Harry M. Chambers
Presented to Capt. Harry M. Chambers for 20 Years Faithful Service from Box 315 Assn.
HARRY MARTYN CHAMBERS was born in New Jersey on November 26, 1879 to John James Chambers and the former Martha Wood. The family lived at 305 Wilson Street when he was an infant. By 1887 they had moved to 420 Evans Street in South Camden, and in 1890 were in a newly-built home at 1123 Baring Street. They moved to 1119 Baring Street in 1891, 1109 Baring Street in 1892, and 1103 Baring Street in 1893, where they remained for three years. The 1896 Camden City Directory shows that the Chambers family had moved to 573 Division Street. They were listed at 785 Mount Vernon Street in the 1897 and 1898 editions.
Harry Chambers was the oldest of at least four children, the others being William P, Elizabeth M., and Lucy Helms Chambers.
On March 30, 1898 Harry Martyn Chambers married Clara Elizabeth Price, the daughter of Camden Fire Department member Samuel Montgomery Price. A son, Harry H.B. Chambers was born on June 1, 1898. Sadly, the baby died on January 25, 1899. Two daughters followed, Clara Mae in 1899 and Henrietta in 1906. The Chambers’ lived with Clara’s parents at 906 Chestnut Street when the Census was taken in 1900. By 1906 through at least 1920 Harry and Clara Chambers rented a home at 908 Chestnut Street.
Harry Chambers worked as a trolley conductor in the 1900s through at least 1914. By 1918 he had joined the Camden Fire Department. Daughters Clara May and Harriet Chambers married in 1920 and 1924, respectively; Clara May to John B.E. Waldron, and Harriet to Frank E. Flowers.
The 1924 Camden City Directory shows that Harry and Clara E. Chambers had moved to 1452 Mt. Ephraim Avenue. By 1927 Harry Chambers had been promoted to Captain. He served as a junior Captain at Hook and Ladder Company 2 through at least 1929. He was still serving with the Camden Fire Department when the C.B. Coles & Sons Company lumber yard was destroyed by fire on July 10, 1933.
Harry Chamber completed 20 years of service as a Camden fire fighter during the 1930. The Chambers family was still residing at 1452 Mt. Ephraim Avenue when Captain Chambers died on July 4, 1940. He was survived by his wife and daughters. By 1947 Clara Chambers was living at 113 North 25th Street in East Camden. She passed away in July of 1973 in Kearny, New Jersey.
Older brother William Pringle Chambers also served on the Camden Fire Department.
Negress Burned to Death
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Invalid Sister Rescued After Giving Alarm
Mrs Mary Ann Waters, a negress, 59 years old, of 917 Chestnut street, Camden, was burned to death yesterday, when the kitchen of her home became ignited, supposedly from an overheated stove. The woman was trapped in the room and her charred body was found alongside the cellar door after the firemen had extinguished the blaze. Mrs. Lizzie Morris, her sister and an invalid, who was upstairs, was rescued by Fireman Harry Chambers and Perry Daniels, a neighbor.
Mrs. Waters had left her sister to prepare breakfast and it was shortly after she was heard to scream and smoke that came up the stairway showed Mrs. Morris what had happened. She crawled to a window, broke it, called for help and then sank to the floor unconscious, where she was found. The fire caused a loss of several hundred dollars. Coroner Busney viewed the body of the fire victim and gave a certificate in accordance with the facts.
Chestnut Street – Perry Daniels – Mary Ann Waters – Lizzie Morris
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Firemen Organize Baseball Team
Camden Post-Telegram —
Under the direction of Fireman Frank Gondolf, a base ball team is being organized among the down town firemen to play the uptown firemen. The proceeds of the fiasco will be given the Red Cross. The down towners will be represented by Frank Gondolf, Jack Garitty, John McTaggart, Wes McGrath, Harry Chambers, “Bill” Casson, “Chappie” Lennox, George Pursglove and two other “dark horses.”
Frank Gondolf – John T. Garrity – Sylvester “Wes” McGrath
Harry Chambers – William Cason
John H. Lennox – George Pursglove – John McTaggart
Three Firemen Join New York Shipyards
Camden Post-Telegram —
The call of the shipyards has again appealed to South Camden public servants, a policeman and three firemen forsaking their positions in the city departments to take up their new duties as shipbuilders.
Appointed last April, Policeman Clarence Wescott, of the Fourth ward, has tendered his resignation to Mayor Ellis. Wescott is going to work at the New York Shipyard.
Frank De Haven, a fireman connected with Engine Company No. 8, has resigned to work at the same yard.
Julius Hubert, appointed seven weeks ago to No. 3 Engine Company, resigned this morning and his place at that house has been filled by the appointment of Anthony Paradise, of 658 South Second street. Hubert also goes to the New York Ship Corporation.
George Pursglove, of No. 7 Engine Company, also resigned this morning. His place has been filled temporarily by the transfer of Harry Chambers, from No. 2 Truck Company. Pursglove will also tackle shipbuilding.
Clarence Wescott – Charles H. Ellis – Roy DeHaven – Engine Company 3
Engine Company 7 – Engine Company 8
Julius Hubert – George H. Pursglove
Anthony Paradise – Harry Chambers
Chambers Promoted to Lieutenant
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Council’s Fire Committee yesterday granted the application of Captain Charles Todd to be placed on pension February 28. Lieutenant Charles Watkins, of No. 5 Company, was advanced to a captaincy, and Harry Chambers, of No 2 Truck, was made a lieutenant. Alfred Lasby, of the Fourth ward, was made a fireman to fill the vacancy in the department. Captain Todd has been in the department for twenty-two years and is head of No. 7 Engine Company.
Charles Todd – Charles Watkin – Harry M. Chambers – Alfred Lasby
Engine Company 5 – Ladder Company 2 – Engine Company 7
World War I Draft Card
World War I Draft Card – Harry M. Chambers
Camden Business Block Threatened
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Flames Cause $28,000 Loss in Two Kaighn Avenue Stores—Fireman Injured
Two firemen were injured, another was overcome by smoke, and damage to the extent of $28,000 was caused by flames which early yesterday morning threatened to destroy the entire retail business block on Kaighn avenue between Broadway and Fourth streets, Camden. Starting in the men’s furnishing store of Neil Zeidman, 437 Kaighn avenue, and spreading to the Almar store, at 439 Kaighn avenue, the flames appeared so menacing that Chief Carter sent in a second alarm. The fire was confined to the two stores. Zeidman places his loss at $25,000, principally on stock. The Almar store was damaged to the extent of $3000.
Fire Lieutenant Harry Chambers, of 972 South Eighth street, was overcome by smoke. David Smith and Charles Haines, hosemen, were knocked down by a hose getting from their grasp, the stream being turned on them. They suffered contusions and bruises. All three firemen were taken to the Homeopathic Hospital. It is thought that the fire was caused by crossed wires. Iron bars over the rear windows in the Zeidman store became charged with electricity and several firemen were shocked when the current ran down the water lines.
Harry Chambers – David Smith – Charles Haines – Peter B. Carter
Neil Zeidman – 8th Street – Kaighn Avenue – West Jersey Hospital
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C.B. Coles & Sons Lumber Yard Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
Kaighn Point Friends Care for Mrs. Numbers and Mrs. Parker When Dwelling Where They Were Born Falls in Sweep of Flames
Two white-haired sisters who refused to leave their home and finally had to be carried out when it caught fire during the Kaighn’s Point conflagration yesterday afternoon, were left dazed and homeless today.
Sheltered in the home of a friend at 211 Kaighn avenue last night, the women said they had spent their lives in their homestead at 1210 South Front street. Three generations of their family had lived in it for 125 years, and the house, razed by flames, was believed to have been fully 200 years old. It was a landmark at the Point.
When the cry of “Fire!” was raised the women, Mrs. Mary Numbers, 69, and Mrs. Anna Parker, 68, did not hear it.
E. H. Stewart, general secretary of the Atlantic City Railroad Y. M. C. A., just across the street at Front street and Kaighn avenue, ran into the house after he summoned the fire companies. He found the sisters in an upper room. He also found their brother, Joseph C. Maull, 67, who is a ticket taker at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, and who lives with them.
Cedar Chest Saved
Stewart saw that the house next door was burning as was the lumber yard and pleaded with them to leave. The women refused to go. Stewart asked them if there was anything they treasured. They said yes, there was a cedar chest. He ran to the second floor and they followed him, heedless of his pleadings to leave.
Stewart carried the cedar chest to the street and ran back into the house. The sisters had been seized with fear and they were on the verge of collapse.
He grabbed one of the women and carried her to the sleeping quarters of the Delaware chapter of the Y. M. C. A. Then he went back for the other and carried her to safety. Doctors from the West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital ambulance gave them restoratives. Later they were taken to the home of Dr. W. S. Thompson, 250 Kaighn avenue, Collingswood, where they were sheltered for the night.
A telephone call to Shibe Park brought Maull back to Camden to take care of his sisters. Mrs. Parker also sent a telegram to her son, M. Parker, 315 West Nineteenth avenue, Wildwood, telling him they were safe, but their home had been badly damaged.
House Historic
“My grandfather, William Champion, built the house from timber that 125 years ago from Ebenezer Toole. My grandfather operated the first ferry from the New Jersey side of the river from Kaighn’s Point to Philadelphia and lived in the old homestead. The ferryboat was named after him.”
That was all Maull had to say about the history of the old home. He was more concerned with a Waterbury watch he had left in the house before he fled, and with a pair of glasses of Mrs. Parker so he went to the old house.
The firemen tried to stop him. They told him that the old timbers had been weakened by tons of water poured on the burning roof and might collapse at any moment. Capt. Harry Chambers recovered the glasses but not the watch.
Mrs. Mary Numbers – Mrs. Anna Parker – C.B. Coles & Sons Company – Front Street – Mechanic Street – Atlantic Avenue
E.H. Stewart – Joseph C. Maull – Dr. W.S. Thompson – Rachel Maull – William Champion – Ebenezer Toole – Harry Chambers