Tenth Letter of the Alphabet: February 2015

Noah Lewis “Ned” Pines was born in Malden, Massachusetts, on December 10, 1905, according to the Massachusetts Birth Records at Ancestry.com and Who’s Who in Commerce and Industry (1965), Volume 14. Pines’s first name, Noah, was recorded in the census records from 1910 to 1930.

The 1910 U.S. Federal Census listed Pines (line 86) in Brooklyn, New York, at 1141 44th Street. His parents, Joseph and Dora were Russian emigrants, and his older brother and sister, Abraham and Lillian, were born in Massachusetts. Joseph was a manufacturer of rain coats.

Five years later the Pines family (lines 26 to 30) resided at 1221 42nd Street, in Brooklyn, according to the 1915 New York state census.

Pines was a member of the Humane Club, a society for the prevention of cruelty. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 7, 1916 and March 15, 1918, used his birth name, Noah Pines, in a list of members. The April 6, 1919 edition of the Eagle used Pines’s birth name and nickname in an article about the Boy Scouts.

161 Has Troop Paper.
An interesting Troop paper called the Scout Courier is issued monthly by Troop 161. The editor in chief is Noah Pines, and associate editors, Sam Shapiro and Will Pankln. Some excerpts follow:

…Ned Pines has organized the Rattlesnake Patrol. This is the third patrol, leaving only another patrol to be filled to complete the troop roster. Who is going to found the next patrol?

…Rattlesnake—Ned Pines, patrol leader; A. Wassenberg, assistant patrol leader.

…Troop 161 meets at the Borough Park Y.M.H.A., 14th ave. and 60th st.

The Eagle, November 23, 1919, named Pines’s father and older brother as members of Troop 161. Pines’s future as a publisher was foretold in the Eagle, April 11, 1920, below:

Form Company.
At the last meeting of the board of editors of the Scout Courier, official organ of Troop 161, it was decided to form an association to be called the Scout Courier Printing and Publishing company. The purpose of this company is to print and publish Scout magazines. Any troop desiring its paper printed should address Ned Pines, editor, at 1430 50th st.

In another publishing venture, Pines “advertised” in the Eagle’s Junior Eagle Exchange on May 2 and 9, 1920: “WANTED—Amateur papers for a collection. Write Ned Pines, 1430 50th st., Brooklyn, N.Y.”

In the 1920 census, Pines (line 95) was in Brooklyn at 1430 50th Street. His father was in real estate, and his younger brother was named Kermit. The census enumerator recorded Pines’s first name as “Nora”.

Who’s Who said Pines attended Columbia University from 1923 to 1924. He continued in scouting through the mid-1920s. The Eagle, January 20, 1924, noted his status.

Scout Myer Beckman has been appointed senior patrol leader. Scout Albert Kaplan, assistant senior patrol leader. Former Senior Patrol Leader Sydney Cantor has resigned, but is still staying with the troop. Veteran Scout Ned Pines has been made Assistant Scoutmaster. Through these columns we congratulate Mr. Pines….

According to Who’s Who, Pines was president of Pines Publications from 1928 to 1961.

The 1925 New York state census (line 8) and 1930 census (line 3) said Pines resided with his parents and siblings at 260 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. His 1930 occupation was publisher.

Throughout his life, Pines was involved in a number of charities. The Eagle, January 21, 1934, reported his work on the Junior Federation ball.

Preparations for the biggest ball in the history of the Junior Federation of the Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities are being made this year, the committee in charge announced yesterday.

The ball will be held at the Hotel Plaza on Saturday night, Feb. 17, and the proceeds will be added to the funds raised by the junior group to meet its quota in the Spring campaing [sic] to be conducted by the Federation to take care of the budgetary allotments to the 25 affiliated societies.

This year's event will be the fifth annual ball and the first time it has been held outside Brooklyn. Several thousand tickets have been sent out and there has already been reported considerable response.

Among those giving a large proportion of their time to the arrangements are Ned L. Pines, chairman; Miss Blanche Posner, Miss Anita Hirschhorn, Miss Charlotte Seplowitz and Miss Josephine Bachrach.

According to Who’s Who, Pines married Jacquelyn Sangor on August 29, 1938.

The New York Times reported the birth of Jacquelyn’s two daughters, in 1939 and 1942, and referred to her as “the former Miss Jacquelyn Sanger [sic] of Chicago.”

The Echoes, 1931 yearbook of New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois

In Funnybooks: The Improbable Glories of the Best American Comic Books (2014), Michael Barrier wrote:

…Sangor had entered publishing with Cinema Comics, which was incorporated in September 1939….It also packaged comic books for other publishers, starting with Nedor Publishing Company. Nedor was owned by Ned L. Pines, who had married Jacquelyn Sangor….It was probably that family connection that brought Sangor into publishing in the first place (and provided him with the necessary financing). Pines was a leading publisher of pulp fiction….Pines needed to take only a short step to enter the comic-book business.

Sangor testified in 1943 that Pines called him in July or August 1941—that is, around the time that Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics made its debut —“and told me that he would like…to get a magazine with animals in the order of the Fairy Tales, talking animals and we discussed it, and I started on it about that time. Early in 1942 Sangor delivered the contents of the first Nedor talking-animal comic book, Coo Coo Comics no. 1, for publication in August….

According to the 1940 census, publisher Pines (line 57) and his family were Manhattan residents at 965 Fifth Avenue. In 1939, he earned $5,000.

On October 16, 1940, Pines signed his World War II draft card. His address was 965 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York. His description was five feet seven inches, 160 pounds, with brown eyes and hair.

The Times, May 11, 1942, said his address was 965 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Mt. Morris Enterprise (New York), December 17, 1952

Ned Pines (left), publisher of REAL Magazine, and Otto E. Krause, President of Pal Blade Co., Inc., inspect the award which will be made to one of the outstanding sports writers, in connection with their entries to Pal Blades “Close Shave Awards” contest.

Pines has not yet been found in the 1950 census.

Pines and Jacquelyn divorced in 1959. The Alabama Divorce Index, at Ancestry.com, said it was in July, while Who’s Who said August. Pines remarried to Maxine Firestone, with whom she had two sons.

Pines passed away May 14, 1990, in Paris, France. His death was reported the following day in the Times.

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(Updated July 17, 2023; next post on Monday: Skull & Bones)