Introduction
Harry Anthony Greenan was born in Camden on March 20, 1892 to William H. Greenan Sr. and his wife Catherine. His father and grandfather Hugh Greenan had come to Camden after the Civil War along with uncles Peter, Hugh, and John. Hugh Greenan founded patented a hair plaster used in sidewalk paving and had a manufacturing business in the 1700 block of Master Street by the late 1870.
Harry Greenan was one of at least eleven children. When the 1900 Census was taken, only eight of the Greenan children were alive, William H. Jr., John J., Peter, Hugh T., Annie, Harry, Joseph, and Mary. William Greenan Sr. worked as a teamster, as did William Jr., while John J. and Peter were by then working as rug weavers. The family lived at 1729 Master Street in Camden’s Eight Ward.
The 1914 City Directory shows Harry Greenan working as a pipefitter and living at 2003 Arlington Street with other members of the Greenan family. On June 5, 1917 Harry A. Greenan registered for the draft. He was then boarding at 2005 Arlington Street, and working as a pipe fitter at the nearby New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards. He was still single at the time.
The 1920 Census shows Harry Greenan living with his father and brothers Peter and Joseph at 687 Fairview Street. On December 7, 1920 Harry A. Greenan was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He reported for duty in January 1, 1921.
By 1924 Harry A. Greenan had married. He and wife Victoria then lived at 737 Sylvan Street, just north of Morgan Street. They remained at that address through at least 1931. When the 1940 Camden City Directory was being compiled Harry and Victoria Greenan were living at 2540 Morgan Boulevard. The Greenans were still at that address as late as the spring of 1957, when, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, Harry A. Greenan left the Fire Department. The Greenans were still at 2540 Morgan Boulevard into the 1970s. By 1977 the family was gone from Morgan Boulevard.
World War I Draft Card
World War I draft registration card for Harry Anthony Greenan, dated June 5, 1917. He listed his occupation as pipe fitter at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, N.J., and his address as 2005 Arlington Street.
New Firemen Assigned for Two Platoons
Camden Post-Telegram —
NEW FIREMEN ASSIGNED FOR TWO PLATOONS
Double Shift System Becomes Effective at 8 O’clock on Saturday Morning
One Ten Hours; Other 14 Hours
Saturday morning at 8 o’clock the two-platoon system of the Fire Department becomes effective. At that hour the first shift will go on duty and remain until 6 p. m., when the second squad goes on, remaining until 8 a. m. That will be the procedure in the department henceforth, the schedule being so arranged that every third day there will be a 24-hour shift to let the other off. Every man will have 24 hours off every sixth day.
The arrangements were completed last night at a meeting of Council’s Fire Committee, when assignments were made of the fifty-six recent appointees to the department. With Chief Carter at headquarters will be stationed in reserve shifts Deputy Chiefs Nicholas and Patterson. Battalion Chiefs Wade and Browning will be stationed with their shifts at No. 3 engine house.
At last night’s meeting Congressman F. F. Patterson, Jr., Mayor Charles H. Ellis, President of Council David Jester and Chairman of the Fire Committee Joseph Forsyth made addresses in which they all spoke appreciatively of the fire-fighting force and offered their congratulations to the men in getting what they had sought after many years of effort. Chief Carter was particularly praised for the efficient manner in which he has developed the department. The chief also spoke, thanking the representatives of the city in behalf of the men for the boon given them in the two-platoon system, which means the fire fighters will be able to spend more time with their families.
Everything has been worked out to the least detail and it is anticipated the new system will work without any difficulties.
The assignment of the new men to the various companies follow:
Engine Company No. 1—Alfred E. Green, Charles Errickson, Charles Cook, Leroy Hatchett.
Engine Company No. 2—Howard Lamdon, Edgar Ellander, John K. Voll, Harold E. Lorang, Chester J. Andreas, Harry G. Layton.
Engine Company No. 3—Charles Haines, August Haverkamp, Louis Quinton, Chas. S. Clements, Frank Kuda.
Engine Company No. 4—Frank A. Obermann, Walter P. Gray, Albert Ruber, Fred Schucker, Harry Kleinfelder.
Engine Company No. 5—Richard A. Ferris, Frank Fennrio.
Engine Company No. 6—William H. Reed, Manuel J. Kane, Edward Perairia, Thomas Shanahan, Rocco di Varino.
Engine Company No. 7—August Scholl, Lawrence H. Matthews, Nicholas Romain.
Engine Company No. 8—Adam Mead, Frank Sapp, William J. Taylor, William Wood, Samuel Oshushek, Edward C. Crane.
Engine Company No. 9—Keenard Naylor, Daniel McSurdy, John Mohofeld.
Engine Company No. 10—William Swarts, Hugh Rementer, Harry Greenan, Rocco Abbott.
Hose and Chemical Company No. 2—Lawrence Newton, Edward Hauser, William Getner.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1—Tom Cunningham, Leonard Magee.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 2—John Gaylor, Walter G. White.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 3—David Ellis, George A. Addison, John Mulligan, David Humphreys, Albert Dukes.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 4—George A. Quimby.
Chief’s driver—Tenny G. Hutchinson.
Everything has been worked out to the least detail and it is anticipated the new system will work without any difficulties. The assignment of the new men to the various companies follow:
Engine Company No. 1—Alfred E. Green, Charles Errickson, Charles Cook, Leroy Hatchett.
Engine Company No. 2—Howard Lamdon, Edgar Ellander, John K. Voll, Harold E. Lorang, Chester J. Andreas, Harry G. Layton.
Engine Company No. 3—Charles Haines, August Haverkamp, Louis Quinton, Chas. S. Clements, Frank Kuda.
Engine Company No. 4—Frank A. Obermann, Walter P. Gray, Albert Ruber, Fred Schucker, Harry Kleinfelder.
Engine Company No. 5—Richard A. Ferris, Frank Fennrio.
Engine Company No. 6—William H. Reed, Manuel J. Kane, Edward Perairia, Thomas Shanahan, Rocco di Varino.
Engine Company No. 7—August Scholl, Lawrence H. Matthews, Nicholas Romaine.
Engine Company No. 8—Adam Mead, Frank Sapp, William J. Taylor, William Wood, Samuel Oshushek, Edward C. Crane.
Engine Company No. 9—Keenard Naylor, Daniel McSurdy, John Mohofeld.
Engine Company No. 10—William Swartz, Hugh Rementer, Harry Greenan, Rocco Abbott.
Hose and Chemical Company No. 2—Lawrence Newton, Edward Hauser, William Getner.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1—Tom Cunningham, Leonard Magee.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 2—John Gaylor, Walter G. White.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 3—David Ellis, George A. Addison, John Mulligan, David Humphries, Albert Dukes.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 4—George A. Quimby.
Chief’s driver—Tenny G. Hutchinson.
Also mentioned: Peter B. Carter – Thomas Nicholas – Walter Browning – George B. Wade – William W. Patterson – Francis Ford Patterson Jr. – Charles H. Ellis – David Jester – Joseph Forsyth
Cops and Firemen in First Practice
Camden Post-Telegram —
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, sends 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, using the Forest Hill track, outside of the enclosed athletic field.
In a confab over the arrangement of the cinder track, Stehr also 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 he had nineteen men would be candidates for his team, while Walter A. Mertz, of Engine Company No. 1, acting as manager for the firemen’s team, had twenty-nine candidates on his list. These men will compete next Tuesday, in what first three events run jointly 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, Edwin Callahan, Walter Larson, Augustus Pflederer, Clarence Phifer, Thomas Welch, Stanley Wirtz, Charles Naylor, George Rothwell, Richard Donnelly, Lester Gleason, and Joe Keefe.
The firemen who will also attempt to set fast marks include, Fred Schucker, Harry Wagner, Chris Moll, Harry Layton, Edgar Ellender, August Haverkamp, Frank Kuda, Harry Kleinfelder, William Foehle, Tom Shanahan, Harrison Pike, William Wood, Lester Anderson, William Wood, George Townsend, Allen Palmer, William Swartz, Nelson Till, William Mountney, John A. Strauss, Frank Oberman, Edward Menzies, John Mulligan, Frank Kates, Clifford Lane, Nelson Andrews, and Harry Leigh.
From the present outlook the “Cops” team stands as coming out second best. The firemen are confident of finishing once more in front when the bluecoats fail to equal the Stehr’s cohorts at the last Armory meet.
The tug-of-team of eight men will also be selected by the firemen’s 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 added attraction, so long as minutes of actual time is taken up. The local club is willing to donate their services to help finance, having lately performed in many eastern states. The “Camden Blue Devils,” as they are known, will furnish more thrills in the forty minutes than any sport lovers have ever seen in the ring, said manager Jake 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 solo players being included in the personnel of the Blue Devils teams.
Blue Devils No. 1—Joseph Bernart, captain; Frank De Vivey, Carl Preisendanz, Edward Paul.
Blue Devils No. 2—Charles Ellis, captain; George Gummel, Bennett Arnold, Clayton Albertson.
Smith— could be David, George, Roy, or Spencer William Rudd?
World War II Draft Card
World War II draft registration card for Harry Anthony Greenan. He listed his address as 2540 Morgan Blvd., Camden, N.J., and his employer as Camden City Fire Dept.
Camden Fire Department Personnel Card
Camden Fire Department personnel card for Harry A. Greenan. Title: Hoseman; Badge No. 118; Blood Type: A Positive; Born: Camden, N.J., March 20, 1892; Appointed: Dec. 7, 1920; Reported for Duty: Jan. 1, 1921; Assignment: 1/2/21 #10 Eng. Pensioned: April 1, 1957.