James McDade was born in Pennsylvania in September 1860 and had moved to Camden by 1884. His wife, Emma Ferkler, was seven years older than him. Together, they had three children: James Jr., born in October 1886; Joseph, born in May 1887; and Emma, born in March 1892. During this period, the family lived at 7 James Court, a small street running east from Point Street between Pearl and Birch Streets. James Court was later erased during the construction of the Delaware River Bridge in the early 1920s.
James McDade worked as a spinner at the Boyer & Shimer worsted mill. By 1900, the family had moved to 8 Pearl Street.
By 1906, McDade had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department. At that time, he lived at 608 Point Street, according to the 1906 City Directory. His eldest son, James Jr., had started working as a moulder in a local iron foundry. The family remained on Point Street at least through 1910. By 1913, a news article listed the McDades at 415 North Front Street, and by 1914, they had moved to 414 North Front Street.
By this time, both McDade sons had married. Joseph, a plumber, and his wife, Mamie, lived at 408 Mickle Street, while James Jr. and his wife, Nellie, had their own home at 413 Cedar Street by September 1918. Emma McDade married Stanley R. Wirtz, a co-worker of her brother James Jr., on January 1, 1912. Over the next decade, the Wirtz family lived with the McDades at 414 and 412 North Front Street at different times.
The 1920 Census recorded James and Emma McDade renting a home at 329 Cole Street, a street that no longer exists, which ran between Penn and Linden Streets. James McDade continued working for the Fire Department as an engineer. Their grandson, Earl Bowker, also lived with them. They later moved to 412 North Front Street.
On July 5, 1922, while serving with Engine Company 6, James McDade died in the line of duty after suffering a fatal heart attack while responding to a false alarm near his home.
Emma McDade's husband, Stanley Wirtz, later served for many years with the Camden Police Department. Their son, Edwin S. Wirtz, joined the Camden Fire Department, serving for 22 years before retiring in 1965. His cousin, Carl Wirtz, also served as a Camden firefighter for 12 years, retiring in 1963.
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James McDade
James McDade was born in Pennsylvania in September 1860 and had moved to Camden by 1884. His wife, Emma Ferkler, was seven years older than him. Together, they had three children: James Jr., born in October 1886; Joseph, born in May 1887; and Emma, born in March 1892. During this period, the family lived at…
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