Introduction
Allen Palmer
Allen Palmer was born on April 20, 1891 in the Ellisburg section of Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill), New Jersey to John and Ida Palmer. By 1900 the family had moved to 26 North 21st Street in East Camden. Beside Allen the family included siblings William, Howard, George, and Leroy Palmer. An uncle, Allen I. Palmer, and his wife Mary also lived in East Camden, at 429 North 29th Street. Allen I. Palmer would work as a Camden Police officer from 1906 until his death in 1917, which was caused when he was thrown from his horse while on mounted police duty. The John and Ida Palmer family was living at 39 Marlton Avenue when the next Census was enumerated. The Scott family lived at 29 Marlton Avenue, their son Edward Y. Scott would grow up have a long career with Camden fire fighters.
Allen Palmer married shortly after the 1910 Census enumeration. The 1914 City Directory shows him living with his wife Margaret at 2263 Mickle Street, and working as a soapmaker. When Allen Palmer registered for the draft in June of 1917 he was living in East Camden at 2321 Howell Street with his wife Margaret and three children, ages 7, 3, and 18 months. Allen Palmer was then working as an automobile driver for a firm in Philadelphia. He was appointed to the Camden Fire department on March 6, 1918. Less than three weeks after his appointment, there was a small fire at his home at 2205 Sewell Street.
Allen Palmer and his wife had moved to 1027 Lois Avenue in Cramer Hill by 1927, however by 1929 they seem to have separated. He was living with his brother Howard at 32 Morse Street in East Camden. Fire Department records from 1931 show Allen Palmer at 1206 North 24th Street in Cramer Hill, staying with brother firefighter James Young. He moved to 2796 Stevens Street during the 1930s.
Allen Palmer’s final post after 23 years with the Department was as an engineer at Engine Company 9 at North Twenty-seventh and Federal streets, not far from his home at 2796 Stevens Street.
When Allen Palmer retired from the Fire Department on August 1, 1941 it was with the intent to move to Florida. He was living in St. Petersburg in the spring of 1942 when he registered for the draft. He returned to New Jersey and lived in Audubon and lastly at 7510 Park Avenue in Pennsauken. Allen Palmer passed away at home on August 31, 1964. He was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Cinnaminson, New Jersey.
Allen Palmer’s nephew, Ralph H. Palmer Sr., served as a member of the Camden Fire Department from 1951 to 1981. Ralph H. Palmer Sr.’s son, Leroy G. Palmer, had served over 23 years with the Camden Police Department before being wounded and paralyzed in a shootout in East Camden in February of 1998.
World War I Draft Card
Allen Palmer World War I Draft Card
Fire Department Appointments
Camden Post-Telegram —
SHIPYARD WAGES LURE TO FIREMEN
Chief Presents Six Resignations at Meeting of Council Commission.
MERTZ IS CAPTAIN IN WHITSELL’S PLACE
Camden’s Fire Department has been hard hit by the call of the shipyards and death. The report of Fire Chief Peter B. Carter presented last night at the meeting of the Fire Committee of City Council showed six resignations, two deaths and one vacancy from the draft.
The resignations follows: Louis Neuman, No. 3 Truck Company; George H. Pursglove, No. 7 Engine Company; Roy De Haven, Julius Hubert and Harry W. Stone, No. 3 Truck Company, and Lieutenant Joseph Sparks, No. 7 Engine Company.
Deaths reported were Captain Samuel Whitzell, of No. 1 Engine Company, and William Elberson, of Headquarters. William Schucher, of No. 4, was drafted into the Army.
To take the place of Captain Whitzell, Lieutenant Walter Mertz, of the same company, was appointed captain, and Horace Kerns was made lieutenant. The following appointments were made by the Fire Committee: Robert L. Knox, 822 Division street, to fill place of Julius Hubert; Allen Palmer, 120 North Eleventh street, for vacancy of Louis Neuman; Clarence Pursglove, 751 Mt. Vernon street, taking place of his brother George; Anthony Paradise, 658 South Second street, filling place of Roy De Haven; Harry B. Maxwell, 422 North Sixth street, for vacancy of Harry W. Stone; Robert Welsh, 512 Borton street, vacancy of William Schucher, and William Vile, 570 Carman street, to fill place of Captain Whitzell.
The American La France Company was awarded the contract to furnish a new two-in-one motor apparatus for $10,000.
A petition from members of the Firemen’s Pension Fund asked that the rule of ten years’ apprenticeship be abolished in view of the wages paid men employed in other industries. The petition requests that all men in the department be placed on full salary at once. The petition will be presented to City Council.
Fire at Palmer Home
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Responding to an alarm of fire at the home of Allan Palmer, 2205 Sewell avenue, the East Side truck company yesterday collided with the team of George Dunlap at Twenty-fourth and Federal streets. The fire, caused by a match being thrown into a hamper, caused damage of about $400.
Fire Department Appointments
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Named: Peter B. Carter, Harry B. Maxwell, Allen Palmer, Louis Neumann, George H. Pursglove, Roy DeHaven, Julius Herbert, Harry W. Stone, Joseph Sparks, Robert Knox, Clarence Pursglove, Anthony Paradise, Robert Welsh, Walter Mertz, Horace Cairns, and Samuel Whitzell.
Hook & Ladder Company 3, Hose & Chemical Company 1 & Engine Company 9
1924
Hook & Ladder Company 3: Captain Joseph B. Ayres, FF Dave Humphries, Al Dukes, John Mulligan, Bill Mountney, Bill Hopkins. Hose & Chemical Company 1: Captain Charles H. Robinson, FF William E “Pud” Jaeckel, George Townsend, Ken Naylor, Howard Gick. Engine Company 9: Captain John H. Vickers, FF Irv Lederman, Newton Ash, Joe Gentlesk, Al Palmer.
Firemen Rescue Nine Persons From Burning Building
Camden Post-Telegram —
COPS AND FIREMEN IN FIRST PRACTICE
Bluecoats and Ladder Climbers Get Ready for Field Day
MR. YOUNGER IN CHARGE
Firefighters Have Large Team of Athletes
Charles Younger, physical director of the Camden Y. M. C. A. and in charge of the candidates for the police and firemen teams which will compete in the first annual police and fire field day on September 19 at Forest Hill Park, sent his proteges through their stiffest workout of the season yesterday morning with several of the committee in attendance.
Plans were arranged between Younger and Captain Stehr, of the First district, to build a temporary track around the local high school’s gridiron. Meanwhile both the police and fire candidates will do their stuff under the watchful eye of Professor Younger on the the Forest Hill track, outside of the enclosed athletic field.
In a confab over the arrangement of the cinder track, Stehr suggested that a 100 and 220-yard straightaway be constructed on the west side of the field.
Joe Connell, of the Highway Department, also gave the field a once-over, as did Captains Golden and Humes. After the members of the committee had inspected the grounds, they witnessed the candidates going through the paces.
Archie Riess, who is in full charge of the “cops,” declared that but nineteen men would be candidates for his team, while Walter A. Mertz, of Engine Company No. 1, acting as manager of the ladder-climbers, counted up twenty-nine candidates on his list. These men will compete next Tuesday, the first three in each event to qualify for field day. The events will be run off separately, that is, the “cops” in one division and the firemen in the other. The bluecoats who will compete this Tuesday are as follows: Everett Joslin, Joseph McDonald, Vernon Jones, Frank Nelson, Bill Rogers, Harold Dunnit, John Bright, Edyard Callahan, Walter Larson, Gus Pfliderer, Clarence Phifer, Thomas Welch, Stanley Wirts, Charles Naylor, George Rothwell, Richard Donnelly, Lester Gleason and Joe Keefe.
The firemen who will also attempt to qualify on Tuesday include Fred Schucker, Harry Wagner, Chris Moll, Harry Layton, Edgar Ellender, August Havercamp, Frank Huda, Harry Kleinfelder, William Foehle, Tom Shanahan, Harrison Pike, William Rudd, Lester Anderson, William Wood, George Townsend, Allen Palmer, William Swartz, Nelson Fill, William Mourtvey, John Strauss, Frank Oberman, Edward Menzies, John Mulligan, Frank Kates, Clifford Hare, Nelson Andrews and Harry Leigh. From the present outlook the “Cops” seem to be coming out second best. The firemen are confident of finishing once more in front of the bluecoats, they having beaten Stehr’s cohorts at the last Armory meet.
The tug-of- team of eight men will also be selected by the firemens’ leader. Mertz will choose his varsity from Layton, Smith, Lennox, Walker, Pike, Palmer, Moll, Greenan, Laird, Mulligan, Haver, Merigan and Camp.
The Camden Motorcycle Club may stage a free exhibition of a motorcycle polo game during the meet. Stehr favors this performance, as but forty minutes of actual time is taken up. The local club is willing to donate their services free of charge. Nelson Hubbs, local manager, has dates at the Trenton, Egg Harbor, Allentown and Bridgeton fairs, while his teams have already performed in many eastern states. The “Camden Blue Devils,” as they are known, will furnish more thrills in the forty minutes than sport lovers have ever seen in this locality, according to Hubbs. If they are on the bill at the games, they will also give an exhibition of trick and expert riding stunts. Those on his teams, there being four on each, are well known in riding circles, some of the best hill climbers and polo players being included in the personnel of the teams are as follows:
Blue Devils No. 1 — Joseph Bernurt, captain; Frank De Vivey, Carl Preisandanz, Edward Paul.
Blue Devils No. 2 — Charles Ellis, captain; George Gummel, Bennett Arnold, Clayton Alberson.
Kaighn Avenue Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
Named: 6th Street, 7th Street, Ferry Avenue, 27th Street, Atlantic Avenue, Federal Street, Kaighn Avenue, Lawrence Street, Mickle Street, Spruce Street, Congoleum Nairn Inc., Bleakly Brothers, M.D. Cornish, Horace R. Dixon, Fred Hutchinson, Allen Palmer, Clarence Pursglove, Dominic Sgariglio, Louis Tarter, Edward C. Vanderbilt, John Whitehead, Samuel Yentis, and Engine Company 9.
Allen Palmer Goes on Fireman’s Pension
Camden Courier-Post —
Allen Palmer, member of the Camden Fire Department for 23 years, retired on pension today.
Palmer, who is 50 and lives at 2796 Stevens Street was appointed to the department by old city council on March 6, 1918. He now is an engineer at Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. He will receive an annual pension of $1080, half of his salary of $2160, and will move to St. Petersburg, Florida to live after September 1, Captain James Young said.
World War II Draft Card
Allen Palmer World War II Draft Card
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
Allen Palmer obituary