James H. Reeve

Another wonderful answer to the question: Who Built Camden. Frederick W. Reeve, whose family was very much involved in construction in the city from the 1880s through the 1930s, contributed the following article and photographs.

James Henry Reeve was born in Hilton, Essex County, N.J. on 24 November, 1849. The son of a shoemaker, he had one brother who died at an early age, and several sisters. James acquired his carpentry skills as a young man in South Orange, N.J. It is suspected that James emigrated to Camden sometime between 1870 and 1880 to pursue work and hone his skills as a carpenter. Although he lived in Camden during the 1870s, his marriage certificate of 1880 lists his address as “Newark.”

During this same time, Peter F. Gilman, from Vienna, Kennebec County, Maine, also relocated to Camden to work in the Oil Cloth Works at 7th Street & Kaighn Avenue. Peter Gilman brought his family, wife Mary Healey and ten children with him, including his eldest surviving daughter, Ella May Gilman.

James and Ella May met sometime during the 1870s and after a courtship, married on 19 September, 1880, in Camden. James was 31 years of age and Ella May was 18.

Working as a carpenter, James and Ella May started a family at their first recorded residence, 609 Line Street. Over the next 20 years, they had nine children, all boys: Leslie Wellington Reeve, Frederick Gilman Reeve (grandfather of the article’s author); Willis Hunt Reeve, Albert J. Reeve, Guy Clifford Reeve (later to serve as Mayor of Woodlynne); Walter Irvin Reeve, Robert Kerwick Reeve, Harry Folsom Reeve, and Alonzo Williamson Reeve.

Leslie Reeve was a general contractor and builder who built the Walt Whitman and Victoria theaters and worked on converting porch-type houses on Broadway into stores. His obituary (Camden Courier-Post, 16 Nov. 1954) reads: “Leslie W. Reeve, for many years a contractor of the Camden area…Mr. Reeve built the Walt Whitman and Victoria theatres and many other buildings in this area. He was a member of Camden Lodge 111, Loyal Order of Moose…”

Frederick Reeve was a union bricklayer who worked on many large industrial buildings in Camden and did a lot of boiler work and building of ovens for glassworks in the Salem area.

Willis Reeve was a contractor and builder. His obituary (CP, 10 Oct. 1972) reads: “…contractor and builder for 5 of Camden’s theaters as well as the city’s first nickelodeon…the son of James H. Reeve…both were responsible for the construction of the Lyric, Towers, and Princess theaters in Camden as well as the Walt Whitman theater in Pennsauken. The contracting firm was also active in building homes in Camden’s Parkside section. A retired crane operator for New York Shipyard…”

Guy Reeve worked as a carpenter with his father during his younger years and then at NY Shipyard. Robert Reeve worked at NY Shipyard. Harry Reeve worked at Old Victor Talking Machine Co., did some carpentry work and then worked at RCA. Alonzo Reeve worked for Allen B. Carr Roofing, Woodlynne, during his younger years and then became a cook and chef at hotels in Florida and Maine. Albert Reeve died at a young age after his clothes caught fire at a bonfire.

During this 50-year span, according to Camden City directories, James and Ella lived at: 609 Line Street (1880–82); 608 Line Street (1883); 517 Roberts Street (1884–86); 511 South Sixth Street (1887–93); 543 Newton Avenue (1894–95); 614 Pine Street (1896–98); 426 Washington Street (1899–1903); and 1446 Haddon Avenue (1904–14).

In 1915, James and Ella moved to their newly constructed home on Evergreen Avenue, Woodlynne.

When he started in the building business, Broadway had virtually no stores from Kaighn Avenue to Federal Street and it was most of these dwellings he rebuilt into business places. He was also at one time foreman for John J. Welsh, who likewise was a factor in the great change that came over Broadway. When the movie craze struck the City, and many went into the business by way of the old “nickelodeons,” it was Mr. Reeve who did much of that work.

He had been identified with George Holl and Lewis Holl, brothers who built hundreds of dwellings about the City, such as the Holl block and the houses in the tract formerly known as Starr mansion, where Jesse W. Starr, head of the old Starr Iron Factory, resided.

Mr. Reeve was one of the organizers of Local #393, Carpenters and Joiners of America, and also of Wyoming Tribe #155 IORM, of which he had been a member for over 55 years.

Submitted by Frederick W. Reeve, Turnersville, N.J. 08012, 4 April, 2005.

J.H. Reeve Funeral to be Held Saturday — Pioneer Builder to be Buried From Home of Councilman Reeve.

The funeral of James H. Reeve, 83, pioneer builder, who died at his home at 306 Evergreen Avenue, Woodlynne, Saturday, will be held at 3:00 PM tomorrow at the residence of his son, Councilman Guy C. Reeve, 112 Cedar Avenue, Woodlynne. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

Mr. Reeve was born at Hilton but spent most of his life in Camden and Woodlynne. He lived in the latter town 18 years, serving as building inspector.

He was a member, with Joseph R. Graw, in the firm of Graw & Reeve, which transformed residential Broadway into a business section. When he started building there were few stores on Broadway between Kaighn Avenue and Federal Street and his firm played a large part in converting dwellings into business houses.

At one time he was a foreman for John J. Welsh, who also played a large part in the transformation of the business section 35 years ago. When the nickel theatre craze struck this section 20 years ago he converted many properties into “nickelodeons.”

He became identified with George and Lewis Holl, who built hundreds of homes in this city. They also built the Holl Block on Broadway between Stevens and Mickle Streets, and a number of houses in the vicinity of the Starr foundry, where the Convention Hall now stands. Mr. Reeve was active in the building trade until a few years ago.

He was one of the organizers of Local No. 353, Carpenters and Joiners of America. He was also a member of Wyoming Tribe No. 55, Improved Order of Red Men, and Friendship Division No. 205, Sons of Temperance.

He is survived by his widow, Ella Gilman Reeve, and seven other sons: Leslie W., Fred G., Willis H., Walter L., Robert K., Harry F., and Alonzo W., a majority of whom are identified with the building trade.