Henry C. Knowles
HENRY CHAPMAN KNOWLES was born on November 6, 1871 in Yorkshire, England to Thomas C. Knowles and the former Ann Hannah Stocks. The family appears in the 1892 Camden City Directory at 1116 Mechanic Street. Thomas Knowles was working as a blacksmith, Henry as a morocco finisher, and half-sister Marcy as a twister at the Howland Croft & Son mill on Broadway. In 1893 Henry C. Knowles married Sarah T. “Sadie” Long, the daughter of John P. Long and his wife Emma. This marriage produced five children, Alice, John Thomas, Annie, Emma, and Charles Knowles.
Henry and Sadie Knowles and her family had moved to 1051 Kaighn Avenue by the time the 1895 City Directory was compiled. With only a few exceptions, Henry Knowles and family remained at that address until 1921. The 1897 Directory shows them at 1007 Sycamore Street. Directories from 1899 through 1902 have them at 1053 Kaighn Avenue, next door to John P. Long and family. The 1903 Directory has the Henry Knowles at 1214 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, then from 1904 through 1921 he and his family is back at 1051 Kaighn Avenue. As Emma Long had died in 1901, John P. Long lived with his daughter and Henry Knowles for most of this period. The 1920 Census shows Henry Knowles, wife Sarah, sons John T. and Charles, daughter Emma Knowles Friezer, her husband Garland and daughter Helen at 1051 Kaighn Avenue. Sadly, Sarah Knowles died of a stroke at her home on May 14, 1920. The 1922 Directory shows that Henry Knowles, his father-in-law, daughter and son-in-law had moved to 1154 Liberty Street. John P. Long and the Friezers appear to have moved to Somerdale, New Jersey by 1923. It is not clear as to whether or not Henry Knowles had gone with them. He is not listed in City Directories from 1923 through 1928. He does return to the Directories at 1517 Mt. Ephraim Avenue in 1929, and remained there until his death. His daughter Alice had lived there with her husband Leroy Tucker since 1918 and he may have stayed with them during these years.
John P. Long served as a member of the Camden Fire Department from 1890 to the fall of 1910. Perhaps do to his father-in-law’s influence, Henry Knowles was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 13, 1910 and began service on July 1, 1910 as the houseman at Engine Company 7, and appears to have kept that position through at least 1922 and possibly into 1923. The fire department housemen were eliminated by the City Commissioners on June 29, 1923, but apparently were soon brought back, and Henry Knowles was brought back with them. He was still in the position in December of 1931 when the housemen were eliminated once and for all.
Henry C. Knowles passed away on September 21, 1942.
Committee Named Ten New Firemen
Camden Daily Courier —
City Council’s Fire Committee last night made provision for the installation of Engine Company No. 7 by the appointment of ten new members of the department. Some of the new appointees will be assigned to the new company, which will be located at Tenth street and Kaighn avenue, and the rest of the complement will be made up of experienced fire fighters. The company goes into service July 1. The men appointed last night are:
First Ward—H. L. Curry, Jr.
Second Ward—Robert Bricee.
Third Ward—Clarence Madden.
Fourth Ward—William Cason.
Fifth Ward—William Laird.
Sixth Ward—George Boone.
Seventh Ward—Edward Simpson.
Eighth Ward—John McTaggart.
Ninth Ward—Roy Smith.
Tenth Ward—J. Ora Burris.
The committee also made provision for the superior officers of the company by advancing present members of the department. William Buzine was made engineer, Thomas Nichols was elected captain, Joseph Maxwell was chosen lieutenant, Daniel Smith and Arthur Wingate were advanced to stokers and Newton Ash was promoted to extra engineer. Henry Knowles was made houseman for the new company.
The men advanced last night will not necessarily be assigned to No. 7, and the matter of placing them will be disposed of at a later meeting.
Celebrations by 3 Fire Companies
Camden Post-Telegram —
Engine Company No. 7 is the baby company of the fire department, that is, in years of service, but in up-to-date completeness in every respect, harmony and quick response to duty, the men in blue out Kaighn avenue, under Captain Charles Todd, are right there on the tap of the gong. Captain Todd is a stickler for good feeling among his men for the good of the service, and at a New Year’s Eve banquet this unanimity of good fellowship was strongly manifested.
It was the first New Year’s blowout given by Company 7 and the guests had as grand a time as if they were gathered about their own firesides at home. From door to roof, the firehouse was ablaze with a glow of the holiday and patriotic spirit. Flags, festoons of green, Christmas bells, and lights gladdened all hearts and a Christmas tree glistening with tinsel and topped with an electric bulb gave the banquet hall a homelike air. Over the tree was the gladsome greeting, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”
Fifteen guests sat down to the festive board. In the centre of the table glowed in a big fireman’s horn a big bunch of electric lit American Beauties and from one end of the board to the other it was one sweep of delicacies, turkey, raw and fried oysters, stuffing chicken salad, cake, pie and a lot of other luxuries that make life happier as far as the inner man is concerned.
Chief Kelly presided at the head of the table and made a genial toastmaster. Chief Kelly supplied the electrical effects with his usual aptness. “Brother” Lutz said a short and timely prayer and then the guests sat down and for two hours were regaled with all the palatable good things of the season of good cheer. Cigars of pungent aroma being passed around, “Jim” Nevins and George Boone entertained delightfully with grapophone selections, including “Has Anyone Here Seen Kelly?” He was there.
With the midnight hour came the blowing of factory whistles and the tolling of bells. And from below in the firehouse came a terrific clangor and clash and gongs and bells. The firemen instinctively made for the sliding pole, but soon came back a-laughing. It was only Chief Kelly and Chief Chef Lutz ringing in the first alarm of the New Year, No. 1-9-1-3.
Those who had the great pleasure to participate in this most happy affair are as follows:
City Electrician John W. Kelly, Jr., Captain Charles Todd, Lieutenant John Lutz, Engineer William Busine, Stoker James Nevins, Drivers Richard Marter and Joseph Sparks, Hoseman George Boone, Roy Smith and Edward Simpson, and as welcome guests, Richard Saeur, John Watson, Albert Glanders, William Robinson and Harry Knowles, the faithful houseman of No. 7.
Chief Elfreth and Assistant Chiefs Cox, Stockton, Wade and Browning, were to have been there, but business on a holiday kept them at Headquarters awaiting alarms.
AT HEADQUARTERS.
Under the auspices of the Wishbone Club, firemen at headquarters, Fifth and Arch streets, held their annual dinner on Tuesday evening. Cheer and good-fellowship was the by word and the fire laddies and their friends made the evening one long to be remembered.
A short address was given by Chief Elfreth and Assistant Chief Stockton. John Dold offered prayer before the guests partook of the tasty dishes as prepared by Arthur Wingate and William Laud. The table presented an attractive appearance and the laddies and guests greatly enjoyed the fine spread. The menu follows:
Roast Sweet Potatoes,
Peas,
Cranberry Sauce, Mince Pie,
Coffee,
Cigars, Aqua De Lair,
Olives, Beets, Celery,
Roast Turkey,
Oyster Filling, Giblet Sauce
Mashed White Potatoes.
Those participating were as follows: S. S. Elfreth, John S. Stockton, Captain George B. Wade, Lieutenant Jos. Ernest, John A. Dold, Josiah Sage, Daniel Smith, Arthur Wingate, Joseph Johnson, Harry Hankins, William Laird, William Elberson, John Lennox, Martin Carrigan, Charles Cook, Harry Belby, Harry Khrier, Charles Menke, Edward S. Gahan, D. P. McConnell.
With a fine feed, a grand graphophone concert, songs and speeches of a happy and humorous order, “the Jolly Nine” saw the old year out and the New Year in, at the house of Hook and Ladder Truck No. 1, on Fifth street above Arch street. Accoutred in their uniforms of blue, ready at a second’s tap of the gong to jump on the truck, the brave laddies and friends formed a happy picture of congeniality. The menu was most appetizing. Beginning with oysters on the shell and winding up with a delicious dish designated “Creme-a-la-Truck,” the guests were kept busy munching their molars, as the sedate and genial waiters, togged out in linen of spotless white. William Howell Tatem and “Chief” Harry Anderson did the elegant. Stewart Bakely, a slick Cooper river boat house cook from away back, was the popular chef of the feast, and that grand old fire hero, Captain “Joe” Maxwell, the Commander-in-Chief of festivities, who saw to it that no one got left as the plates passed around.
The floral and holiday decorations of the banquet hall were munificent and in happy accord with the gracious and good-natured gathering.
Engine House Has Anniversary
Camden Daily Courier —
The third anniversary of the opening of the pretty house of Engine Company, No. 7, on Kaighn avenue, near Tenth street, was celebrated to-day by the laddies. Houseman Harry Knowles presented the house with a handsome new American flag and pole and the boys had a flag raising all to themselves.
Engine House Has Anniversary
Camden Post-Telegram —
Houseman Harry Knowles, of No. 7 Engine Company presented the firemen at the house with a handsome flag and staff to-day, it being the third anniversary of the founding of the company. The gift is greatly appreciated by the fire laddies.
Henry C. Knowles
Camden Courier-Post —
Henry C. Knowles, 70, retired employe of the Samuel Langston machine works, died yesterday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Alice Tucker, 1517 Mt. Ephraim avenue, after an illness of three weeks.
Mr. Knowles was a member of Eyota Tribe 105, IORM, and the Liberty Singing Society. His wife, Sarah, died in 1920. Surviving, besides Mrs. Tucker, are two sons, John, of Gloucester, and Charles, of Somerdale, and two daughters, Mrs. Anna Staats, of Camden, and Mrs. Emma Friezer, of Vincentown.