Rocco Frank Abbott
ROCCO FRANK ABBOTT was born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1893 to Frank and Maria Abbatto. By 1910 his family had moved to Camden, New Jersey. Rocco Abbott lived with his parents at 910 South 3rd Street. His older brother Antonio, a tailor, lived around the corner at 302 Spruce Street. The 1914 Camden City Directory indicates that the family had Americanized their last name from Abbatto to Abbott. Rocco Abbott was still living at 910 South 3rd Street at that time.
In June of 1917, when he registered for the draft, Rocco Abbott was working as a bartender at Gordon’s Hotel & Livery, at 801 South 2nd Street. He was living at 807 South 2nd Street.
Rocco Abbott was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in the early 1920s. He was still living at 807 South 2nd Street as late as 1929. By April of 1930 he had moved to 910 South 3rd Street, where he lived with his brother Anthony. He moved to Westmont in the 1930s.
Still with the Camden Fire Department in the spring of 1942, Rocco Abbott was then staying at 26 East Cuthbert Road in Westmont, with his former employer, Mrs. Emma Gordon, then lived. He remained at this address until his passing in October of 1968.
It is not known as of this writing when Rocco Abbott left the Camden Fire Department. He would have had to take a mandatory retirement at age 65.
Rocco Abbott’s first cousin, Frank A. “Chick” Abbott, served for many years as a Camden city commissioner and Director of Public Works.
Taps Sound for Jack Airedale, Canine Mascot of Fire Laddies
Camden Courier-Post —
By BOB COLLINS
Camden firemen and policemen paid their final respects to stout-hearted Jack Airedale yesterday.
The beloved mascot of Headquarters Fire Company, Fifth and Arch streets, whose life was crushed out under the wheels of truck No. 2, his own wagon, Monday, was accorded a hero’s funeral. His body was interred in the cemetery at the rear of St. Paul’s and the First Baptist churches, close by his fire station home, and taps were sounded at 5 p. m., just as the sun was setting in the west.
People from every station of life visited the fire station to pay homage to the doughty fire-fighter, who was killed answering his last call. Senator Albert S. Woodruff, City Commissioner Harold W. Bennett, Miss Florence Hughes, chairman of the Camden County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Fire Chief John S. Lennox and Deputy Chief William Hearn were among the estimated throng of 3500 who passed his bier.
Letters and telegrams of sympathy poured into the headquarters company throughout the day. There were more than 10 offers of dogs to serve as mascots and take Jack’s place. These were kindly but firmly rejected by members of the headquarters company. “There will only be one Jack,” they said. “We appreciate all these offers, but we don’t want another mascot right now.”
The funeral rites for the dog were impressive.
Active bearers included Raymond Stark, John K. Taylor and Everett Joslin, members of the Camden police department; William Spencer and John Strouss, of fire truck No. 1; John McKay, Lester Anderson and Chester Andrews, of truck No. 2.
The honorary members were Captain Van Phefferts, Russell Anderson, Harry Haines and Charles Edwards, of truck No. 1; Nelson Andrews, Christopher Moll, Arthur Batten, George Boone and Rox Abbott, of truck No. 2.
At the appointed hour a dummy alarm was sounded. Jack Airedale was carried to his favorite place on fire truck No. 2. The vehicle moved slowly along Fifth street to Federal, then to Fourth and back to Arch street. When it passed the fire station the bells in the tower tolled.
At the cemetery Jack was placed alongside his predecessors, Alva and Gimp, dogs, and Skibby and Old Black Bill, cats, who were at one time mascots at the fire station.
World War I Draft Registration Card
Registration Card No. 60 — Age 24
1. Name: Rocco Abbott 2. Address: 807 2nd, Camden 3. Date of birth: Sep 21, 1893 4. Citizen: Natural Born Citizen 5. Born: Phil., Penna., U.S. 7. Occupation: Bartender 8. Employer: Mrs. Gordon, 807 So. 2nd St. 9. Dependent: Father 10. Single, Race: Caucasian 11. Military service: No Signed: Rocco Abbott, No. 1327
Name: Rocco Abbott — Age: 24 — Address: 807 South 2nd Street, Camden — Date of birth: September 21, 1893 — Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Citizen: Natural Born — Occupation: Bartender — Employer: Mrs. Gordon, 807 South 2nd Street — Dependent: Father — Single — Race: Caucasian
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 Registration Card
Serial Number: 1179
1. Name: Rocco Frank Abbott 2. Residence: 26 E. Cuthbert Blvd., Westmont, N.J. 3. Mailing address: 26 E. Cuthbert Blvd., Westmont, N.J. 4. Phone: Col. 1718-W 5. Age: 48; Date of birth: Sept 21, 1893 6. Place of birth: Philadelphia, Phila. Penna. 7. Emergency contact: Mrs. Emma A. Gordon, 26 E. Cuthbert Blvd. 8. Employer: City of Camden Bureau of Fire 9. Place of employment: Fire House, 5th & Arch St., Camden, Camden, N.J. Signed: Rocco F. Abbott
Serial Number: 1179 — Name: Rocco Frank Abbott — Address: 26 E. Cuthbert Blvd., Westmont, N.J. — Age: 48 — Date of birth: September 21, 1893 — Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Emergency contact: Mrs. Emma A. Gordon, 26 E. Cuthbert Blvd. — Employer: City of Camden Bureau of Fire — Place of employment: Fire House, 5th & Arch St., Camden, N.J.