G. Frank Travis

G. FRANK TRAVIS was born Giuseppe F. Travascio in Italy in July of 1861. Originally a tailor, he came to the United States in 1885 and followed that line of work for almost twenty years. In the late 1880s he married Julia Capelli. The family was living in Philadelphia at the time of the 1900 Census, and had been blessed with six children, Agnes, Rosa, Adelena, Joseph, Frederick, and Lydia, all but Lydia still alive when the Census was taken. A son, Albert, was born in 1901.

G. Frank Travis brought his family to Camden shortly after the Census. The 1901 Census states that his home was still in Philadelphia, but that he was working as a cloth cutter for Harry A. Nutt, who had a tailor shop at 413 Market Street. By the time the 1902 Directory was compiled, G. Frank Travis had moved to 443 North 9th Street and had opened up a tailor shop with Michael A. Priore as “Travis & Priore” at 425 Market Street. The Travis family remained at 443 North 9th Street as late as 1904. By the time the 1905 Directory was compiled, G. Frank Travis had moved his clan to 320 Spruce Street, in the heart of Camden’s “Little Italy.”

G. Frank Travis was a man of talent and ambition, and he expanded his business ventures, became involved with fraternal organizations and was active politically. His activities in many ways shadowed those of Antonio Mecca, who, after engaging in different business ventures, went into the undertaking business and was quite successful at it. G. Frank Travis’ business ventures included real estate, bottling, a steamship ticket agency, and ultimately undertaking. Active in Republican politics, he served as a Justice of the Peace in 1907. He was also a member of the Camden Lodge 293 of the Elks.

In 1910 G. Frank Travis had a building erected at 849 South 3rd Street, the corner of South 3rd and Spruce Street. This building was known as “The Travis Building” and also as Columbus Hall. G. Frank Travis ran his steamship ticket agency and undertaking business from this address, and his bottling business from 320 Spruce Street.

With both his and the Antonio Mecca funeral home, located around the corner at South 4th and Division Street, competing for the funeral trade in the Italian community, G. Frank Travis decided to look for a new territory for his businesses, and settled on Trenton, New Jersey. By the time the 1914 City Directory was compiled, G. Frank Travis had relocated to Trenton and had established a funeral home there. He disposed of his businesses in Camden, and in November of 1914 sold the Travis Building and an adjacent property on South 3rd Street.

G. Frank Travis was active as a funeral director in Trenton until his retirement in 1945. He passed away there in April of 1956.

Attest: J. FRED. NEWTON, Secretary.                                ALEX. J. MILLIETTE, Exalted Ruler.

Oldest Liquor Man in Point of Service Disposes of Business

LICENSE GOES TO JAMES D. THOMPSON

After thirty-seven years in the saloon business, William F. Sand last night had his license at 571 Haddon Avenue transferred to James D. Thompson. “Billy” Sand, in point to consecutive years of service, was the oldest dispenser of liquor in the city, and one of the best known. James D. Thompson is a son of John Thompson, who, for a number of years, had a saloon at Second and Chestnut Streets and later at 306 Federal Street. The young Mr. Thompson is widely known in athletic circles, very popular and his management will no doubt be all that a licensed place should be.

Other transfers granted are:

Elizabeth J. Middleton, 451 South 3^rd Street, to James Monahan.

Benjamin Klein, 817 Broadway, to Harry Galbraith.

Wilhelmina Foehl, widow of Gottlieb Foehl, 1041 Cambridge Avenue, to her sons, Jon and William Foehl.

G. Frank Travis, 320 Spruce Street, to Charles Epifanos.

William F. Turner, 806 Kaighn Avenue, to George N. Ware.

An application from Koeton Oleswicz for the right to sell at wholesale at 1152-54 Atlantic Avenue was refused.

A communication was received from the Camden Retail Liquor Dealers Protective Association placing itself on record as being opposed to gifts on Christmas.