An anomaly in the previously Republican stronghold of Morristown, J. Raymond Manahan was the first Democratic mayor elected in the town in over 40 years when he won his first election in 1954. He remained the town's Chief Executive for five uninterrupted terms before returning to private life and business in 1964. Under his leadership Morristown's Democrats turned a 5-4 Republican majority on the town's Aldermen to a 7-2 Democrat majority. Campaigning on a platform of change Manahan unseated W. Parsons Todd from a position he had held for nearly 40 years. His administration ushered in profound changes that, as argued by Manahan and his Board, prepared the town's residents and businesses for life in the late 20th century United States.
Ray Manahan was born in 1916, the last of six children from his father's first marriage. His mother died when he was three and his father remarried a few years later. The second marriage produced two more children, one of which, David Manahan also was elected Mayor of Morristown. Born in Dunellen in Middlesex County, Manahan attended the local high school. He went to Villanova University to study economics, specializing in banking and investment. Manahan then went on to graduate school at NYU and attended Fordham Law School before beginning work in the Treasury office of the Metropolitan Insurance Company in New York City. He married the former Mary I. McNeil of Bradley Beach in 1940. The couple had 6 children, twin boys and four girls.
Soon after he and his wife arrived in Morristown in 1940, Manahan became deeply involved in many of the town's social, business, and political organizations. He managed the local Little League baseball program, was a member of the Morristown Board of Adjustment, and served as the organizer of the Morristown Civic Association which conducted impartial political forums for candidates and served as a watchdog committee for the citizens of Morristown.
After fourteen years of active citizenship and citing many perceived shortcomings of the Todd administration, Manahan sought the Mayor's office. Originally a Republican Manahan decided to switch to the Democrat party realizing that he had little chance of beating W. Parsons Todd in the primary. Rather he understood that his best opportunity for success would be in the general election. He campaigned door to door in both Democratic and Republican areas of town keeping in mind that he needed to attract members of both parties if he were to be elected. In addition to the above strategy Manahan and the Democratic candidates for Aldermen published a newsletter entitled "Town Talk" in order to increase their exposure among the town's voters. It was also hoped that the newsletter would act as a counterbalance against the incumbent's frequent quotes and appearances in the Daily Record. Manahan credited both the newsletter and the door to door campaigning for his first victory. The first election was extremely tight beating Todd by just a few hundred votes.
During Manahan's tenure as Mayor the number of full time police officers increased, he appointed the town's first African American citizen to a local board, he improved town services and infrastructure, and he improved the financial outlook of the town. Though by far his biggest initiative was an Urban Renewal program designed to alleviate the substandard housing in the "Hollow" area of town. His administration was not without controversy. Most notably he was embroiled in a voter registration scandal before the 1962 election. For improper registration techniques he was hauled before a Grand Jury which led to a reprimand and as a result he faced his toughest challenge winning by 60 votes against his Republican contender John R Mott.
Manahan served two statewide appointment positions. While still mayor Governor Robert B. Meyner appointed him to the State Division of Motor Safety as the Director of Traffic Safety for New Jersey in 1957. Following his retirement he was appointed to serve as Development Director of northern New Jersey by Governor Brendan T. Byrne. There was also an unsuccessful drive by the Executive Committee of the Morris County Democratic Committee to draft him as the Democratic Gubernatorial candidate in 1961. He turned the nominating committee down to concentrate on his job as Mayor of Morristown. Mayor Manahan fostered and nurtured many relationships with New Jersey's most powerful politicians, including Governors Meyner and Brendan T. Byrne.
Following his retirement as Mayor, Manahan returned to economics opening a consulting business in town and selling real estate. In 1971 he married Gertrude Manahan and they resettled in Mendham New Jersey. Mayor Manahan later moved to Vermont where he spent his last few years. J. Raymond Manahan died on November 27, 2004.
His administration is fondly remembered by many long term Morristown residents, both Democrat and Republican and indeed he has often been credited with preparing Morristown for life in the late 20th century United States.
The Mayor J. Raymond Manahan collection contains material relating to Manahan's tenure as Morristown Mayor and as New Jersey's Director of Traffic Safety. It consists of correspondence, planning documents, reports, news clippings, photographs and ephemera organized into eight series. The collection is rich in campaign materials from Manahan's first run for Mayor, his four reelection efforts, and his uninitiated gubernatorial campaign. It also includes records of Manahan and his administration, including his extensive involvement in Morristown's urban redevelopment of the "Hollow." The collection contains many unique and valuable photographs of New Jersey, as well as the nation's top politicians, most with autographs. Most notably are photographs of Mayor Manahan shaking hands with John F. Kennedy, Governors Meyner and Hughes, and Henry Ford. Also notable are letters from Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bill Bradley, and New York Governor Mario Cuomo.
He has been described as the consummate politician, happiest when out greeting the town's citizens, chairing contentious meetings devising solutions to issues that have long plagued the town. This series contains material relating to his first campaign in 1954, his four subsequent reelection efforts, and material from the uninitiated gubernatorial campaign. An interesting note, there is a life size cardboard cut out replica of Mayor Manahan embossed with his reelection slogan "Stay with Ray", pins embossed with "Stay with Ray" and emery boards with same quote and brochures touting Manahan's successes.
This series contains both official records created by Manahan and his administration and material peripherally related to his time as Mayor such as awards and citations. There are also items related to other individuals he came in contact with as Mayor such as Governor Meyner's funeral program. A great deal of this series is composed of newspaper articles referencing Mayor Manahan and his administration.
Concerned with the blight and substandard housing of the "Hollow," the area bordered by Spring Street, Flagler Street and Morris Avenue in the northwest section of Morristown, Manahan and the Board of Alderman implemented a redevelopment program that was designed to modernize the section's homes and businesses. The goal was to replace the damaged buildings with garden apartments and public housing. Such an ambitious project was possible through federal grants provided to local governments.
Since such a program necessitated the removal of many families from their homes a second project, The Corey Road project was begun. The town built low and moderate income housing on Corey Road giving priority to those families displaced by the Hollow project. This series contains the original plans, followup redevelopment plans, correspondence, audits and newspaper articles about the redevelopment project and Corey Road specifically and public housing in general. This was a project that was exceedingly dear to Mayor Manahan so much so that 40 years later he attended a rededication ceremony in 1997 where he was the guest of honor.
As a prominent Democrat in New Jersey Mayor Manahan often interacted with some of the state's most powerful politicians as evidenced by the correspondence received from Governor Brendan T. Byrne (1974-1982), Senator Frank Lautenberg, Senator Bill Bradley, Governor Richard J. Hughes (1962-1970), and Governor Mario Cuomo of New York. There is also correspondence from other less well known New Jersey politicians to include judges, commissioners, and members of the General Assembly. Letters written by Cuomo, Byrne, Lautenberg, Bradley, and Hughes have been filed individually. This series also contains a form letter written to financial supporters of the Clinton/Gore presidential campaign of 1992. There is one file folder of letters written to Manahan expressing appreciation for providing support to various political campaigns, either strategic or financial.
This series contains material related to a testimonial dinner given in Mayor Manahan's honor by Morristown's civic leaders and it includes invitations, handwritten and Western Union RSVPs, photographs, newspaper articles, pamphlets and schedules. The collection contains 2 personal letters from Governor Meyner in reference to the dinner, the first expressing regret that he will not be able to attend the second stating that he should be able to stop in for a few minutes.
This series contains newspaper articles related to Mayor Manahan's tenure as the State's Director of Traffic Safety. Items discussed include traffic accidents, proposals for improving driver safety and improving road conditions.
The photographs in the collection capture almost all aspects of Mayor Manahan's political and personal life. It includes family portraits, campaign pictures, meetings, presentations, speeches, and a picture of Mayor Manahan shaking hands with President John F. Kennedy. Mayor Manahan's true charisma shines through in many of these photographs helping to explain some of his success as Morristown's Mayor.
This series contains framed awards and recognitions, audio recordings (one a recording of Manahan placing the first dial telephone call on May 24, 1955, another entitled "Jingle for Morristown Democratic Club"), and a life size cutout of Mayor Manahan.
This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Mayor J. Raymond Manahan records may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material.
The Mayor Manahan collection was donated to the Morristown and Morris Township Library, North Jersey History Center in 2005 by Mayor Manahan's widow, Gertrude Manahan.
Mayor J. Raymond Manahan Records, North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Processed and arranged Winter 2006. Finding Aid revisions Summer 2006, Spring 2008.