Meyer Wessel

Meyer Wessel is a name in Camden long forgotten. A remarkably intelligent and gifted man, he was the first manager of a Public Housing project in Camden, and one of the first in the United States to hold that position. In that capacity he had to create program and policy from scratch and on the fly, while operating within the guidelines of a Federal bureaucracy equally inexperienced in contending with the problems that come with providing public low income housing.

The pressures that came with this position, a position that he was quite dedicated to and intensely proud of, eventually brought this man to a tragic and premature death. Let Meyer Wessel be remembered not for how he died, however. It is the hope of this author and those who have helped to make this website possible that Meyer Wessel be remembered for how he lived.

Meyer Wessel was born in 1893 to Abraham and Esther Wessel. The Wessels were one of the very first Jewish families to make their home in Camden. Mr. and Mrs. Wessel first settled in Camden at 531 Mechanic Street after the 1886 birth in Pennsylvania of son Morris. Abraham Wessel came to Camden from Philadelphia in 1890. After working for ten years in a shoe factory, he bought out the original owners, and did quite well. The Wessel family were among the first residents of the then new Parkside section of Camden. Meyer Wessel was one of the older children, coming before Norman, Jennie, Dorothy, Mamie Sadie, Rose and Harry L. Wessel. At the time of the January 1920 Census the Wessel family owned a home at 1514 Baird Avenue, while son Morris had bought 1504 Wildwood Avenue, where he lived with his wife and two children. Abraham Wessel passed away in 1924, and was buried in the original Jewish section at New Camden Cemetery.

When the 1930 Census was taken, Meyer Wessel was still residing at 1514 Baird Avenue, with his by then widowed mother Esther. He was then working as a salesman for the family’s shoe manufacturing business. Also at home were younger sisters Mae and Shirley, and younger brother Harry. Dorothy Wessel had married prominent Camden physician Dr. Hyman Goldstein.

Later in 1930 or in early 1931, Meyer Wessel was selling the then brand-new appliance, the electric refrigerator, from a shop at the Walt Whitman Hotel. Meyer Wessel later married, and by the 1940s made his home with wife Mary at 506 Randolph Street. He was known to his friends, business, and political associates as “Mike” Wessel. Joseph Cooper, the nephew of Hyman and Dorothy Goldstein, shares this memory of Meyer Wessel:

Mike Wessel … a very well-met person, pleasing personality. He was married to Mary, who was not Jewish, which in the period was looked down upon by some people of the Jewish faith. I do know that Mike Wessel about 1930/31 sold the first modern GE refrigerators (with the coil on top) from a store at the Walt Whitman Hotel. He was a tall and rather large man who was always well dressed.

Meyer Wessel was active politically as a Democrat, and also active in the real estate business, as was his brother Norman. He served as a member of the Camden Board of Education as early as 1927. During the mid-1930s, when there was a struggle for control of the Democrat party in Camden County, he aligned himself with Edward J. Kelleher in opposition to the then-current leadership of Emma Hyland and Harry Maloney.

A close friend of George Brunner, who was elected to Camden’s City Commission in 1935 and elevated to Mayor in October of 1936, Meyer Wessel was chosen to be the first manager of Westfield Acres, the very first public housing project in Camden, and one of the first in the nation.

Meyer Wessel accomplished much in his tenure at Westfield Acres, developing procedures and policies that caused the Acres to be regarded by those who lived there as a wonderful place well into the 1960s. He worked in concert with Horace R. Dixon, who was Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden in those years. He also developed a highly capable staff, led by his assistant, Mary Ellen Soistmann.

Unfortunately, the pressures that came with his position apparently became too much for him to bear. Meyer Wessel took his own life while at work on February 18, 1943. He was buried the following day at Crescent Burial Park in Pennsauken NJ.

Meyer Wessel was survived by his wife Mary, a daughter, a granddaughter, brothers Norman, Morris, and Harry, and sister Dorothy Wessel Goldstein.

Meyer Wessel is one of ten children born to Abraham Ernest and Esther Frances Wessel. His father is a native of Russia, though he came to America when young and obtained his education in the United States. In 1890 he came from Philadelphia to Camden to work for Welsh & Kelly, shoe manufacturers, being engaged as an operator of the shoe buttonhole machine. The factory was located at the corner of Front and Federal streets. Ten years later he bought the concern from Welsh & Kelly and moved to Nos. 108–110 Federal Street, into the William S. Scull Building. In another ten years, 1920, he moved again, this time to their present site, Nos. 222–224 Liberty Street, and at this time he introduced the practice of selling direct from producer to consumer, eliminating the jobber and middlemen. Their trade has now extended to every State in the Union.

Meyer Wessel was born in Camden on June 26, 1891, and studied in the Camden public schools. When he left school, he entered his father’s factory, starting in the shop and working his way up to partnership in 1913. His brother, Morris B. Wessel, four years his senior, had trodden the same path before him, the two brothers entering the firm at the same time. When their father died in 1924, the firm was incorporated under the same name, A. E. Wessel & Sons, the father, who had founded and given his life to building up the firm, being thus held in remembrance. The officers of the newly-incorporated company are: Morris B. Wessel, president; Norman I. Wessel, vice-president; Meyer Wessel, treasurer; Dorothy Wessel Goldstein, secretary; and Joseph Varbalow, solicitor. The concern has such solid business principles for its foundation and its offices are so ably manned that the volume of trade is on the constant increase.

Meyer Wessel has numerous business and fraternal connections. He sits on the board of directors of the Victory Trust Company [Antonio Di Paolo’s bank], Camden; the Diamond Building and Loan Association, the Homebuyers’, Interstate, and Householders’ Building and Loan associations; he is president of the Janice Corporation, Camden; vice-president of the Hyman Varbalow, Camden Securities, A. E. Wessel, and the Development Building and Loan associations.

His name appears on the list of members of the Camden Chamber of Commerce, the Pennsylvania Retailers’ Association, and the Camden City Charities’ Association. His church membership is with Beth-El Congregation, and he is president of B’nai B’rith Lodge, of Camden.

During the World War he took a very active and helpful part in the Victory and Liberty Loan drives, and also gave his energies to putting over the Camden Community Hotel drive. Fraternally, he belongs to Lodge No. 293, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; to Mizpah Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Siloam Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Excelsior Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; and Crescent Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. It should also be noted that he is a member of the Camden City Board of Education.

His brother, Morris B. Wessel, is also a Mason, holding membership in Mizpah Lodge, the Excelsior Consistory, and Crescent Temple; and he is president of the Young Men’s Hebrew Association of Camden. He married Bessie Silver, and their two children are named Bernice and Herbert.

The Wessel Shoe Factory on Liberty Street was the first building on the south side of Liberty Street. One can determine it is the Liberty Street building from the angular shape of the building, as the property takes on a triangular shape at its south end, which fronted onto Mechanic Street, due to the angle that Ferry Avenue takes on when it starts. The hairstyles of the female workers also date from the 1920s.

Three appointments to the Camden Board of Education will be made by him late today or tomorrow, Mayor Price said this morning. The appointments were expected to be made yesterday, but they were delayed, the mayor explained, because a “very capable man” declined to accept as one of the appointees.

The mayor, under the law, has until January 15 to make the appointments, and the new appointees take office a month later. Three vacancies were to be filled by the mayor with the expiration of the terms of George C. Prince, George M. Bryson, and Albert Dudley. The mayor would not say whether or not he would re-appoint any of the three retiring members. Other members of the present board are Edwin I. Seabrook, president; Mrs. Anne D. Spooner, Irving T. Nutt, Meyer Wessel, Dr. Conrad G. Hoell and Dr. Jennie S. Sharp.

Declares Present Democratic Heads Have Failed to Win County

Attacking the Hyland-Maloney Democratic leadership for failure to gain control of Camden county from the Republicans, Meyer Wessel, former member of the Camden Board of Education, and “Roosevelt Democrat-Civic Congress” candidate for surrogate, last night urged support of that ticket headed by Edward J. Kelleher for state committee.

Speaking to 300 people at a meeting of the Roosevelt Democratic Club of Collingswood, in the Uublic [sic] Library, Wessel said:

The Republican party has been in control of the affairs of our city as well as of our county for many years. During these same years the present leaders of our Democratic party have been at the helm. Thy [sic] have had excellent opportunities during these years to repudiate this Republican control by electing Democratic candidates to office. In this, they failed completely. They failed at a time when city after city throughout the nation converted their normal Republican majorities into large Democratic majorities. They have thus displayed their inability to wrest the control from the Republican party and place Camden county in the Democratic column.

“In the last primary election, where their leadership was threatened in the Thirteenth ward, the [sic] spent upwards of $3000 and had more than three challengers in every precinct of the ward and yet in the general election, when our party had an opportunity of electing three members of the Legislature, together with other candidates for public office. they could only find funds to pay for one challenger in each precinct. This clearly illustrates that to retain party leadership was their only desire.

“If we of the Democratic party want to win and succeed at the next general election, in November, and in the Spring of next year, we must find new leadership. The only outstanding leader among us is Edward J. Kelleher, who has clearly proved his ability. He will give to Camden county the same leadership that our great President, Franklin Roosevelt, is giving the nation. I urge you to support him for election as Democratic state committeeman, together with the entire Roosevelt Democrat-Civic Congress ticket.

Other speakers were Kelleher and Mrs. Bertha Shippen Irving, candidate for state committeewoman on the same ticket.

Tells Sixth Ward Rally Democrats Will Sweep Camden County

A 15,000 Camden county majority for President Roosevelt and for the entire Democratic county ticket, including Harry Roye, Bartholomew Sheehan, and Henry Lodge, Assembly nominees, was predicted by Mayor-designate George E. Brunner, the Democratic state committeeman.

Brunner spoke before a record-breaking Roosevelt rally of Sixth ward Democrats at Labor Temple, Broadway and Division Street. More than 300 men and women attended the meeting, which was preceded by a big parade in which many Negro voters participated with other citizens of the ward. John L. Morrissey, chairman of the Camden Excise Board and the Sixth ward Democratic county committeeman, presided.

“We’ll give President Roosevelt and the entire Democratic ticket a 15,000 majority in Camden county,” Brunner said. “And each vote that is cast in this election for our candidates is going to count.

“Every voter, every ballot box, will be protected, and there’s not going to be any Baird holding up of the count anywhere. We’re not going to have any Baird boss tactics or rowdyism or hoodlumism by anyone who might dare to try to interfere with a fair and honest election. This election will be open and above board, with every vote counted properly.

“There is victory certain for our ticket all the way down the line in Camden county from one section to the other, for President Roosevelt, Vice President Garner, Smathers, Lee, Lodge, Sheehan and Roye, Dr. Larossa, the coroner nominee, and all other Democratic candidates on our national, state and county tickets.”

Other speakers included Abe Fuhrman, Oliver H. Bond, Samuel W. Strauss, Meyer Wessel, formerly of the Camden Board of Education, and E. George Aaron.

Morrissey and Sadie Harris, the Sixth Ward Democratic county committeewoman, said the big attendance and the intense interest at the rally indicate the ward will be carried for Roosevelt and the whole Democratic ticket by an overwhelming majority.

Body of Housing Project Manager Found in Washroom by Employes

Meyer Wessel, manager of Westfield Acres, committed suicide this morning in a washroom of his office at the federal housing project at Thirty-first street and Westfield avenue.

The body was discovered in a pool of blood by employes at 9.45 a. m. There was a bullet wound in the neck and a revolver lay on the floor nearby.

Police found three notes, one addressed to the widow, Mary; the second to Wessel’s brother, Norman, and the third to Mrs. Mary Ellen Soistmann, who was Wessel’s assistant at Westfield Acres.

Wessel had been working late at the project, preparing annual reports, and left shortly after last midnight. When office personnel arrived at 9 a. m. today, Wessel’s hat and coat were observed but he could not be heard. The employes finally became alarmed and feared their superior had become ill. He had been subject to asthmatic attacks.

The maintenance office was notified and James McAndrews, head painter, went into the washroom. He saw Wessel lying on the floor and first thought he had suffered a hemorrhage, but later noticed the pistol on the floor.

Well known in Camden real estate circles, Wessel was made manager of Westfield Acres after its completion five years ago. The project was his pet topic of conversation; he was intensely proud of its record and he spent nights as well as days at his office.

Survivors besides the widow and Norman Wessel, also a real estate operator, are two other brothers; one daughter, Mrs. Thelma Belford, and a one-month-old granddaughter. The family lives at 506 Randolph street.

Last rites for Meyer Wessel, 53, manager of Westfield Acres, who committed suicide yesterday in the wash room of his office at the housing project, Thirty-first street and Westfield avenue, will be held at 1 p. m. today at the Holl funeral home, 1401 Princess avenue. Burial will be in Crescent cemetery.

Wessel was a member of Mizpah Lodge, F.A.M., and last rites were held by that fraternity at noon by Samuel A. Wiss, worshipful master.

Text of Note

Police today released for publication the note which Wessel left to Mrs. Mary Ellen Soistmann, his assistant at the Acres. This was done by the police at the request of Mrs. Soistmann. The note did not reveal any cause for the suicide.

The note, which was undated, in its entirety, read:

Mary Ellen:

“Thanks for all you have done. You certainly are a fine person and may God bless you for doing all you could to help me.

“You can do one more thing: Explain to those that might be interested that after five years of hard work at the Acres I slipped up once—on the reexamination of tenants trying to get them out with help that was not experienced and short of assistance.

“Thank Miss Scharle for me.

“I just can’t take it.

“MEYER WESSEL.

Mrs. Soistmann said that what Wessel meant about the “reexamination of tenants” was that he did not have anyone to help him with this work, as she was not at the Acres for a time, and that Wessel was compelled to do this work himself in addition to his other duties; also that the help he had was not experienced in that type of work.

Horace R. Dixon, executive director of the Camden Housing Authority which operates Westfield Acres, was in Pittsburgh, Pa., attending a national housing conference when word of Wessel’s death was sent to him.

Takes Charge of Project

Dixon immediately boarded an airplane and flew back to Philadelphia. On reaching Camden he went into conference with District Court Judge Sheehan, chairman of the authority. Later Dixon said he had taken over temporary management of the project, awaiting action by the authority commissioners.

Dixon said today that a flag raising which was scheduled for Sunday at 2 p. m. to honor the 61 residents of the Acres who are in the armed service of the nation has been postponed until Sunday, Feb. 28 at 2 p. m. Wessel was to have been one of the speakers on the program and had devoted much time to arranging the affair.

“I was greatly shocked by Mr. Wessel’s sudden death,” Mayor Brunner said. “We were close personal friends. I personally recommended his appointment as manager of Westfield Acres where he did a splendid job. My heartfelt sympathy goes to his family. He was overworked and had not been well lately.”