Introduction
DANIEL GARFIELD DEACON was born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 6, 1880. He moved to Camden around 1909. By September of 1918 he had bought a home with his wife Georgia at 2710 Pierce Avenue in Cramer Hill. He was then working as an instructor in a shipyard. Daniel Deacon also operated a flower shop until 1931. He returned to shipbuilding, finding work as a riveter at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and at the Cramp Shipyard, before gaining an appointment as the City Gardener in 1937. At some point after April of 1942 Mr. and Mrs. Deacon moved to 605 North 2nd Street in North Camden.
After being appointed City Gardener, Daniel Deacon spent the rest of his life tending to the flowers and shrubbery at City Hall. The flower beds that he planted and maintained at Roosevelt Plaza were noticed by all who came to the city until they were torn up to make room for the Parkade Building in the mid-1950s. Daniel Deacon was left with four small flower beds at City Hall to tend, which he did until his death in February of 1959.
On February 5, 1959 Daniel G. Deacon collapsed on Federal Street near Hudson, opposite his beloved flower beds. He was taken Cooper Hospital where he passed away. After services at the Murray Funeral Home on Cooper Street, he was buried at Bethel Memorial Park in Pennsauken NJ. He was survived by his wife Georgia, son Daniel J. Deacon, daughter Mrs. Lily Chilcott, a grandchild, three great-grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Ada Hallowell.
World War I Draft Card
World War I draft registration card for Daniel G. Deacon.
Head of Pyne Poynt Garden Group Says Relief Job Needs “More Heart”
Camden Courier-Post —
Demand that Dr. Arthur L. Stone be retained as Camden city director of emergency relief was made by Walter S. Agin, president of the Pyne Poynt Garden Club, at a meeting of the Cox Garden Club at Twenty-first Street and Harrison Avenue.
“The city gardeners ask John Colt, state director of relief, to refuse to accept the resignation of Dr. Stone,” Agin said. “They feel that a great heart like that of Abraham Lincoln in 1861 is the thing most needed today. The city of Camden and the unemployed as well as the relief administration have use for a man with a heart and a head. After all, it is not what we do for ourselves that make us great, but what we do for the other fellow. We believe there is something more than the excuse that ‘he let his heart rule his head’ for the demand of County Director Wayland P. Cramer for Dr. Stone’s resignation and for that reason we ask that Dr. Stone be retained on the job.”
More than 20,000 tomato, pepper and cabbage plants were given to the city gardeners by Daniel Deacon, Twenty-seventh street and Pierce Avenue and more tomato plants will arrive today from the Campbell Soup Company firms at Mt. Holly for distribution to the various gardens throughout the city. The Kaighn Avenue Plumbing Supply Company donated 300 feet of water pipe to the Pyne Poynt Club, while 2 tons of fertilizer were given the gardeners by the Walters Company, of Philadelphia.
John Emery, president, of the Cox Club, announced his organization has 137 gardens underway on the old Cox farm on Harrison Avenue.
World War II Draft Card
World War II draft registration card for Daniel G. Deacon.
D.G. Deacon Dies, City Gardener
Camden Courier-Post —
Daniel G. Deacon, 79, of 605 N. 2nd st., who for 21 years tended the flower beds around City Hall, died Thursday in Cooper Hospital.
Mr. Deacon, a resident of Camden 50 years, collapsed on Federal st., near Hudson st., opposite the four remaining flower beds he planted for the city. His flower beds in Roosevelt Plaza attracted the attention of visitors to the city for many years, until they were torn up to make way for the Parkade. Mr. Deacon, who lavished his care on the vari-colored tulips, daffodils, and forsythias, was left with three small plots of ground along Federal st. to tend to his job as city gardener, but he made them as attractive as a formal garden.
Mr. Deacon was born in Baltimore and operated his own floral shop in Cramer Hill until 1931. He then worked as a riveter at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and at Cramp’s Shipyard, until he became gardener in 1937.
Surviving are his wife, Georgia L.; a son, Daniel J., of Camden; a daughter, Mrs. Lily Chilcott, of Pennsauken Township; a grandchild and three great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Ada Hallowell, of Camden.
Services will be held Monday at 1.30 p.m. in the Murray Funeral Home, 408 Cooper st., where friends may call Sunday after 7 p.m. Burial will be in Bethel Memorial Park.
1940s Postcard View of Roosevelt Plaza and Camden’s City Hall
1940s postcard view of Roosevelt Plaza and Camden’s City Hall, where Daniel G. Deacon maintained the flower beds.
Early 1960s Postcard of Camden’s City Hall
Early 1960s postcard of Camden’s City Hall. The shadow in the lower left corner is from the Parkade Building. Two of Daniel G. Deacon’s remaining flower beds are visible.