Charles F Noyes 3
was started in ’47
by Dad in memory
of Mother. He had apparently been
talking to his lawyer
about starting one,
and we persuaded
him it was a good
idea to do it while
he was alive, so he
would have some
pleasure out of it.
So he did.”
– Edith Smith Noyes Muma
A Partnership Born of Mutual Respect
In 1926, Mr. Noyes married Jessie Cooke Smith, the widow of the founder of Djer-Kiss cosmetics, Rowland Holbrook Smith, and mother of three. The family lived in Jessie’s home in Park Slope, Brooklyn. There, the new Mrs. Noyes nurtured not only her family but pursued extensive civic duties, particularly in her position as vice president of the Brooklyn YWCA.
The beauty of the Noyes marriage partnership was the influence that each had on the other. Mrs. Noyes certainly learned something about real estate from Charles – she was instrumental in convincing him to purchase a former speakeasy on East 55th Street and convert it into the family’s home. She also persuaded him to purchase a Huntington Bay, Long Island, estate that would be the center of Noyes family life and business activities for decades to come.
Charles was deeply moved by Jessie’s convictions to support the rights of women and minorities.
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