New Britain herald., 1917-08-02
CURTAIN IS DOWN
 FOR JERRY COHAN
Famous Actor, Father of George M. Cohan, Dies at Country Home

At his country home in Monroe, N. Y., yesterday morning Jerry J. Cohan, h popular actor of the old school, father of George M. Conan, died in his siXty-ninth year from hardening of the arteries. He had been ill two years, and for six months his death had been expected at any time. With him when he passed away was his son and his devoted wife. Mrs. Helen Gostigan Conan. These three and the only daughter of the family, the late Mrs. Fred Niblo Josephine Cohan) formed the Four Cohans, famous on the stage for a generation. Mrs. Niblo died July 12, 1916.
 Mir. Conan was born in Providence, on Fox Point, now a part of the city. In those days it was quite in the sub- urbs. His parents had emigrated there from Ireland. During the civil war lie went south with a Rhode Island regiment and served as drummer boy Mustered out at the end of that confict, he returned to Providence and learned the trade of a harness and saddle maker and worked at it there and in Fall River. =. .
 From a boy he was an expert dancer. It is said that he had in-
 
 an Irish minstrel among his forebears. He began his stage career in a very small way in vaudeville forty years ago.
 He formed company called Me- Avoy's Hibernicos and used to write sketches and tiny melodramas in which he and his associates acted. Early in his stage career he married Miss Helen Costigan, of Providence. She had no stage experience and her entry upon the stage was the result of an accident. The leading woman of the company becoming i'll, Mrs. Cohan went on one night to fill the gap. She was so successful that she continued that work.
 George and Josephine came into the world and the Four Cohans were com- plete. Soon George began to write sketches for the family, and it was not long until they began acting these sketches in the "big time," vaudeville houses. Eventually they became the highest paid actors in vaudeville.
 "The Governors Son" and Running for Office" originally vaudeville sketches, were elaborated into musical comedies, in both of which the elder Conan had a leading, role. Then he originated a leading character part in Little Johnny Jones'" The last time the Four Cohans appeared together was in ''The Yankee Prince" in which they were very successful, in Broad way and also made a tour to the Paci- fics coast. Mrs. Niblos health failed soon after that and she filled only a few more engagements. The last time that MT. and Mrs. Conan and George appeared together was in Broadway Jones' at the Conan theater. MT. Conan accompanied the Friars on their frolic a year and a half ago, and on their return to New York they gave a farewell performance at the Hippo drome. This marked MT. Cohan's exit from the stage.
 He was a particularly lovable char acter and his life was most happy. His pride in the achievements of his son amounted almost to idolatry, and he seldom appeared in public except with his wife. He wrote and published an interesting volume of poems dealing with his experiences on the stage and touching with light hand the anus ing side of theater life. This was pri- vately printed and distributed among friends whom he loved. The funeral will be tomorrow in New York at a place to be determined later.