Nelson W. Till
Nelson Warwick Till was born on January 12, 1889 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Joseph Oscar Till Sr. and his wife Katie. The family, which included older brothers William, J. Oscar Jr., Morris, Albert, and Clarence moved to the town of Stockton in the early 1890s. By 1896 the family was living at 912 Lois Avenue. Joseph Oscar Till Sr. involved himself in local affairs and soon had been appointed constable in Stockton. When Stockton was united with the City of Camden in 1899, Joseph Oscar Till Sr. secured an appointment to the Camden Fire Department. Politics being a full-contact sport in those times, Joseph Till got into a fight with two other men on Saturday night, November 1, 1903. The following day he suffered a fall, and was taken to Cooper Hospital where he died on November 13. An inquest was held and his death was ruled accidental, from injuries sustained in the fall. On December 3, 1904 J. Oscar Till Jr., the older brother of Nelson Till, was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. By April of 1910 he had left the Fire Department and had taken a position with the Camden Police Department.
Nelson Till appears in the 1914 City Directory as a glass worker, living at 912 Lois Avenue with his widowed mother. When he registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 he was working as a rigger in the R.H. Wood Company in Camden.
During the 1910s Nelson Till was a member of the Farragut Sportsmen’s Association, where he kept a motorboat called the Myrtle, and was active in a number of boating events.
The 1920 Census shows Nelson Till, still un-married, living at 912 Lois Avenue with his widowed mother, brother Albert, and Albert’s wife and children. Both Nelson and Albert Till were working at a local lumberyard as truck drivers. By 1924 Nelson W. Till had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department, following in the footsteps of his father Joseph Till and brother J. Oscar Till Jr.
When the Census was taken in April of 1930 Nelson Till was still un-married, and living with his mother, brother, and family at 912 Lois Avenue. Nelson Till was still working with the Camden Fire Department when the 1940 Census was compiled. By the spring of 1942, he had retired from the Department. He was still living at 912 Lois Avenue as late as 1947. He never moved from Camden, but it is unclear as to where he resided as he never had a telephone listing in his name. Nelson W. Till died in August of 1983.
World War I Draft Card
Nelson W. Till, World War I draft registration card, June 5, 1917
Many Transfers of City Firemen
Camden Daily Courier —
Forces At Various Stations Changed By Most Recent Orders
16 GO TO FAIRVIEW HOUSE
Recent changes in the fire department announced have provided for the transfer of twenty men and the appointment of fourteen during the week to various fire houses in the city.
Sixteen of the men were transferred and given appointments to the two new companies formed to protect Fairview and Yorkship Village. The transfers and appointments went into effect Wednesday.
The following men received transfers and appointments to Engine Company 10, one of the new companies: Horace Cairns, captain; William Miller, lieutenant; Harry Selby, engineer; Charles Gaul, stoker; Spencer Smith, H. Walker, Rocco Fanelli and H. J. Zanders, hosemen.
Truck Company 4, the other new company, at Ninth and Morgan streets, received the following men: Mordecai Clark, captain; James McDermott, lieutenant; James Durkin, driver; Frank Burt, George C. Wade, Samuel Patton, William Reynolds and Harry Hallowell.
H. F. Ferrington and H. Bomgartel, new men, were appointed to Hook and Ladder Company 1, to fill the vacancies left by James McDermott and George C. Wade.
Go to Company No. 1
The following men received appointments to Engine Company 1: Walter Carter, George Henry Johnson, Lewis D. Stevens, Rocco Tribbett and Benjamin Walters. W. Scott Franklin was transferred from Company 9 to Engine Company 1 as lieutenant. George Cattell was transferred from Company 1 to Company 5 as stoker. Joseph Daley, of Company 5, was transferred to Engine Company 2 to fill the vacancy left by Harry Selby, who was transferred to Company 10.
Anthony Valentine and David Smith were transferred to Company 3, in place of William Miller and Charles Gaul, who were transferred to Company 10.
J. Lumbago was transferred to Company 7, in place of David Smith. George Pursglove and John Hunt were transferred to Company 8. Robert Gicks was transferred from Hose and Chemical Company 2 to Company 9, in place of William Reynolds, who was transferred to Company 10.
Nelson Till was appointed to the place left vacant by Robert Gicks, of Hose and Chemical Company 2. Herman Kreher was made lieutenant of Hose and Chemical Company 2.
Cops and Firemen in First Practice
Camden Post-Telegram —
Bluecoats and Ladder Climbers Get Ready for Field Day
MR. YOUNGER IN CHARGE
Firefighters Have Large Team of Athletes
Charles Younger, physical director of the Camden Y. M. C. A. and in charge of the candidates for the police and firemen teams which will compete in the first annual police and fire field day on September 19 at Forest Hill Park, sends his protégés through their stiffest workout of the season yesterday morning with several of the committee in attendance.
Plans were arranged between Younger and Captain Stehr, of the First district, to build a temporary track around the local high school’s gridiron. Meanwhile, both the police and fire candidates will do their stuff under the watchful eye of Professor Younger on the Forest Hill track, outside of the enclosed athletic field.
In a confab over the arrangement of the cinder track, Stehr suggested that a 100 and 220-yard straightaway be constructed on the west side of the field.
Joe Connell, of the Highway Department, also gave the field a once-over, as did Captains Golden and Humes. After the members of the committee had inspected the grounds, they witnessed the candidates going through the paces.
Archie Riess, who is in full charge of the “cops,” declared that but nineteen men would be candidates for his team while Walter A. Mertz, of Engine Company No. 1, acting as manager for the firemen, declared he had twenty-nine candidates on his list. These men will compete next Tuesday, but first they will have an opportunity for field day. The events will be run off separately, that is, the “cops” in division and the firemen in another. The bluecoats who will compete this Tuesday are as follows: Everett Joslin, Joseph McDonald, Vernon Jones, Frank Nelson, Bill Rogers, Harold Dunnit, John Bright, Edyard Callahan, Walter Larson, Gus Pfliderer, Clarence Phifer, Thomas Welch, Stanley Wirts, Charles Naylor, George Rothwell, Richard Donnelly, Lester Gleason and Joe Keefe.
The firemen who will also attempt qualification for field day include Fred Schacker, Harry Wagner, Chris Moll, Harry Huda, Arthur Laird, Herman Havercamp, Frank Huda, Harry Kleinfelder, William Poeble, Tom Shanley, Harrison Pike, William Hood, Lester Anderson, William Wood, George Townsend, Allen Palmer, William Mertz, Nelson Hubbs, James Mogan, John Strauss, Frank Oberman, Edward Mensales, John Mulligan, Frank Kates, William Hare, Joseph Andrews and Harry Leigh. From the present outlook, “Cops” appear strongest, coming out second best. The firemen are confident of finishing once more in front of the bluecoats. The leader will be Stehr’s cohorts at the last Armory meet.
The tug-of-team of eight men will also be selected by the firemen’s leader. Merts will choose his varsity from Layton, Smith, Lennox, Walker, Pike, Palmer, Moll, Greenan, Laird, Mulligan, Haver, Merigan and Camp.
The Camden Athletic Club may stage a free exhibition of a motorcycle polo game during the meet. Stehr favors this arrangement, as no extra minutes of actual time is taken up. The local club is willing to donate their services without charge. Nelson Hubbs, local manager, has dates at the Trenton, Long Harbor, Allentown and Bridgeton fairs, while his riders have already performed in many eastern states. The “Camden Blue Devils,” as they are known, will furnish more thrills in the forty minutes than sport lovers have ever seen in the east, declares Nelson Hubbs. If they are on the bill at the games, they will also give an exhibition of trick and exhibition stunt.
Blue Devils No. 1 — Joseph Bernurt, captain; Frank De Vivey, Carl Preisman and Edward Moll.
Blue Devils No. 2 — Charles Ellis, captain; George Gummel, Bennett Arnold, Clayton Alberson.
Fire Chief Guest at Honor Dinner
Camden Courier-Post —
Capt. Kreher, Veteran of 22 Years, Given Send-Off on Eve of Retirement
Fire Capt. Herman Kreher, a veteran of 22 years in the city fire-fighting forces, was tendered a dinner last night by more than 60 comrades upon the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. His efficient supervision of Engine Company No. 11 was lauded by Acting Chief John Lennox, who presented him with a gold wrist watch in behalf of his fellow firemen. George Wonsetter was toastmaster.
The affair was held in Stefiel’s Hall, directly across from the firehouse at Twenty-seventh and Hayes avenue.
Attending the dinner were Mrs. Kreher, their children, Tillie, Wilhelmina, Herman and Edwin, and Motorcycle Patrolman Harry Kreher, brother of Captain Kreher. Addresses were also made by Deputy Chief William Herring and Battalion Chiefs Walter Mertz, Charles Errickson and Waldo Jones.
The committee included Firemen William Mountey [sic], chairman; Howard Curry, Nelson Till, William Gettner, Michael Mungoli, John Mohrfeld, Herman Dreas, John Peterson and Harry Hess.
World War II Draft Card
Nelson W. Till, World War II draft registration card