Leroy Hatchett
Leroy Hatchett was born in Petersburg, Virginia on November 25, 1891 to William and Daisy Hatchett. He was the second child, born after older sister Marie. Shortly after his birth the family came to New Jersey, where another sister, Florence, was born in August of 1893. The Hatchetts were living in Wall, New Jersey, which is in Monmouth County, when the Census was enumerated in 1900. By 1900 Leroy Hatchett had gone out into the world. He was living in Glassboro, New Jersey when the Census was taken in 1900. He does not appear in the 1914 Camden City Directory, but was in the city by the spring of 1917.
Leroy Hatchett was unmarried and living with his mother and grandmother at 1100 South 8th Street when he registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. He served in the armed forces during World War I, and married upon his return. When the Census was taken in January of 1920 Leroy and Hazel Hatchett were living at 636 Sycamore Street.
On November 23, 1920 Leroy Hatchett was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He was one of six Black firefighters hired when the Department was reintegrated.
When the Census was taken in April of 1930 Leroy Hatchett and his wife Hazel were still living at 636 Sycamore Street in South Camden. The Hatchetts were childless at the time. They were still at that address in 1931. They moved to 721 Mount Vernon Street at some point during the 1930s, and are listed at that address in the 1940 City Directory. By the spring of 1942 Leroy Hatchett and family had moved to 1113 Marion Street. He had moved to 811 Pine Street by 1947.
Leroy Hatchett went out on pension on November 1, 1953. He was then still living at 811 Pine Street, and he remained at that address through at least the fall of 1970. Hazel Hatchett died in August of 1968. Leroy Hatchett joined her in September of 1973.
World War I Draft Card
World War I Draft Registration Card — Leroy Hatchett, registered June 5, 1917. Address: 1100 South Eighth Street. Birthplace: Petersburg, Virginia. Unmarried; listed mother and grandmother as dependents.
Registration No. 49. Name: Leroy Hatchett. Address: 1100 South Eighth Street, Camden, N.J. Date of birth: November 25, 1891. Birthplace: Petersburg, Virginia. Natural-born citizen. Occupation: not working. Unmarried. Dependents: mother and grandmother. No military service at time of registration. Signed June 5, 1917.
Registrar’s Report: Medium build, slender. Eyes: brown. Hair: black. No disabilities noted. Precinct 5, Camden, N.J.
New Firemen Assigned For Two Platoons
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.
World War II Draft Card
World War II Draft Registration Card — Leroy Hatchett, 1942. Address: 1113 Marion Street, Camden, N.J. Employer: City of Camden, Fire Bureau.
Serial Number: U 283. Name: Leroy Hatchett. Address: 1113 Marion Street, Camden, N.J. Age: 50. Date of birth: November 25, 1891. Birthplace: Petersburg, Virginia. Emergency contact: Mrs. Hazel Hatchett, 1113 Marion Street, Camden, N.J. Employer: City of Camden, Fire Bureau, Camden, N.J. Place of employment: 409 Pine Street, Camden, N.J.
Engine Company No. 1, circa 1949
Circa 1949 — Engine Company No. 1, wagon and pumper at front of quarters, South 4th & Pine Streets, South Camden. From left: Firemen Alfred Green, Fred Henderson, Charlie Cook, Leroy Hatchett, Robert Thomas, Andrew Robinson, James Richardson, Eugene Alston, James Clinton, Captains Jesse Jones and Raymond Amos.
Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record
Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record — Leroy Hatchett, Badge No. 10, Engine Company No. 1.
Name: Leroy Hatchett. Company: Engine Co. 1. Group No. 3. Title: Fireman. Badge No. 10. Blood type: O Positive. Born at: Petersbury, Va., November 25, 1891. Address: 811 Pine Street. Appointed: November 23, 1920. Reported for duty: January 1, 1921.
Positions qualified: Acting Captain, Driver, Pump Operator, Tillerman.
Assignments: Assigned to Engine Co. No. 1, January 1, 1921. Assigned to Engine Co. No. 8, January 1, 1951. Assigned to Engine Co. No. 1, June 16, 1951. Pensioned November 1, 1953.