Introduction
George McClenon Townsend was born in Camden, New Jersey on March 16, 1895. The 1910 Census shows George M. Townsend, younger sister Ruth and mother Annie living at 1123 Penn Street, the home of John Everingham and his three teenaged children.
George M. Townsend was 21 when he married. On June 5, 1917 he registered for the draft. He was then living with his wife Helen at 2102 Watson Street in East Camden. A daughter, Dorothy, was born soon afterwards. George M. Townsend was then working as a bottler for David Hugo Redelmeyer, who conducted a liquor store and bottling business at 2320 Federal Street.
When the Census was taken in January of 1920, George M. Townsend was working as a glazier at the Keystone Leather Works. The young family had moved to a house at 140 North 25th Street. Their neighbors at 134 North 25th Street were John and Blanche Stinger, whose sons John L. Stinger and Philip A. Stinger would become career policemen and firemen, respectively.
By 1924 George M. Townsend had joined the Camden Fire Department. The family had moved to 2106 Watson Street, according to the 1924 Camden City Directory, and remained there into 1927. By 1929 the Townsends had moved once again, to 435 Pfeiffer Street. April 1930 Census him and his wife Helen, daughter Dorothy and young son George at the Pfeiffer Street address.
George M. Townsend’s final post with the Department was as a Captain with Engine Company 3 on Broadway in Camden’s old Eighth Ward.
George M. Townsend later moved to 2779 Stevens Street, where he resided at the time of his passing. He died on April 6, 1940. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill), New Jersey. His widow and son George J. Townsend were living at 331 Garden Avenue in East Camden when the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled.
World War I Draft Card
World War I Draft Registration Card — George McClenon Townsend, registered June 5, 1917
Hook & Ladder Company 3, Hose & Chemical Company 1 & Engine Company 9
1924
Hook & Ladder Company 3: Captain Joseph B. Ayres, FF Dave Humphries, Al Dukes, John Mulligan, Bill Mountney, Bill Hopkins. Hose & Chemical Company 1: Captain Charles H. Robinson, FF William E “Pud” Jaeckel, George Townsend, Ken Naylor, Howard Gick. Engine Company 9: Captain John H. Vickers, FF Irv Lederman, Newton Ash, Joe Gentlesk, Al Palmer
Engine Company 9
John Voll, Edward Peraria, Howard Gick, Captain Eli Hunt and George Townsend, firefighters from Engine Company 9, based on Twenty-seventh Street, take a moment together following a fire on a rainy night in December 1928, seen here in the first row from left to right. The blaze involved the offices of Leon E. Todd at 2623 Westfield Avenue. Todd was a realtor who helped develop Medford Lakes.
Cops and Firemen in First Practice
Camden Courier —
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. Merts [sic], 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.
Captain Townsend of Engine No. 3 Dies
Camden Courier-Post —
Services for Veteran Firefighter Will Be Held Thursday
Capt. George M. Townsend, 45, of Fire-Engine Company No. 3, Broadway and Emerald street, died Saturday. He had been ill from a heart condition seven months. Battalion Chief Rollo R. Jones, whose headquarters were at the same station, died last Wednesday and was buried Saturday.
Captain Townsend died at his home, 2779 Stevens street, after spending some time in West Jersey Hospital. In two years he would have been eligible for pension. He was a member of the Twelfth Ward Republican Club, the Holy Name Society and St. Joseph’s Men’s Club.
Captain Townsend is survived by his widow, Mrs. Helen Burns Townsend, a daughter, who is a nurse at the county institutions at Lakeland, a son, and a sister, Mrs. Walter Haines. Services in the home at 8.30 a. m. Thursday will be followed by High Mass at 10 o’clock in St. Joseph’s Church, Twenty-ninth street and Westfield avenue. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.