Introduction
James T. McGrory Jr.
JAMES T. McGRORY was born on July 25, 1927 to James T. and Marguerite McGrory. When the Census was taken in 1930 the family, which included younger siblings Doris and Joseph lived at 527 Fairview Street. The elder McGrory managed an American Stores grocery. The 1940 Camden City Directory shows the family at 4713 Lafayette Avenue in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
After serving with the United States Army during World War II James T. McGrory joined the Camden Fire Department in May of 1956.
The 1959 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory shows James T. McGrory Jr. at 432 Pfeiffer Street in East Camden. By October of 1969 he had moved to 111 Terrace Avenue. He was still living at that address as late as the fall of 1977.
James T. McGrory served with distinction for over 34 years before retiring on pension August 1, 1990 at the rank of Captain. He had served as Captain with Engine Company 11 in Cramer Hill in the early 1970s, and with Engine Company 9 in East Camden later in the decade.
After his retirement, James McGrory worked for the Pennsauken Country Club and at the Inglesby & Son Funeral Home. He was active in Masonic affairs, and was a member of the New Jersey Retired Police & Fire Association.
James T. McGrory was active for many years in the fund raising efforts of the Camden County Hero Scholarship Fund. He took part in the research that resulted in the Camden Fire Department 125th Anniversary book. He remained interested in the affairs of the Camden Fire Department, and was an attendee at the firefighter's reunion dinner at The Pub in Pennsauken, New Jersey in August of 2009.
In later years James McGrory resided in Pennsauken, New Jersey. James McGrory passed away on November 9, 2009. He was survived by his wife, the former Thelma Anconetani, son James McGrory, and daughter Joan McGrory.
Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course
Camden Courier-Post —
More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have taken part in a Red Cross advanced first aid course — the Howard Keller committee.
Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Deputy Chief Anthony Dzinski and Nicholas George. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.
All members of the graduating class are personnel of Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and truck company 1. These groups include:
Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and albert weller; Edward Brendlinger, harrison macneir, Robert Olesiewicz and james w. smith.
Headquarters Company: raymond banford, John K. Voll and john w. yates.
Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert Dukes; otto v. kaiser; William Watkin, chester gedrich, George Baxter, john mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, joseph mctaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley, elmer johnson jr.
Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, Thomas Winstanley; Carl Wirtz, James McGrory, Edwin V. Decker, james stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, anthony t. orme, Mario D. Fattore, james o. jones, Francis P. Stibi, william hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Giuliano, casper martelli, Harold H. Pike, john j. vane, William Stibi, john dimaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.
Camden Fire Department Firebook
In front of fire station — Raymond Banford, James McGrory, James Stewart, Chester Gedrich
Baird Boulevard Rescue — July 18, 1960
July 18, 1960 — Baird Avenue. A front end loader flipped off embankment pinning the operator underwater. Battalion Chief William Deitz, 2nd Battalion, first arrived at the scene. In the boat from Rescue Company 1: Fireman Edward Brendlinger (kneeling on the machine's wheel) and Firemen John Mogck Jr. and James McGrory. John Mogck would become Chief of Department.
20 Firemen Pass Test For Captain
Camden Courier-Post —
Deputy Fire Chief Edward Michalak, acting chief engineer in the absence of Chief MacDowell, announced Friday that 20 of 50 firemen who took the examination for fire captain received passing grades.
Heading the list is James McGrory of 111 Terrace ave., attached to No. 2 Engine Co. He is followed by Joseph Wolfinger of 320 Fountain ave., attached to No. 1 Ladder Co., and Charles Christensen of 3045 S. Atlanta rd., attached to No. 11 Engine Co. Christensen is a nephew of retired Capt. James Young.
Michalak said that there is only one vacancy for captain in the department at this time. The post pays $6,575. Top pay for fireman is $5,975.
3 Boys Killed in Camden Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
2 Row Homes Destroyed
By EDMUND J. CHELLAND and JAY APT Courier-Post Staff
Three small boys died and four other persons were injured today as a flash fire swept two Camden row houses at 317-319 Mechanic Street.
One of the injured persons was hurt after leaping from a second floor window. Another was injured dashing through flames and smoke to safety. Two other persons escaped unharmed from the burning buildings.
Fire Marshall George Baxter and Fire Chief Edward Michelak said a kerosene space heater apparently malfunctioned and set off the blaze in the two-story frame home at 317 Mechanic Street shortly before 9 a.m.
Pronounced dead on arrival at West Jersey Hospital was Thomas Carter Ratcliffe, 9, of 317, and his nephews, Randy Smith, 1, of 319, and the latter’s brother, Robert, 2.
The baby was found dead in his crib. His brother and uncle were found dead in the uncle’s bedroom. The older Smith boy was believed to have run from his home through a second floor door to the adjacent home.
Treated at the same hospital were Mrs. Emiline Green, 66, of 321; Edwood Sharp, 39, of 317; Philip Borelli, a fireman attached to Ladder 2; and Patrolman James Snyder, 25, of 835 N. 35th Street.
Mrs. Green, a great-grandmother of the Smith brothers, was admitted for treatment of shock.
She tried to dash through a second-floor door linking her home to 319, but flames drove her back. She was led to safety by her husband, James, 60, custodian of a Glassboro dress factory.
Green also carried to safety the Ratcliffe boy’s sister, Shirley, 4, who had spent the night with them. Green and Shirley were unhurt.
Leaps 2 Floors
Sharp was admitted for treatment of a broken right ankle suffered when he leaped to the pavement from a second-floor window. He told police he was aroused by the fire, made a futile effort to rescue the Ratcliffe boy, then was forced to jump because of the intense heat and flames.
Borelli was overcome by smoke while battling the blaze. He was treated at the hospital and then returned to the scene.
Snyder was treated for an ankle injury. He and Patrolman George Pugh discovered the fire as they cruised in the neighborhood in Car No. 23.
They radioed an alarm, then tried to force their way into the house at 317 to rescue its occupants. A blast of heat and flame forced them to retreat as they opened the front door.
Firemen Find Bodies
More than 15 pieces of fire and rescue equipment responded to two alarms. They managed to keep the flames from spreading to the house at 321, although it suffered heavy smoke and water damage.
Five firemen searched the flame-and-smoke-filled buildings for the trapped boys and carried the bodies out.
The firemen were Benjamin Walter of Truck 2; William Kamman of Engine 3; William Stibi of Rescue 1; John DiMaggio, acting captain of Rescue 1 and John McGregory, a fire captain.
Three other occupants of the burned buildings were away at work at the time the fire broke out.
Coal Stove Out
Chief Michelak said they are Mrs. Emma Lou Ratcliffe, of 317, who is employed by a Swedesboro cleaning establishment; Mrs. Patricia Smith of 319, who is employed by a Pennsauken cleaning establishment, and William Roane, 25, of 319, who is employed by a Camden barrel reconditioning firm.
Mrs. Ratcliffe is the daughter of Mrs. Green. She is the mother of Shirley and Thomas Carter Ratcliffe and of Mrs. Smith. The latter is the mother of Randy and Robert Smith.
The fire chief said that Mrs. Smith told him that she had found a cellar coal stove had gone out when she awakened to go to work. He said she told him she lit the kerosene heater and left for work about 8:25 a.m.
—Courier-Post Photo by Sam Kushner
SHROUD-COVERED body of one of three boys who died in row house fire on Mechanic Street near 4th is carried out by firemen while neighbors look on from nearby porch.
—Courier-Post Photo by Sam Kushner
SMOKE SWIRLS around fireman as he leans from second-floor window of row house on Mechanic Street near 4th where three small boys perished in blaze.
—Courier-Post Photo by Sam Kushner
CAMDEN POLICE lead woman tentatively identified as grandmother of three children killed in fire from scene of tragedy on Mechanic Street.
Two Camden Toddlers Die As Fire Razes Row House
Camden Courier-Post —
Babysitter Seriously Burned
—Courier-Post Photo by Bob Bartosz
BODY of child, one of two young victims of Camden blaze, is carried from Fern Street row house by Capt. Al Collum of Engine Company 1.
By BOB REICHENBACH, Courier-Post Staff
A Camden man was in critical condition at Cooper Hospital today and two children were dead after a fire swept through a North Camden row house yesterday.
Stanley Brown, 25, was burned over 50 per cent of his body in the blaze at 825 Fern St. that took the lives of James Lyles, 3, and his brother John M., 2.
The two boys, sons of Mrs. Inez Brown, 22, died of burns over their entire bodies, according to an autopsy report released today by Blair M. Murphy, investigator for the Camden County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Flames Spread Rapidly
The first alarm was called at 1:40 p.m. Six minutes later a second alarm was issued as heavy winds whipped flames and the blaze spread throughout the small two-bedroom row home.
The fire apparently started in the kitchen in the rear of the home, a preliminary investigation has turned up.
“The gas stove was lit,” Deputy Chief Theodore Primas explained, “just to help take the chill away.”
According to Brown’s hospital bedside testimony, the children were playing in the house.
“The kids were running around,” Primas said, “and there most probably is a link between the stove and the children.”
Brown, he continued, was asleep in one of the second-story bedrooms when the fire started.
A member of the family said Brown had been babysitting for the boys while their mother went shopping. A sister, Dorothy, 4, was visiting a grandmother. The children’s father is stationed in Kansas City, Mo., with the Army.
Leaps To Safety
According to reports, Brown jumped from the second floor window and told firemen that the two boys were trapped inside.
Firemen were unable to get into the house until about half an hour later when the flames subsided.
A fireman, Robert Troutman, 40, of Engine Company 6, was injured when he was blown from the front door he was trying to enter, according to other firemen.
He was treated at Cooper Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Troutman had been called to a one-alarm fire a block away, at 531 N. 9th St. Shortly after that fire was under control, firemen were ordered to the Fern Street address.
Firemen said Troutman and Capt. James McGrory, 44, of Engine two, tried to enter the home when they arrived. An explosion of undetermined origin apparently sent them flying to the sidewalk.
High winds threatened two adjoining homes as flames and smoke spread along the roof eves. Firemen cut through the ceilings of all three homes to combat fire spreading through the roof crawlspace.
Firemen found the two children in the bathroom at about 2:15.
“There was a big one and a smaller one,” said Primas, “but I don’t know which was which, they were both burned beyond recognition.”
The two-alarm fire followed within almost 15 minutes of a one alarm fire that Battalion Chief John Mogck said was “deliberately set in the kitchen.”
Spring winds again fanned the flames and the vacant rowhouse on N. 9th Street was “completely engulfed” when firemen arrived.
Mogck said an investigation of the 9th Street blaze will definitely be made.
Family Mourns 2 Boys
Children’s Grandmother Inconsolable
Mrs. Doris Brown sat weeping on the sofa in a home across the street following the two-alarm fire that took the lives of her two young grandchildren.
The family there was trying to keep people away from the distraught grandmother but they failed.
Neighbors and friends were crowding around. They wanted to find out what had happened. “I really don’t know,” she said, rubbing her surviving granddaughter’s head.
Looking at Girl
“She . . .” Mrs. Brown said, looking at the little girl, “was over here when it started.”
Dorothy, 4, looked up at her grandmother. She was confused.
But she seemed to know she should be quiet.
“My daughter was uptown shopping,” Mrs. Brown said between sobs, “and her friend (Stanley Brown) was watching the kids.”
The mother of the two small boys, Mrs. Inez Brown, 22, was shopping at Broadway and Kaighns Avenue, according to Blair M. Murphy, Camden County Medical Investigator.
Mrs. Brown cried more, probably thinking about how she would break the news to her daughter.
‘Where’s Father?’
“Where’s the father?” someone asked.
Mrs. Brown looked up from her crumpled handkerchief and said, “He’s in Kansas City (Mo.) with the Army.”
She looked at Dorothy again. “She was visiting me (at 531 Elm St.) and then said she was going home,” the grandmother said.
She sighed. “She must have come here instead,” she continued.
Mrs. Brown began crying harder. A neighbor tried to comfort her. Those crowding around began to leave. On their way out, they saw two small bodies wrapped in white sheets being lowered from the bedroom window across the street. Attendants carried the covered bodies to waiting ambulances.
Crowd Falls Short In McIntire March
By LARRY WILLIAMS, Courier-Post Staff
WASHINGTON — Fewer than 15,000 pro-Vietnam war demonstrators were on hand as Dr. Carl McIntire’s “march for victory” started down Pennsylvania Avenue today.
McIntire said during the prayer meeting that he was “heartened” by the number of persons who attended the hour-long session, despite earlier
16 Coal Miners Killed in Blast
VIENNA (UPI)—At least 16 coal miners died early today when an explosion rocked a mine in northeastern Czechoslovakia, the government announced.
The government announcement said two other miners have been saved and 10 “are being rescued.”
The announcement by the official news agency CTK said 28 men were in the Paskov mine, near the city of Ostrava, when the explosion occurred. The blast occurred just before the changeover from the night to day shifts.
7 Area Policemen Finish Drug Course
Seven South Jersey police officers were recent graduates of the twelfth class in a special drug law enforcement training program for municipal officers, conducted at the State Police Academy, Sea Girt.
They were Ptl. William Sheffield, Collingswood; Capt. Joseph Foster, Pitman; Ptl. Anthony Francesco, Edgewater Park; Det. James Dooley, Atlantic City; Sgt. Charles Rankin, Margate; Ptl. Walter Oliver, Middle Township, and Sgt. Dominic Romeo, Wildwood.
House Fire Death Traced to Smoking
Camden Courier-Post —
Son Blamed
A house fire Thursday morning at 633 State St., Camden, that claimed the life of an elderly woman was caused by careless smoking on the part of the woman’s son, according to the fire marshal’s office.
Mrs. Minnie Hall, 70, was dead on arrival at Cooper Hospital. Her son, Thomas, 51, was reported in serious condition there today with second and third-degree burns of the face, neck, chest and right arm.
Authorities said Mrs. Hall escaped the blaze, which broke out shortly before 6 a.m., but went back into the house in an apparent attempt to save her son. She was found in the kitchen of the three-story brick rowhouse with her head inside the oven, apparently to escape from the smoke, according to Acting Battalion Chief James McGrory.
The oven was not on and Mrs. Hall died of smoke inhalation, according to Joseph Bocco, an investigator in the county medical examiner’s office.
Hall was found in the hallway leading to the kitchen and rescued by fireman Robert Troutman. Firemen reported the back door was locked and difficult to open, and the only other door in the kitchen opened on the front room where the fire started, McGrory said. Hall used the front room as a bedroom, according to McGrory.
Two upstairs tenants were treated and released at Cooper Hospital for burns of the head and face. They were identified as Mrs. Rosemary Miles, 19, and Louise Venney, 5. Mrs. Miles, and her husband, James who was not injured, were identified as the Venney girl’s guardians.
Camden Honors Heroic Fireman
Camden Courier-Post —
Rescuer of Trapped Man Gets Medal; Others Cited
A 42-year-old fireman has received the City of Camden’s second highest award and citations were presented to a battalion chief, his aide, and firemen from three companies today for the rescue of a 50-year-old man from a State Street home Nov. 26.
Robert Troutman of 435 N. 41st St. received Distinguished Service Award from Mayor Joseph M. Nardi Jr. A fireman since 1960, Troutman is assigned to Engine Company 6.
The fourth platoon of Engine Company 6, along with the fourth platoons of Engine Company 2, Ladder Company 1, Rescue Company 1, received unit citations for the rescue. In addition, a citation was presented to Battalion Chief James McGrory and his aide, Joseph Randik.
TROUTMAN was one of the first firemen at the scene of the Nov. 26 fire at 633 State St., according to Fire Chief Edward V. Michalak.
Donning an air pack, Troutman crawled through flames and smoke to find the man, Thomas Hall, and lead [sic] him out of the building, said Michalak.
As he led the man to safety, his fellow firemen sprayed him with water to protect him from the flames and heat, he continued.
AFTER the fire was extinguished, firemen found the body of Minnie Hall, 72, in the kitchen of the dwelling, according to the fire chief.
Today’s awards ceremony is part of the city’s observance of National Fire Service Recognition Day.
ROBERT TROUTMAN
Fire-Bombing at 600 Elm Street — July 4, 1974
July 4, 1974 — Captain Jim McGrory of Engine Company 11 removes the body of a child killed when an occupied house was fire-bombed at 600 Elm Street. The fire spread to nine adjoining properties and left 50 people homeless.
North 35th Street and Harrison Avenue — July 1, 1980
July 1, 1980 — Captain Jim McGrory of Engine Company 11 and crew packing hose after a one alarm house fire at North 35th Street and Harrison Avenue.
Sifting the rubble
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post photos by Curt Hudson
Construction equipment moves into the wreckage of the Du Bell Lumber Co. (top), to clear debris so investigators can determine the cause of the Saturday night blaze in Camden. William Dukes, assistant Camden County Fire Marshal, and Capt. James McGrory of the Camden Fire Department probe the ruins.
Camden Fire Department Reunion Dinner
John DiMaggio, Bob Bartosz, Jim McGrory — Camden Fire Department Reunion Dinner, August 26, 2009
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
McGRORY, James T., Jr.
On Nov. 9, 2009, age 82, of Pennsauken NJ. Beloved husband of Thelma (nee Anconetani) and dear father of James (Kim) McGrory of Lumberton and Joan McGrory of Cherry Hill. Dear brother of Doris (Blair) Hutton of Pennsauken. Jimmy was a retired Camden Firefighter, member of the Merchantville Lodge No. 119 F. & A.M., Crescent Temple Shrine, Royal Order of Jesters Crescent Court 64, Excelsior Consistory, NJ Retired Police & Fire Assoc., Camden Co. Hero Scholarship, WW II Army Veteran, former employee of Pennsauken Country Club & Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home. Relatives and friends of the family are kindly invited to attend his Visitation Friday 6–9 PM (Firefighters Service 8 PM) & Saturday 9–10:30 AM (Masonic Service 10 AM) at the FUNERAL HOME OF INGLESBY & SONS, 2426 Cove Road. Pennsauken NJ 08109. Funeral Service 10:30 AM. Ent. Harleigh Mausoleum. Donations to the Camden County Hero Scholarship Fund, 191 W. White Horse Pike, Berlin, NJ 08009 preferred.