John T. Garrity
John Thomas Garrity was born on January 27, 1884, in Pennsylvania to John J. and Letitia Garrity. The family moved to Camden in the 1890s, where John J. Garrity worked as a blacksmith in one of Camden's many shipyards.
By 1906, the City Directory listed the family living at 2002 Broadway, with John T. Garrity working as a laborer. In 1910, they had moved to 1604 Broadway. By 1914, John T. Garrity was living with his parents at 1819 South 6th Street and was serving with the Camden Fire Department. However, by September 1918, he left the fire department for a higher-paying job as an electrician and wireman at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard. Many Camden firefighters took defense jobs during this period. When World War I ended, and defense work decreased, John T. Garrity secured a position with the Camden Police Department.
By February 5, 1920, the family had settled at 2515 Morgan Boulevard in the Fairview section of Camden. John T. Garrity, still single, lived with his parents and five siblings: older sister Elizabeth and younger siblings Edward, Thomas, Leo, and Catherine.
John Garrity's first day with the Camden police force was January 1, 1920. Initially, he served on horseback as part of Camden's mounted police. He was promoted to sergeant in July 1930, lieutenant in 1940, and captain on June 30, 1944. During the latter part of his career, he was in charge of Camden's Third Police District.
John T. Garrity married Marion, and they remained at the Morgan Boulevard address for the rest of his life. They had three children: a son, John T. Garrity Jr., and two daughters. He also had a stepson, Raymond Hall.
Captain Garrity applied for his pension in July 1950, following the enactment of a mandatory retirement law for police and firemen at age 65. His last day on the police force was August 31, 1950, retiring alongside Captain Samuel E. Johnson, Detective Frank Crawford, and Officer Harry Stahl. After retiring from the police department, John T. Garrity worked for the Park View Apartments in Collingswood, New Jersey.
John T. Garrity passed away on January 13, 1964, at Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden. He was buried at New St. Mary's Cemetery in Bellmawr.
John's younger brother, Edward Garrity, was active in Republican politics. He served twice as Camden's Director of Public Safety and completed one term as a member of the City Commission.
