(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part two of a story that was published in a previous issue of The Luminary. The Luminary wishes to thank Doris (Claudfelter) Yeager for sharing information about her great-grandfather as well as photos of him.)

Thomas Grady and H.P. Smith purchased the Montgomery Mirror newspaper in 1890, about a year after the paper was founded. In the early days of The Montgomery Mirror, the office was located on South Main Street in an area called “The Decker Block.”

In April of 1891, Grady expanded his publishing to include a successful journal called, “Railroad Topics”, according to “The History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania” by John F. Meginness.

Meginness also reported that when the Montgomery Board of Trade was founded that same year, Grady was the secretary.

While things may have gotten off to a good start, the Montgomery Mirror suffered a big setback in its early days. A large portion of the block was destroyed by a major fire on Nov. 27, 1892. The fire began in another store and a few other businesses were also destroyed. The Montgomery Mirror reported the event in their January 6, 1893 edition, stating that their office had been completely destroyed in the blaze and they lost all of their equipment. It took over a month for the paper to begin publishing again.

This fire happened just five days before another fire took a serious toll on the Montgomery Table Works plant that was located between Montgomery Street and Broad Street. The two fires led to the founding of the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company in early 1892, according to a Luminary article from April 19, 2017.

The book, “Notes and Queries: Historical, Biographical and Genealogical Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania,” edited by William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., said that Thomas Grady published a guide called “Grady’s Directory” in 1897. The reference guide contained maps of the area as well as the names of local residents.

Grady was elected to the office of Burgess of Montgomery in February of 1897, as reported by the Williamsport Sun and Banner on Feb. 24, 1897. Later, the Borough changed the title of burgess to mayor.

Aside from being a good businessman and an elected official, Grady was a well-liked member of the community as well. Doris Claudfelter Yeager shared that her great-grandfather was a courteous man. He “was remembered for his greeting all ages with a polite doffing of his Irish bowler hat.”

Grady’s reputation for being a nice person was well established. In a social column in the Williamsport newspaper The Evening News, it was reported on March 12, 1903, “Thomas Grady, the genial editor of the Mirror, made a business trip to Williamsport on Monday.” This is a unique entry because tidbits in social columns typically didn’t include comments about the subject’s personality.

Sadly, tragedy did come to the Grady household in 1904. The Evening News reported on March 22, 1904, that Thomas and his wife had a baby boy named Vincent who required throat surgery. The infant died at home shortly after the operation.

Another position that Grady held in Montgomery was Postmaster. “T. E. Grady, the newly appointed post master received his commission from President Wilson on Thursday, and will take charge of the post office on Monday morning,” the Grit reported on Sept. 6, 1914.

Thomas Grady expanded his business interests by buying the Lyceum, a large theatre on North Main Street. The motion picture venue would eventually become the Eagle Theatre.

Grady faced a setback on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1924, when a major fire burned the Montgomery Mirror Office, the Lyceum theatre and two residences. Of the buildings in the fire, Grady owned all but one residence. The Grit reported on Nov. 9, 1924, that the four properties were destroyed. Nearby buildings also caught fire but were successfully put out. It was reported that the damages were $40,000, which would be $733,446 today. The Montgomery Centennial book reports that several years of issues of The Montgomery Mirror newspaper that were stored in the office were lost in the fire.

Doris (Claudfelter) Yeager said that Thomas Grady took a copy of the paper home each week and kept them in the basement of his Broad Street home. But unfortunately, when the Flood of 1936 came to Montgomery, the flood waters destroyed his collection of newspapers.

Sadly, Thomas E. Grady’s life came to an end on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1937. He was 74 years old. Grady died in his home on Broad Street after a five day bout of pneumonia. It was reported that he was survived by his wife and several children. He was buried in Williamsport following his funeral at Annunciation Church, according to the Grit on Feb. 21, 1937.