Captain Hutchison Buried

John G Hutchison

Camden Daily Telegram – June 3, 1896

The Funeral Largely Attended and Many Beautiful Floral Designs

Captain John G. Hutchison, the veteran superintendent of the West Jersey Ferry, who died on Saturday last, was laid at rest in Evergreen Cemetery this afternoon. The funeral services were held at his late residence No. 100 Linden street at two o’clock and were conducted by Rev. Charles Bowden. Meridian Sun Lodge No. 158 F. and A. M. of which deceased was a member, had charge of the funeral, and the pall bearers were elected from that lodge.

Members of the Volunteer Firemen’s Association and employees of the West Jersey Ferry attended the funeral.

The body was laid out in a black suit and reposed in a black cloth covered casket with silver trimmings. A plate bearing the inscription “Captain John G. Hutchison, born February 17, 1828,” was on the lid of the casket. [Article states that the date entry here was Feb 17, 1896. This was corrected here. –Ed.]

Among the floral tributes were a clock with the hands pointing to the hour of 3:55 denoting the time of death, a Masonic emblem from Meridian Lodge, an archway, from his grandchildren, a pillow said “Gates Ajar,” from his children.

One design attracted attention. It was a ferryboat three feet long and twenty inches wide. Two silk American flags floated at half mast from each end of the boat. The floral arrangement on the design was exquisite and consisted of smilax, roses, and carnations of various colors. This is said to be the first ferryboat design ever made up in flowers in this State. It was presented as a token of esteem by the West Jersey Ferry employes.

The design is the work of Adolph Moeller of the Linden Floral Exchange of No. 213 Market Street. He has had wide experience in this class of work and has made up hundreds of figures, including boats of several descriptions, but this is the first time he has ever made a ferryboat of such size. The design was ordered yesterday afternoon and it was 9:30 o’clock last evening before the frame could be secured. Mr. Moeller assisted by his partner, Justice Philip Schmitz, worked until 7 o’clock this morning making up the design. It was then taken to Photographer Garns who took a picture of it.

Source: Transposed on July 25, 1998, by Thomas H. Hutchison, Jr. from a Camden Daily Telegram photocopy made from microfilm. Microfilm can be found at the New Jersey State Archives in the New Jersey State Library. Article was found on the front page, half way down from top in the center.


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