Introduction
Mrs. Lucretia Read
Mrs. Lucretia S. McCormack Read was born in the Frankford section around 1853. Early in life she moved to Camden NJ. Known to friends as Lulu, she married William T. Read at the age 20. The 1880 Census shows Mr. and Mrs. Read living with their one-year old son at the home of her widowed mother, Mrs. Augusta McCormack, at 710 Market Street in Camden.
The Read family moved to a home at 514 Cooper Street on November 11, 1883. By 1887 William T. Read Sr. had his own real estate and insurance business at 227 Federal Street.
In 1890 William T. Read Sr. died, leaving his wife and son William T. Read Jr. She raised her son to a high standard, as William T. Read Jr. would have a long and successful career in law, banking, and politics in Camden, serving as State Senator, State Treasurer, and was at one time a vice-president of the First Camden National Bank & Trust, where he worked with F. Morse Archer. His son Walter would later partner with Archer’s son in the still prominent Archer, Greiner, & Read law firm, known in 2003 as Archer & Greiner.
After her husband’s passing Mrs. Read involved herself in many community activities. She was one of the founders of the Linden Baptist Church, and of the Italian Baptist Mission at South 3rd Street and Line Street. Mrs. Read was an active member of the Camden Woman’s Club, serving two terms as President in the 1930s.
Lucretia Read’s main interest was the Camden Home for Friendless Children, where she served in many capacities, including president of the Board of Managers.
In 1927, the Plaza Club Hotel, later renamed the Hotel Plaza, was built adjacent to her home at 500–512 Cooper Street.
After 1934 Mrs. Read’s failing health curtailed her civic activities. She died of pneumonia on October 30, 1936, in Camden. After funeral services at the Joseph Murray Funeral Home, located in the next block on Cooper Street, she was buried at Colestown Cemetery in what was then Delaware Township, present day Cherry Hill NJ.
Lucretia Read was survived by her daughter, Mrs. Edith German of Merchantville NJ, and her sons Walter N. Read and Dr. William T. Read. Her home at 514 Cooper Street was converted into a doctors’ office building by 1947, and remains in use as of 2004.
Mrs. Lucretia Read Dies at Home Here
Camden Courier-Post —
Church Founder, Charity Worker and Club Woman in Failing Health Two Years
Mrs. Lucretia S. Read, church founder, charity worker and club woman, died late yesterday at her home, 514 Cooper street.
She was the mother of former State Senator and State Treasurer William T. Read. She was 83 and was stricken on October 14 after a birthday party in honor of her daughter-in-law and a granddaughter. She had been in failing health for two years.
Mrs. Read was stricken with pneumonia three times after she was 75 and recovered from each. Her health began to fail two years ago when her son was taken ill.
Mrs. Read was one of the founders of Linden Baptist Church, Ninth and Linden streets, and the Italian Baptist Mission, Third and Line streets. She taught the Ladies’ Bible Class at Linden Sunday School for a number of years.
She was active in the Camden Woman’s Club for 30 years, serving first as chairman of important committees then later as vice president. She was elected president in 1930 and served two terms.
Her main activity was in the Camden Home for Friendless Children. She was a member of the board of managers for several years and served a number of terms as president, succeeding the late Mrs. Belford Royal. As president she personally investigated cases of orphan children before they were admitted to the home. At the time of her death she was president-emeritus of the board. She sponsored many social events to aid the home.
She was also president of both the Baptist Home Missionary and Foreign Missionary Societies of South Jersey for a number of years.
She was the widow of William T. Read, Sr., who was in the real estate and insurance business at 227 Federal street prior to his death in 1890.
Her son is a former vice president of the First National Bank and Trust Company and former inspector-general of rifle practice for New Jersey National Guard.
Mrs. Read is also survived by the following grandchildren, Mrs. George B. German, wife of Dr. German, Merchantville; Dr. William T. Read, Jr., Camden, and Walter N. Read, Camden, and three great grandchildren.
Mrs. Read was born at Frankford. She lived nearly all of her life in the vicinity of Fifth and Cooper streets, moving into the house in which she died on November 11, 1883.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Monday, at the funeral home of Joseph H. Murray and Son, 408 Cooper street. Friends may view the body there tomorrow night. Burial will be private at Colestown Cemetery.
514 Cooper Street
514 Cooper Street, Camden NJ. Residents included William T. Read Sr. (1883–1890), Lucretia Read (1883–1934), and William T. Read Jr. Left: April 17, 2004, with City Hall in background. Right: The three-story building to the left of the Hotel Plaza is 514 Cooper Street, home of Lucretia Read for over 50 years. Photo by Phil Cohen, 2002.