Sigmund Schoenagle
Sigmund "Sig" Schoenagle was born in Vienna, Austria, around 1875. As a young man, he immigrated to America and settled in Camden, NJ. In 1894, he established a haberdashery at the southwest corner of 3rd and Federal Streets. He later moved his business to 538 Federal Street, at the corner of Hudson and Federal Streets, where he remained for many years. Sig also became active in Camden's political and civic life.
In December 1904, Sig was a founder and trustee of the Merchants Republican League, along with fellow Camden businessmen Joseph H. Pfeiffer, Nathan Fuhrman, Jacob Z. Blank, Louis Cades, and William Fox. The League had its offices at 808 Broadway.
Sig was an investor in the Camden Basketball Association, the parent company of the Camden Electrics in the National Basketball Association, the first professional basketball league. In June 1905, he sued William "Billy" Morgenweck, who had organized and coached the team. Sig was also involved in promoting bowling in Camden.
In February 1906, Sig took a trip to Washington, DC, though the purpose of the visit remains unknown. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Camden, attending its first regular monthly dinner meeting on January 7, 1913, at the Hotel Ridgeway in Camden.
In the early 1920s, Sig and his brother William participated in the Community Hotel fundraising drive, which led to the erection of the Walt Whitman Hotel. He placed an advertisement in the Camden Courier-Post special edition commemorating the opening of the Delaware River Bridge.
By 1927, Sig had a building constructed at 544-546 Federal Street. Designed by the Camden architectural firm of Lackey & Hettel, the building was known as the Schoenagle building. Sig never operated a shop in this building, which housed the W. T. Grant department store for many years until it was demolished in the summer of 2003. In 1928, he again hired Lackey & Hettel to design alterations to his retail establishment.
Sig was still living and working at 538 Federal Street at the time of the 1930 Census. He moved to 540 Federal Street in 1932, and in early 1938 relocated his business to 518 Federal Street.
Tragically, Sig took his own life in May 1940, when he was found hanging in his store at 518 Federal Street. At the time of his death, he was living at 2118 Spring Garden Street in Philadelphia.
The business at 518 Federal Street continued as Kline and Gallimore through 1950, and became known as Brait's Men's Store in 1959. Sig's brother, William Schoenagle, was also a long-time Camden businessman, manufacturing store curtains and valances. William passed away in January 1950.
