George Michael Cohan (1878 - 1942)

Born 3 Jul 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Grace Ethelia (Fowler) Levey — married 10 Jul 1899 (to about Feb 1907) in Atlantic City, Atlantic, New Jersey, United States

Husband of Agnes Mary (Nolan) Cohan — married 29 Jun 1907 in Freehold, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 5 Nov 1942 at age 64 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Judy Dimmick [send private message]

Biography

George Cohan is Notable.

George Michael Cohan was born on 3 July 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was the youngest child born to travelling vaudeville performers Jeremiah Cohan and Helen "Nellie" Costigan.^[1][2][3] He had two older sisters.

The 1880 U.S. Census enumerates the Cohan family at an address on Camden Place in Boston, Massachusetts.^[4] Jeremiah, age 34, is listed as a Comedian; his wife is Ellen, age 25; their children are Josephine (3) and George (1). Also in the household is a servant named Nora Buckley, age 19.

George Cohan married his first wife, Grace Ethelia Fowler (aka Ethel Levey), on 10 July 1899 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.^[5] Their daughter, Georgia (Georgette) Cohen - (1900-1988), was born in California the following year.^[6] Seven years later, the marriage was over.^[7]

On 29 June 1907, he married again, to Agnes Mary Nolan.^[8] Their known children are:

• Mary Agnes (Cohan) Ronkin aka Litt - (1909-1983)^[9]
• Helen (Cohen) Carola - (1910-1996)
• George Michael Cohen Jr - (1914-2000)

Due to his extensive touring schedule, George Cohen didn't have a permanent home for many years.^[10] As a result, he and his growing family only appear twice in later census records. The 1910 U.S. Census shows George (age 31), Agnes (age 25), and Mary (age 10 monhths) living at 55 Central Park West, Manhattan.^[11] Five years later, they are listed in the 1915 New York Census staying at Martin Hall in Hempstead^[12]

George Cohen was an entertainer, playwright, composer, and lyricist. He first started touring locally with his family under the name "The Four Cohens" in 1888, then hit Broadway at the turn of the 20th century with musical shows such as "The Governor's Son" (1901), "Little Johnny Jones" (1904), and "George Washington Jr" (1908).^[10] He is best known for his songs that have become American patriotic classics, including "You're A Grand Old Flag", "The Yankee Doodle Boy", and "Over There". These compositions earned him a Congressional Gold Medal in 1940.^[13]

George M. Cohan was the first entertainer to receive the medal, honored particularly for his composition of the patriotic songs “Over There” and “A Grand Old Flag.” there was precedent for honoring non-military individuals, there was also concern about whether an entertainer should receive the accolade. Questions were raised about whether Cohan’s award for the amorphous quality of “patriotism” was worthy of the medal and its expense. However, Congressman William P. Connery, Jr., of Massachusetts rebutted this statement, claiming that Cohan had often supported down-and-out actors from his own pocket, and that “a man who has been responsible for the recruiting of thousands of American soldiers and who has brought up the morale of the American people, who by his patriotic songs made young men go to the recruiting office and join the colors, is entitled to at least a $700 gold medal.”

He died after a long battle with cancer on 5 November 1942 at his home in New York City.^[14] President Franklin Roosevelt wrote: "A beloved figure is lost to our national life... He will be mourned by millions whose lives were brightened and whose burdens were eased by his genius as a fun maker and as a dispeller of gloom...".^[15] He is buried in a mausoleum with his sister at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.^[16]

George Cohan's life is the subject of the film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), starring James Cagney.

George M. Cohan was the first entertainer to receive the medal, honored particularly for his composition of the patriotic songs “Over There” and “A Grand Old Flag.” there was precedent for honoring non-military individuals, there was also concern about whether an entertainer should receive the accolade. Questions were raised about whether Cohan’s award for the amorphous quality of “patriotism” was worthy of the medal and its expense. However, Congressman William P. Connery, Jr., of Massachusetts rebutted this statement, claiming that Cohan had often supported down-and-out actors from his own pocket, and that “a man who has been responsible for the recruiting of thousands of American soldiers and who has brought up the morale of the American people, who by his patriotic songs made young men go to the recruiting office and join the colors, is entitled to at least a $700 gold medal.” Therefore, Cohan received his award there was precedent for honoring non-military individuals, there was also concern about whether an entertainer should receive the accolade. Members questioned whether Cohan’s award for the amorphous quality of “patriotism” was worthy of the medal and its expense. Even after H.R. 4641 was signed into law, Congressman John Taber of New York tried to block the appropriation of $700 for the medal. He claimed that, in 1937, this amount could “take care of a relief family for over a year,” and he elaborated further that “[I]n such times as these I cannot be a party to voting that sort of appropriation. I hope that the House will throw it out.” Congressman William P. Connery, Jr., of Massachusetts rebutted this statement, claiming that Cohan had often supported down-and-out actors from his own pocket, and that “a man who has been responsible for the recruiting of thousands of American soldiers during the World War, a man who has brought up the morale of the American people, who by his patriotic songs made young men go to the recruiting office and join the colors, is entitled to at least a $700 gold medal.” there was precedent for honoring non-military individuals, there was also concern about whether an entertainer should receive the accolade. Members questioned whether Cohan’s award for the amorphous quality of “patriotism” was worthy of the medal and its expense. Even after H.R. 4641 was signed into law, Congressman John Taber of New York tried to block the appropriation of $700 for the medal. He claimed that, in 1937, this amount could “take care of a relief family for over a year,” and he elaborated further that “[I]n such times as these I cannot be a party to voting that sort of appropriation. I hope that the House will throw it out.” Congressman William P. Connery, Jr., of Massachusetts rebutted this statement, claiming that Cohan had often supported down-and-out actors from his own pocket, and that “a man who has been responsible for the recruiting of thousands of American soldiers during the World War, a man who has brought up the morale of the American people, who by his patriotic songs made young men go to the recruiting office and join the colors, is entitled to at least a $700 gold medal.” Therefore, Cohan was presented his award by President Franklin Roosevelt on May 1, 1940.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4YG-JBM : 15 January 2020), George Michael Cohan, 1878.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FX8K-DBV : 11 March 2018), George Michael Cohan, 03 Jul 1878, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; citing reference ID #115, Massachusetts Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,428,171.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4B1-BCM : 15 January 2020), George Michael Cohan, 1878.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHX5-1PC : 26 August 2017), George Cohen in household of Jeemiah Cohen, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district ED 726, sheet 263C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,559.
5. ↑ "New Jersey, Marriages, 1670-1980," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-996C : 21 September 2017), George M Cohan and Ethelia Fowler, 10 Jul 1899; citing Marriage, Atlantic City, Atlantic, New Jersey, United States, Division of Archives and Record Management, New Jersey Department of State, Trenton; FHL microfilm 004211082.
6. ↑ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGL7-XNSB : 27 September 2019), Geo M Cohan in entry for Georgia Cohan, 26 Aug 1900; citing Birth, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, California State Archives, Sacramento.
7. ↑ "New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5FR-16PZ : 13 September 2019), Grace Ethel or Ethel Grahame-White or Levey, 1934.
8. ↑ "Cohan Weds Chorus Girl from His Own Company", The Indianapolis Star, 5 Jan 1908. p. 43. Accessed on 7 Aug 2020. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/image/118587233/
9. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WCY-GC8 : 11 February 2018), George Michael Cohan in entry for Mary Agnes Cohan, 22 Jun 1909; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, reference cn 31648 New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,992,693.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Kendrick, John. "George M. Cohan: A Biography." Musicals101.com, 2002. Accessed on August 06, 2020, http://www.musicals101.com/cohanbio1.htm
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M59Q-VPP : accessed 6 August 2020), George M Cohan, Manhattan Ward 22, New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1301, sheet 3B, family 55, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1045; FHL microfilm 1,375,058.
12. ↑ "New York State Census, 1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9VG-RXH : 8 November 2014), George M Cohan, North Hempstead, A.D. 01, E.D. 05, Nassau, New York, United States; from "New York, State Census, 1915," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing p. 29, line 48, state population census schedules, 1915, New York State Archives, Albany.
13. ↑ "The George Cohan Congressional Gold Medal." United States House of Representatives: History, Art, and Archives. Accessed on 7 August 2020. https://history.house.gov/HistoricalHighlight/Detail/36566
14. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WRT-S85 : 3 June 2020), George M. Cohan, 1942.
15. ↑ "George M. Cohan, 64, Dies at Home Here", The New York Times, 6 Nov 1942. Archived on https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0703.html
16. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 07 August 2020), memorial page for George M. Cohan (3 Jul 1878–5 Nov 1942), Find a Grave Memorial no. 213, citing Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, Bronx County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .

See also:

• "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6N1-LLK : 25 August 2019), George Michael Cohan, 1917-1918.
• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-B7YG : 16 March 2018), George Michael Cohan, 1921; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #90152, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 1756, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-5JKB : 16 March 2018), George Michael Cohan, 1922; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #232153, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 2135, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• Wikipedia: George M. Cohan
• Wikidata: Item Q563017, en:Wikipedia
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cohan-34
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LWG9-HPY

Acknowledgements

This profile was originally created by Laura Scott, Friday, July 4, 2014. https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-George-Cohan-Congressional-Gold-Medal/#:~:text=President%20Franklin%20D.,medal%20on%20May%201%2C%2019findag

BURIAL Woodlawn Cemetery Bronx, Bronx County, New York, USA Show Map PLOT Section 141/206, Butternut Plot, Lot 13841 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213/george-m-cohan