William Penn Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 — Town of Stockton
On March 24, 1899 the City of Camden annexed the adjoining municipality, the Town of Stockton, whose citizens chose to join the City after a close and hard-fought election. Stockton was comprised of what today is known as Cramer Hill and East Camden; all of Camden that lies north of the Cooper River was originally Stockton. Cramer Hill became Camden’s Eleventh Ward, and East Camden the Twelfth. Camden’s City Council authorized the sale of bonds to build a new firehouse in the new part of town, at North 27th Street and Federal Street (a library and police station was also built on the same ground), and in South Camden on Kaighn Avenue between South 6th and South 7th Street.
Prior to the annexation, Stockton had been served by five volunteer fire companies. These companies remained on active duty as part of the municipal fire department for several months after the annexation to Camden. They went off-line at midnight, February 28, 1900, relieved from their duties by the newly organized Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, Hose Company No. 1, and Hose Company No. 2.
Of the Stockton volunteer fire companies, the first to organize was the William Penn Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, organized on March 15, 1885 and incorporated June 21, 1889. The founders were Charles P. Clymer, President; William F. Peatt, Vice-president; George Barnett, Secretary; Joseph Malloy, Treasurer; John Bowers and Benjamin Tapper, Trustees and members Frank A. Buren, George Amon, W.T. Dailey, William German, Alexander Dick, Robert Johnson, Charles L. Pallin, Howard Smith, Robert Smith and George Yates. The company first was located in a frame structure under the wooden bridge that spanned Cooper Avenue (North 27th Street) over the railroad. They relocated to “Second and Penn Streets” (now 29th and Howell Streets), enlarged their quarters in 1890 and again in 1896. In 1896 the company purchased a dwelling on the corner of Cooper Avenue and Thompson Street (now 27th and Saunders Streets) and converted the house into their headquarters. Part of this building still stands. Their apparatus included a ladder truck, a hose carriage and a steam engine.
The William Penn Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 was joined over the next few years by Citizens Fire Company No. 1, Stockton Hose Company No. 2, Pavonia Hose Company No. 3, and Rosedale Fire Company No. 4.
When the Town of Stockton merged with Camden in 1899, the volunteer fire companies remained active for several months. On June 25, 1899 the Stockton companies rendered assistance to the Camden Fire Department when the Moro Phillips Chemical Company factory at North Twelfth Street at Linden Street was struck by fire, resulting in $60,000 worth of damage and injury to three Camden firefighters, Joseph Maxwell, David Andrews, and William Hertline.
The City of Camden assumed responsibility for fire service in Cramer Hill and East Camden at the end of February, 1900. With that, the William Penn Fire Company and the other Stockton Fire Companies disbanded. Some of the Stockton volunteers ended up joining the Camden Fire Department, most notably Robert Gick of Pavonia Hose Company No. 3, Elmer Ellsworth Stevens of Stockton Hose Company No. 2, and Christian S. Stark from Rosedale Fire Company No. 4. Josiah S. Pedigree of 104 North 36th Street, who also joined the Camden Fire Department at that time, was most likely a member of Rosedale Fire Company No. 4.
Many of the photographs on this website are from the limited edition book “Fire Department Camden NJ 125 Anniversary 1869–1994” and were taken by Department Photographer Bob Bartosz. Others are courtesy of Joel Bain of the Camden Fire Department and Vern Welch, grandson of Samuel M. Welch.
William Penn Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 — Photos and Artifacts
Philadelphia Inquirer — July 2, 1893
Old-Time Fire Laddies
OLD-TIME FIRE LADDIES.
They Ran With a New Machine and Revived Memories of Former Service.
The old-time volunteer firemen of Camden renewed their youth last night, when they donned their uniforms, and amidst the clanging of bells and cheers and fireworks, dragged proudly through the streets a handsome new hose carriage.
Although the volunteers have been out of active service since 1869 they keep up their organization, and have headquarters at Broadway and Mount Vernon streets, where they meet to swap stories of the halcyon days when they were young and ran with the machine.
The new carriage was built in Reading and brought to Philadelphia last evening. A committee from the Philadelphia Volunteer Firemen's Association escorted it to the Market Street Ferry. On the Camden side a parade was formed.
First came Marshal Charles M. Baldwin, with Abraham E. Jackson and Alfred Matlack as his aids. Then the line was made up of Woodbury and Friendship Companies, from Woodbury; Haddon Fire Company, of Haddonfield, with a handsome hose carriage; William Penn Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, of Stockton, bearing a handsome banner, and finally, the escort of Philadelphia volunteers and the Camden firemen dragging their new carriage, which bore the date "1815" and was decorated with flowers.
The police authorities had suspended the order against fireworks, and the volunteers were greeted with pyrotechnics all along the line of march. The decorations and display at No. 2 Engine House, the headquarters of the Camden Fire Department, were especially lavish.
After the carriage was paraded and housed the visiting firemen were entertained at the headquarters of the Camden Volunteers.
Philadelphia Inquirer — December 21, 1895
Talked of in Stockton
STOCKTON, Dec. 21 — Within the past two weeks seven robberies have been committed in the town.
The Citizens’ Fire Company has elected these officers: President, Frank Hartman; vice-president, H. B. Schlam; recording secretary, D. J. Whelan; financial secretary, Walter Sellard; treasurer, Richard Law; trustee, five years, August Goeble; foreman, O. E. Schmid.
The William Penn Hook and Ladder Company on Tuesday evening elected the following officers: President, George Williams; vice-president, Alexander Dick; recording secretary, Charles Oehler; financial secretary, Louis Beiser; treasurer, F. A. Buren; directors, B. C. Cholister, G. A. Williams, Oscar Lane.
Philadelphia Inquirer — November 26, 1897
Firemen Own Stockton
Gallant Laddies Celebrated Thanksgiving With a Parade.
Representative firemen from New Jersey and Pennsylvania owned the Town of Stockton yesterday and the Knights of the Golden Eagle joined them in the annual Thanksgiving demonstration of the Volunteer Fire Department of the town.
To the merry jingle of hose carriage bells and the music of a dozen brass bands the many hundred uniformed firemen, old volunteers, with engines, hose carriages, hook and ladders and fire apparatus of all descriptions, modern and ancient, marched through the town’s most prominent streets. Chief Gick acted as marshal of the parade, with Martin J. Ryan, of the Stockton Hose Company; George Bremen, of the Citizens Fire Company; Milliard Daly, of the William Penn Company, and Jesse Milby, of the Rosedale Fire Company, as aids. The procession was led by Chief of Police Samuel N. Johnson and the police force, who appeared in new uniforms.
After the parade the Stockton Hose Company dedicated their new fire house. Ex-Chief of the Camden Fire Department William Abels delivered the address and a speech was also made by Chief Elfreth, of the Camden Fire Department.
After the parade the Rosedale Fire Company also burned all its notes, which were recently paid, and a reception followed at the fire houses. The Citizens’ Fire Company, William Penn Company, Pavonia Hose Company all kept open houses last night and many visitors were entertained until a late hour.
The Eagles held a reception at the Sigle Building, where addresses were made by J. C. T. Trachsel, of Stockton, and Colonel A. H. Troth, of Palmyra.
Philadelphia Inquirer — March 27, 1917
BEISSER
BEISSER — Suddenly, May 24. LOUIS H. BEISSER, husband of Anna M. Buettner Beisser aged 60. Relatives and friends: Court Pride of Stockton, No. 15, F of A.; Welcome Circle, No 3 B of A; Penna. R. R. Relief Asso.; William Penn Volunteer Fire Co., employees of Pavonia Car Shops. Invited to funeral, Sun., 3 P.M., 2907 Cleveland ave., Camden, N.J. Friends may call Sat. eve., Int Arlington Cem.
300 North 27th Street — Home of William Penn Hook & Ladder Company No. 1
