It was the spring of 1998 when Gert and Don Gray headed for New Jersey on a genealogical search of Don's ancestors,the Utters.They stopped at Hawthorne their home town and entered the library.When Don introduced himself to the librarian as Sylvester Utter's grandson,"things began to happen".The Mayor was summoned along with a reporter and photographer from the local newspaper. Pictures were taken while we learned that the town was celebrating its 100th birthday.
SYLVESTER UTTER was its first mayor.One hundred years later, his grandson and wife were being invited to participate in the parade scheduled for September.
Below, are a few scenes of this event:
The first photo shows the Grays,who had returned to Hawthorne from Florida for the event; the house shown here was one of the Sylvester Utter homes on the corner of Goffle Hill Rd. and Lafayette Ave.Prior to living there, he resided on Rea Ave.
Sylvester devoted much of his time to the Methodist church and the purchase of its bell,seen below. He enlisted the talents of the church youth in this project,including his two daughters Jessie Utter Gray and Elizabeth Utter Moore.
