Warren I. Carter
Warren I. Carter
WARREN IRVIN CARTER was born in Camden on July 13, 1909 to Mary A. and Charles B. Carter Sr. Warren Carter was born very late in his parents’ lives, his father being 49 and mother 42 when he arrived. When the census was taken in the spring of 1910, Warren Carter was the youngest of six children still at home, the others being Edward, Florence, Frances, Charles B. Jr., and Nellie Carter. The family lived at 323 North 37th Street in East Camden. Charles Carter Sr. was working at the Atlas Cereal Manufacturing Company’s starch works on Lois Avenue in Cramer Hill.
When the census was taken in January of 1920 Charles Carter was working as a mixer at the nearby Kohnstamm starch works. Sister Nellie Carter, then 20, was still living at home. The Carter family was still living at 3052 River Avenue in Cramer Hill into at least the early 1930s. Warren was the only child still at home by April of 1930. Charles Carter worked as a City Park Guard as late as the spring of 1930. Warren Carter and his wife Charlotte had moved to 239 South 34th Street in East Camden by 1940.
Warren I. Carter was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 3, 1941. Later that year he was a member of the Police and Fire Department honor guard who served at the funeral of City Commissioner Henry Magin.
Warren Carter served the City of Camden for over 28 years when he retired, having achieved the rank of Captain during his career, on August 15, 1969. He and his wife left Camden a short time after his retirement.
Warren Carter and Charlotte Carter spent their last years in Maple Shade, New Jersey. Charlotte Carter died in May of 1994. Warren Carter passed away on July 21, 1999 at the age of 90, survived by his sons Warren C. Carter and Eric B. Carter.
Warren I. Carter
Warren I. Carter
50 Volunteer Firemen Complete Training for Emergency Duties
Camden Courier-Post —
Graduates First of 500 to Be Trained by City for Huge Defense Job
Fifty volunteer firemen, first of 500 to be trained under the city’s huge emergency preparedness program, were graduated last night after completing a course in fire-fighting. They received their diplomas from Fire Chief John H. Lennox at ceremonies in headquarters firehouse, Washington Street and Broadway.
Chief Lennox addressed the group and told them what their training would mean to Camden in the event of an emergency, declaring they had done a fine job. He said that their purpose would be to supplement the regular force to handle fires in their own neighborhoods or at their places of employment so that the regular firemen could take make load in their Jobs.
“The sabotage committee of the defense council has been visiting the local Industries encouraging the plants to set up their own fire fighting squads and many are doing so. You men will be needed in times of an emergency to aid these forces and to assist at industries where there is no fire fighting squads.”
Chief Lennox termed the volunteers “our second line of defense” and thanked them for their cooperation.
Training Complete
The course included training in all phases of fire-fighting from operating pumpers to climbing ladders and combating incendiaries. Rescue work also was included. The use of gas masks and asbestos suits in chemical fires, how to approach delayed bombs with snubbers and the proper methods of using extinguishers were taught.
A demonstration was held outside the firehouse by the volunteers. Their activities included scaling ladders, using gas masks to enter a smoke house, climbing and working on the top of the fire tower, using an aerial truck, tying tools for the lifting to tools, working on the end of water lines, working on pumpers, hooking up to stand pipes, jumping into life nets, tying life ropes and using asbestos suits through flaming gasoline and oil.
The Class
The graduates included: George D. Wilkinson, fire marshal of the RCA Manufacturing Company, and his two sons, Ernest and George; Garfield Watson, sergeant of police at New York Shipbuilding Corporation; Lieut. George Hamilton, Jr., of the 157th Field Artillery; Captain William Hare, of the Kaighn Avenue-South Street Ferry.
Harry B. Thompson, Earl Denby, Lester W. Giberson, Norman P. Maull, Joseph Leone, Samuel Schuele, George P. Smith, Joseph Marchese, Nicholas A. Messaro, William S. Martz, William E. Doan, Elwood P. Martz, Jr., Clyde Getzinger, George W. Grove, Stephen Kirby, James W. McCracken, William Watkin, Manuel Weiss, Riccardo DiGiacomo, Louis Cimini, William P. Walter, Sigmund Yakaski, Nicholas Iacovelli, Robert Holmes, Walter D. Lohrman.
Myer J. Mutter, Charles Geitz, Charles A. B. Smith, Howard Doerschner, Harry L. Freidel, Franklin L. Wright, Paul W. Kessler, Warren I. Carter, Creston Polland, Edward E. Friant, Frank F. Shropshire, Charles Gall, Albert E. Pine, Nicholas Cerasoli, George W. Williams, Joseph G. Foster, Joseph Elliott, George Hance and Irving L. Stiefel.
Henry Magin Laid to Rest By War Veteran Buddies
Camden Courier-Post —
TRUCKS OF FLOWERS IN FUNERAL CORTEGE
Funeral services for City Commissioner Henry Magin were held today with his colleagues in official and veterans circles participating.
Services were conducted in city commission chambers on the second floor of city hall, in charge of Rev. Dr. W.W. Ridgeway, rector of St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church.
The casket was carried by war veteran associates of the public works director, who died from a heart attack Friday. A color guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion preceded the casket, followed by the four remaining members of the city commission, Mayor George Brunner and commissioners E. George Aaron, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus and Dr. David S. Rhone.
A guard of honor lined both sides of city hall steps, 22 policemen on one side and 22 firemen on the other, representing Magin’s age, 44 years.
Hundreds of men and women waited outside the building to pay their respects as the solemn procession filed by. Mayor Brunner had declared this morning a holiday for city employees. The casket was borne by Thomas Jackson and Samuel Magill, both past Legion commanders; Leon McCarty, past commander of August Walter Chapter, Disabled American Veterans; Richard Jermyn, past commander of Post 1270, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Benjamin P. Thomas, past captain of Sparrow Ship No. 1269, V.F.W.; and William Miller, past State commander, D.A.V.
Three trucks were required to carry the floral pieces from the scene of the services to the National Cemetery at Beverly, where burial took place.
An estimated 8,000 persons from all walks of life paid their respects to the late official by viewing the body as it lay in state in the commission chambers.
The throng of mourners of Camden city and county was the largest to converge on a public building since the funeral of Fire Chief Charles Worthington, who was killed while fighting a fire almost 20 years ago. His body was placed on public view in the rotunda of the old county courthouse.
File Past Bier
A continuous progression of people filed past the flag draped bier for more than three and one-half hours. Scores of Republicans and hundreds of Democrats joined in the tribute.
Services were conducted by Camden lodges of Elks and Moose. Military rites were conducted by the Fairview Post, American Legion, of which Magin was a founder and past commander. The tribute was led by Mitchell Halin, post commander, and C. Richard Allen, past department commander.
James W. Conner, chief clerk of the city water bureau and past State Commander of the V.F.W., conducted rites at the grave.
Mayor Brunner and Commissioners Kobus, Aaron, and Rhone came early and remained throughout the hours of viewing. Mrs. Helen Magin, the widow, and daughter Helen, attired in deep mourning, arrived shortly after 7:00 PM.
Embraces Widow, Daughter
Commissioner Kobus, who knelt in prayer before the bier, arose and went over to Mrs. Magin and her daughter. Mrs. Kobus embraced and kissed the widow and daughter of the late commissioner. They were in tears.
Three firemen and three policemen maintained a vigil as a guard of honor. They were Patrolmen Jack Kaighn, George Weber, and William Deery and Firemen Arthur Batten, Warren Carter and William Reed.
American Legion and V.F.W. members in uniform alternated as members of the military guard of honor. A detail of 50 policemen was under command of Acting Lieutenant John Garrity. Fifty firemen, under supervision of Deputy Chief Walter Mertz, assisted the patrolmen in handling the crowd, which at times choked the stairways leading to the second floor.
Freeholders Arrive
Albert H. Molt, director of the Board of Freeholders and Freeholders John J. Tull, Oscar Moore, Ventorino Francesconi, Stanley Ciechanowski, Earl Armstrong and Emil J. McCall arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Moore and Tull wore American Legion overseas caps. Albert S. Marvel, clerk of the board, accompanied the freeholders.
Employees of the various bureaus in the department of public works, headed by Commissioner Magin, came in delegations with the highway bureau having 150, the largest number.
Frank A. Abbott, acting director of the department, accompanied by James P. Carr, superintendent of Streets; led the highway bureau employees. Abbott is deputy director of revenue and finance and first assistant to Mayor Brunner. He was named by Brunner as acting director until the City Commission elects Mr. Magin’s successor.
County Clerk Frank J. Suttill, City Clerk Clay W. Reesman, Fire Chief John H. Lennox and James A. Howell, chief of the city electrical bureau, attended, as did Albert Austermuhl, secretary of the board of education. Every city department sent a floral piece.
Outstanding Floral Tribute
Outstanding among the floral tributes was a six-foot broken circle of varied flowers, an offering from Mayor Brunner and Commissioners Kobus, Aaron, and Rhone.
A floral chair was sent by the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association. The word “Rest” was made up of flowers. The offering of the Veterans League of South Jersey, an organization formed by Commissioner Magin and of which he was the first president, was a large floral pillow.
The freeholders and county officials gave a large floral basket. Floral tributes came from the employees of the board of education, the RCA Manufacturing Company, the police and fire bureaus, Pyne Point Athletic Association, the Elks, Moose and several Democratic clubs.
The floral tributes came in such numbers yesterday afternoon that Funeral Director Harry Leonard and his assistants could not find room for them in the commission chamber proper. They were banked on both sides, in the rear and over the casket.
Among prominent officials and citizens who came to pay their respects were Congressman Charles A. Wolverton and his son, Donnell, Assemblymen Joseph W. Cowgill and J. Frank Crawford, Sidney P. McCord, city comptroller, Thomas C. Schneider, president of Camden County Council No. 10, New Jersey Civil Service Association.
Others at Bier
Others were Sue Devinney, secretary to Mrs. Kobus; Fred S. Caperoon; Henry Aitken, city sealer of weights and measures, Horace R. Dixon, executive director of the Camden Housing Authority; George I. Shaw, vice president of the board of education.
Sgt. Ray Smith, chairman of the Elks Crippled Children Committee and commander of East Camden Post, V.F.W.; Albert Becker, commander of Camden County Post 126, Jewish War Veterans; Dr. Howard E. Primas and Wilbur F. Dobbins, members of the Camden Housing Authority; Postmaster Emma E. Hyland; Samuel E. Fulton, member of the Camden local assistance board.
Also former Assemblyman Rocco Palese, former Freeholder Maurice Bart and wife, County Detective James Mulligan, Deputy City Clerk William D. Sayrs, Mary King, secretary to City Clerk Reesman, Charles W. Anderson and John W. Diehl Jr., former members of the housing authority, Walter P. Wolverton, chief clerk of the public works department; Thomas J. Kenney, Maurice Hertz, Isadore Hermann, chief of the city tax title bureau; S. Raymond Dobbs; acting chief of city property, John Oziekanski, building inspector, Harry Langebein, city assessor.
Oliver H. Bond, housing manager of Clement T. Branch Village; former Judge Joseph Varbalow, acting city counsel John J. Crean, assistant City Counsel Edward V. Martino, Paul Day, secretary of city board of assessors, former Assemblyman William T. Iszard, Harry Roye, district director of NYA; Victor J. Scharle and Martin Segal, Democratic and Republican registrars, respectively, of the Camden County permanent registration bureau.
Mrs. Marian Garrity and Mrs. Mary F. Hendricks, vice chairman and secretary respectively, of the Republican City Committee; Dr. Ethan A. Lang and Dr. Richard P. Bowman, members of the board of education; Edward J. Borden, Carl Kisselman, Harry A. Kelleher, Samuel T. French Sr., former Freeholder Walter Budniak, Coroner Paul R. Rilatt, County Treasurer Edward J. Kelleher, William Shepp, of the city legal bureau, Marie Carr, stenographer, mayor’s office; Samuel T. French Jr., member, board of education.
Also John C. Trainor, member of the Camden County Board of Elections; Antonio Mecca, funeral director; Alexander Feinberg, solicitor of the housing authority, former Freeholder John T. Hanson, Sterling Parker and Paul Reihman, member of the county park commission.
James O’Brien, commander of the Camden Disabled American Veterans, was in charge of services by veterans at the cemetery. Former Freeholder Edward J. Quinlan, county vice-commander of the American Legion, directed last night memorial services and was in charge of the firing squad at the grave.
1950s
Futile Fight by Firemen to Revive Drowned Boy
Applying a respirator, here are members of the Camden Fire Department’s Rescue Squad during their long effort — more than two hours — to resuscitate 10-year-old Robert Spinozzi, 552 S. 4th St., who drowned in the Farnham Park Pool. He was a fourth grade student at Central Grammar School in Camden.
Camden Courier-Post — July 2, 1954
Camden Courier-Post —
Firemen Rescue Boy From Tree
Robert Johnson, 8, of 3330 Atlanta Road, learned the hard way that climbing a tree is only the half of it—you have to come down.
While he and some playmates were coming down a huge tree on a lot behind the home of Mrs. Marion Cowdright, of 1613 Olympia Road, Thursday afternoon, Robert became wedged between two limbs.
Panic-stricken, the lad called to his friends for help. He was heard by Janet Cowdright, 10, who ran to tell her mother.
Mrs. Cowdright telephoned the electrical bureau. Truck Company 2 was sent under Capt. Warren Carter, who with Ladderman Thomas Warren climbed 16 feet up a ladder to reach the boy.
Receipt from CFD Captain Warren Carter
Memo from Edward V. Michalak, Chief of Department, Division of Fire.
Received March 5, 1969 – Captain Warren Carter – $77.75
1970 Retirement Dinner
Standing: Frank Deal, Clair “Red” Graham, Arthur Batten, Warren Carter. Seated: Joshua Robinson
Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record
Named: Warren Irvin Carter, Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record, Badge No. 148, and Appointed June 3, 1941.
Camden Courier-Post — July 22, 1999
Camden Courier-Post —
CARTER
On July 19, 1999, Warren I. Age 90 yrs., of Maple Shade, NJ. Husband of the late Charlotte (nee Bankard). Father of Warren C. Carter of Pennsauken and Eric B. Carter of Maple Shade. Mr. Carter was a retired Camden City Fireman. Private Graveside Services will be held at the Bethel Memorial Park in Pennsauken. Contributions in his memory may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, “Roof Fund,” Chapel & Maple Aves., Merchantville, NJ 08109. Arrangements by the MICHAEL T. KRAUSE FUNERAL HOME of Merchantville.