Tag: Charles A. Reynolds

West Jersey Hospital opened in 1885, for the purpose of giving relief to the sick who were poor. It bore the name of “Camden Homeopathic Hospital and Dispensary Association,” and was the first successful attempt in Camden to establish an institution which would offer treatment to “worthy persons unable to employ a Homeopathic physician.” It was intended for women especially.

The Merchants Trust was organized in November of 1911. It was a small bank that catered to Camden’s business community, and was one of many small and medium sized banks active in the 1910s and 1920s. From its founding through his death in 1924 the president of the Merchants Trust was Charles Reynolds. He was succeeded in that position by George Frey. E.G. Robinson served as vice-president all through this time. The new bank acquired the house of Casper T. Sharpless at 18 Broadway, and remodeled it for use as a bank. The Merchants Trust opened its doors for business on March 4, 1912.

What is always left out the historical accounts is the vital role which Camden played in the origin of the Mother’s Day campaign which Miss Jarvis initiated.

The Farmers and Mechanics Bank was organized with a capital of $300,000 on March 31, 1855. The banking house at the southeast corner of Front and Market Streets was built at the cost of $18,000. This institution was conducted as a State Bank until September 1, 1864 when it became a National Bank and its title changed to First National Bank of Camden. On July 1, 1922, it merged with the National State Bank under the title of First National State Bank of Camden. The banking house of the National State Bank was used by the combined institutions and the old building of the First National Bank was subsequently sold to the Joseph Campbell Soup Company.