Introduction
Patrick Brady, who was born in Ireland in 1881, operated a saloon as early as 1918 at 939 North Third Street. He had come to America in 1904, and became an American citizen in 1910. After applying for a marriage license around 1913, on February 1, 1915 Patrick Brady was united in marriage with Mabel L. Weidenhammer in Berks County, PA. Born in 1885 in Kutztown, PA, she was from a large family who lived primarily in Berks County. Mabel Brady was the daughter of Cyranus K. Weidenhammer, who was the first cousin of Oscar B. Weidenhammer, who operated a bottling business near the saloon, at 50 York Street from 1913 through his death in 1932.
Already the owner of the saloon at 939 North Third Street, Patrick Brady remained in business by operating a restaurant at the address once Prohibition was enacted in 1919.
Patrick Brady passed away in 1927, leaving a wife, Mabel Brady, and three children, Patrick, Mabel, and Harold, all under ten years of age when their father passed. The Brady’s oldest child, Helen, had passed away during the 1920s.
At the time of the 1930 Census Mabel Brady still owned the property at 939 North Third Street. Mabel Brady continued to operate the business there through at least 1931. At some point prior to 1935, she sold 939 North Third Street to Mary Frank, and moved the business to 245 Erie Street. Mary Frank and her associate, Clem Bridgeman, operated a saloon at 939 North Third Street for a short time before losing their liquor license in 1935.
Mabel Brady had closed for renovations for a short time during the summer of 1936, and she does not appear in the 1940 Directory as operating a tavern at the address. By 1947 the bar was gone. 245 Erie Street was the headquarters of the International Fur & Leather Workers Union Local 206 CIO, whose members worked at the various leather factories that were located nearby.
Brothers Deny Theft of Saloon Beer Coils
Camden Courier-Post —
Ira Monroe, 21, and his brother, Edward, 25, of 220 Milton street, were held without bail for the grand jury yesterday by Judge Lewis Liberman in the city police court, accused of breaking and entering.
The complainant, Mrs. Mabel Brady, said she owns a taproom at 245 Erie street, which has been closed for several days although the furnishings were left intact until Wednesday night when somebody broke into the place and stole beer coils. Police testified that they arrested the Monroe boys and found the coils, chopped into pieces, in their home.
The Monroes denied the charge, saying they had found the coils in the city dump.