. John P. Daly,, Mrs. John Holt, Mrs. Frank Daly, Mrs. James A. Kane, Mrs. Joseph P. McShane and Mrs. Patrick A. O'Connor.

Camden Courier-Post - February 15, 1938

INDIAN GUEST LISTED FOR DALY BANQUET
Montana Chieftain to Send Son as Envoy to Testimonial for Freeholder

Chief Rain-on-the-Rump, whose tepee is pitched in Medicine Hat, Montana, is expected to send his son as an envoy when John Daly, First ward freeholder, is feted on February 17. The banqet will be held in Convention Hall and is expected to be the largest occasion of its nature known in Camden in years.

Daly was showing the letter, which he said had come from his old friend and sachem in Montana, and said he would make the Redskin welcome with an Injun war-whoop.

The pemmican which will be spread before the chieftain and others who gather will comprise a menu which paleface and aborigine alike might relish.

Clarence E. Moullette, chairman of the banquet committee, reported the list of guests will comprise a real Who's Who in Camden. Invitations have been sent to Congressmen Charles A. Wolverton and Elmer Wene, Gov. A. Harry Moore, | Senator John Milton, Senator Robert M. LaFollette and others, prominent in national and state politics. Mayor George E. Brunner and his fellow commissioners will represent the city, while the Federal, state and municipal judiciary also will be represented.

Freeholder Andrew J. McMahon will be toastmaster, while a new position, honorary toastmaster, will be conferred on Frank H. Ryan, managing editor of the Courier-Post newspapers.

Camden Courier-Post - February 18, 1938

750 ATTEND DINNER TO HONOR JOHN DALY
F.R. Sends Best Wishes as Civic Leaders, Friends Laud Freeholder

Green were the shamrocks from his own native Athlone that filled the big silver loving cup, and the First Citizen of the United States sent his best wishes to the First Citizen of North Camden, so John Daly had a birthday party last night without precedent in Camden social functions.
The freeholder from the First ward, arrived at 76 years, broke his own rule and crowded himself into the first evening dress he said he ever wore.

Political Camden, Republican and Democrat alike, came out to make a fete for the veteran official, and to cap the climax, this was the first banquet in the history of the city that played to "Standing Room Only."
So many wanted to come to do honor to Daly that Convention Hall was jammed with 750 guests.

Baskets of Flowers

John was lauded in song and story, and then was presented with flowers, four huge baskets of them. The First Ward Democratic Club gave their freeholder a silver loving cup, suitably engraved, and Katherine Janice, 9, told the guest of honor how much he was esteemed by the members of the club and people of the ward.

The guest table was thronged with the bigwigs of politics and the sachems of parties. They were introduced in turn and several of' them spoke, but the yells and the shouts and the greetings and the gifts were all for "good old John Daly."

Clarence E. Moullette, president of the First Ward Democratic Club, opened the program and introduced Freeholder Andrew J. McMahon as toastmaster. Mayor George E. Brunner was the first speaker and he told of the valor and strength John Daly had in politics, and the love shown him on every side.

Then Brunner had the toastmaster spring the grand piece of the evening, a letter of regret read even before those from Senator John Milton, Governor A. Harry Moore, Congressman Charles A. Wolverton, Congressman Elmer Wene and others.

President 'Regrets'

This birthday message came from the White House and read as follows:

"The President has asked me to express his regret that it will not be possible for Mrs. Roosevelt and himself to accept the invitation to be present at the testimonial dinner in honor of Mr. John Daly.

"Will you please convey the President's greetings" and 'best wishes to your guest of honor."

Mrs. Mary E. Soistmann, former Assemblyman Bartholomew A. Sheehan and Henry D. Young, Jr. director of WPA, followed Brunner with congratulations.

McMahon then introduced celebrities to take a bow.

Then the guest of the evening stood up, and the ovation he received almost rocked Convention Hall . With tremors in his voice, Daly thanked everybody.

Mrs. Kobus completed the program when she declared John Daly "had given her more trouble, asking help for people, than any other 23 citizens of Camden.'

*Camden Courier-Post October 1, 1936**
Making Sure Civil Service Vote Is Taken

Democrats and Republicans forgot politics yesterday and stamped out technicalities which threatened to block the vote for Civil Service protection for Camden County employees on November 3rd. Freeholder Francis B. Bodine, Sheriff Joseph H. Van Meter, and Fred George, freeholder's clerk, left to right, with Bodine handing George a three-man petition which forced home to cal a special session for Monday to permit action to get the vote.
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Francis B. Bodine - Fred W. George - Anthony Marino Andrew J. McMahon - Raymond G. Price

Camden Courier-Post - May 12, 1934

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Camden Courier-Post - October 26, 1936

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Camden Courier-Post - January 20, 1938 Famed journalist Gordon Mackay had a regular column in the Courier-Post in the 1930s. In the column below, Andrew McMahon tells, in his own words, a few tales of his early days in and out of the ring.

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