Introduction
The Broadway Trust Company Building — 1926
The Broadway Trust Company building was built prior to World War I. The architect was Phillip Merz who was based in Rochester, NY, and the building was constructed by the J. Henry Miller Co. of Baltimore, MD, who also built the building which would become the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s third home in Washington, DC, and the Bank of America Building in Baltimore, MD.
The Broadway Trust Company was led by John J. Burleigh, one of the leading businessmen in South Jersey from the 1870s through World War I. William J. Cooper, who owned a business at 215–221 Kaighn Avenue selling doors, windows and moldings, served as one vice president; the other was Anthony Kobus, who was in the shoe business at South 4th and Spruce Streets. Adam Schlorer, the owner of a large meat business at South 8th & Chestnut Streets, was also one of the original organizers.
According to the city directories John J. Burleigh was president of the bank through 1916. Anthony Kobus succeeded him until he passed away in 1920. Later principal officers included Judge John B. Kates and Cramer Hill bottler John Schimpf. Also connected with the bank during the 1910s was T. Yorke Smith.
On October 5, 1920 Broadway Trust’s bank messenger, David S. Paul, mysteriously disappeared while carrying tens of thousands of dollars worth of cash and securities. His body was found on October 16 at Irick’s Crossing, near Tabernacle in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. He had been kidnapped, murdered and robbed by two acquaintances, Frank J. James and Raymond Schuck, who were tried and convicted of his murder. They were executed in New Jersey’s electric chair on August 30, 1921.
During the 1920s a series of mergers occurred among the smaller banks of Camden. The relatively small Broadway Trust attempted to keep pace with its larger competitors by absorbing the Merchants Trust, a small bank at Broadway and Carman Street that catered to Camden’s business community. By 1927 a small satellite branch was open at Mount Ephraim Avenue at Jackson Street. However, after the stock market crash of 1929 as the country slipped into the Depression many small banks failed across the country. The Broadway Merchants Trust survived 1930 as evidenced by the stock certificate shown below but closed shortly afterwards.
The building hasn’t functioned as a bank since it closed. In recent years it has been used as a church. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
The Broadway Trust Company Building
Broadway Trust Company — 1915 Advertisement
Broadway Trust Company — Advertisement, 1915
Patriotic Sons of America — Banquet Program Advertisement
1915
Broadway Trust Company — Broadway below Walnut Street
Pays Interest on Time and Special Checking Accounts
Officers: J. J. Burleigh, President — Anthony Kobus, Vice-President — William J. Cooper, Vice-President — B. B. Draper, Secretary and Treasurer
Open Saturday Evenings from 7 to 9 O’Clock.
Bank Directory — March–December 1916
Broadway Trust Company, Broadway below Walnut St., Camden, N.J.
J. J. Burleigh, President — Anthony Kobus, Vice President — Wm. J. Cooper, Vice President — Burleigh H. Draper, Secretary and Treasurer
Directors: John J. Burleigh — William Mills — Dr. S. G. Bushey — Anthony J. Oberst — Ralph D. Childrey — John Wesley Sell — Robert H. Comey — Dr. Marvin A. Street — William J. Cooper — Wilbert L. Sweeten — George A. Frey — Edward B. Stone — Albert Fogg — Adam Schlorer — Frederick Grant — Bernhard F. Schroeder — John B. Kates — Edward Schuster Jr. — Dr. Grant E. Kirk — John O. Wilson — Anthony Kobus
Photos
Broadway Trust — 1919 Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook Ad
Broadway Trust — 1923 Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook Ad
Broadway Trust Building — 1925. Photo by George A. Wonfor.
Broadway Merchants Trust Company — Brass disc, believed to be a paperweight commemorating the 1926 Sesquicentennial.
Broadway Merchants Trust — 1928 Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook Ad
Stock certificate issued to J. Russell Jensen on December 16, 1930.
Broadway Merchants Trust Co.
Camden Courier-Post —
Broadway Merchants Trust Co.
The Board of Directors of Broadway Merchants Trust Company have this day declared a quarterly dividend of 3 percent out of earnings for the past three months, payable April 1, 1930, to stockholders of record at the close of business March 26, 1930. Checks will be mailed.
Henry R. Fredericks, Treasurer. Camden, N. J., March 19, 1930.
Sentiment Ruled in Rejecting Bid, Pastor Declares
Camden Courier-Post —
Offer of $5,300,000 for Catholic Church Property Disclosed in Court
Appeals on Assessments in Broadway Extension Open in Court Here — Levies Called Unfair
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.
It was rejected for “sentimental reasons,” according to Rt. Rev. Monsignor W. J. FitzGerald, pastor of the church, who testified before Judge Henry H. Eldredge, at the first day session of hearings on appeals from property assessments.
The appeals of a number of property owners are from assessments levied to pay for extending Broadway, which previously ended at Market street, to its present terminus at the bridge plaza. Appellants contend the assessments have not been “just and fair.”
Monsignor FitzGerald testified the church and its property had not benefited by the improvement. Increased traffic, he said, resulted in a greater hazard to children who attend Camden Catholic High and St. Mary’s parochial schools, which are units of the church property. The assessment against the church is $8,640.50 for the improvement. The church is exempt from general taxation.
Rejection of the offer to purchase the church property was disclosed by Monsignor FitzGerald during cross-examination by Lewis Liberman, assistant city solicitor. Source of the offer was not brought out. It was reported several years ago that Mitten Management, of Philadelphia, made such an offer with a view to erecting a bus terminal on the site.
Edward J. Borden, former president of the Camden County Real Estate Board, also testified the Broadway extension did not increase value of the church property. Asked by Liberman whether he was thus speaking as a real estate expert or a churchman, Borden replied “fifty-fifty.”
Those appealing assessments hold their properties received no particular benefit from the improvement and charge that property abutting the extended street was not assessed sufficiently. They also say holdings beyond the area received benefits and should be assessed accordingly.
The argument of the city is that the assessments were just and fair and that these particular properties did receive benefits and considerable increase in value by reason of the improvement and that, therefore, they should be called upon to pay the assessment.
In the Summer of 1925, Broadway was cut through from Market street to the Bridge plaza at Penn street in connection with the opening of the Delaware River bridge.
The total cost of the improvement was $409,201.24. Of this cost, the city paid 40 percent, or $173,698.54, which was raised by general taxation. Of that balance, the sum of $160,255.80 was assessed as benefits against the properties abutting on the new street; the sum of $75,276.90 was assessed against properties on both sides of Broadway from Market street to Mickle street and properties to the east and west of the new Broadway between Sixth and Seventh streets, on the south side of Penn street, on both sides of Cooper street and on both sides of Market street.
The attorneys arrayed against Liberman and their clients are as follows: Former Judge Lewis Starr, representing Harry N. Schierer, 646 Penn street; Patrick H. Harding, representing Robert J. Kearns, 110 Broadway; Alfred W. Walton, 105 Broadway; John Miller, 107 Broadway; William E. Morgenweck Estate, 17 Broadway; H. Schoemer and Julius Burman, 21 Broadway, and Isaac Van Sciver, 106 Broadway. Louis B. LeDuc and Herbert J. Koehler, representing Solis D. Cohen, for the old Elks’ property at Broadway and Federal streets; former Judge William T. Boyle, representing the Church of the Immaculate Conception; Francis D. Weaver, representing the Kresge Realty Company, 23–29 Broadway; Walter R. Carroll, representing the Jersey Mortgage Investment Company, and Joseph H. Carr, representing the Camden Lodge of Elks, Broadway Merchants Trust Company, Estate of E. E. Read, Jr., covering property at Broadway and Cooper streets.
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 7, 1921
Circuit Court Judge Frank T. Lloyd Accepts Chairmanship of Unemployment Committee
Circuit Court Judge Frank T. Lloyd yesterday accepted chairmanship of the Camden Chamber of Commerce Committee which is to study the unemployment question and make suggestions for remedial measures. With Judge Lloyd on the committee are: Alban Eavenson, of Eavenson & Levering; Belford G. Royal, of the Victor Talking Machine Company; Congressman Francis F. Patterson; Mayor Charles H. Ellis; former United States Senator David Baird; L. A. Hawkes, of the Hunt Pen Company; Frank Vanhart, president of City Council, and an official of the Esterbrook Pen Company; John Prentice, director of the Board of Freeholders; Burleigh B. Draper, of the Broadway Trust Company; A. C. Dorrance, of the Campbell Soup Company; Lawyer William S. Darnell; C. W. Tomlinson, of the R. M. Hollinshed Company; James V. Moran, of the Hurley Company; Rev. Thomas J. Whelen, pastor of the Church of the Holy Name; L. D. Johnson, of the State Employment Bureau; Rev. Charles B. Dubell, rector of St. John’s P. E. Church; Elmer E. Long, of Munger & Long; Mrs. Dr. A. H. Lippincott; Mrs. W. Penn Carson and Mrs. Harry Pelouze.
The committee was named by William E. Bennett, president of the Chamber of Commerce, whose aims are to have an immediate inquiry with the idea of a report being made by the end of the month.
National Register of Historic Places
Broadway Trust Company (added 1990 — Building — #90001284)
Also known as ONJH Inventory #0408190
938–944 Broadway, Camden
Historic Significance: Event / Architecture/Engineering — Architect/builder: Phillip Merz / J. Henry Miller — Architectural Style: Classical Revival — Area of Significance: Economics / Architecture — Period of Significance: 1900–1924, 1925–1949 — Owner: Private — Historic Function: Commerce/Trade — Historic Sub-function: Financial Institution — Current Function: Religion — Current Sub-function: Religious Structure
Broadway Trust Building — June 15, 2003