Category: Born or raised in Newark (high school or before)
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Pearl Beatty
1936-2019 Pearl Beatty was an Essex County freeholder (now county commissioner), who the New Jersey Globe called a “legendary veteran of Newark politics”. She said, “the only important tool an individual has is to vote.” President Giblin of the Essex Freeholders said she “lives, eats and breathes Essex County.” She was the sister of Alma…
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Estrella Alonso Martinez
1924-1998 Estrella Martinez, with her husband Antonio, founded a Spanish restaurant, Spanish Tavern, in the Ironbound on McWhorter Street in 1963. This may have been the first Spanish restaurant in the area. Later they founded the Spanish Pavillion in Harrison. Estrella was a member of the Centro-Orensano Club. Estrella was a lifelong Newark resident, the…
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Harriet Stratemeyer Adams
1892-1982 Wrote over 200 books over her literary career, including the plot outlines for many Nancy Drew books. Took over control of the Stratemeyer publishing business after her father’s death. Harriet was born in Newark to publisher Edward Stratemayer. She lived at 99 and 171 N 7th St through at least 1915. She graduated Barringer…
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Loraine White
c. 1947 In 1980, Loraine White became a football coach at Weequahic High. She was New Jersey’s first female coach and was said to be the first Black woman to become a high school football coach in the United States. She has been inducted into the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame. Loraine (often misspelled Lorraine)…
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Sally (Sara) E. Cooke Young
1905-1967 Born and raised in Newark, Sally Young was an early Black journalist. Sally was a 1924 graduate of Central High who lived at 169 Norfolk St when she graduated Central. Her father Ambrose was listed on the census as a book author. She was the Daily News secretary at Central High. In 1941, she…
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Marie Foster Whigham
1923-2006 Marie Whigam helped her husband Charles Whigham to found Citi National Bank (1973) and Whigham Funeral Home. Mayor Sharpe James called her “the queen of our city”, saying “she was a role model for young and old”. Marie also founded the Women’s League, which raised money for scholarships and was active in the Boys…
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Grace Murphy
1882-1966 Grace Murphy (born Mary Grace Murphy) founded Murphy Funeral Home on Roseville Avenue and operated it until her death for 26 years. Her obituary listed her as one of “the few women morticians in New Jersey” and “one of few women in business”. Grace was active in Catholic organizations, including former President of the…
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Ella Wright Moncur
1919-1999 Ella Moncur was born in Newark, lived in NYC in 1930. She was the wife of jazz artist and owned the Theatrical Beauty Salon in Newark, and also a salon called Monte’s Powder Puff. Ella later retired to Florida and taught there, her going away party featured in New York Age. She also was…