Newspaper Article, July 16, 1928

W.E. HARMON DIES AT SOUTHPORT HOME

Former Summer Resident of Williamstown Estate

William Elmer Harmon, former Williamstown summer resident, retired real estate operator of New York City and the founder of the Harmon Foundation for Philanthropic Purposes, died yesterday morning  (July 15, 1928) at his summer home, Southport, Connecticut after several years of failing health.  Mr. Harmon was in his 68th year.

 

Mr. Harmon bought the Sweet Brook farm on Oblong Road, Williamstown, for $100,000 a number of years ago and maintained the large mansion there as a summer home until he sold the property at auction a few years ago.  He and his family were summer residents of Williamstown over  a long period and Mr. Harmon will be remembered by many people in that community.

 

Newspaper Article, July 18, 1928

HARMON FUNERAL IS HELD IN BROOKLYN

Hundreds of Friends of Former Williamstown Summer Resident Attend Last Rites

Funeral services for William Elmer Harmon, former well known Williamstown summer resident and retired realtor of New York City who died Sunday at his summer home in Southport, Connecticut, were held yesterday in Grace Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, N.Y.   Rev. Dr. George P. Atwater, rector of the church of which Mr. Harmon was a vestryman, officiated.

Hundreds of friends gathered in the final tribute to Mr. Harmon.   Included in their numbers were two boyhood acquaintances who came on from his native town of Lebanon, Ohio to represent his friends there.   They were Warren Wood and Mrs. Emma T. March.

The honorary pall-bearers included William B. Hill, William H. Cary, Harry H. Powell, William H. Milnor, Dr. William H. Lohman, Howard Hadden, Harry A Kahler, Isaac Rath, John A. Read, Dr. Dudley Roberts, Arthur Lyman, Wilter B. Perkins, John H. Storer and Warren Wood, some of whom were associated with Mr. Harmon in business.

Representatives of the many social, commercial and philanthropic organizations with which Mr. Harmon had been affiliated were also present.   Burial was in the Moravian cemetery, Staten Island, N.Y,

Williamstown Summer Resident Made Generous Gifts

AS "JEDEDIAH TINGLE"

Philanthropist Aided Writers, Unsung Heroes and Children - founded Harmon Foundation

With the death Sunday of William Elmer Harmon, Williamstown summer resident and wealth realtor of New York City is revealed the identity of Jedediah Tingle, the mystery philanthropist who made generous gifts to great writers, obscure poets, unsung heroes and good children without ever disclosing his real identity, according to an article published in a New York newspaper today.

Members of the family at the Harmon summer home in Southport, Connecticut where the aged philanthropist died, were reluctant to discuss his unique method of disposing of his money.   Inquirers were referred to W. Burke Harmon, a son, associated with the well known Harmon Foundation which was established and endowed for philanthropic purposes by his distinguished father.   W. Burke Harmon could not be located in New York last evening.

People throughout the country have heard of Jedediah Tingle, large numbers have been benefited by his gifts and all have wondered who their benefactor could have been.   At one time, Jedediah Tingle announced publicly that he was carrying on "eternal mission" as his own great-grandfather whose name he had assumed, "to bring smiles and tender thoughts to the great in heart, in high and low places, to comfort and cheer to those who do exceptional things or suffer."

He was an unknown contributor to the Children's Aid Society of New York for a number of years.   The organization carried on its correspondence with him through a banking address in Brooklyn, N.Y. and at his request, never attempted to establish its donor's identity.

EDITORIAL TELLS OF HARMON'S WORK

Williamstown Summer Resident Aided Many Philanthropic Groups as "Jedediah Tingle."

An editorial entitled, "Jedediah Tingle" appearing in yesterday's issue of the Knickerbocker Press of Albany, N.Y. relates to the unique manner of carrying on philanthropic work adopted by William Elmer Harmon, former resident who died Sunday at his summer home in Southport, Connecticut.  The identity of Mr. Harmon as "Jedediah Tingle" was not revealed until his death.

The editorial follows:

"Jedediah Tingle" was the name under which for many years a mysterious philanthropist played the role of fairy godmother to struggling writers and obscure poets, unsung heroes and good children.

Only the other day his latest gift was announced through the Children's Aid Society of New York City, to which he had been an unknown contributor for years.   This gift of $500.00 was to be distributed as prizes in the form of savings accounts among children spending their vacations at the society's fresh air camps.   The prizes were to go to the children who made the most progress during the vacation in overcoming their worst fault.   The children were to be the judges of what was their most serious fault, and the camp directors were to rate their efforts in overcoming it.   As in his previous communication with the society, all transactions were made through a bank in Brooklyn, and the heads of the society remained unaware of the real identity of "Jedediah Tingle."

Death has finally revealed the secret so long and so well kept.  "Jedediah Tingle" was William E. Harmon, a retired real estate operator of New York City.  He died Sunday at his summer home at Southport, Connecticut, two days before the Children's Aid Society made public the announcement of his last gift.  In addition to the wealth he disposed of in this unique and mysterious way, Mr. Harmon had endowed the Harmon foundation of New York for philanthropic purposes.

There is something rather Dickinson about name he chose to conceal his real identity, and the mysterious, unexpected visitations of his benevolence in quarters where it was least sought or expected are equally reminiscent of those superlatively delightful and benignant old gentlemen whom one can scarcely imagine existing anywhere except between the covers of a volume of Dickens.   Once he announced publicly, under the assumed name, that he was carrying on the "eternal mission" of his own great grandfather, whose name he had taken, "to bring smiles and tender thoughts to the great in heart, in high and low placed, to comfort and cheer those who do exceptional things or suffer."

"Jedediah Tingle" must indeed have had a great deal more pleasure and satisfaction and more real fun, from the wealth he accumulated than most rich men manage to have.