Sepia Saturday #110 - Theatre - Charles C. Hildinger - Movie Pioneer, Trenton, NJ

This week's theme over at Sepia Saturday is "Theatre" and nothing screams theatre to me more than Charles C. Hildinger,  my husband's great-grand-uncle.  I've written numerous times about Charles who's known as the "Nickel King" or "Five Cent King" of Trenton, NJ one of the pioneers of moving picture theatres in Trenton at the beginning of the twentieth century.    He got this nickname because when he moved to Trenton around 1898 he didn't have a nickel to his name.  He grew up on a farm in Armstrong County, PA where he was born on 15 Dec 1876 to John A. and  Mary Jane (Cochran) Hildinger. Charles' father came to this country at the age of two years with his parents John and Margaret, and older sister Rosana by ship in 1833 from Württemberg, Germany and settled in Westmoreland County,  PA.  Charles was the youngest of seven children and when he was eleven years old his father, a Civil War veteran, died.

The story of Charles Hildinger was never passed down to my husband and his siblings and unfortuantely there are no known family pictures of him to share.  Everything I know about him I have discovered from hours of research.  I have over two hundred news clippings alone!

In 1898 after trying his hand at several professions in Pittsburgh, and McKeesport, PA, he went to Trenton with his partner and brother-in-law Clinton C. Cutler. They went to work for the circulation department of the Trenton Times and later jointly bought the circulation of Times.  While visiting Pittsburgh, perched on a curb Charles noticed people going in and out of a moving picture show and calculated the evening's take.  He went back to Trenton and created the "Bijou" at 23 North Warren Street which opened on 28 Jun 1906 to much fanfare.  The Bijou was described in a Trenton Times article as "a beautiful little white and gold palace of moving pictures.  The article also stated that "the opening was a great success and it was estimated between 1200 and 1500 persons witnessed the performances that night and half that number were turned away early in the evening."   He and Cutler created the Dream Amusement Company, but within a few years he became the sole owner and Cutler dedicated himself to the newspaper business.  

Within ten years he would own ten movie theatres in Trenton one of them being the "Nicolette" at 134 South Broad Street.  His string of movie houses would also include the "Princess" on North Clinton Avenue, the "Victory" on South Broad Street, the "Rialto" on Pennington Avenue, the "American on Princeton Avenue, the "Strand" on Hermitage Avenue and the "Garden" on North Broad Street.  He also had interests in the "Greenwood" and "City Square" theatres in which he was aided by financially interested associates.  He became associated with Milton Hirshfield and they acquired the "Stacy Theatre" on East State Street.  He was also invested in numerous other ventures in Trenton and elsewhere including amusement holdings at Belmar, Asbury Park as well as being a member of  a group that erected the Lincoln Theatre in Trenton.  Charley, as he was known, became a well-known and respected businessman in Trenton.  He was active in charity work and a member of a number of organizations, including the Trenton Lodge No 105, B.P.O. Elks, the Allied Motion Picture Theatre Association and the Trenton Republican Club just to name a few.  In 1922 he was named treasurer of the New Jersey Motion Picture Owners' Association.

Courtesy of Ken Roe, Cinema Treasures

My husband's great-grandfather, David R. C. Johnston, was the manager of several of Charley's theatres over a period of years.  He was the husband of Mary Elizabeth Hildinger, Charley's sister.  They came from Clearfield, PA around 1916 and David worked for Charley until he retired.   He was first a manager for the Park Theatre which later became the Rialto, and he was the first manager of the Strand Theatre which was on the corner of Hermitage and Edgewood.  Their only child, Luella Ruth Johnston Rogers, my husband's grandmother, was an accomplished musician and organist.  It seems the theatrical gene ran in the family.  David and Mary lived at 633 Edgewood  Drive  and rented rooms in their home to people who worked at the theatre.  The Strand closed in 1963 and was taken over by the Trenton Free Library.

Hildinger Theatres Ad in Trenton Evening Times Apr 1919

On 27 Oct 1915 Charles married Helen Beatrice Dunn, daughter of Harry and Margaret (Mooney) Dunn.  They had two children, John Clark and Claire Helen.  John Clark never married, Claire married late in life and neither had any grandchildren to pass the family theatre legacy on to.  Charley died of a heart attack on 2 Sep 1931 at the age of fifty-four and his wife took over the reins of his empire.  From all reports of what I've read, Charley was larger than life, much loved and respected.  I'm not sure what happened to all the memorabilia of this extraordinary and exciting life; it's a shame some of the memories were not passed down to other members of the family - I'm sure they would have enjoyed knowing Charley!

3 Sep 1931 Trenton Evening Times

Sunday's Obituary - Claire Helen Hildinger Moldovan - Trenton Movie Heir

Trenton Evening Times  1 May 1942

Claire Helen Hildinger Moldovan
17 May 1920 - 30 Nov 1982

Claire Helen Hildinger Moldovan, wife of George Moldovan, and only daughter of the late Charles C. and Helen (Dunn) Hildinger was born 17 May 1920 in Trenton, NJ and died 30 Nov 1982 in Belleair Bluffs, Fl.  Her father was a prominent Trenton, NJ businessman known as the "Nickel King" who created the first movie theaters in Trenton in the early 1900's.  She was also preceded in death by a brother, John Clark Hildinger in 1968.  Burial was at Ewing Church Cemetery in the family plot.

Trenton Times 2 Dec 1982

Sunday's Obituary - Movie Heir, John Clark Hildinger - Trenton, NJ

John Clark Hildinger 24 Sep 1916 - 3 May 1968

J. Clark Hildinger - 1947

John Clark Hildinger was born in Trenton, New Jersey on 24 Sep 1916 to Charles Clark Hildinger and Helen Beatrice (Dunn) Hildinger.  Young Clark was born into Trenton royalty, his father the owner of a string of motion picture houses and who was known as the “nickel king.”  His father died in 1931 and his mother stepped into his shoes.  After his mother’s death in 1960 Clark took over the reins of the family business. 

Clark Hildinger was a veteran of World War II.   He left the family business in April 1942 entering the U.S. Army as a private at Fort Dix.  In March 1943 he was promoted to Corporal.

Trenton Times 3 May 1968

Clark was survived by one sister, Claire Hildinger and several cousins.  He was a first cousin once removed to my father-in-law, Alvin S. Rogers.  The funeral was held at William Murphy Funeral Home, 149 North Warren Street.  He was buried in the family plot at Ewing Church Cemetery, Trenton, New Jersey.
 

Ewing Church Cemetery - photo courtesy of Mark Snyder Find-A-Grave

Military Monday - Cadet Clark Hildinger of Trenton, NJ

From the Trenton Evening Times 15 Oct 1933 - Clark Hildinger, son of Charles and Helen (Dunn) Hildinger theater owners of Trenton, New Jersey.  Clark attended the Staunton Military Academy at Staunton, West Virginia.

In 1942, J. Clark, then aged 25 and an executive with his family's theater chain, left for armed forces as evidenced by this article in the Trenton Evening Times 16 Apr 1942.  He was honored in a surprise reception by 50 of his associates including his mother, his cousin Charles F. Sweet who worked for the Hildinger enterprises for many years.  Also, attending was David R. C. Johnston, Clark's uncle who was married to Mary Elizabeth Hildinger, sister to Clark's father Charles Hildinger.  David worked for the Hildingers for many years as a theater manager first starting at the old Park theater which later became the Rialto and later as manager at the Strand.  David Johnston was my husband's great-grandfather.

 

In March of 1943 J. Clark was promoted from private to corporal and headquartered at Fort Dix.  Upon his return to Trenton after his service he again took up his position as an executive with the Hildinger Theater enterprises.

Wordless Wednesday - The Princess - Trenton, NJ Theatre History

Grand Opening of Princess Theatre Owned by Hildinger Theatre Interests

Trenton Evening Times 12 Nov 1914

Sunday's Obituary - Helen Dunn Hildinger

Helen Beatrice Dunn Hildinger 1895 - 1960
Born:  Jan 1895
Died:  15 Dec 1960
Father:  Harry Dunn
Mother:  Margaret A. Mooney

Treasure Chest Thursday - The Duchess's Chest

I just love this story that I came across about my husband's great-great-great grandmother, Margaret Ann (Unknown) Hildinger (1795-1880).  She was married to John Hildinger (1794-1848) and they both came to the United States from Württemberg, Germany in 1833 and settled in Armstrong County, PA.  They were the parents of John A. Hildinger (1831-1887) whose youngest son Charles Clark Hildinger (1876-1931) was to found the very successful Hildinger Amusement business in Trenton and feature some of the first moving pictures in Trenton, NJ.  According to her great-grandson, Charles Sweet, in a story in the Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser in which he was talking about the Hildinger movie enterprise, Margaret Ann was a German duchess.  Here is the excerpt:

Charles Hildinger was a character and so was their mutual great-grandmother according to Charles Sweet.  According to family legend the great-grandmother, a duchess in Württemberg, ran away with the court tailor, a Hildinger.  They came from Germany on a sailing ship before 1830.  The ship had extra long paddles to fend off man-eating sharks during the voyage.  The couple bought a large farm in Armstrong County, Pa. and the ex-duchess took over its supervision.

A strong-willed woman, she had a custom with which she allowed nothing to interfere.  She would return from the fields shortly before 4 in the afternoon, dress in the finery from the trunks she had brought from Europe and have tea served to her in the court tradition.  The trunks and the clothes remained in the family for years.

If the story is true (which I really have my doubts), wouldn't I love to get my hands on that treasure chest!

Source:  Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser 22 Aug 1954

Those Places Thursday -"The Bijou" Trenton, NJ

The Bijou Theatre - 23 North Warren, Trenton NJ


Charles Clark Hildinger, my husband's great-granduncle, known as the "Nickel King" of Trenton, Mercer County, NJ opened his first movie theatre, The Bijou on 28 Jun 1906 to much fanfare.  One article¹ described it as a "beautiful little white and gold palace of moving pictures” and praised the "electric fans" which contributed to the comfort of the patrons.  The opening was a great success and it was estimated that between 1200 and 1500 persons witnessed the performances that night and half of the number were turned away early in the evening.²

Charles' partner in this operation was his brother-in-law C.C. Cutler, who later sold out his share of the business to Charles and became well-known in the Trenton Times distribution business.  Charles Hildinger went on to open many more theatres in the Trenton as well as other areas, and became one of Trenton’s most prominent citizens.

¹Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser, 1 Jul 1906

²Trenton Times, 29 June 1906

Charles C. Hildinger Obituary

Charles C. Hildinger, the prominent businessman and theater magnate who I discussed in my previous post, was my husband's great-uncle.  One would think, with his amazing accomplishments from farm boy to rich man,  he would have been discussed by my father-in-law with his children, but as with his other ancestors, they have up until now, no knowledge.  I have found probably one hundred news articles which substantiate his rags to riches story, and his obituary which was on the front page of the Trenton Evening Times on September 3, 1931 confirms his status in the theater industry and Trenton/Mercer County community.

HILDINGER BURIAL TO BE SATURDAY

Prominent Figure in Trenton Amusement Fields Dies At 54

Charles C. Hildinger, 54 years old, well known owner of several amusement ventures in the city and elsewhere and president of the Mercer County Board of Taxation, will be buried from his late home, 614 West State Street, Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock.  Following services interment will be in Ewing Church Cemetery under direction of F. J. Ullrich & Sons, Inc.

Mr. Hildinger died yesterday afternoon at Mercer Hospital.  He had suffered an acute heart attack at his summer home in Belmar, the day before, his condition growing so serious that he was ordered brought to the Trenton institution about 2 a.m. yesterday.  He regained consciousness for about five hours prior to his death. 

Mrs. Hildinger and Lee Newbury, of Belmar, his partner in theatrical enterprises, accompanied him to Trenton from the shore city.

Mr. Hildinger is survived by his widow, a son, Clark and daughter, Claire.  They reside at the West State Street home.  He leaves also three sisters, Mrs. Frank J. Ullrich, Mrs. David C. Johnston and Mrs. Paul Sweet, all of this city; three nieces, Mrs. John Nicholathwaite, of Portsmouth, Ohio; Miss Daisy Cochrane of Washington, D.C. and Mrs. Walter Stevens, also of Washington, and one nephew Charles Sweet, of this city.

He was a member of True Craftsman Lodge, F. & A.; Scottish Rite, Three Times Three Chapter and Crescent Temple, Mystic Shire.  He belonged also to Trenton Lodge of Moose.  He was also a member of the Trenton Republican Club, of the Belmar Betterment League and the Allied Motion Picture Theatre Association.

Mr. Hildinger’s early life had many of the story-book qualities that fired the imagination of the youth of a generation ago.  Born on a farm in Armstrong County, Pa., where he remained until he was 14 years old, he soon set out for wider opportunities, and when he was still a young man, he was making the most of his chances in Pittsburgh.  His small business adventure subsequently took him to many small towns and eventually to this city.

Interested in newspapers, he obtained a position as circulation solicitor of the Trenton Times.  Two years later he started here what is believed to have been the first motion picture house east of Pittsburgh. 

It was while visiting in Pittsburgh that the film theatre idea came to him.  He perched himself on a curb and watched 300 persons enter a theatre.  Financially inclined, Hildinger figured the proceeds which the management received.

He returned to Trenton and the “Bijou” was the result.  It was opened at 28 North Warren Street, on July 12, 1906.  The “Bijou” was an immediate success and Hildinger and his brother-in-law, Charles C. Cutler, formed the Dream Amusement Company.

Within ten, years, Hildinger owned eight show houses here.  One of them was the “Nicolet,” located at 134 south Broad Street and housing 221 persons.  Coming to Trenton without a nickel, Hildinger was soon dubbed the “Five Cent King of Trenton.”  And he often admitted he was proud of the title.

                Headed String of Theatres

Mr. Hildinger’s string of movie houses later included the Bijou on Chestnut Avenue, Princess on North Clinton Avenue, Victory on South Broad Street, Rialto on Pennington Avenue, American on Princeton Avenue, Strand on Hermitage Avenue, and Garden on North Broad Street.  He also had an interest in the Greenwood and City Square theatres.  In each of these enterprises he was aided by financially interested associates.

Nearly twenty years ago Mr. Hildinger organized the Hildinger Booking Company, which became a clearing house for films for his own and other local theatres.  While engaged in this business he became associated with the late Milton Hirshfield and, with the latter acquired the Stacy Theatre on East State Street, of which he was the active head at the time of his death.

                Also Had Interests at Shore

With Mr. Hirshfeld, he became a leading member of the group that four years ago was organized to erect the Lincoln Theatre.  Throughout the course of construction of this playhouse, Mr. Hildinger was continually on the job as a building supervisor.  Upon its completion, be became vice president of the enterprise and, at the death of Mr. Hirshfeld and until the sale of the house to the RKO interests, he was the active head in the operation of the Lincoln.

For the past ten year Mr. Hildinger had resided throughout the summer at Belmar, where he also had extensive amusement holdings.  He was affiliated with two theatres and an amusement pier there and with the Ocean Theatre in Asbury Park.

He was also actively identified with Woodlawn Park and formerly conducted the Arcade billiard parlors on East State Street, between Broad and Warren.

Back in 1927 Mr. Hildinger was named treasurer of the New Jersey Motion Picture Owners; Association during their annual convention in Asbury Park.  He also was vice president of the Southern New Jersey branch of the association at one time.

Source:  Trenton Evening Times

Date:  Thursday, 3 Sep 1931

Charles Clark Hildinger

Charles Clark Hildinger, founder of the Hildinger Theaters, and who was known as the "Five Cent King" of Trenton, was born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on 15 Dec 1876, the youngest child of John A. Hildinger and Mary Jane Cochran Hildinger.  His father a farmer and Civil War veteran, came to this country from Wurttemburg, Germany with his parents as a toddler.  His father died when he was eleven and three years later Clark left the farm at the age of fourteen for better opportunities.  He tried several careers before finding success with the movie business.  He first went to Pittsburgh, then to Kittanning, Pa where he worked in a pottery.  Next he went to McKeesport, Pa where he worked as a clerk selling carpets.  Tiring of carpets he went to Trenton and became interested in the newspaper business.  He went to work for the circulation department of the Trenton Times.  After a couple of years, he and his brother-in-law C. C. Cutler bought the circulation of the times and owned it jointly.

Charles made several visit to his former home in Pittsburgh and on one visit became fascinated with a moving picture show.  He counted the people going in and calculated the evening's take.  An idea was born.  He went back to Trenton and created "The Bijou."  He and his brother-in-law created Dream Amusement Company.  Within a few years, he was the sole owner, with Cutler dedicating himself to the newspaper circulation business.  Hildinger added more theaters, The Nicolet, The Royal and five others.  With these successes, he branched out adding The Taylor Opera House. He also had extensive amusement holdings in Belmar and was affiliated with an amusement pier there among others.  In 1927 he became treasurer of the New Jersey Motion Picture Owners' Association.  In 1929, Governor Lawson appointed him to the Mercer County Tax Board.

He was also known for his charitable gestures especially to children of Trenton.  He would often provide provide free showings at his theaters and outings to the shore for the orphans.

On 27 Oct 1915, he married Helen Beatrice Dunn and they had two children, John Clark born in 1916 and Claire Helen born in 1920.  Charles died unexpectedly of a heart attack on 2 Sep 1931 at the age of 54 leaving his family to carry on his legacy.

Mary Elizabeth Hildinger

Mary Elizabeth Hildinger Johnston

Mary Elizabeth Hildinger was born about 1863, probably Cowanshannock, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania to John A. Hildinger and Mary Jane Cochran Hildinger.  She was the fourth child of seven and one of five daughters.  On 23 Jul 1886 in Clearfield County, PA she married David C. Johnston, son of Andrew Jackson Johnston and Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston.  In 1891, she and David were found selling a property in DuBois along with Eliza M. Johnston - they were listed on a deed in Clearfield County( this information from Kathy Myers).  This is the last mention of them I can find until 1910 when they show up in the 1910 census in Allegheny, PA with daughter, Luella.  This 19 year span is quite a mystery and one I am determined to solve.  Luella was their first and only child and was born 17 years after their marriage which seems unusual.  Where did they go for all those years?  Were they separated for some reason? 

By 1914 they were living in Trenton, New Jersey where David went to work for Mary's brother Charles in the movie theater business as a manager of one of his theaters.  In the 1910 census his occupation was listed as Foreman, Dept. Stables.

Their daughter Luella was an accomplished musician and organist and apparently this may have been inherited from her Johnston side.  In notes from Mary Aleta Winslow, http://www.pagenweb.org/~elk/winslowgenealogy/mywinslowburkeancestors.htm Eliza Mariah was supposedly from a musically gifted family.

Mary Elizabeth and David Johnston lived in Trenton until at least 1943, but I have been unable to find any record of their deaths despite numerous searches.