Throughout the year, generations of Weehawken’s residents have been coming together for 150th anniversary events. Recently, Mayor Richard Turner honored those with special distinctions, including having been born in Weehawken or having traced their family roots in Weehawken. Many people were honored at the recent Weehawken Day festival on Oct. 4.
Baby Aoife Tighe was Weehawken’s 150th anniversary baby.
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Most senior resident
Clara Daley Fleming was born in Weehawken on June 20, 1912. She is a lifelong Weehawken resident, having lived here for the past 97 years. Fleming was the Grand Marshal during the sesquicentennial parade that took place in September.
“Before there were paved streets, before there were automobiles, before the Lincoln Tunnel, Clara has seen and lived through the changes that Weehawken has gone through,” said Turner last week. “I’m honored to have Clara as a resident.”
Fleming is scheduled to receive the key to the city at a later date.
Younger people born in Weehawken were honored with a special ribbon and a commemorative certificate. They included: Vega Sarma, Elyssa Gunderson, Dennis Guerrini, Guy Schwanse, Kevin McCaffrey, Kathleen Valicenti, Helen Gardner, James Floodm, Cecile Arline Stepkovich, Donna Morris, William McLellan, Avery Kastner Rice, David Pomponio, Clara Daley Fleming, Lynne Arricale, Joan McClary (Baker), Kellie Baker, Maryann Lorenz, Anne Marie Trifoglio, Joe Bradley, Barbara Hernandez, Hernando Hernandez, Lola Piper Possick, Doris Miller, Joseph Fredericks, Joseph Cimino, and Kristen Sosa-DeCesare.
Longest established families
The Cimino family can trace their roots back to 1840, before Weehawken was even incorporated.
Cindy Ann Dally Cimino of Weehawken, who is representing her family throughout anniversary events, is hoping to go back further in tracing her family’s roots. The family is scheduled to receive a key to the township.
“I’m honored to present Cindy and her family with a key to the city as a token for making Weehawken their home for all these years,” said Turner.
Other families have also been able to trace their roots to the first Weehawken settlers, although not as far back as the Ciminos. Those residents have already received a commemorative “First Families” certificate mounted on a plaque.
They included:
• Susan Scherman, a descendant of Carl Schimper, who can trace back her family to 1851.
• Joseph Fredericks, tracing his family back to 1867, is a descendant of John Marshall.
• Patricia O’Donnell Sullivan, a descendant of John O’Donnel, who settled in the area in 1868.
• The Verdon family traced their roots to Frederick Kirchner, who lived in the area in 1869.
• Joan Wey Flood is descendant of John Reilly from 1876.
• Cecile Arline Rovito Stepkovich is a descendant of Bernard J. McMahon from 1870.
• Anne Miles Arricale is a descendant of John W. Miles from 1885.
• Kevin McCaffrey is a descendant of Wallace McCaffrey from way back in 1890.
• Lynne Arricale connected her familial roots to 1939 and to relative William Kirschbaum, who lived in Weehawken. Joan McClary Baker traced her roots to 1901. She’s a descendant of Henry McClary. Doris Emanuele Miller’s family can trace their roots to 1902, and they are descendants of Carmelo Emanuele. The Pizzuta family traces their roots to Antonio Pizzuta who resided in Weehawken in 1905. And finally, Helen Kulesa Gardner is a descendant of Charles Kulesa from 1906.
Sesquicentennial babies
Born on the same day as Weehawken’s 150th anniversary date of March 15, baby girl Aoife Tighe was honored during the ceremony. Recently, the family went to visit their relatives in Ireland.
The township also awarded “sesquicentennial baby” t-shirts and a commemorative certificate to babies born during the year of 2009, the 150th anniversary year of Weehawken. The list of babies born from January of 2009 to August includes: Michael Cummings, Julian Perez, Lucia Grace Biondo, Clare Facchini, Shih Kai Kylee Hung Toni Annabelle Preziosi, Evan Howard Pratt, Noah Nehal, Abigail Pellicano, Jack Fernandez, Colin Warner Russell, and Thomas Pisano Walsh.
The Recreation Department is still looking for residents who might fit into any of the categories of recognition. For more information contact the department at (201) 319-6061 or email recreation@weehawken-nj.us
Melissa Rappaport may be reached at mrappaport@hudsonreporter.com