Eugene F. Alston

EUGENE F. ALSTON was born October 16, 1919 in Camden to Richard Alston and his wife, the former Dolly Robinson. His father had been born in 1891 in Henderson, North Carolina. Richard Alston was working as a laborer at the Victor Talking Machine Company in June of 1917, and had married. Mr. and Mrs. Alston then lived in Camden at 1017 Francis Street, a small street that ran south from Walnut to Chestnut Street, between Front and South 2nd Streets.

When the Census was taken in 1920, the family, which included an older sister Priscilla, lived at 1005 Francis Street. The Alstons shared the home with Dolly Alston's brother, Richard Robinson, and his family, at the time of the 1920 Census enumeration. Both Richard Alston and his brother-in-law worked as laborers at that time. The Alston family remained on Francis Street through 1929. By 1930 Richard Alston had found work at the nearby Public Service coke plant at the foot of Chestnut Street. He was still employed there in the spring of 1942. By that time Richard and Dolly Alston had moved to 1057 South 2nd Street. He died a few years later.

Eugene F. Alston attended high school through the 11th grade and then went to Camden County Vocational School. When the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled, Eugene Alston had married and was living with his wife Mattie at 277 Clement T. Branch Village, a public housing project that had opened up in 1940. His sister Priscilla lived nearby at 255 Branch Village.

The 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory shows Eugene F. Alston had moved to 241 Branch Village. By October of 1959 he had moved to 1137 South 9th Street, and by 1970 to 529 Newton Avenue.

Eugene F. Alston retired after 30 years service on April 1, 1978. A lifelong resident of Camden, Eugene Alston passed away on March 10, 1990.