Frederick W. Gilling

FREDERICK WILLIAM “FREDDIE” GILLING was born in England in 1854 to William and Louisa Gilling. His family came to the United States when he was 8. After spending some time in upstate New York, the Gilling family moved to Vineland NJ. William E. Gilling fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War, and after moving to Camden around 1869, was a member of the Thomas M.K. Lee Post No. 5 of the Grand Army of the Republic. By 1880 the William Gilling family was living at 432 Jasper Street, where they would remain into the 1890s.

Freddie Gilling began delivering newspapers in the Centerville section of Camden, not far from his home, in December of 1884. He would spend the rest of his life employed in selling newspapers. For several years he conducted paper delivery routes, employing several boys. In the 1900s he purchased a news stand at South 3rd and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia, and became acquainted with many members of Philadelphia’s banking community.

When the Census was taken in January of 1922, Freddie Gilling was living with his widowed sister, Mrs. Bessie Hart. She had been married to Camden Police Department detective William D. Hart.

Freddie Gilling retired in 1922, but after two years of inactivity, he purchased another news stand, this one at 3rd and Federal Streets in Camden, where he became well known to many in Camden. He worked right up until 10 days before his death on May 11, 1934.

A member of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Camden for over fifty years, Freddie Gilling was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Camden NJ.