Introduction
Lawrence Hugh Mathews was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on November 16, 1892. He was one of at least 10 children born to Peter and Annie Mathews. He married Emma Boltz in 1909. Their first child, daughter Dorothy, was born in March of 1910. The April 1910 Census shows Lawrence Mathews and family living with His wife’s brother, Walter Boltz, in South Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania.
Lawrence Mathews was living with his wife and children in Norristown, Pennsylvania when he registered for the draft in June of 1917. Lawrence Mathews was then working as a laborer.
The 1920 Census shows that Lawrence Mathews and his family had moved to Camden. He, wife Emma and daughters Dorothy and Margaret were living at 1471 Pershing Street, the home of Emma’s cousin, Raymond Eck. Lawrence Mathews was then working as a streetcar conductor. Two more daughters, Emma and Dolores, were born to the family in the 1920s.
The 1924 City Directory shows that he had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department. The family was then living at 1347 Whitman Avenue and were still at that address when the 1927 City Directory was being compiled. By 1929 they had moved to 1463 Pershing Street. Lawrence Mathews was still at that address as late as the fall of 1959.
The 1940 City Directory does not show Lawrence Mathews working for the Camden Fire Department. He was unemployed when he registered for the draft in the spring of 1942. He was still residing on at the Pershing Street address when he passed away on September 15, 1967.
World War I Draft Card
Twelve Enlisted from Camden
Camden Post-Telegram —
NEW FIREMEN ASSIGNED FOR TWO PLATOONS
Double Shift System Becomes Effective at 8 O’clock on Saturday Morning
One Ten Hours; Other 14 Hours
Saturday morning at 8 o’clock the two-platoon system of the Fire Department becomes effective. At that hour the first shift will go on duty and remain until 6 p. m., when the second squad goes on, remaining until 8 a. m. That will be the procedure in the department henceforth, the schedule being so arranged that every third day there will be a 24-hour shift to let the other off. Every man will have 24 hours off every sixth day.
The arrangements were completed last night at a meeting of Council’s Fire Committee, when assignments were made of the fifty-six recent appointees to the department. With Chief Carter at headquarters will be stationed in reserve shifts Deputy Chiefs Nicholas and Patterson. Battalion Chiefs Wade and Browning will be stationed with their shifts at No. 3 engine house.
At last night’s meeting Congressman F. F. Patterson, Jr., Mayor Charles H. Ellis, President of Council David Jester and Chairman of the Fire Committee Joseph Forsyth made addresses in which they all spoke appreciatively of the fire-fighting force and offered their congratulations to the men in getting what they had sought after many years of effort. Chief Carter was particularly praised for the efficient manner in which he has developed the department. The chief also spoke, thanking the representatives of the city in behalf of the men for the boon given them in the two-platoon system, which means the fire fighters will be able to spend more time with their families.
Everything has been worked out to the least detail and it is anticipated the new system will work without any difficulties.
The assignment of the new men to the various companies follow:
Engine Company No. 1—Alfred E. Green, Charles Errickson, Charles Cook, Leroy Hatchett.
Engine Company No. 2—Howard Lamdon, Edgar Ellander, John K. Voll, Harold E. Lorang, Chester J. Andreas, Harry G. Layton.
Engine Company No. 3—Charles Haines, August Haverkamp, Louis Quinton, Chas. S. Clements, Frank Kuda.
Engine Company No. 4—Frank A. Obermann, Walter P. Gray, Albert Ruber, Fred Schucker, Harry Kleinfelder.
Engine Company No. 5—Richard A. Ferris, Frank Fennrio.
Engine Company No. 6—William H. Reed, Manuel J. Kane, Edward Perairia, Thomas Shanahan, Rocco di Varino.
Engine Company No. 7—August Scholl, Lawrence H. Matthews, Nicholas Romain.
Engine Company No. 8—Adam Mead, Frank Sapp, William J. Taylor, William Wood, Samuel Oshushek, Edward C. Crane.
Engine Company No. 9—Keenard Naylor, Daniel McSurdy, John Mohofeld.
Engine Company No. 10—William Swarts, Hugh Rementer, Harry Greenan, Rocco Abbott.
Hose and Chemical Company No. 2—Lawrence Newton, Edward Hauser, William Getner.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1—Tom Cunningham, Leonard Magee.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 2—John Gaylor, Walter G. White.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 3—David Ellis, George A. Addison, John Mulligan, David Humphreys, Albert Dukes.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 4—George A. Quimby.
Chief’s driver—Tenny G. Hutchinson.
Continued from above.
Three Firemen Hurt at Blaze in Camden
Trenton Evening Times —
THREE FIREMEN HURT AT BLAZE IN CAMDEN
(International News Service)
CAMDEN, N. J., March 24.—Three firemen were hurt, traffic tied up for an hour, and $50,000 damage done by a fire which broke out at Camden’s busiest corner today. The blaze is believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion in a small repair shop at the rear of a sporting goods store.
The firemen injured were Lawrence Mathews, Charles Watkins and George Hunt. They were hurt when a ladder fell and were treated at hospitals. All suffered bruises and cuts.
Firemen Rescue Family from Blaze
Camden Courier-Post —
35 FLEE BUS AS IT BLAZES IN STREET HERE
Leave by Front and Rear as Machine Veers at Maple and Penn
Thirty-five passengers escaped from a Public Service bus late yesterday when the vehicle caught fire and was almost completely destroyed at Ninth and Penn streets.
Joseph Pollitt, of 1906 North Twelfth street, was walking near the bus when fire broke out beneath the middle of the bus. He guided the driver, Joseph Cunningham, 31, of 4624 Harding road, Merchantville, who stopped the bus and instructed the passengers to leave by front and rear emergency doors.
Firemen arrived and Captain Lawrence Mathews, of No. 1 Ladder Company, escaped injury when he was enveloped in a sudden burst of flames.
The bus, which damaged the chassis and interior, is believed to have caught fire from a short in the electrical wiring system or from gas leakage.
The bus was bound away from here, going to Atlantic City. The passengers were transferred to another bus.
World War II Draft Card
LAWRENCE MATHEWS
Camden Courier-Post —
