Theodore Barclay was born on 31 January 1875 in New Jersey. He was the son of Henry Barclay and Margaret McElroy. He married Ada O’Donnell in 1899. She was born in June 1873 in Maine. Her parents were James and Mary O’Donnell. She died on the 30th of July 1917 in Barnet Memorial Hospital, Paterson, NJ. She was buried on the 1st of August 1917 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. She died of uterus cancer. Theodore was also nicknamed “Thee” and “The Chief”. He vacationed after Labor Day at his house at Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire. After his wife died, he never remarried, but did have a girlfriend. He also drove a Pierce Arrow. Theodore Barclay died in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey on 14 February 1942. His funeral was in Ridgewood, New Jersey and was buried at Cedar Lawn Cemetery.
This is Theodore Barclay.
Theodore started his business life as a Silk Mill Owner. He owned the Barclay Silk Company. It was also called the McMumm and Barclay Silk Company,The McMumm & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Company, and the Barclay Silk Manufacturing Company. He is listed a few times in the Textile America: Organ of the textile division of commerce, Volumes 1-2 from 1897. It seems like he didn’t have luck with running the silk mill (which was in Paterson, NJ). Here are the exerts from this book:
Under Paterson Notes:
The McMunn & Barclay Silk Mfg. Co. filed articles of incorporation in the office of the County Clerk on Saturday Sept. 4. The authorized capital is $25,000, of which $3,000 is paid in. The incorporators are Alexander McMunn, 2 shares; Lizzie McMunn, 13 shares, and Theodore Barclay, 15 shares. The company will manufacture silk dress goods.
The McMunn & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Co. is working two sets of hands.
The sale of the plant of the McMunn & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Co., under foreclosure of a mortgage given by Alexander McMunn, has been stopped by an order of the Court of Chancery issued upon application of Theodore Barclay, a stockholder.
Theodore Barclay, of the McMunn & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Co., has applied to the court to have a receiver appointed for the above named company upon the ground of illegality in the matter of incorporation.
Ex-Sheriff James Blundell has been appointed receiver of the McMunn & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Company.
Ex-Sheriff James Blundell has not accepted the appointment as receiver of the McMunn & Barclay Silk Manufacturing Co.
O.B. White has been appointed receiver of the McNumm and Barclay Silk Company.
From February: The trustees in bankruptcy of the Barclay Silk Company at Paterson sold at auction the real estate of the company located at Clifton to New York men, who help a second mortgage on the plant.
The broad silk plant formerly located in the Harding Mill, and which later moved to the Jackson Mill, near Idlewild Park, Paterson, will shortly be put in operation by the new owners, who are New York men.
From the: Textile World Record April-September, 1904
*New Jersey, Clifton. We have been advised that it has not yet be decided what will be done with the Barclay Silk Mill, purchased by Rudolph Cohen.
From the: Seventeenth Annual Report of the Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey For the Year 1900.
McMunn and Barclay Silk Manufacturing Company…………….Captial Stock $25,000………..Tax $25
He then became a hotel proprietor. He first had the Manhattan Hotel in Paterson, NJ. I have a few records from this hotel. It also burned down three times!
From :The Insurance Press Volume 52 (from 1920)
Paterson, N.J.: Int. of Hotel Manhattan and stk. Of 10 stores on 1st floor dest… $350,000
From: The Chicago daily news almanac and year book for 1921(from 1920)
Paterson, N.J., May 24- Manhattan hotel burned; four persons injured; property loss, $100,000.
This website talks more about the fires that burned the Manhattan hotel:
Here is another website about a fire at the Manhattan Hotel:
HOTEL DESTROYED BY EARLY MORNING FIRE.
Dunkirk Evening Observer New York 1920-05-24
Newspaper Records:
Paterson Daily Press- July 14th, 1893
Mr. Theodore Barclay, of Kent’s down town store, who was bitten on the hand by a black spider, is reported much improved to-day, the swelling having gone down considerably.
The Sunday Chronicle- October 10th, 1897
SILK FIRM IN TROUBLE. Partners Charge Each Other with Sharp Practices.- Arrests and Litigation Will Follow.- Made Money but Are Poor.
Alexander McMunn, one of the best known silk weavers in the city, will be arraigned before Recorder Senior this morning to furnish bonds to keep the peace toward his partner, Theodore Barclay. The mill on Shady street, where the firm operated a small plant, is closed and the partners charge each other with intentions to defraud. McMunn says Barclay has kept the books and refused to give an accounting or put in capital promised to float the enterprise. Barclay says he has already sunk $500 in the business and demands that McMunn hand over $300 collected from a commission house which sum be claims was never turned into the firm treasury. While both partners admit the firm has made money McMunn claims Barclay has tried to freeze him out and that the trouble arose because he refused to sign papers making his partner sole dictator. Their looms were bought from Assignee Shade, of the Adams estate, who has started forclosure porceedings. McMunn has sworn vengeance if his three year’s work and his capital put in the concern are wiped out and Barclay, it appears, seeks the protection of the law.
Paterson Daily Press- May 4th, 1899
In the Interim between the completion of the above trial and the adjournment of court, yesterday the action of Harry and Theodore Barclay against Jeremiah Rodgers, carpenter, for $5,000 damages, was moved. The Barclays are running a weave shop at Clifton. Roger put up the one-story mill, and it was set forth in the deceleration that the work was done imperfectly and that the roof leaked, causing damage to the looms and silk in process of manufacture. William B. Gourley, who appeared for Rogers, moved for a non suit on the ground that Theodore Barclay, one of the plaintiffs, was not a party to the contract under which the mill built. Mr. Gourley informed the court that under the law he had notified the plaintiffs’ counsel within five days of the beginning of the suit that he would take advantage of this point, and although the plaintiffs had time in which to amend their declaration, they had not done son. Mr. Ward, for the plaintiffs, opposed the motion on the ground that Rogers knew that Theodore Barclay was one of the partners and had an oral agreement with him pertaining to some part of the work. Later it was developed that Mr. Ward had not seen the contract until the case was moved for trial yesterday. The contract was shown to be between Harry Barclay and Rogers only. Judge Dixon, however, reserved his decision to enable counsel to look further into the subject. When court converged this morning the case was taken up again, with the result that the jury that had been empaneled to try it was withdrawn, and the suit ordered off for the term on payment of costs by the plaintiffs, and with leave to amend the declaration so as to omit Theodore Barclay from the suit.
Paterson Daily Press- May 1st, 1900
Briefs- Theodore Barclay, the silk manufacturer of Clifton, appeared at the office of Justice Cocker last evening and furnished bail to answer a charge of assault and battery made by Alexander Templeton, of 45 Van Houten street, a former employee of the accused.
The Sunday Chronicle- May 17th, 1903
WAITING FOR HIS NEPHEW. Who Disappeared With five Hundred Dollars. NOTHING HEARD FROM HIM. Theodore Barclay Sent His Bartender to a Bank to Cask Checks He Had Taken from Railroad Men and So Far the Young Man Has Failed to Return. –His Whereabouts a Mystery. –Had Always Been Trusted and So His Absence is a Painful Surprise.
Theodore Barclay, the proprietor of a saloon at the corner of Straight and Pearl streets, is extremely desirous of learning the whereabouts of his nephew, William Kelly, who disappeared last Monday with $500 belonging to his uncle. The money that Kelly took with him had been paid him by a local bank for checks drawn by the Susquehanna and Erie railroad companies and which had been cashed by Barclay on the Saturday before. Kelly, who is in the neighborhood of twenty-three years of age, was employed by Barclay as a bartender, he having been engaged in that capacity previous to the ownership of the place who purchased the business from his brother, John Barclay, who left town suddenly some months ago. He had been reared since childhood in the Barclay family and his uncle had implicit faith in his honesty. It has long been a practice at Barclay’s saloon to cash checks for railroad men who are paid off by the companies in that manner and who do not receive their vouchers in time to have them converted into money at the banks. A week ago Saturday and on the day previous Barclay accommodated railroad men who frequented his place in this way to the extent of $500. On Monday he knew that there would be more checks to cash in the morning asked Kelly to take those that had accumulated in the cash drawer to the bank, have them cashed and return with the money so that he might oblige any other railroaders who were unable to lose any time during banking hours. Kelly cashed the checks but failed to return to the place of his employment. After he had been gone much more than a reasonable length of time, his relative became somewhat nervous, but having perfect faith in him, believed that there was some excuse for his tardiness. As the hours drew along, however, Barclay realized that something had gone wrong with Kelly and instituted inquires as to him. At the bank where he deposited Barclay learned that his nephew had arrived there soon after he had left him with checks and had converted them into cash, but his movements afterward were a mystery. No one saw the young man about the depots of the city and none could be found who remembered having met Kelly at a time after he had left the bank. Since his abrupt departure Barclay has heard nothing of Kelly and is in absolute ignorance as to his whereabouts. He has preferred no criminal charges against the young man and will probably not do so but instead waits to see if his nephew turns up with an explanation satisfactory for his sudden disappearance.
The Paterson Press- February 17th 1909
CITY AND SUBURBAN- The Manhattan Hotel Company filed articles of incorporation in the County Clerk’s office this morning. It is capitalized at $50,000. The incorporators are George T Holmes, of East Orange, one share; Ada M Barclay, 18 shares, and Theodore Barclay, one share. The company is already conducting a hotel in this city.
The Paterson Press- January 31st, 1910
DEED FOR HOTEL GIVEN
The deed conveying the Manhattan Hotel property at Market and Paterson streets from Annie and Isaac L. Miller to the Manhattan Hotel Company was placed on record in the office of Register of Deeds and Mortgages this morning. The consideration is nominal. The property is valued at $50,000. Mr. and Mrs. Miller live in Brooklyn and during their residence in Paterson managed the hotel as the royal, a lease later being given to John Robinson and afterward to Theodore Barclay, who is president of the Manhattan Hotel Company.
New-York Daily Tribune- August 17th, 1910
Finds Relief in Suicide
Mentally Deranged from Overstudy, Man Kills Himself.
Paterson, N.J. Aug 16 (special). –Mentally deranged from overstudy, Anthony Van Riper left his home, on Burhans avenue, Haledon, a suburb of Paterson, shortly after 7 o’clock this morning and went to the Manhattan Hotel and killed himself. When Theodore Barclay, proprietor of the hotel, broke into the room he found the young man lying across a bed, clutching a revolver. He died in a few minutes. Van Riper’s father and mother died a few years ago, leaving him about $100,000. He lived with his grandmother and his sister Lucinda, who is on her vacation at Newfoundland. When he left home this morning he apparently went directly to the hotel with the purpose of ending his life. After his parents died Van Riper spend two years traveling, and about a year ago began studying for the ministry.
The Paterson Press- December 27th, 1911
DIAMOND PIN FOR THEODORE BARCLAY
Theodore Barclay, proprietor of the Manhattan hotel at Paterson and Market sts. was presented with a handsome diamond pin by his employes Christmas day. The pin is of unique design, it being a diminutive golden woman’s hand in the center of which is a diamond and on the small finger of which is an emerald. The presentation speech was made by R.J. Cusick, chief clerk of the Manhattan. Those who took part follow: R.J. Cusick, Bret Drew, Frederick Allen, Edward George, Harry Barclay, Frank Winters, Louis Criole, John Mendsanti, Theodore Diamond, Frank Ciancio, William Maguire, John Werger, Mrs. May Reardon, Mrs. McVey, Miss Parson, George Wicknens, Joseph Doughens, Theodre Leonard, Charles Harrison.
…MORE ARTICLES TO COME…
From the New York times in 1925:
New York Times- April 2nd, 1931
New York Times also had an article about the 1931 Manhattan Hotel fire. It talks about the cost lost $250,000 estimated, it also states that the “Theodore Barclay, owner of the hotel, announced that the sale of the property to a New York concern was to be completeed today” (New York Times (1857-Current file); Apr 2, 1931; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2005) pg. 33).
Here is the obituary from the Pawtucket Times in 1917 for Ada O’Donnell Barclay:
The body of Mrs. Theodore Barclay, a former resident of this city, whose death occurred on Monday in Paterson, N.J. was brought here yesterday and burial took place in St. Mary’s cemetery. The funeral services had been held in Paterson, and the committal service at the grave was conducted by Rev. Fr. Devanney of St. Mary’s church. A number of local friends of the deceased attended. Mrs. Barclay will be remembered by many former friends in this section. Before her marriage she was Miss Ada O’Donnell, a musician of high order of ability. She is survived by her husband and two children, Roderick and Theodore; also by her mother Mrs. O’Donnell, and a sister, Mrs. Frank Reilly of Providence.
Ada and Theodore had two children:
Theodore Barclay Jr (1906-1969) who married Antoinette Furman and had one child.
Roderick Barclay (1900-?) who married Gertrude Boon (only for a bit) and had at least one child.
Census Records: See parents pages for earlier censuses.
1910: Theodore Barclay is 35 and has been married for 11 years. He is listed as a Hotel Proprietor. He is also listed as being born in New Jersey and his parents being both born in Ireland. Ada M is 36. She is listed as being born in Maine and her parents being born in Scotland and England. The sons Roderick is 9 and Theodore is 4.
1920: Theodore Barclay is 44, and is still a Hotel Proprietor. Ada has passed away. His sons are also living with him, but on the next census page.
1930: Theodore Barclay is living at his hotel in Paterson. He is listed as Owner and it is worth $10,000. He is 54. With him are the people also in his hotel that night.
