John C. Kennedy

JOHN C. KENNEDY was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on April 8, 1876 as stoker with Engine Company 1, replacing Thomas McLaughlin who had been promoted to Extra Engineer. John Kennedy served for one year. He was replaced by George S. Hunt on April 8, 1877. John Kennedy was one of the many new firemen brought into the department when Claudius Bradshaw was elected Chief. Bradshaw was Chief for just three years, and most of the men he brought into the department only served a year or two.

John Kennedy was working as an iron moulder and living on Chestnut Street when he was appointed to the Fire Department. City Directories from 1878 through 1885 show him living at 716 Mount Vernon Street, and the 1880 Census shows him married, and that his wife’s name was Wilhelmina. At the time of the Census they were childless. The Kennedys had moved to 755 Walnut Street when the 1887–1888 City Directory was compiled, and John C. Kennedy had secured a position as a letter carrier, which he kept through at least the middle of 1890. The 1894 City Directory shows that he had gone back to work as an iron moulder. Sadly, John Kennedy was dead by the time the 1896 Camden City Directory was being compiled. His widow had moved to 1014 South 8th Street, where she operated a candy and cigar store for several years.

In December of 1896 Wilhelmina Kennedy was awarded $200.00 as part of a settlement of a suit John Kennedy and hundreds of letter carriers across the country had brought against the government for payment for working overtime.