Rev. James S. Pemberton
Rev. James S. Pemberton
Reverend James Saunders Pemberton was born in New Jersey on September 24, 1904. He married Irma Pearl Groff, a registered nurse, in 1928. The young couple went first to Chicago, where James Pemberton completed his ministerial studies at the Moody Bible Institute.
At the time of the 1930 Census Reverend Pemberton was serving as a minister and living in Eagleswood, in Ocean County NJ, with his wife Irma and young son, James S. Pemberton Jr., who had been born in Asbury Park in December of 1929.
Reverend Pemberton was serving as the pastor of the Westmont Methodist Episcopal Church in Haddon Township when he was transferred to the First Methodist Episcopal Church at South 6th and Stevens Street in 1936. Reverend Pemberton was the 72nd pastor then to date since the church was founded in 1809. In October of 1936, the members of the church held a reception for the pastor. Speakers included Reverend Edwin Forrest Hann, Reverend Elwood A. Harrar, and Dr. F. William Shafer, who was then the president of the First M.E. Church board of trustees.
By the late 1940s Reverend Pemberton had moved to Middlesex County, in central New Jersey. In 1948 he ran for Congress as a member of the Prohibition Party, but attracted only 234 votes.
Reverend Pemberton later served in churches in Wyoming, and then in New England. His last years were spent in Providence RI. He passed away on November 21, 1994, survived by his wife of 66 years, sons James and Bruce Pemberton, and daughter Mrs. Joanne Anderson.
First Methodist Episcopal Church
First Methodist Episcopal Church, 301 South 6th Street, SW Corner of 6th & Stevens Streets
First Methodist Episcopal Church, 301 South 6th Street — 1914. The church was built in 1892.
First Methodist Episcopal Church, 301 South 6th Street
First Methodist Episcopal Church — Late 2003
Safety Council Reorganized Here
Camden Courier-Post —
Harry Roye Chosen President; Committee Heads Named
The Camden County Safety Council was reorganized yesterday at a meeting at the Camden County Chamber of Commerce.
Harry Roye, of Westmont former Assemblyman, was chosen president. Loyal D. Odhner was named secretary and Charles B. Crabiel, treasurer.
Four vice presidents were picked to head as many safety divisions. Each vice president also will serve as a district committee chairman.
The The [sic] vice presidents are James W. Burnison, industrial; Thomas N. McCarter, Public Service Corporation, highway; Mrs. Rocco Palese, home and school; John F. Gilliams, Camden, Fire Insurance Association, fire prevention.
Vice chairmen of committees are O. C. Boileau, industrial; Police Chief Arthur Colsey, highway; Battalion Fire Chief Charles Erickson, fire; Rev. James S. Pemberton, First M. E. Church, home and school. Dan McConnell, Courier-Post Newspapers, was appointed director of publicity by Roye.
Leon H. Rose is chairman of the board of directors.
Others named as directors were: Industrial committee, Miss Laura Moore, Elber Reim, Russell E. Nickerson and Elmer C. Pratt; highway, committee, Samuel Brest, William Atkinson, Neil F. Deighan, Mrs. Miriam Lee Early Lippincott, Roy Lanning and Rose; home and school, Albert M. Bean, Dr. Leon N. Neulen and George W. Guyer.
The reorganization was directed by Burnison, president of the Chamber of Commerce, assisted by Roye, Odhner, Brest and Rose.
The council will be affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce. A meeting of the group will be held early in March when directors will be requested to ratify the committee’s action.
Roye said plans to place the council on a workable basis with an active membership will be announced at the next meeting.
Joseph H. Murray, Undertaker, Dies
Camden Courier-Post —
Founder of Firm Succumbs at Age of 82 After Six-Week Illness
Joseph H. Murray, 82, Camden’s oldest undertaker, died yesterday in his home at 408 Cooper street, of complications. He had been ill for six weeks. Members of his family were at the bedside when he died. He was the father of Coroner Charles T. Murray.
Mr. Murray was the oldest member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. He had been a member of the official board of the church for 50 years, and at one time was superintendent of the Sunday school.
Born in Camden on February 6, 1855, Mr. Murray became employed, after graduation from the Camden schools, by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later was in the ticket office at the Pennsylvania ferries.
Always deeply religious, Mr. Murray quit his post at the ferries because he felt that it was not right to work seven days a week. He then became associated with the old Camden Post-Telegram, now the Morning Post.
In 1900 he started in the undertaking business at 105 North Seventh street, later moving to 106 Broadway, then to 629 Market street and finally to the present Cooper street address, where he also made his home.
While Mr. Murray, in years gone by, had been a member of several organizations, he dropped all of those interests and centered on the one thing that was paramount in his life, his church work with the First M. E. He was well-known for his charitable work, although he did his missions of charity without any flare of publicity.
Mr. Murray retired from active business 10 years ago, and the business has since been carried on by his son, Coroner Murray, as Joseph H. Murray & Son. Coroner Murray entered his father’s business in 1912, when he graduated from school.
Mr. Murray’s father, Wesley Murray, was well known in Camden and at one time was captain of the old volunteer fire company, the Weccacoe Hose Company, which for many years had its headquarters on Arch street, east of Fifth street. That building was torn down when the present city hall was built.
In addition to Coroner Murray, Mr. Murray is survived by one other son, Carlton J. Murray, Camden florist; three daughters, Mrs. Sarah Dollar, of Camden; Mrs. Matilda Clark, of Sparrows Point, Md., and Mrs. Georgie Schwatka, of Baltimore, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Mr. Murray’s wife, Georgie, died 18 years ago.
Funeral services will be held privately by the family tomorrow. Rev. James S. Pemberton, pastor of the First M. E. Church, will preach the sermon. Burial will be in Harleigh Cemetery.