Tag: Volney G. Bennett

In 1922 William, Charles, and grandson Lester went into business for themselves, founding the DuBell Lumber Company at 18th and Federal Street in East Camden.

The Central Trust Company organized on April 9, 1891 at Read’s Hall, a building which later housed the Camden Daily Courier newspaper. After receiving its charter on May 8, the Central Trust commenced business on May 11, 1891. The bank was located at 324 Federal Street until April 1, 1892, and then at 323 Federal Street. The Central Trust Company bank building at 4th & Federal Streets was opened on October 31, 1900. The first president was Abraham Anderson, R.F. Bancroft the first vice-president, and Charles C. Pine the first treasurer. Thomas Nekervis was made secretary-treasurer on April 14, 1892. Montreville Shinn was made assistant Secretary-Treasurer on June 16, 1908, and C. Chester Craig was made trust officer on December 17, 1900.

A centennial review: the year was 1927 and the future had hardly ever looked brighter for the City of Camden. Times were prosperous, business and industry were booming, and the city was full of recently constructed public buildings, civic improvements, schools, the new Delaware River bridge and its new highway to the suburbs. The stock market crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed were in the unimagined future.

Various industries in Camden, circa 1929

The religious history of Camden, NJ, from George Reeser Prowell’s History of Camden County, New Jersey, 1886

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.

The Walt Whitman Hotel was a venture championed by the Greater Camden Movement, a coalition of business and civic leaders that began to coalesce shortly before and during World War I.

F. Morse Archer, president of the National State Bank, is to direct the Camden drive for the war work fund. Former Judge William T. Boyle and William J. Strandwitz are the vice chairmen; Walter J. Staats is the treasurer and E. A. Stoll and David S. Rash, Jr., are the directors. The work in Camden city is to be done in six districts and the captains are E. G. C. Bleakly, James H. Long, William L. Hurley, F. B. Wallen, Wilbert Pike and Volney Bennett. Camden county’s quota is $227,500.

Another move was made yesterday by counsel for Freedom C. Lippincott, the Committee of One Hundred contestant for the Camden City Treasurership, when petitions were presented to Justice Garrison for a regular contest. He granted a hearing in the matter to take place before Judge Miller on July 10. George G. Felton holds the City Treasurership by the narrow margin of eleven majority, which was fixed after a recount of four wards. Now Mr. Lippincott wants the entire vote recounted.