Newspaper history — ‘The Lumber King of the Adirondacks’

Patrick Moynehan, early 20th century president of Glens Falls Post Co., publisher of The Post-Star, was an Irish immigrant who through hard work and entrepreneurial spirit became known as “The Lumber King of the Adirondacks.”

At one time he owned more than 30,000 acres of timber lands, in addition to other real estate and business investments.

Moynihan came with his family from New Market, County Cork, Ireland to North Creek at age eight. He moved to Glens Falls about 30 years later.

At the time of his death on Jan. 13, 1920, at age 70, Moynehan was president of Glens Falls Post Co., director of First National Bank of Glens Falls, president of North Creek Electric Co., treasurer of Raquette Falls Land Co., vice president of North Creek Manufacturing Co., and director of H.A. McRae Co.

For a time, he owned a hotel in Indian Lake.

Moynehan was one of the first Glens Falls residents to own an automobile.

“Having unbounded faith in the future of this community, he invested largely in real estate, and, at the time of his death was the largest individual real estate owner in the city (of Glens Falls),” The Post-Star reported.

At age 15, Moynehan left school to work at North Creek Tannery, and a year later went to work on a logging crew, making lumbering a life-time career.

“He rapidly acquired an accurate and thorough knowledge of the lumber business and rose from laborer to foreman and from foreman to superintendent in charge of operations and from that he branched out for himself,” The Post-Star reported.

In 1883 Moynehan and his brother, Dennis Moynehan, formed a partnership to log the the Webb tract in Hamilton County, in partnership with William C. Whitney. The brothers logged more than 100,000 acres of virgin forest over 12 years.

In 1873 Moynehan married Elizabeth Foley. The couple had one son and two daughters.

He was a member of Glens Falls Knights of Columbus and Lodge 81 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Moynehan was a long-time local Democratic political leader, and was a delegate to several Democratic national conventions.

His funeral was on Jan. 16, 1920 at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Glens Falls.

After the funeral, about 100 relatives and friends traveled from Glens Falls on a special train that carried Moynehan’s body to North Creek for burial.

Sources: The Post-Star, Jan. 14, 17, 1920; “Bridging the Years,” published by the Glens Falls Historical Association in 1978.

This post will be updated as additional information is found.