Introduction
WILLIAM C. AITKEN was born around 1846. He first came to America in 1869. He moved to Camden in the early 1880s. He was active as a builder in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He built rows of homes on Cooper Street between 9th and 11th Streets. Many of these homes were destroyed in the 1940 Hollingshead fire. He also built a row of homes on Seventh Street at Woodland Avenue. At the time of the 1920 Census he made his home with wife Elizabeth at 205 Pearl Street. This home was taken in late 1923 or early 1924 to make way for the Delaware River (Ben Franklin) Bridge.
William C. Aitken later made his home at 421 Penn Street in Camden, which is now part of the Rutgers University campus. He lived very near to advertising magnate F. Wayland Ayer.
William C. Aitken died on February 14, 1933. He was survived by four sons and two daughters, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. His grandson, Richard Knight Aitken, died while serving with the United States Army in Louisiana on February 17, 1943.
New Buildings Going Up
Camden Daily Courier —
Many Houses Now Being Erected
Closing Up Fall Operations and Projects for Next Year.
Camden builders do not seem to be deterred by the fear of financial panic or an idea that the McKinley bill presages disaster in business. New operations are in progress, and several very extensive ones are contemplated early in the coming year.
Charles W. Cox is finishing a row of twenty-one dwellings on Willard street, in the Second ward, and is excavating the cellars for ten more at Eighth and Vine streets. These, when finished, will make eighty-seven new buildings erected by him in that locality during the season. William C. Aitken is walling the cellars of thirteen new brick dwellings at Tenth and Carpenter streets, and having purchased of the Cope estate the balance of the block on Cooper street above Ninth, will early in the spring erect a row of first-class dwellings thereon.
Adolph Segal is pushing to completion sixty-six dwellings on Segal street, in the First ward, and is negotiating for land adjacent, preparatory to commencing a large operation.
William T. Bailey has nearly completed ten stone front dwellings at Sixth and York streets, and has fifty more in various stages of completion at Wrightsville, one of Camden’s thriving suburbs.
In the manufacturing line Howland Croft, Sons & Co., are building a one-story addition to their woolen mill at Broadway and Jefferson streets, which when completed will give employment to at least one hundred and fifty employes. The announcement was made this morning that George Holl has consummated negotiations with the Cooper estate for the purchase of the large block of land bordering on Sixth and Seventh streets and Benson and Washington.
Aitken Funeral to Be on Wednesday
Camden Courier-Post —
Retired Builder Dies at Penn Street Home; Resident Here for 50 Years
The funeral of William C. Aitken, 87, retired builder, who died Saturday at his home at 421 Penn street, will be held at 2 p. m. Wednesday.
Mr. Aitken was one of the best known builders of his day. He erected more than 200 houses, principally on Cooper street. He built rows on both sides of that street from Ninth to Eleventh streets. He also constructed another row at Seventh street and Woodland avenue.
He had been a resident of Camden for more than 50 years. He is survived by four sons and two daughters: Edward C., chief engineer for the West Jersey Title and Guaranty Company; Richard C. and Henry W., of Camden, and William J., of Chicago; Mrs. Isabelle Shedaker, of Camden, and Mrs. Lydie R. Brooks, of Contra Costa, California. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
He was the husband of the late Elizabeth C. Aitken. Mr. Aitken was a member of First Presbyterian Church. Rev. Augustus D. Whitney, Jr., pastor, will have charge of the services and burial will be in Harleigh Cemetery.