Albert V. Dukes Sr.

ALBERT VICTOR DUKES SR. was born in Philadelphia on May 2, 1892 to Benjamin and Jane H. Dukes. The 1900 Census shows that his family had moved to Haddon Township, New Jersey. Besides Albert, there was an older step-sister, Mary McCoy, and younger siblings Benjamin F. and Sarah Ruth Dukes, as well as his grandmother Matilda Garrett. Benjamin Dukes worked as a compositor. Albert V. Dukes Sr. was living in Camden when, in Camden on September 8, 1914, his wife Barbara gave birth to there first child, Albert V. Dukes Jr. Two more sons would follow, Charles Dukes and Robert Dukes. His mother lived with them, sadly, she died in July of 1915. The family was then residing at 3803 Westfield Avenue in East Camden. Albert Dukes Sr. was then out of work but soon landed a job working as a record maker at the Victor Talking Machine Company. Shortly after the January 1920 Census enumeration Albert V. Dukes Sr. joined the Camden Fire Department, serving for many years w ith Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal Streets. The Dukes family remained at 3803 Westfield Avenue through at least 1947.  In February of 1938 Albert V. Dukes Jr. joined his father as a member of the Camden Fire Department. Robert Dukes joined the department in 1947 and would serve for over 30 years and rise to the rank of Battalion Chief. By 1952 Albert V. Dukes Sr. had retired from the Camden Fire Department and had moved to Deland, Floriada. He passed away in Florida on May 22, 1953 and was buried there. His widow, Barbara Dukes, was living at 301 Beideman Avenue in Camden's Westfield Acres Apartments when the 1959 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory was compiled. She died in 1961 and was buried at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Philadelphia Inquirer July 1, 1915

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Camden Post-Telegram * December 30, 1920
Peter B. Carter - Thomas Nicholas - Walter Browning - George B. Wade - William W. Patterson Francis Ford Patterson Jr. - Charles H. Ellis - David Jester - Joseph Forsyth

Engine Co. 1 - Alfred E. Green - Charles Errickson  Charles W Cooke - Leroy Hatchett

Engine Co. 2 - Howard Landon - John K. Voll
Edgar Ellender - Harold Lohrang - Chester Andrus  Harry G. Layton

Engine Co. 3 - Charles B. Haines - Charles Clements
August Haverkamp -  Frank Kuda - Louis Quinton

Engine Co. 4 - Frank A. Obermann - walter b. gray
Albert Raeuber - Fred Schucker - Harry Kleinfelder

Engine Co. 5 - Richard A. Farris - Frank Fennrio

Engine Co. 6 - William H. Reed - Manuel J. Kane Edward Perairia - Thomas Shanahan
Rocco De Varro

"Frank Fennrio" is for the moment a mystery

Engine Co. 7 - August Scholl - Nicholas Romaine
Lawrence H. Mathews

Engine Co. 8 - Samuel Oshushek - Edward C. Crane Adam Mead - Frank Sapp - William J. Taylor Sr.

Engine Co. 9 - Kennard Naylor - Daniel McSurdy John Mohrfeld

Engine Co. 10 - William Schwartz - Hugh Rementer Harry Greenan - Rocco Abbott

Hose & Chemical Co. 2 - Laurence Newton
Edward Hauser - William Getner

Ladder Co. 1 - thomas cunningham 
Leonard Megee

Ladder Co. 2 - John Gaylor - Walter White

Ladder Co. 3  David Ellis - George W. Attison
John Mulligan - David Humphries - Albert Dukes

Tennie G. Hutchison Jr. - Ladder Co. 4 - George A. Quimby

Camden Daily Courier October 29, 1921 W. Scott Franklin Dan McSurdy Charles Schultz Albert Dukes Sr. Maurice P. Foley Gardner Corson Jacob Woodside Charles Robinson

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

Camden Courier-Post - February 9, 1933

COPS AND FIREMEN WILL ELECT TODAY Herbert Bott Is Unopposed for Presidency of Camden Association

The Camden Police and Firemen's Association will hold election of officers today at its headquarters, 1175 Whitman Avenue, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Herbert Bott is unopposed for re-election as president. William Thorn is unopposed to replace Richard Middleton for financial secretary and Walter Vecander is unopposed for the new post of assistant financial secretary. All these are police officers.

The police trustees will be named from the following nine candidates: William Marter, George Ward, William Britner, Joseph Shreeve, William Schriber, Joseph Mardino, Joseph Dunnett, Leon Feltz and Russell Young. Two police sergeant-at-arms will be chosen from among Stanley Wirtz, Harry Cattell, Joseph Schultz and George Clayton.

Three candidates are seeking the post of vice president, which goes to a fireman. They are William Spencer, Charles Edwards and albert dukes. Warren Rich, a fireman, is slated to succeed himself as recording secretary and Winfield Leviseur is unopposed for the new post of assistant recording secretary, which goes to a fireman.

Four fireman trustees will be chosen from ten candidates. They are charles cook, Henry Baumgartel, walter eastlack, Arthur Batten, William Getner, William Toy, lawrence newton, James Young, Russell Anderson and William Taylor. Three firemen are seeking two posts as sergeants-at-arms. They are William Judge, John Mulligan and Furman Price.

Camden Courier-Post - February 10, 1933

BOTT CHOSEN HEAD OF POLICEMEN, FIREMEN Spencer Wins 3-Corner Fight for Vice-President of Association

Lauded by the members for his splendid work in behalf of the club, Herbert Bott , a  patrolman attached to the Third Police District, last night was re-elected president of the Camden Police and Firemen's Association.

The praise was heaped upon the patrolman following announcement that he had received 107 of 110 votes cast in yesterday's balloting. He was unopposed for reelection.

In a three-cornered fight, William Spencer, a fireman, was elected vice president of the association. He received 73 votes. His opponents were charles edwards, given 12 votes, and Albert Dukes, 18 votes. Both are firemen.

Others unopposed for office were: William Thorn , financial secretary; walter vecander , assistant financial secretary; Warren Rich , recording secretary, and Winfield Leviseur, assistant recording secretary. The last two are firemen while the first two are policemen.

Lieutenant george ward , Patrolman william marter, and firemen William Taylor , william getner, James Young and Lawrence Newton were elected to the board of trustees.

Sergeants-at-arms named were Stanley Wirtz and george clayton, police, and William Judge and john mulligan , firemen. All had opposition.

After the ballots had been counted William H. Iszard, former assemblyman, appeared on behalf of the Elks Crippled Kiddies Committee, and asked police to support the wrestling show to be staged by that group February 13..

Camden Courier-Post October 13, 1936 Albert Dukes Sr. harry leigh Mrs. Elizabeth Savitz Engine Company 9 West Jersey Hospital River Avenue North 26th Street Westfield Avenue

Camden Courier-Post * February 5, 1938

ALBERT DUKES, JR., APPOINTED FIREMAN

Appointment of Albert Dukes, Jr., of 3803 Westfield Avenue, as a fire man, was announced yesterday by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus.

Dukes father, Albert Sr., has been a Camden fireman for the past 18 years, connected with Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal Streets.

Dukes, Commissioner' Kobus said, will replace james monahan, who died last saturday in the West Jersey Hospital of kidney disease. monahan had been a member of Engine Company No. 10, Ninth and Morgan Streets, since 1923.

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