John Munter
John I. Munter, 68, was a pioneer milk dealer in North Camden. For more than 30 years he lived with his family at the southwest corner of Third and York Streets. An avid baseball fan, he was at one time part owner of the old Camden A.C. baseball team with Barney Maguire.
As a young man, Munter set up a milk delivery business and had one of the largest routes in North Camden. Milk was not sold in bottles in those early days, but was dispensed from large cans by means of a ladle. He later sold out to larger companies and engaged in a wet wash and laundry business at the same address. At the time of his last illness he was in charge of the laundry at Lakeland General Hospital.
He died October 28, 1931, following an illness of more than a year. Surviving were his widow, Mrs. Carrie Munter, and a daughter, Caroline. Funeral services were held at Joseph H. Murray and Son, 408 Cooper Street. Burial was in Harleigh Cemetery.
Sleighing in Camden
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Horsemen Across the Delaware Crowd White Horse and Mt. Ephraim Pikes
With an excellent snow and a holiday Camden county horsemen enjoyed an ideal sleighing carnival. There wasn’t a piece of a street nor a road that scraped a runner and by 3 o’clock nearly every available vehicle on runners was pressed into service and the shabby old basket affairs drawn by mules, “skates” or any old beast vied with the elaborate, shining runners of the well-to-do horse owner wrapped in furs and guided by a liveried coachman. Cooper street, Camden, which first became popular with sleighers years ago when it was as wide as Broad street, Philadelphia, and had not yet known a paving stone, was, as usual, the attraction of those who had a display of fine bred horseflesh to make. In the morning a few came out and hardened the course, and in the afternoon the thoroughfare presented one grand pageant of fleeting hoofs, to which the tinkling bells of the sleighs provided accompaniment.
The White Horse and Mt. Ephraim pikes, where there are numerous hotels where hands can be warmed and attacks of grip driven away, were the popular roads for those who demanded more variety than Cooper street afforded, and these roads were also in excellent condition. On Cooper street and on the country roads could be seen the following well-known lovers of sleighing and judges of good horse flesh: Joseph Shinn, with a bright yellow sleigh and plumes, drove Baltzimer; Eugene Ingle was behind the high-stepping Prince Arthur. William C. Dayton drove a roan cob. Dr. Kitchener brushed all competitors with a fast black mare. E. Stockham Woodward, accompanied by his wife and daughter, were drawn by the crack team, His Excellency, with a record of 2.18¼, and Fleetwood, 2.23¼, in a Bailey sleigh; Ephraim Hiers [sic] drove Van, 2.20¼; Dr. William H. Iszard held the reins over the brown gelding Logan. From South Camden came Harry Davis with the favorite Out of Sight, and Phil Burch worried him with Reader. Representing far North Camden were John Matthis, driving Harry, a fast bay; Dr. H. Robinson with his black gelding, Frank, and James Baird behind Harry, one of the best of his stables. Some others who joined the tinkling whirl before nightfall were John O. Munter with Purk, Stokes Burroughs behind Cheap John, John Clements with Uncle Sam, Dr. Gunter looking for trouble with his pride, Delaware; William H. Clements with Annie Roney, W. K. Heston with Harry Wilkes, Jack Van Sciver and his bay Smoky, Samuel Kilpatrick with Pawnee Bill, H. W. Davis behind a fast gray mare, Edward Roberts with a team of pretty bays, Chris and Lewis; Joseph Burrough with a bay mare, Asa Roberts with his sorrel Frank, and Dr. A. H. Lippincott behind Bob.
The country roads were better than horsemen have seen them for years because there were no drifts. Friend passed friend on the road with surprise that they should have driven so far from home. Men from Mt. Holly exchanged greetings with Camdenites in the vicinity of Merchantville and Main street. Moorestown was the course for some interesting trial heats between horsemen from all directions. Among them were noticed William Pancoast, of Merchantville, driving Sante Fe; Charles Coles, Moorestown, with a team of bays; Morgan Butterworth behind a gray mare, Morgan Hatch, Delair, with a pair of bays; Benjamin Zelly, Mt. Holly, behind Ella Free; Frank Haines, of Rancocas, with William Sanders and mate. Among the turnouts, probably the most interesting was that of Joseph Burrough, of Merchantville, who drove a pair to a sleigh which is more than one hundred years old. On the front of the vehicle is painted its history and the names of those who have owned it. Another sleigh said to have been built in the eighteenth century was driven by Joseph Hinchman, of Merchantville.
John Munter Dies, Pioneer Milkman
Camden Courier-Post —
North Camden Man Set Delivery Route; Later Operated Laundry
John I. Munter, 68, pioneer milk dealer, died yesterday following illness of more than a year.
For more than 30 years Munter lived with his family at the southwest corner of Third and York Streets. He was an avid baseball fan and at one time part owner of the old Camden A. C. baseball team with Barney Maguire.
As a young man Mr. Munter set up a milk delivery business. In addition to having one of the largest routes in North Camden he maintained a family “milk depot” in the rear of his home.
Milk was not sold in bottles in those early day’s, but was dispensed from large cans by means of a ladle. Many customers stopped old time milkmen and bought the milk directly from the horse-drawn wagons.
Like many of the pioneer milkmen, Munter sold out to the larger companies which later were organized. Later he engaged in a wet wash and laundry business at the same address. At the time of his last illness he was in charge of the laundry at Lakeland General Hospital.
One of Mr. Munter’s close friends was the late Police Captain Charles T. Humes. Another friend of early baseball days, when the Camden A.C. team played at Third and Erie Streets, was former Councilman Robert Macintosh.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Carrie Munter, and a daughter, Caroline. Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m. Monday at the funeral home of Joseph H. Murray and Son, 408 Cooper Street. Burial will be in Harleigh Cemetery.