Introduction
Clifford Vandegrift Lane was born in Camden, New Jersey on October 17, 1887 to Thomas Jefferson Lane and his wife, the former Georgianna Chew. He was one of ten children, seven of whom were still living in 1900. When the Census was taken that year, Clifford was the oldest of the four children still at home, being born ahead of William, Kate, and Jessie. Thomas Lane worked as a blacksmith. The 1900 Census shows the family residing at 638 South 2nd Street, two doors away from one-time Camden Fire Department member and Civil War naval veteran James H. Carey, who lived at 642 South 2nd Street. Clifford Lane would, in his majority, go on to serve for many years as a Camden firefighter. At 666 South 2nd Street lived another boy, Herbert Baxter, who was about the same age as Clifford Lane, and who also would serve for many years as a Camden fireman as an adult. Around the corner at 650 Locust lived Thomas Cheeseman, also about the same age as Clifford Lane, who became a career member of the Camden Police Department.
Clifford Lane married Lillian Helen Burrows on April 21, 1906. The 1910 Census shows him working as a machinist at the Victor Talking Machine Company factory and living at 1241 South 4th Street with his wife Lillian and their three children, Clifford R., Bella, and Georgianna. Another son, Lemuel H. Lane, was born in 1915. A fifth child, James Everton Lane, was born in 1916 but died the following February at the age of three months due to meningitis.
When he registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 Clifford V. Lane was living with his wife and children at 253 Mount Vernon Street in South Camden. He was then working as a machinist for the Armored Motor Car Company of Philadelphia.
The January 1920 Census shows the Lane family, which included father-in-law James Burrows, living at 534 Lester Terrace, a one block street that ran from Broadway to South 6th Street, opposite the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards. A sixth child, Charles Snyder Lane, was born shortly after the Census was enumerated. The Lane family remained at this address as late as 1937.
With work in the shipyards slowing down in the early 1920s, Clifford V. Lane went to work as a carpenter, and he was following this trade when the 1924 Camden City Directory was compiled. By January 1, 1927 he had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He served from that date through the end of 1934 at Ladder Company 4, and most likely was still with that unit when it disbanded on July 5, 1936.
Sadly, Lillian H. Lane died due a kidney ailment on May 10, 1937. Clifford V. Lane continued to served with the Camden Fire Department as late as the spring of 1942, when he again registered for the draft. He had by this time remarried and had moved to Barrington, New Jersey. Clifford Lane and his wife Lou were then living at 709 Newton Avenue in Barrington. It is unclear as to exactly when Clifford V. Lane left the Fire Department. A mandatory retirement age of 65 was instituted in 1950, and he would have reached that in October of 1952.
Clifford V. Lane later returned to Camden. He was a Camden resident when he passed away in November of 1971.
Clifford V. Lane’s grand-son, Clifford R. Lane Jr., was a star baseball player in high school. He graduated from Hammonton High School in 1960. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles baseball team out of high school, but elected to stay home after his father’s death in 1963 and help with the family business.
World War I Draft Card
COPS AND FIREMEN IN FIRST PRACTICE
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.
CHANGES ANNOUNCED IN FIRE DEPARTMENT
Camden Courier-Post —
Truck Disbanded, Engine Company Created; 13 Men Transferred
Commissioner Mary W. Kobus yesterday announced a number of changes in the fire department, including the disbanding of Truck Company No. 4; creation of a new engine company, No. 10, and the transfer of 18 officers and men, 12 of them captains.
Most of the new captains have been serving as acting captains and promotion to full rank will involve no pay increases, inasmuch as the men signed waivers foregoing the raises.
Commissioner Kobus explained most of the changes were made to conform with regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. The board, Mrs. Kobus explained, made a survey of the department and advised appointments of acting captains to full rank.
The commissioner also announced she had appointed Junior Captain Raymond Smith as director of the school for firemen at Engine Company No. 10, Ninth and Morgan streets. Smith, one of the youngest at the recently appointed junior captains, will succeed the late Battalion Chief Rollo Jones.
Senior Captain Leonard Megee was appointed acting battalion chief to succeed Jones. He will continue at the Fifth and Arch streets fire headquarters.
Junior Captain William Spencer, of headquarters company, was named relief captain.
Engine Company No. 10 will use the headquarters of the old truck company, at Ninth and Morgan streets.
To the new company Mrs. Kobus assigned Senior Captain Mortica Clark and Firemen Frank Burt, Frank Esperance and Clifford Lane.
Junior Captain Frank Oberman was transferred from Engine Company No. 10 to Engine Company No. 1, at fire headquarters.
Other assignments are as follows:
Junior Captain Robert Wonsetler, Engine Company No. 11, to Engine Company No. 2.
Fireman Harry Kleinfelder, Engine Company No. 6, to Engine Company No. 2.
Junior Captain Edgar Ellender, Engine Company No. 2, to Engine Company No. 6.
Junior Captain Ralph Bingemann, Truck Company No. 2, to Engine Company No. 7.
Fireman David Humphries, Truck Company No. 3, to Engine Company No. 11.
Junior Captain Nelson Andrews, Engine Company No. 2, to Truck Company No. 1.
Fireman Albert Dukes, Jr., Truck Company No. 1, to Engine Company No. 2.
Junior Captain Winfield Levisuer, Truck Company No. 2, to Truck Company No. 3.
Junior Captain Edward McDowell retains assignment to Engine Company No. 3.
Junior Captain Maurice O’Brien assigned to Engine Company No. 10.
The changes were contained in notice to the Civil Service Commission, are effective as of June 1 and will appear on the June 15 payroll.
World War II Draft Card
