Introduction
George M. Holl and his brother, Lewis F. Holl, were Builders who erected many houses and commercial buildings in Camden in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
George Holl was born in 1840 in Pennsylvania to John George and Catherine Holl. John George Holl was baker by trade. The family had moved to Camden by 1851. John George Holl became a well known and much respected member of Camden's business community over the next 20 years.
George Holl served with in the Union army during the Civil War, and was noted for distinguished service. He enlisted as a Sergeant on April 25, 1861, on the 27th he was assigned to Company G, 4th New Jersey Infantry New Jersey Regiment. George Holl mustered out from Company G, 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment on July 31, 1861 in Trenton, NJ. He appears on the roster as a Lieutenant 2nd Class, commissioned on June 17, 1863 with the Independent Company, 1st New Jersey Militia Infantry Regiment and his Civil War pension record also indicates service in the 6th New Jersey Infantry Regiment.
At the time of the 1870 Census, brother Lewis Holl, also a baker, had married and was the father of a daughter, Emma, while George, still at home with his parents, was the proprietor of a “gent's furnishings store.” Also at home were his sister Louisa, 19 and brother Charles, 17. John George Holl passed away in September of 1871 at the age of 66. The family at that time lived at 910 South 3rd Street, the corner of South 3rd Street and Joint Alley.
A newspaper article from July of 1874 shows George M. Holl living at 706 South 5th Street. The 1876 and 1877 City Directories have the Holl family at 516 Line Street. From 1878 to 1881 City Directories show the family at 611 Broadway.
When the 1880 Census was taken two siblings were also at home, younger brother Charles and younger sister Louisa Holl, who married in 1872.
George Holl married Laura Stockton in June of 1873. They had three sons who died in infancy. By 1880 George and Lewis Holl went into real estate and construction.
In 1886, George Reeser Prowell wrote of George Holl, in his book History of Camden County, New Jersey:
Among the builders of Camden are several who have erected five or six hundred houses each. The heaviest operators are undoubtedly Cohn & roberts, Wilson Ernst, and George Holl. George Holl, who has been engaged in building for eighteen years, has erected from four to five hundred houses, principally in the central part of the city. They are nearly all of what may be denominated the medium class, in size and pretensions. His brother, Lewis F. Holl, has built many houses in the lower part of town.
The 1887–1888 directory for Camden shows George Holl at the corner of Broadway and Benson Street, and the directory for 1888–1889 has him at 310 Broadway. Lewis F. Holl lived with his wife Willimina, daughter Emma, and newborn son Arthur at 328 Mount Vernon Street. Emma Holl was then working as a school teacher. Their widowed mother Catherine lived at 709 Broadway as late as 1891. Arthur H. Holl would go to have a long and distinguished career as a funeral director and served as Camden County Coroner at different intervals. The Holl name would remain in public view until 2001, when his Haddonfield funeral home would change hands and the Holl name was discontinued.
After returning to Camden from Bordentown NJ, Edward N. Cohn had bought land from John F. Starr Jr. in north camden. Cohn partnered with George Holl and Joseph E. Roberts, president of the West Jersey Railroad Company to build many two- and three-story row and frame houses from in North Camden, from Cooper's Point to Pearl Street, which they sold and rented out to working class people.
In late 1887 and early 1888 George M. Holl built houses on Washington Street east of Broadway. He later made his home at 310 Broadway, where he spent his final years.
Around 1890 the Holl brothers erected a block of twelve three-story business properties on the east side of Broadway between Mickle Street and Stevens Street. This block became known as the Holl block. Late in 1890 he acquired the land on which Chambers Avenue was laid out and homes were built.
George Holl passed away on April 16, 1912. Lewis Holl joined him on December 18, 1919. The brothers were buried in adjoining plots at Evergreen Cemetery in Camden. The properties on Broadway remained in the family for a time, but eventually found their way into Orphans Court, and were sold at auction in 1941. George Holl's home at 310 Broadway was purchased by the city in 1921 and was leased to the August F. Walters Post No. 4 of the Disabled American Veterans, who occupied the building through the summer of 1936.
In 1942 the Holl block was demolished, and 10 one story stores were built which remain in use as of April of 2003. However, there are many homes that George Holl had built in South Camden and in North Camden which remain in use today.
Photos of Family Home
Left: 910 South 3rd Street — Photo taken December 22, 2005
910 & 914 South 3rd Street — Photo taken December 22, 2005
Petition for Under-drainage
Camden Democrat —
To the Honorable the City Council of the city of Camden, N. J.
WE, your petitioners, residents of the Fourth and Sixth wards of this city, and property owners therein, most respectfully petition your honorable body to construct a culvert for under-drainage, to commence at the termination of the Line street culvert, at the intersection of Line street and Broadway, and to extend outward to the intersection of Line and Sixth streets; thence northward to and to connect with the culvert at the Intersection of Sixth and Royden Streets in the said city. And your petitioners will over pray, c. January, 1874.
Signatures included George Holl at 706 South Fifth Street, among many others.
Read and Reflect
Camden Post —
$500 or more in cash balance in semi annual payments will buy one of those three story, brick dwellings, nine rooms, front yards brown stone trimmings, double doors, open stairs, saloon parlor, stationery wardrobes, and all modern convenience, street paved with Asphalt Block, on Washington street above Broadway. Price $3,200 clear. The following are some who have purchased:
Mr. Mort Fell, Mr. John Hires, Mr. S. F. Haines, Mr. Joseph Mathis, Mr. L. Wilkinson, Mr. James Gibson, Mr. Adam Angle, Mr. Richard Matlack, Mr. Ludwig Schuck, Mr. A. B. Shuster, Mr. Albert Hoffman, Mr. J. B. Cooper, Mr. J. A. Laning, Mr. H. G. Hallinger, Mr. Victor Martin, Mrs. Mary Moore, Rev. J. H. Townsend, Mrs. Ellen Norman, and others. If you think of buying a home for full particulars call on
George Holl, Owner, Broadway and Benson
Building Boom in Camden
Philadelphia Inquirer —
The building boom has extended to Camden. A large number of houses are being removed in the neighborhood of the site for the new Kaighn’s avenue depot. Roberts & Kuhn, contractors, are tearing down twelve brick buildings at Locust and Mechanic streets, and two frame houses on Knight street, north of Kaighn’s avenue. At the northeast corner of Front and Chestnut streets they are building ten two-story brick dwellings and nine three-story on Stevens street, above Broadway. The German Catholic Church at St. John and Spruce streets is under contract. P. McDonald has the contract for the stone work. The Keystone Chemical Company are making four additions to their works on Viola street. George Hall is building two three-story houses at Nos. 501 and 503 Benson street.
James Cox has just begun six two-story brick houses on Cox street, below Second.
William Key, of Philadelphia, has commenced a brick stable two-stories in height, 18x40 feet at 509 Berkley street.
Charles Camduff will build on the Peacock estate at Berlin.
Frank Shaw will erect a hotel at Cramer’s Hill. The building will be located at the corner of Mt. Pleasant street and Cooper
Chambers Avenue Development
Camden Daily Courier —
New Buildings Going Up.
Many Houses Now Being Erected
Closing Up Fall Operations and Preparing For the Coming Spring.
Camden builders do not seem to be deterred by the fear of financial panic or an idea that the McKinley bill presages disaster in business. New operations are in progress, and several very extensive ones are contemplated early in the coming year.
Charles W. Cox is finishing a row of twenty-one dwellings on Willard street, in the Second ward, and is excavating the cellars for ten more at Eighth and Vine streets. These, when finished, will make eighty-seven new buildings erected by him in that locality during the season. William C. Aitken is walling the cellars of thirteen new brick dwellings at Tenth and Carpenter streets, and having purchased of the Cope estate the balance of the block on Cooper street above Ninth, will early in the spring erect a row of first-class dwellings thereon.
Adolph Segal is pushing to completion sixty-six dwellings on Segal street, in the First ward, and is negotiating for land adjacent, preparatory to commencing a large operation.
William T. Bailey has nearly completed ten stone front dwellings at Sixth and York streets, and has fifty more in various stages of completion at Wrightsville, one of Camden’s thriving suburbs.
In the manufacturing line Howland Croft, Sons & Co., are building a one hundred foot four story addition to their woolen mill at Broadway and Jefferson streets, which when completed will give employment to at least one hundred and fifty employes.
At Pavonia, Cramer Hill, Fairview and Dudley many new buildings are in course of erection and completion and building mechanics are busy and in demand at good wages.
Material men and the sash and door manufacturers are doing a rushing business, many of them being behind with their orders, while brick dealers and quarrymen are as busy as the rest furnishing the material in their line.
The announcement was made this morning that George Holl has consummated negotiations with the Cooper estate for the purchase of the large block of land bordered by Sixth and Seventh streets and Benson and Washington. Another well-known operator made very strong efforts to secure this property, but Mr. Holl had an option on it and closed at $30,000. The ground is vacant with the exception of nine old houses owned by the Real Estate Investment Company. Mr. Holl has been in a number of large and successful building operations in this city, but this one will perhaps be the heaviest in which he has yet engaged. A street is to be cut through the block running north and south between Sixth and Seventh streets on which the houses will be set back twenty feet. All of the houses on the block will be three-stories in height and will be equipped with all of the newest improvements. Should the winter hold off, work may be commenced in a few weeks, but it is more than likely that nothing can be done until spring.
One Week More of Campaigning
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Republican Ticket Will Sweep Camden County With a Big Majority
Democrats, Hopeless of Success, Are Having a Factional Fight on the Side
With the end of this week the campaign in Camden county will practically end. During the week the Republican spellbinders will visit the Ninth and Twelfth wards, Camden, and Waterford and Winslow townships. Everything points to an overwhelming Republican majority.
While the Democrats have been taking but little interest in the campaign, the nomination of an independent Democratic ticket by the county Democracy will result in bringing out many Democrats to vote who otherwise would remain at home. Gottlieb Mick, chairman of the Executive Committee of the County Democracy, yesterday announced the appointment of the following Campaign Committee:
Dr. Donges, Captain Christopher S. Magrath, Isaac Ferris, Jr., Charles Davall, John Hood, George D. Borton, James F. Davis, Joseph Devinney, George Holl, Joseph Nowrey, William E. Anthony, David T Campbell, John Pugh, John K. Esler, Harry Stetser, Cornelius Shepperkotter, Dr. F. J. Bickers, Jonas S. Miller, Allyn Brewer, Joseph Peacock, David A. Shreeve, Charles D. Heath, Frederick Krueger, F. S. Niepling, Aaron Bryant, Jacob C Lippincott, Thomas Wentz, Sr.
The committee will endeavor to get out a larger vote for the County Democracy ticket than the “regular” faction of the party will poll. The regulars have William J. Thompson as their leader, with County Detective John S. Smith as his chief lieutenant, and they expect to down the “silk stockings.”
A change was made in the County Democracy ticket yesterday, caused by the withdrawal of George Williams, of the Twelfth ward, as a candidate for the Assembly. The vacancy was filled by selecting Charles C. Old, of Pensauken township, who filed his acceptance with the County Clerk. Mr. Old is a shoe merchant in business in Philadelphia.
Jacob C Daubman, who recently filed a certificate of nomination as an “Independent Republican” candidate for Sheriff yesterday, announced his withdrawal. He had made a strong play for the County Democracy endorsement, but failed to land it, and this left him no ground to stand on.
Political Straws
Major William H. Tice, of the First ward, who has been in City Council, would like to occupy his old seat again, and will be a candidate for the Republican nomination in the First ward next spring.
The Republican County Executive Committee yesterday arranged for the appointment of two challengers in each election district.
The Democratic County Executive Committee of the “regulars” organized yesterday afternoon by the election of Clarence T. Atkinson as chairman; James Burke, secretary, and Thomas Bodell. Committees were appointed to carry on campaign work.
There is no more popular candidate on the Republican ticket than Editor F. F. Patterson, Jr., who is receiving many voluntary pledges of support from Democrats.
The Holl Block Photos
Broadway looking North from Stevens Street — About 1906
Named: The Holl Block, Broadway North of Stevens Street, East Side, and Camden NJ.
Broadway, North of Benson to Mickle Street
(photograph) — 1915
[cut off at the crop edge] OF THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION OF CAMDEN
[cut off at the crop edge] n and its many beautiful suburbs, every one of which is within a few minutes’ ride to railroad terminals that lead
[cut off at the crop edge] world. Taxation is low, rents are reasonable and fine homes may be had for both the mechanic or the employer [cut off at the crop edge]
The Holl House on Broadway
Broadway North of Benson to Mickle Street — 1915
George Holl lived in the large house with the yard at the corner of Broadway & Benson. Third house up, with white roof, belonged to Dr. A.E. Street. The Holl Block is visible on left, at the far end of Broadway.
Photographed from spire of Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church.
Along Memory Lane
Camden Courier-Post —
“Wonder if they're going to take down the spite wall?”
I have heard this query repeated half a dozen times since announcement has been made the old “mansion” of the late Dr. A.E. Street, southeast corner of Broadway and Stevens Street, is to be demolished to make way for a 12 story office structure. This razing is to be scheduled to begin within two weeks. The “spite wall” is on the extreme eastern boundary of the property plumb up against a 3 story apartment house built by the late George Holl.
Dr. Street, who died less than a decade ago, was one of Camden's leading dentists. Son of “Father” Street, venerable superannuate of the New Jersey M.E. Conference. When the mansion was constructed, nearly two score years ago, it was indeed one of the show places along Broadway, for Dr. Street took particular pride in the architectural embellishments in the floral surroundings.
At the other end of the square, Broadway and benson streets, Holl had erected his home. It was and is for that matter, a two-story brick with mansard roof and setting back from Benson Street. That side yard Holl likewise embellished with flowers of the season. It was the delight of anyone with half an eye to beauty from early spring to late fall. It started with great beds of tulips. It closed with chrysanthemums with alluring blossoms throughout the summer.
Street and Holl were regarded as among Camden's most substantial citizens, one in the art of dentistry, the other as the builder of homes. They were fairly good friends until Holl built the block from Mickle Street to Stevens Street, since known under his name as the Holl Block. When Street built his then pretentious home, Charlie Curry informs me, he had an agreement with Holl that in the event of the then old circus lot being built up, it would not encroach on his view.
But when the building operation was about to begin Street saw that the dwellings and stores were going out to the usual building line. That would have cut off his view. He refused to permit that plan to go through and held Holl to his agreement, thus accounting for that block standing so far back from the curb line.
In the intervening years there was something of a truce, but warfare broke out anew when Holl in 1901 concluded to construct an apartment house just east of Street's rear boundary. Apartment houses then in Camden were something of an innovation. Street didn't like the idea and when he learned it was surely going up he took action.
He ordered the spite wall built.
There were expostulation, appeals, court action and other efforts to stay that wall, but Street, though a devout churchman and widely known for his charities, refuse to be, what he asserted, a victim of encroachment on his rights.'
Thus he awarded the contract and one brought day a force of masons started the work. It created a local sensation, but the work went on apace and eventually the was finished as was the apartment house. Thus through all these years that solid bit if brickwork has stood within a couple of feet of the west side of the apartment, giving the lower part a prison-like effect. But as time went on it was quite forgotten and those who have resided in the apartment have taken the wall philosophically.
Holl Block Going, New Stores to Rise
Camden Courier-Post —
Broadway Landmark of 50 Years Will Retain Name of Its Founders
The old Holl Block, landmark in Camden for more than half a century, soon will be no more. The 12 three-story stores comprising it are being torn down.
In their place on the east side of Broadway between Mickle and Stevens streets will rise 10 one-story modern stores.
The only thing that will remain will be the name—the Holl Block—and some party walls of the old structures. The 10 new stores, which will have Vermont white marble fronts and be modern in every detail, will be erected at a cost of $100,000.
The stores will be completed by May 15 or June 1, it was announced by J. William Markeim, of Markeim-Chalmers-Ludington, Inc., rental agents.
Work Being Speeded
Markeim said work on the new stores is being rushed so that completion will be as soon as possible, to the end that the new stores may be occupied and thereby furnish additional facilities and merchandise for the shoppers who have used this old shopping center.
The new stores will occupy a frontage of 220 feet by a depth of 93 feet, Markeim said. There will be eight stores with a frontage of 17 feet eight inches, and a depth of 93 feet six inches, and two corner stores of 36 feet width and 93 feet depth. There will be a 13-foot private driveway in the rear which will facilitate the moving of merchandise into the stores.
The plan, Markeim said, is to floodlight the stores at night and there will be a large clock in the center of the block.
Built 50 Years Ago
The stores replace 12 old three-story structures erected more than half a century ago by George Holl, a well known Camden builder, and his brother, Lewis. The brothers owned much property in the city years ago. George Holl died April 16, 1912, and his will provided that none of the real estate could be sold until 10 years after his death.
In March of last year Judge Clifford A. Baldwin, sitting in Orphans’ Court, conducted an auction sale of the property when several persons bid for the old property. The property was knocked down to Markeim for $68,100. Markeim represented the Ludmar Corporation, of which Nicholas S. Ludington is president and he is treasurer.
Built Back From Line
When Holl erected the original properties, he built them 20 feet back from the city property line. It was set forth that the 20 feet was for “light and air restriction.”
The same type of restriction applied to Mickle street for 15 feet and Stevens street for 10 feet from the property line “for the benefit of the property owners around the entire block.”
To lift the restriction on Broadway and use the 20 feet for the new stores in addition to the original depth of the lot, it was necessary to get court approval. The case was taken before Chancellor Luther A. Campbell, who agreed to the lifting of the restriction. The Ludmar Corporation did not ask that the restriction be lifted on Mickle and Stevens streets, Markeim said, although with that 25 feet thrown in an additional store could be erected.
With the cost of the property at $68,100, the court costs incident to the vacating of the 20-foot restriction, and the cost of erection of stores at $100,000, Markeim said that the completed job will cost the Ludmar Corporation $175,000. Thalheimer & Weitz, Philadelphia, are the architects for the stores and the Toll Barkan Company, Fifteenth and Race streets, Philadelphia, is the builder.
The Holl Block Today
The Holl Block — 200 to 222 Broadway between Mickle and Stevens Street
Named: The Holl Block, April 2003, and Looking South from Mickle Boulevard.
Named: The Holl Block, April 2003, and Looking North from Stevens Street.
Final Resting Place
George Holl's Civil War Pension Record
Final Resting Place of George & Emma Holl, and their three sons
