From The Tablet, Brooklyn, NY, 26 May 1962:
"Mrs. Loft was the widow of George W. Loft, former United States Congressman who brough to national prominence Loft's Candy Stores, founded by his father in Long Island City in 1860.
"One of nine children, she was born Julia McMahon in Manhattan Nov. 8, 1883, baptized in Epiphany church and attended New York public schools. On June 14, 1911, she married Mr. Loft in St. Kilian's Church, Farmingdale, L.I., having as page boys and flower girls orphans from their favorite charities at the time, Nazareth Trade School for Boys, Farmingdale and St. Rose Industrial Home for Girls, Melville."
"Mrs. Loft was active in many charities, most of which she preferred to remain unrevealed. Mercy Hospital in Rockville Center, St. Anthony's Convent, East Meadow, and the Catholic chapel at the Northport Veterans Hospital were among those that were known.
"Mrs. Loft is survived by six nieces and nephews. Her husband died in 1943.
"Burial was in the family mausoleum at St. Raymond's Cemetery."
She married George W. Loft in 1911, a year after he was widowed. She had known him for years. She was described as "a young woman who for nine years had sold candy in his Barclay St. store and who later became his private secretary" at the time of their marriage: "The bride has been in Mr. Loft's employee for nine years, starting when she was 16*. Her parents being dead, she made her home with her brother, John McMahon, a policeman. A short time ago, Mr. Loft made her his private secretary and she took charge of his estate in Baldwin, L.I. where he spends the summer...Leon Loft, a fifteen-year-old son of the bridegroom by a former marriage, gave the bride in marriage."
The Tablet obit which was in a Catholic publication also included information about her other charities, awards, friendships with priests, and pieties. It perhaps gives a distorted picture of her life. She was active with her husband in the civil life of New York City. She was a Special Deputy Commissioner of Police from 1921 to 1923 taking a particular interest in reforming dance halls and was described as the "Wayward Girls' Champion." She and her husband owned winning race horses. She traveled abroad including trips to Constantinople and Cuba. She broke the champagne bottle on the bow of the new George W. Loft ferry boat in 1923.
When she died in 1962, she left a will leaving the bulk of her multi-million dollar estate to charities with bequests to six nieces and nephews. She said in her will that she had no children. The will was challenged by her family. One niece and nephew objected to the size of their bequests, and there was an out-of-court settlement. More significantly, there was a major challenge by niece Edith Nolan who claimed that she was in fact the out-of-wedlock daughter of Mrs. Loft and silent movie actor Edward Healy. Born in 1902, she was adopted by Mrs. Loft's brother and his wife, John and Anne McMahon, and raised as their own. Mrs. Nolan said that she had known Mrs. Loft was her mother from the time she was 14, that Mrs. Loft showed her special favor among family members, and that other family members knew this. As such, she claimed half the estate. Her lawyer attempted to have Mrs. Loft's body exhumed for blood tests although this was denied by the court. Old acquaintances of the family testified about long ago conversations. The court case continued for three years, but in the end, it was dismissed. "Loses on Try for Share of Loft Nougats" read the headline in the New York Daily News. "Although the petitioner has readily admitted she knew she was the child of Julia Loft since she was approximately 14, no intimation of this claim was forthcoming until now. Not only did she fail to make any objection to her designation as a niece in the probate of Julia Loft's will, but when John McMahon died in 1946, she accepted a share of the estate as his daughter. The surrogate held that the entire history of Mrs. Nolan's acquiescence to one set of facts and her ultimatechange to another lends less than a convincing nature to her claim. The petitioner has failed to meet her burden of proving her claim."
* The numbers don't work on this since she was born in 1883 and had reportedly worked for him for nine years when they married in 1911.
"Mrs. Loft was the widow of George W. Loft, former United States Congressman who brough to national prominence Loft's Candy Stores, founded by his father in Long Island City in 1860.
"One of nine children, she was born Julia McMahon in Manhattan Nov. 8, 1883, baptized in Epiphany church and attended New York public schools. On June 14, 1911, she married Mr. Loft in St. Kilian's Church, Farmingdale, L.I., having as page boys and flower girls orphans from their favorite charities at the time, Nazareth Trade School for Boys, Farmingdale and St. Rose Industrial Home for Girls, Melville."
"Mrs. Loft was active in many charities, most of which she preferred to remain unrevealed. Mercy Hospital in Rockville Center, St. Anthony's Convent, East Meadow, and the Catholic chapel at the Northport Veterans Hospital were among those that were known.
"Mrs. Loft is survived by six nieces and nephews. Her husband died in 1943.
"Burial was in the family mausoleum at St. Raymond's Cemetery."
She married George W. Loft in 1911, a year after he was widowed. She had known him for years. She was described as "a young woman who for nine years had sold candy in his Barclay St. store and who later became his private secretary" at the time of their marriage: "The bride has been in Mr. Loft's employee for nine years, starting when she was 16*. Her parents being dead, she made her home with her brother, John McMahon, a policeman. A short time ago, Mr. Loft made her his private secretary and she took charge of his estate in Baldwin, L.I. where he spends the summer...Leon Loft, a fifteen-year-old son of the bridegroom by a former marriage, gave the bride in marriage."
The Tablet obit which was in a Catholic publication also included information about her other charities, awards, friendships with priests, and pieties. It perhaps gives a distorted picture of her life. She was active with her husband in the civil life of New York City. She was a Special Deputy Commissioner of Police from 1921 to 1923 taking a particular interest in reforming dance halls and was described as the "Wayward Girls' Champion." She and her husband owned winning race horses. She traveled abroad including trips to Constantinople and Cuba. She broke the champagne bottle on the bow of the new George W. Loft ferry boat in 1923.
When she died in 1962, she left a will leaving the bulk of her multi-million dollar estate to charities with bequests to six nieces and nephews. She said in her will that she had no children. The will was challenged by her family. One niece and nephew objected to the size of their bequests, and there was an out-of-court settlement. More significantly, there was a major challenge by niece Edith Nolan who claimed that she was in fact the out-of-wedlock daughter of Mrs. Loft and silent movie actor Edward Healy. Born in 1902, she was adopted by Mrs. Loft's brother and his wife, John and Anne McMahon, and raised as their own. Mrs. Nolan said that she had known Mrs. Loft was her mother from the time she was 14, that Mrs. Loft showed her special favor among family members, and that other family members knew this. As such, she claimed half the estate. Her lawyer attempted to have Mrs. Loft's body exhumed for blood tests although this was denied by the court. Old acquaintances of the family testified about long ago conversations. The court case continued for three years, but in the end, it was dismissed. "Loses on Try for Share of Loft Nougats" read the headline in the New York Daily News. "Although the petitioner has readily admitted she knew she was the child of Julia Loft since she was approximately 14, no intimation of this claim was forthcoming until now. Not only did she fail to make any objection to her designation as a niece in the probate of Julia Loft's will, but when John McMahon died in 1946, she accepted a share of the estate as his daughter. The surrogate held that the entire history of Mrs. Nolan's acquiescence to one set of facts and her ultimatechange to another lends less than a convincing nature to her claim. The petitioner has failed to meet her burden of proving her claim."
* The numbers don't work on this since she was born in 1883 and had reportedly worked for him for nine years when they married in 1911.
From The Tablet, Brooklyn, NY, 26 May 1962:
"Mrs. Loft was the widow of George W. Loft, former United States Congressman who brough to national prominence Loft's Candy Stores, founded by his father in Long Island City in 1860.
"One of nine children, she was born Julia McMahon in Manhattan Nov. 8, 1883, baptized in Epiphany church and attended New York public schools. On June 14, 1911, she married Mr. Loft in St. Kilian's Church, Farmingdale, L.I., having as page boys and flower girls orphans from their favorite charities at the time, Nazareth Trade School for Boys, Farmingdale and St. Rose Industrial Home for Girls, Melville."
"Mrs. Loft was active in many charities, most of which she preferred to remain unrevealed. Mercy Hospital in Rockville Center, St. Anthony's Convent, East Meadow, and the Catholic chapel at the Northport Veterans Hospital were among those that were known.
"Mrs. Loft is survived by six nieces and nephews. Her husband died in 1943.
"Burial was in the family mausoleum at St. Raymond's Cemetery."
She married George W. Loft in 1911, a year after he was widowed. She had known him for years. She was described as "a young woman who for nine years had sold candy in his Barclay St. store and who later became his private secretary" at the time of their marriage: "The bride has been in Mr. Loft's employee for nine years, starting when she was 16*. Her parents being dead, she made her home with her brother, John McMahon, a policeman. A short time ago, Mr. Loft made her his private secretary and she took charge of his estate in Baldwin, L.I. where he spends the summer...Leon Loft, a fifteen-year-old son of the bridegroom by a former marriage, gave the bride in marriage."
The Tablet obit which was in a Catholic publication also included information about her other charities, awards, friendships with priests, and pieties. It perhaps gives a distorted picture of her life. She was active with her husband in the civil life of New York City. She was a Special Deputy Commissioner of Police from 1921 to 1923 taking a particular interest in reforming dance halls and was described as the "Wayward Girls' Champion." She and her husband owned winning race horses. She traveled abroad including trips to Constantinople and Cuba. She broke the champagne bottle on the bow of the new George W. Loft ferry boat in 1923.
When she died in 1962, she left a will leaving the bulk of her multi-million dollar estate to charities with bequests to six nieces and nephews. She said in her will that she had no children. The will was challenged by her family. One niece and nephew objected to the size of their bequests, and there was an out-of-court settlement. More significantly, there was a major challenge by niece Edith Nolan who claimed that she was in fact the out-of-wedlock daughter of Mrs. Loft and silent movie actor Edward Healy. Born in 1902, she was adopted by Mrs. Loft's brother and his wife, John and Anne McMahon, and raised as their own. Mrs. Nolan said that she had known Mrs. Loft was her mother from the time she was 14, that Mrs. Loft showed her special favor among family members, and that other family members knew this. As such, she claimed half the estate. Her lawyer attempted to have Mrs. Loft's body exhumed for blood tests although this was denied by the court. Old acquaintances of the family testified about long ago conversations. The court case continued for three years, but in the end, it was dismissed. "Loses on Try for Share of Loft Nougats" read the headline in the New York Daily News. "Although the petitioner has readily admitted she knew she was the child of Julia Loft since she was approximately 14, no intimation of this claim was forthcoming until now. Not only did she fail to make any objection to her designation as a niece in the probate of Julia Loft's will, but when John McMahon died in 1946, she accepted a share of the estate as his daughter. The surrogate held that the entire history of Mrs. Nolan's acquiescence to one set of facts and her ultimatechange to another lends less than a convincing nature to her claim. The petitioner has failed to meet her burden of proving her claim."
* The numbers don't work on this since she was born in 1883 and had reportedly worked for him for nine years when they married in 1911.
"Mrs. Loft was the widow of George W. Loft, former United States Congressman who brough to national prominence Loft's Candy Stores, founded by his father in Long Island City in 1860.
"One of nine children, she was born Julia McMahon in Manhattan Nov. 8, 1883, baptized in Epiphany church and attended New York public schools. On June 14, 1911, she married Mr. Loft in St. Kilian's Church, Farmingdale, L.I., having as page boys and flower girls orphans from their favorite charities at the time, Nazareth Trade School for Boys, Farmingdale and St. Rose Industrial Home for Girls, Melville."
"Mrs. Loft was active in many charities, most of which she preferred to remain unrevealed. Mercy Hospital in Rockville Center, St. Anthony's Convent, East Meadow, and the Catholic chapel at the Northport Veterans Hospital were among those that were known.
"Mrs. Loft is survived by six nieces and nephews. Her husband died in 1943.
"Burial was in the family mausoleum at St. Raymond's Cemetery."
She married George W. Loft in 1911, a year after he was widowed. She had known him for years. She was described as "a young woman who for nine years had sold candy in his Barclay St. store and who later became his private secretary" at the time of their marriage: "The bride has been in Mr. Loft's employee for nine years, starting when she was 16*. Her parents being dead, she made her home with her brother, John McMahon, a policeman. A short time ago, Mr. Loft made her his private secretary and she took charge of his estate in Baldwin, L.I. where he spends the summer...Leon Loft, a fifteen-year-old son of the bridegroom by a former marriage, gave the bride in marriage."
The Tablet obit which was in a Catholic publication also included information about her other charities, awards, friendships with priests, and pieties. It perhaps gives a distorted picture of her life. She was active with her husband in the civil life of New York City. She was a Special Deputy Commissioner of Police from 1921 to 1923 taking a particular interest in reforming dance halls and was described as the "Wayward Girls' Champion." She and her husband owned winning race horses. She traveled abroad including trips to Constantinople and Cuba. She broke the champagne bottle on the bow of the new George W. Loft ferry boat in 1923.
When she died in 1962, she left a will leaving the bulk of her multi-million dollar estate to charities with bequests to six nieces and nephews. She said in her will that she had no children. The will was challenged by her family. One niece and nephew objected to the size of their bequests, and there was an out-of-court settlement. More significantly, there was a major challenge by niece Edith Nolan who claimed that she was in fact the out-of-wedlock daughter of Mrs. Loft and silent movie actor Edward Healy. Born in 1902, she was adopted by Mrs. Loft's brother and his wife, John and Anne McMahon, and raised as their own. Mrs. Nolan said that she had known Mrs. Loft was her mother from the time she was 14, that Mrs. Loft showed her special favor among family members, and that other family members knew this. As such, she claimed half the estate. Her lawyer attempted to have Mrs. Loft's body exhumed for blood tests although this was denied by the court. Old acquaintances of the family testified about long ago conversations. The court case continued for three years, but in the end, it was dismissed. "Loses on Try for Share of Loft Nougats" read the headline in the New York Daily News. "Although the petitioner has readily admitted she knew she was the child of Julia Loft since she was approximately 14, no intimation of this claim was forthcoming until now. Not only did she fail to make any objection to her designation as a niece in the probate of Julia Loft's will, but when John McMahon died in 1946, she accepted a share of the estate as his daughter. The surrogate held that the entire history of Mrs. Nolan's acquiescence to one set of facts and her ultimatechange to another lends less than a convincing nature to her claim. The petitioner has failed to meet her burden of proving her claim."
* The numbers don't work on this since she was born in 1883 and had reportedly worked for him for nine years when they married in 1911.
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