Harry L. Leonard
Harry L. Leonard was born in Camden on June 29, 1892. He began work with an undertaker around 1910, with his older brother Frank J. Leonard at 1451 Broadway.
Harry Leonard went to France with America's armed forces in World War I. He was wounded in action and taken prisoner by German troops, apparently in one of the early actions involving American forces. While a prisoner, he continued to vote in every election by mailing an absentee ballot. It was reported in the September 20, 1918 edition of the Camden Post-Telegram that he had been moved from one prisoner of war camp to another at Bastattvaden, Germany. He was liberated a few weeks later when Germany surrendered.
After World War I, Harry Leonard returned to Camden. The 1920 Census shows him as living with his mother and stepfather, Jane and David Harrigan, at 1447 Broadway. Also residing there was older brother Edward, a Camden city police officer; Frank J. Leonard; and another brother, Joseph Leonard. Frank J. Leonard for many years operated a funeral home at 1451 Broadway, and was candidate for the Camden City Commission in 1935.
In 1927 Harry Leonard opened up his own funeral parlor at 120 South 27th Street in East Camden. He was active in funeral trade groups, fraternal organizations, and local politics, running for Camden County Coroner in 1936 as a Square Deal Republican. A few years later he moved his funeral home business to 2850 Federal Street.
Harry Leonard passed away in September of 1973. His nephew, Edward Leonard Jr., had gone into the mortician's trade, operating a funeral parlor at 3425 River Road in the Cramer Hill neighborhood. Under his direction, the Leonard funeral home remained at 2850 Federal Street for some years afterwards. As the Falco, Caruso, & Leonard Funeral Home, the River Road facility remains in business as of 2004.
V.F.W. Opens Drive To Gather Food for B. E. F. of Camden
Camden Courier-Post — June 3, 1932
Short rations are not going to compel Camden's battalion of the Bonus Expeditionary Force in Washington to retreat.
Mathews-Purnell Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, established an unexpected service of supply early today. The first convoy of foodstuffs is due to leave Camden Sunday morning.
Shortly after midnight, Harry Leonard, member of the post building committee, and John G. Ledyard, Spanish War veteran, and booster for the World War contingent of bonus seekers, issued an appeal to Camden citizens. They requested donations of canned vegetables and fruit, in particular; but they are prepared to transport any food that may be donated to the end that the pilgrimage of the former service men may not fail for want of sustenance.
Concentration centres for the donations will be at the Elks Club, the home of Mathews-Purnell Post and the office of Leonard at 120 South 27th street. Telephone messages directed to any of the centres will reach either Leonard or Ledyard.
Civil Service Vote Urged by Leonard
Camden Courier-Post — October 28, 1936. Candidate for Coroner Lists Series of Endorsements by Veterans.
Harry Leonard, Square Deal Progressive Republican candidate for Camden county coroner, and a World War veteran with a distinguished service record, yesterday urged all veterans and other citizens of the county to support and vote November 3 for civil service for Camden county employees. Speaking in behalf of his own candidacy for coroner, Leonard made public a series of endorsements by veterans' groups, clubs and other organizations supporting him. He also suggested to voters desiring to cast their ballots for him that they will find his name on the column on the extreme right of the official ballot at the general election.
Leonard, a lifelong resident of Camden, lives and conducts an undertaking establishment at 120 South Twenty-seventh street, in the Twelfth ward. He has been in business 26 years, during nine of which he has conducted his own establishment at the Twenty-seventh street address. He is a brother of Frank J. Leonard, who was a candidate for the city commission in 1935. "Civil service makes for good, efficient government because, among other benefits, it keeps the political boss and gang from control," Leonard said.
Endorsements of Leonard were listed as follows by the groups supporting his candidacy and who are waging an intensive campaign in behalf of his election:
The Eleventh Ward Republican Club, which voted to support Leonard's candidacy at a recent meeting.
The Citizens' and Veterans' Committee, composed of Spanish-American and World War Veterans, which met at 714 Market street to endorse Leonard. The committee in charge comprised Raymond G. "Rube" Price, Perry Wark, John Ledyard, George Williams, Carlton W. Row, and, William Mountney, William Caputi, Herb Bauck, Harvey Mungioli, Ray VanZaat, Harvey Vanleer, of Haddonfield; T. T. Thomas, Edward Walsh, and Frank Maguire, of Collingswood.
The Delaware Township United Republican Club also endorsed Leonard, it was announced, as did the Polish Progressive Independent Republican Club at a meeting held at 1494 Mt. Ephraim avenue, this city, on October 26. The committee in charge of publicity of the Polish club to further Leonard's candidacy included, it was announced, Arthur Przedelski, Joseph Przedelski, Richard Merta and Henry Travinski.
Announcement also was made that on October 26, a group of young Negro voters, meeting at 907 Kaighn avenue, endorsed Leonard for coroner. The committee in charge of the meeting included B. Crawford Gregory, Wesley Jefferson, A. Jones, William Johnson and Thomas Jackson.
Leonard Pledges Efficient Service
Camden Courier-Post — October 31, 1936. Coroner Candidate Cites War Record and Qualifications for Post.
Harry Leonard, who has been conducting an intensive campaign in the city and suburbs for election next Tuesday as Camden county coroner, said last night that the people of the county can depend on him to give them the same type of unswerving loyalty and service that he gave his country during the World War.
"My pledge to give to the coroner's office an efficient, business administration, and an alert, competent, and loyal service, serving all of the people of Camden county, is not mere lip service during a campaign," Leonard said. "It is my word of honor, and it is a sacred pledge that I give to the people of Camden county which I shall honor with absolute adherence from the time I take office until my term has expired."
The coroner's office carries with it high responsibility and requires a sound knowledge of the fundamentals of human nature and of the complex makeup of the human physique. The office also requires, he said, a man of wide business experience, whose contact with the public qualify him for the high post of coroner along with detailed technical education.
Qualified for Post
"As a candidate it is, therefore, only natural for me to place myself before the people as having the qualifications necessary to fill the high post of Camden county coroner," Leonard said. "And it is just as natural for me to solicit the support of all citizens of the county, irrespective of political faith. I, therefore, urgently request them to join with my legions of supporters in city and county in honoring me with their votes at new Tuesday's election."
Leonard is confident of victory next Tuesday as a Square Deal Progressive Republican candidate for coroner, based on what he announced as numerous pledges of support from veterans' organizations, business groups, industrial and labor units, women's clubs, fraternal organizations, political clubs of party or independent policies, and Italian-American, Jewish, Polish-American, and Negro groups and associations.
"Overwhelming Response"
"It is most gratifying to have received the overwhelming response to my candidacy from so many organizations, as many people of different kinds and in so great a total of other citizens throughout the county. To all of them I express my appreciation and make one more request of them, and that is: Vote early next Tuesday, vote in favor of civil service for county employees, and, for myself, my thanks for your vote for Harry Leonard for coroner."
Leonard lives at 120 South Twenty-seventh street, where he has an undertaking establishment.
Leonard is past president of the Eckels College of Embalming; past president of the alumni of that college; a director of the New Jersey and National Funeral Directors' Association, a member of Camden Lodge of Elks and captain of its patrol, and is active in many other fraternal organizations. Leonard's name appears on Tuesday's ballot on the extreme right.
Henry Magin Laid to Rest By War Veteran Buddies
The Camden Courier-Post of August 26, 1941 reported the funeral of City Commissioner Henry Magin, at which Harry Leonard served as funeral director. That article is published separately as Henry Magin Laid to Rest by War Veteran Buddies.
2850 Federal Street
2850 Federal Street, the former Harry L. Leonard Funeral Home, photographed July 2003.
Tags: harry-leonard, harry-l-leonard
26th Street
26th Street, originally called Union Street in the pre-annexation Pavonia section, runs through Cramer Hill and East Camden from the Delaware River to Bank and Mickle Streets. It was laid out before 1887 and renamed after Stockton Township was absorbed by Camden in 1899.
27th Street
27th Street runs from the Delaware River through Cramer Hill and East Camden to Marlton Avenue. Originally called Fulton Street before the 1899 annexation of Stockton Township, it was one of the main thoroughfares of the neighborhood and home to football star Mike Rozier.
Henry Magin Funeral
Camden Times - August 29, 1941 Funeral services for City Commissioner Henry Magin were held Tuesday, with many officials and colleagues in veteran's and fraternal circles participating.
Henry Magin Laid to Rest by War Veteran Buddies
Funeral services for Camden City Commissioner Henry Magin were held in August 1941, with trucks of flowers in the funeral cortege and his war veteran comrades among those paying final honors.
Aged Man Ends His Life With Shot in Temple
Harry Lipp, 84, an old age pensioner who had boarded seventeen years at the home of city fireman William Getner at 1205 North Twenty-sixth Street, ended his life with a revolver shot in a garage behind the house. Coroner Harry Leonard issued a certificate of suicidal death.