Tag: 7th Street

The eastern segment of Atlantic Avenue, stretching beyond 7th Street, presents a combination of residential and commercial properties that persists to this day.

Reprinted from the series of stories of Camden’s earlier days, under the title Sixty Years in Camden County – Gosh! by Will Paul, appearing in The Community news, of Merchantville, NJ.

EDWIN FORREST ALLEN was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on October 9, 1872, as a replacement for David B. Sparks, who had resigned. He served as an extra man with the Hook and Ladder Company (present-day Ladder Company 1). He was resigned from his position with the Fire Department on June 30, 1873. He was replaced by John Gray. Edwin F. Allen was on occasion recorded as Edward F. Allen, however, Edwin was his given name.

WILLIAM C. AITKEN was born around 1846. He first came to America in 1869. He moved to Camden in the early 1880s. He was active as a builder in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He built rows of homes on Cooper Street between 9th and 11th Streets. Many of these homes were destroyed in the 1940 Hollingshead fire. He also built a row of homes on Seventh street at Woodland Avenue. At the time of the 1920 Census he made his home with wife Elizabeth at 205 Pearl Street. This home was taken in late 1923 or early 1924 to make way for the Delaware River (Ben Franklin) Bridge.

William C. Aitken later made his home at 421 Penn Street in Camden, which is now part of the Rutgers University campus. He lived very near to advertising magnate F. Wayland Ayer.

William C. Aitken died on February 14, 1933. He was survived by four sons and two daughters, nine children, and two great grandchildren. His grandson, Richard Knight Aitken, died while serving with the United States Army in Louisiana on February 17, 1943.

Police today are investigating the possibility that three fires Wednesday within a quarter-mile area inside of three hours and 46 minutes were the work of a firebug.

Camden Courier-Post – October 16, 1933
The funeral of William C. Aitken, 87, retired builder, who died Saturday at his home at 421 Penn street, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The funeral of William C. Aitken, 87, retired builder, who died Saturday at his home at 421 Penn street, will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Mr. Aitken was one of the best known builders of his day. He erected more than 200 houses, principally on Cooper street, He built rows on both sides of that street from Ninth to Eleventh streets, He also constructed another, row at Seventh street and Woodland avenue.

He had been a resident of Camden for more than 50 years. He is survived by four sons and two daughters: Edward C., chief engineer for the West Jersey Title and Guaranty Company; Richard C, and Henry W., of Camden, and William J., of Chicago; Mrs, Isabelle Shedaker, of Camden, and Mrs. Lydie R. Brooks, of Contra Costa, California. He is also survived by nine grand children and-two great grandchildren.

He was the husband of the late Elizabeth C. Aitken. Mr. Aitken was a member of First Presbyterian Church. Rev. Augustus D. Whitney, Jr., pastor, will have charge of the services and burial will be in Locustwood Cemetery

Arrangements are completed for the Flag Day celebration to be held tonight by the Camden Elks Lodge Lodge at Seventh and Cooper Streets.

An elaborate Flag Day celebration to be open to the public and broadcast over the radio is planned by Camden Elks for Monday night.

More than 2500 persons attended a joint veterans memorial observance in Convention Hall which followed a parade of veterans and civic organizations yesterday afternoon.

An offer of $5,300,000 for purchase of the Church of the Immaculate Conception property, bounded by Market, Broadway, Federal and Seventh streets, was disclosed yesterday in Circuit Court here.