John Nulty

JOHN NULTY was born John McNulty on September 7, 1853 in Harrison Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. He was the son of Irish immigrants Charles (1807–1866) and Mary McNulty (circa 1822–1898), and was the oldest of five children; his younger siblings being Charles (born 1857), Abigail (born 1858), Michael (born 1860) and Mary (born about 1862).

As a boy John was informally adopted by the Roberts family. Jacob Roberts was a very successful farmer who resided in nearby Woolwich Township from at least the 1840s through 1860. In the 1860s he and sons Joseph E. Roberts and Frank J. Roberts became interested in real estate and house construction in Camden County, with considerable effort eventually resulting in numerous homes being built in and around what became Roberts Street in what after 1871 was Camden's Fourth Ward.

The Roberts family had a summer home near the McNultys, and had taken an interest in John. They felt he would receive a better education in the Camden schools.

Charles McNulty was killed on July 27, 1866 along with a horse when his wagon was struck by a West Jersey Railroad train near Westville, New Jersey.

John McNulty was baptized at the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in Mullica Hill (Harrison Township), New Jersey on February 10, 1868. He maintained contact with his biological family during the summers, and his mother and brother Michael later moved to Camden. John, however, lived with Joseph E. Roberts family until his marriage in 1888. By 1874 he had anglicized his name from McNulty to Nulty.

The Roberts family first appear in Camden City Directories in 1872. Apparently under the direction of Joseph E. Roberts, with Jacob and brother Frank also being involved, the family engaged in real estate and homebuilding in Camden. By 1872 a street, known to this day as Roberts Street, which had not existed in the 1870 Camden City Directory, had been laid out, running from Pine Street north across Royden and Clinton Streets before ending at Clarion Alley. Jacob Roberts made his home at 614 Royden Street, the corner of Royden and Roberts Street, until his death in 1879. By 1874 the Roberts family owned 58 houses in what was then Camden's Fourth Ward.

The 1874 City Directory shows Joseph E. Roberts in the insurance business at 419 Hamilton Street, which was renamed Berkley Street a few years later. The 1876 City Directory shows Joseph E. Roberts back in construction at 232 Benson Street, along with his ward John Nulty.

Four houses were built at 401–403–405–407 Broadway in 1877. Joseph E. Roberts most likely was the builder. He made his home at 401 Broadway from the time it was built until his death in 1915.

John Nulty began working in sales in the 1870s, and his work would center on that of a produce commission merchant. In the mid-1880s he had his own firm, John Nulty & Company, at 324 Front Street, in Philadelphia. He later went into partnership with a man named McMahan, which he was still a part of when he passed away.

John Nulty married Rachel Holston Curry, a school teacher at the Liberty School at 740 Spruce Street, on June 7, 1888 at the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church in Camden. They lived at a home that they owned at 570 Washington Street. There were four children: Edith Shoemaker Nulty (1889–1891), Miriam Nulty (1894–1988), Russell Hewitt Nulty (1892–1942) and Alice Barr Nulty (1897–1949).

The Nultys' friends included Mr. and Mrs. Levi Farnham, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Mulford, and Mr. and Mrs. William C. Riggs. These four families and two others, the Taylors and Richie (or Ritchie) family, took shared-expense vacations over a six-week period every summer during the late 1890s and early 1900s.

John Nulty died on May 26, 1902 at age 48 and was buried in Harleigh Cemetery. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church, the Philadelphia Produce Exchange, the Camden Relief League, Enterprise Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Camden Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Monarch Castle of the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and the American Union.

Mrs. Rachel Nulty returned to teaching after her husband died. She passed away in 1924. Russell H. Nulty worked as a banker, public accountant and as a singer; both Alice Barr Nulty and Miriam Nulty worked as teachers. Miriam Nulty married William Finkeldey, son of Frederick A. Finkeldey, who among other things served on Camden's City Council and ran for Mayor of Camden in 1907, and was an ardent promoter of the development of children's playgrounds and recreation.

PETITION

To the Honorable the City Council of the city of Camden, N. J.

WE, your petitioners, residents of the Fourth and Sixth wards of this city, and property owners therein, most respectfully petition your honorable body to construct a culvert for under-drainage, to commence at the termination of the Line street culvert, at the intersection of Line street and Broadway, and to extend outward to the intersection of Line and Sixth streets; thence northward to and to connect with the culvert at the Intersection of Sixth and Royden Streets in the said city. And your petitioners will over pray, &c. January, 1874.

JOHANNA ROBERTS, 17 houses, 6th ward.
J. E. ROBERTS, 19 houses, 4th ward.
F.J. ROBERTS 22 houses, 4th Ward
LAWRENCE KELLEY, Sixth and Royden Streets, 4th ward.
WM. HEYWOOD, Corner of Line and St. John Street, 4th ward.
F. ERNST, 4th ward.
PETER McGLYNN, 612 St. John Street, 4th ward.
CHRISTOPHER GETSINGER. PHILIP B. PATTERSON, South side Line Street
WM. J. KENNEDY, 607 Line Street
S. B. HARRISON 4th ward.
JACOB ROBERTS 614 Royden Street, 4th ward.
JOHN NULTY.
M.E. HARDEN, 6th Ward
REUBEN B. COLE, N. W. Corner of Reese & Division, 6th ward.
arthur stanley, 929 Newton Ave.
George Holl, 706 South Fifth Street
SAMUEL W. THOMAN, 712 South Fifth Street, 6th ward.
JOHN WELSH, 6th ward.
WM. HEYWOOD. 6th ward.
F. ERNST 6th ward.
GEORGE ROTH, 559 Royden Street, 4th ward.
OWEN FARELY, 707 South Sixth Street, 6th ward.
wilson ernst, 559 Line Street, 4th ward
JOHN BOWYER 4th ward, 12 houses
GEORGE WALKER 818 Broadway, 6th ward
GEORGE W. FIELD 805 Broadway, 6th ward
JOSEPH H. THOMPSON, 901 Broadway, 6th ward

JOSEPH C. NICHOLLS, Clerk.

John Nulty's daughter, Miriam Nulty Finkeldey, wrote down some memories and family lore on 5″ × 7″ index cards. She was fairly accurate concerning things that happened before she was born. Examination of existing records do show some discrepancies, which are understandable and to be expected.

Her writings concerning her growing up and her parents' work and social lives, which she witnessed first-hand, are in detail and valuable beyond measure.

M. N. F. born January 19, 1894 in her parents' home, 570 Washington St., Camden, New Jersey, which Louise Rachel and John Nulty bought in 1888.

Childhood Neighbors, our side of the street—Lanning, Bender, Peters, Herbert, Kugler, Rue Curry, Johnson, Morris, Swain. Across the street:—Dibble, Wilkinson, Kaighn, Hallinger, Matlock, Dyer.

Old Family Friends—Mulford, Riggs, Taylor, Farnham, Richie. These 5 families with my parents (The Colony) spent summer vacations together, all 6 families, for 6 weeks in the suburbs; Each wife in entire charge, with maids, for 1 week (5 weeks off). All expenses divided evenly between the 6 families. The fathers commuted by trolley car and ferry to Philadelphia each day. The men played Croquet on lighted court in the evening. Mothers went back to town often to do canning of vegetables, jelly, preserves etc. Also on Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day were co-op dinners.

Joseph England Roberts Sr. and his family lived at corner of Benson St. & Broadway in Camden, N.J. The father was a well-known, prosperous lawyer [and builder—PMC]. 6 children: Miss Amy, Eleanor and Anna (teachers). Elizabeth (“Diddie”), Dr. Joe and Erma. The Roberts family spent each summer on the same farm in Auburn, N.J. This farm adjoined the farm of Charles McNulty who had 6 children also. The oldest child was John McNulty, my father. When John was old enough to go to school, Mr. Roberts investigated the Auburn one-room schoolhouse system and asked Charles if John could come live with them so that he could attend Camden City schools. He came when he was 8 in 1861 and there until he and my mother were married in 1888. When John became of age he changed his name to Nulty.

M. N. F.'s Teachers:—

Elementary School—Broadway School, Camden, N.J. Principal, Miss Anderson. 1st grade Miss Sharp; 2nd grade Mrs. Folwell; 3rd grade Miss Bass; 4th grade Miss Watson; 5th grade Miss Wagner; 6th grade Miss Hildebrand.

7th and 8th grades—E.A. Stevens School, Camden, N.J. Miss Hughes, Miss Osmond, Miss Bassett.

High School—Camden Manual Training and High School. Principal Miss Clara Burroughs, Secretary Miss Marian Carey. Miss Reeve, Miss Lucy Dean Wilson, Miss Nye, Miss Lewis, Mr. Harrigan, Mr. Ayres, Mr. Corson, Mr. Lafayette (Chemistry).

Camden Normal School—Miss Winifred Jones and Miss Eloise Osmond.

Other High School Faculty:—Ancient History Miss Mulliner. Geometry Miss Blaisdell, Solid Geometry Mr. Thayer, Physiology Mr. Hutchinson, Woodwork Mr. Reyner, Gym Mr. Koshland, American History Miss Mulliner.

M. N. F.'s School Friends: Ella Morris, Margaret Riggs, Helen Fredericks, Dorothy Cathell.

High School and Normal School: Kendall Dodge Stuart, Charles Reese, Julius and Allen Miller (twins), Jarrett Sauerhoff, Louis McCloskey, Renee Swain, Amelia Mackley, Dorothy Demmert, Peg Paul, Dorothy Cathell, Mary Dialogue, Gladys Marter and Lillian Weitzman (had lunch together for all four years), Claire Bannerman, Lil Greer, Ruth Jacoby, Helen Rhedemeyer, Frances Lothridge, Marie Menes, Fran Fitts, Mildred Hunt of Bridgeton, N.J. and her friends, Myrtle Carmany, Orrin Dyer, Frances Donaghy, Jane Schener, Edith, John Dibble, Emma Wolford, Mary Wolford, Chi Phi members, Russell's Club (15 members) Bill Lewis, John Dibble.

M. N. F.'s Childhood Friends, Neighbors, etc.

Alice Barr Nulty, three years younger than I, was my constant companion and playmate, both indoors and outdoors. We had theatrical dolls, wore identical pinafores over our winter dresses and in summer the same pinafores over matching bloomers as sun suits, played “rooms” and “Mrs. Rockefeller and Mrs. Gould.” Played games, skipped rope, played jacks, slid on the ice, roller skated with neighborhood children and Marian Myers, a close friend of Alice's.

Neighbors who did not live on our street: Roberts, Fisher, Paul, Van Sant, Riggs, Reverend Kulp, Reverend Neal, Reverend Alexander Corson, Charles Hogate. Lefford (the neighborhood grocery store), Miss Ella, sister of Mrs. Morris, who lived with them, made dresses, white flannel petticoats and full white petticoats and pinafores for us. Vandeveer's ribbon, bows, etc. The Mutzer sisters candy. Milliner who made our hats. Miss Edith came for 3 weeks to live at our house, spring and fall to make dresses for all of us. Yarn goods and patterns bought from John Wanamaker, Strawbridge and Clothier, and Gimbels in Philadelphia. Also coats, hats, grandma's shawls and bonnets, our gloves and shoes.