John M. Peterson
John Martin Peterson was born in Camden, New Jersey on April 15, 1892 to John and Maggie Peterson. By 1896 his family had moved to 1042 Dayton Avenue in the town of Stockton, which after uniting with Camden in 1899, was renamed North 18th Street. The Petersons remained at this address into the 1920s. The family next door for a number of years were the Behrends; their son Charles Behrend was killed in action while serving with the United States Army during World War I.
When John M. Peterson registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 he was living with his mother at 1042 North 18th Street in Camden’s Cramer Hill section.
John M. Peterson was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on December 18, 1919. He reported for duty at Engine Company 11 on January 1, 1920.
Fire Department records from 1931 show John M. Peterson residing at 1049 North 34th Street.
Having reached the mandatory retirement age and having completed 36 years of distinguished service with Engine Company 11 of the Camden Fire Department, John M. Peterson retired on pension January 1, 1956. He moved out of Camden shortly afterwards.
John Martin Peterson’s last days were spent in the area served by the Merchantville, New Jersey post office, i.e., in Merchantville or Pennsauken. He passed away in March of 1971.
World War I Draft Card
World War I draft registration card for John M. Peterson, June 5, 1917
Funeral Rites Held for Nicholas Romaine
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral services were held yesterday for Nicholas Romaine, 48, of 2420 Mickle street, a member of Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue, who died Thursday of injuries suffered while fighting a fire nearly eight years ago. Services took place at the parlors of Gustav Roedel and Son, 804 North Twenty-seventh street, and burial was in New Camden cemetery. The following members of his company were pallbearers: Herman Dreas, Harry Hess, John Mohrfield, William Mountney, Michael Mungioli and John Peterson.
Romaine, a member of the fire department 13 years, was injured when a brick wall fell on him during a blaze in a junk shop July 27, 1925. Five other firemen were also hurt. He is survived by his widow, Pauline, two sons, Joseph and Nicholas, Jr., and two daughters, Mrs. Gladys Green and Frances Romaine.
Fire Chief Guest at Honor Dinner
Camden Courier-Post —
Capt. Kreher, Veteran of 22 Years, Given Send-Off on Eve of Retirement
Fire Capt. Herman Kreher, a veteran of 22 years in the city fire-fighting forces, was tendered a dinner last night by more than 60 comrades upon the occasion of his fiftieth birthday.
His efficient supervision of Engine Company No. 11 was lauded by Acting Chief John Lennox, who presented him with a gold wrist watch in behalf of his fellow firemen. George Wonsetter was toastmaster.
The affair was held in Stefiel’s Hall, directly across from the firehouse at Twenty-seventh and Hayes avenue.
Attending the dinner weer [sic] Mrs. Kreher, their children, Tillie, Wilhelmina, Herman and Edwin, and Motorcycle Patrolman Harry Kreher, brother of Captain Kreher. Addresses were also made by Deputy Chief William Herring and Battalion Chiefs Walter Mertz, Charles Errickson and Waldo Jones.
The committee included Firemen William Mountey [sic], chairman; Howard Curry, Nelson Till, William Gettner, Michael Mungoli, John Mohrfeld, Herman Dreas, John Peterson and Harry Hess.
2 Camden Veterans Get Honor Medals
Camden Courier-Post —
Mathews-Purnell Post Members Awarded Order of Purple Heart
Two members of the Corp. Mathews-Purnell Post 518, Veterans of Foreign Wars, have received the Order of the Purple Heart, one of them with an oak leaf cluster, a special citation.
The honored men are John M. Peterson, of 1049 North Thirty-fourth street, who received the award with cluster, and Herman Dreas, of 1241 North Twenty-sixth street. Both are city firemen with Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue.
Peterson served with the First Division in France and was a private in Company D, 18th Infantry. He enlisted September 21, 1917, and was discharged September 23, 1919. He served overseas 22 months and was wounded the first time by machine gun fire in the leg July 19, 1918, in the Soissons Drive. He suffered a shrapnel wound in the right lung November 5, 1918, in the Argonne Forest.
Dreas served with Company C, 309th Infantry, 78th Division. He enlisted February 27, 1918, and was discharged January 19, 1919. He left the United States May 18, 1918 and returned Christmas Day, 1918. He was wounded October 19, 1918, by machine gun in the Argonne Forest drive.
World War II Draft Card
World War II draft registration card for John M. Peterson
Fire Department Record
Camden Fire Department record card for John M. Peterson
Checked and Double-Checked
Camden Courier-Post —
By JIMINY
Politix: The question mark of the budding city commission campaign is, of course, Commissioner Frank J. Hartmann. The latter was apparently defeated on the face of election day returns four years ago, but the organizations of Mayor George Brunner and Commissioner Mary Kobus put up the money to finance a recount. The result was that Hartmann was declared the winner, and the Brunner-Kobus-Hartmann majority ran the city’s affairs.
The results accomplished by the Brunner-Kobus-Hartmann administration have caused numerous persons, political and otherwise, to express the wish that the three commisioners [sic] run on the same ticket at the May election. Mayor Brunner and Mrs. Kobus are committed to run together, but to date Hartmann has made absolutely no move to join them. In fact, it appears that he has gone out of his way in an effort to antagonize them.
Moreover, his actions of the last week or so have created doubt in the minds of some observers as to whether he intends to run on any ticket, as a lone wolf, or not al [sic] all. The last point is easily answered. Hartmann himself declared this week: “I’m GOING to be re-elected!” Furthermore, he has been busy buliding [sic] up an organization of his own. Employes in his department have been ordered to form “Hartmann for Commissioner” Clubs in their wards. A campaign fund is being raised among his employes for his election expenses. He has been having conferences with County Treasurer Ed Kelleher, Democrat, and Irving Levinsky, a Verga Republican, among others.
But some of the things that Hartmann has done or attempted during the last few days has caused a goodly portion of our citizenry to wonder whether someone hasn’t been misleading Hartmann with a great deal of very bad advice.
For instance, this week Hartmann offered a departmental budget that exceeded his last year’s budget by approximately $90,000, which would have meant about a seven-cent increase in the city tax rate for 1939. That is just about political suicide before a city election, and is not at all in line with Hartmann’s past pledges and performances. As head of the finance department Mayor Brunner cut out the greater part of this unusual increase, and was justified in doing so to protect the taxpayers.
There were a few other unusual little affairs this week. Hartmann shouted “Liar!” at City Comptroller Sid McCord this week, but apologized later. “Sid” is probably the best liked city employe and certainly one of the most efficient public servants these last ten decades. One of Hartmann’s employes went to the comptroller’s office Monday—the city payday—and asked for all the salary checks for highway department employes.
Moreover, since his own extra-high budget was trimmed, Hartmann has had an employe going over the Brunner and Kobus payrolls to see how many were hired since 1936. His own payroll might be scrutinized in the same manner.
And his attitude at the budget hearing was not in line with his previous policies. While he and Brunner were arguing over Hartmann’s request for $7000 for playgrounds, Hartmann finally said: “If you want to cross it out, it’s okay by me.”
Then remembering a reporter was at the hearing, Hartmann asked the scribe whether he had jotted down that remark, and whether he intended printing it. The reporter replied he would print whatever he considered news.
“I thought this was a meeting to go over my budget,” commented Hartmann.
“It’s a public meeting to go over your budget, the sort of thing you always yelled for before you were elected,” the newspaperman reminded Hartmann.
“Well,” retorted Hartmann, doing an about-face, “see if you consider this news: I’m going to get up at the commission meeting and fight for $7000 for playgrounds.”
Personals: Charlie Swing, majordomo of the Farragut Yacht Club in East Camden, has bought himself a boat...The vessel is the “Helma,” which has been lying off Twenty-fifth street...It was sold by the U. S. marshal in admiralty and Charlie, with the legal aid of former Senator Al Woodruff, bought it in for $100...In its heyday, this little ship was worth about $20,000, and it has quite a history...For it was the ship you often saw in that old hair-raising thriller, “The Perils of Pauline”...Pearl White fell off it or was thrown off it quite consistently...Incidentally, Al Woodruff is off to the Virgin Islands to brush up on his Shakespeare and on his game fishing...Speaking of vacationing, E. Heulings Antrim, Merchantville’s director of public works, is in Florida...So is Bill Lehman, of the election bureau...And Funnies Fitz sent us a card from North Carolina a week ago, probably his last clarified mome[?]t...
Frank Van Never, a Camden Bridge policeman, and former Secret Service man during the war, is very ill at the Veterans Hospital in Philadelphia...”Red” Holder, the strongest man in the Campbell Soup A. A., is wearing a bearskin coat these days...He wrestled the bear for it...Hoseman Herbert Baxter, of No. 8 Engine Company, 619 Kaighn avenue, rounded out 20 years of service in the fire department this week...He has an unusual record...Another firefighter, John Peterson, of the Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue station, was operated on at West Jersey Hospital this week...The engagement of Miss Alberta M. Beaumont and Dale W. Petross (well known outdoor showman) was announced at Dempsey’s place in New York Saturday...Frank Donio, Republican member of the Winslow township committee, probably wasn’t any too pleased when C. P. Van Winkle and the Democrats begain [sic] calling his “Boss” Donio, but now he can laugh at it...He even gave out cigars with a wrapper bearing the legend “Compliments of Little Boss Hague Donio”...Incidentally, we haven’t heard from Van Winkle since he claimed to have affidavits from a dozen people charging relief irregularities...That was several months ago...Elmer Lee Hettrick, 16, former Wilson High student, has had three poems accepted for publication in the Crown Anthology of Verse...Walter J. Beer, of York street, Camden, probably believes, like the Bard of Avon, there can be something to a name...He works for a bottling concern.
Extry: Sam Orlando’s term as prosecutor expires tonight...Attorney General Wilentz will probably name Sam as a special assistant attorney general while the office is vacant...Wilentz may also permit Ike Eason and Pat Harding to continue as assistant prosecutors or may name Tom Madden as Orlando’s assistant...Incidentally, the governor intends to submit Orlando’s name to the Senate over the objections of Vince Gallaher, state committeeman...But Moore will have to wait until Senator Al Driscoll returns to the job, as Al is still ill of the grippe...Moreover, opposition to Orlando’s reappointment is now developing among the Republicans in the Senate...And while we’re on the subject, Prosecutor Loveland, Cape May Democrat, will NOT be confirmed, according to our best information from Trenton...Senator I. Grant Scott won’t sponsor Loveland’s nomination.
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Here and There: The Dugan-Buck dart feud is now at a deadlock...The feather merchants from Dave Buck’s emporium (Cove road and Westfield avenue) defeated the Joe Dugan (Forty-fifth street and Crescent boulevard) sharpshooters in the first clash, but the Dugan team won out in last Monday’s test, the scores being 140-120, 160-183, and 161-158...The playoff will be on Tuesday night at Dugan’s...Jack McDougall, Ninth and Market streets saloonkeeper, has ordered 20 pounds of corned beef and cabbage...Getting ready for his St. Patrick’s affair...The Front Page is hitting the front pages these days...Joe DeLucca is putting on some nifty floor shows at his Red Hill Inn these evenings...
Don’t forget the Mary Kobus party for children at the Savar[words missing between crops] on Feb. 18...The now famous baseball film will be shown...The All Ireland Ball will be at Turner’s Hall, Broad and Columbia, Philadelphia, next Friday...The new storms have made Merchantville streets, particularly Maple avenue, look like Swiss cheese...The Public Service Drum and Bugle Corp, Post No. 231, was invited to participate in the Fortieth Annual Military Ball and Drum Corp Contest at the Arcadia Ballroom, Brooklyn, today...A red car was running around with one light an evening or so ago...
Peter McGlade, Gloucester City treasurer, is disappointed in the small number of old shoes he received for the WPA shoe-mending project for schoolchildren...A hot school election is brewing in Haddon Heights...Aside to Carl Christians: Joe Dugan has returned from the hospital sans operation; does that change Tuesday’s Battle of the Century?...Hank Collins’ cafe at Thirteenth and Samson is a popular nightspot with the local gentry...
The Feb. 23 reunion of the Cranmer School graduates of 15 or 20 years ago is gaining impetus...In addition to the “contact men” announced in this column last Saturday, Mrs. William Reed, the former Grace Cummings, 3006 Mickle street, is trying to locate members of the ‘20 and ‘21 classes...Dr. Richard Cranmer, 3416 Federal street, is handling general arrangements...Another aside...To Boots Pinner: How about getting our crew together and joining in on the festivities?