Category: People
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Samuel B. Jobes
Samuel B. Jobes was born on June 6, 1831, in Bordentown, New Jersey. By 1850, he had moved to Camden, where he married Rebecca Richmond. Together, they had at least four children: Samuel B. Jobes Jr., born in 1859, and daughters Laura, Lillie, and Alice, all born after the Civil War. When the Civil War…
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Weston D. Fisler
Weston D. Fisler, nicknamed “Icicle,” was born on July 5, 1841, in Camden, NJ. He came from a well-known family; his father, Dr. Lorenzo F. Fisler, was the mayor of Camden three times. In 1864, Wes played as a catcher and was the cleanup hitter for a team simply called “New Jersey.” His game stats…
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Robert A. Stanton
Robert A. Stanton, known as Bob to his friends, grew up on Park Boulevard in Camden’s Parkside section and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1940. His family had deep ties to Camden: his second cousin, Robert S. Hart, was killed in an aircraft accident during World War II, and his uncle, John Stanton,…
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Samuel S. Yellin
Sam Yellin was born on January 4th, 1905, in Camden, New Jersey, as the eldest of nine children. His parents, Louis and Sarah, owned a dry goods store in Camden. Due to his father’s frequent illnesses, Sam left school at the age of 12 to help support his family. He worked at Hurley’s furniture store…
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Fletcher Stanley Bleakly
Fletcher Stanley Bleakly, known as F. Stanley Bleakly, or just Stanley Bleakly, was the son of John W. F. Bleakly and his wife Fannie. His grandfather, William Bleakly, owned a large lime and cement company at Front and Federal Streets in the 1880s and 1890s, where his father later became the manager. F. Stanley spent…
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Isaac J. Hibbs
Isaac J. Hibbs was born on March 25, 1848, in Pennsylvania. He was the son of Isaac G. Hibbs, a carpenter, and his wife Mary. At the time of the 1850 Census, he was the youngest of the seven living Hibbs children. The family resided in Middletown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Around 1863, Isaac J.…
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James R. Snyder
James Rudolph Snyder was born in Camden, New Jersey, on January 2, 1932, to Rex W. Snyder and Anna Jackson. He was the sixth of at least seven children, following Clarence F., Woodley R., Julius, Margaret, and Leroy Snyder. A sister, Florence, was born in 1936. The Snyder family moved to Camden from Philadelphia shortly…
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Arnold W. Webster
Arnold Webster pleaded guilty to illegally paying himself $20,000 in school district funds after becoming mayor. Serving as mayor from 1994 to 1997, he faced a potential sentence of 16 months in prison and $250,000 in fines. In August, he was sentenced to six months of house arrest and ordered to repay over $20,000 in…
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Robert E. Gibson
Robert E. Gibson served as the Superintendent of Water and Waste Water Operations for the City of Camden during the 1990s. Like many officials in Camden at the time, he was involved in corruption, pleading guilty in May 2002 to accepting $20,800 from a contractor in exchange for favorable treatment. Although Gibson was not a…
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James R. Mathes Jr
James R. Mathes Jr. was a prominent figure in Camden politics during the 1980s and 1990s. As a key member of the cabal that controlled the Regular Democrat Organization in the city, he held several influential positions, including roles within the Board of Education and the Housing Authority. Notably, he served as the president of…
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Allen F. Hess
Allen F. Hess Sr. was born in Camden on April 16, 1926, to Mary and Harry Hess. By 1927, the family resided at 2733 Sherman Avenue in Cramer Hill. Harry Hess joined the Camden Fire Department on April 4, 1928, and served for many years. On May 9, 1944, Allen F. Hess enlisted in the…
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Allen Palmer
Allen Palmer was born on April 20, 1891, in the Ellisburg section of Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill), New Jersey, to John and Ida Palmer. By 1900, the family had moved to 26 North 21st Street in East Camden. Along with Allen, the family included his siblings William, Howard, George, and Leroy Palmer. An uncle,…
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Betty Jean Turner
Betty Jean Turner was born on August 12, 1944, in Metter, Georgia, to Willie Pearl and H.S. Turner. The Turner family eventually migrated north and settled in Penns Grove, New Jersey, where Betty received her formal education. Later, she moved to Camden, New Jersey, where she held various jobs. In the late 1980s and 1990s,…
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Bowman Matlack
Bowman Matlack was a well-known figure in South Camden. According to the 1880 Census, he lived with his wife Priscilla and their three daughters at 635 South 5th Street. The Matlacks had six children in total, but by 1910, only three were still living. In 1880, Bowman Matlack worked as a fish dealer. He also…