Introduction
WILLIAM F. BARNETT JR. was born in Camden NJ in 1901 to William F. and Jenny Barnett. William F. Barnett Sr. was living at 219 Stevens Street according to the 1890–91 Camden Directories. As a youth William Jr. attended the E.A. Stevens Elementary School at 430 South 4th Street, and later graduated from Camden High School. At the time of the 1920 census the family owned a home at 337 Clinton Street in Camden, where the elder Barnett worked as a foreman on the Pennsylvania Railroad. William Barnett Jr. was then 18, and the only child living at home. He was working as a clerk at that time, and later worked in the auto accessories business. By 1924 the family had moved to 1511 Wildwood Avenue.
William F. Barnett entered public service, and served as chief clerk of the Camden War Price and Rationing Board. In February of 1945 he was appointed executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden, succeeding Horace R. Dixon. William Barnett proved to be a highly effective administrator. During his tenure he oversaw the construction of two new developments, McGuire Gardens in East Camden, and Roosevelt Manor in South Camden. He also implemented racial integration of Camden’s public housing developments.
William F. Barnett suffered from heart trouble. He survived a 1949 heart attack and another one in 1950. On February 13, 1957 he suffered a fatal heart attack while driving. Taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, he passed away that afternoon.
21 Vets’ Families To Get Homes Here Tuesday
Camden Courier-Post —
Twenty-one veterans’ families will begin moving into newly completed temporary homes at Civic Center next Tuesday.
William E. [sic] Barnett, director of the Camden Housing Authority which manages the veterans’ emergency projects, said the homes were completed this week.
Those selected to occupy them were taken from a list of approximately 1000 veterans’ families who are badly in need of homes.
Still to be completed are 15 homes at Civic Center and 13 at Eighth street and Ferry avenue.
The original Federal Public Housing Authority program in Camden called for the rapid construction of 124 temporary housing units for emergency use by veterans.
That was in July, 1946.
By January, 62 homes at Civic Center and 13 at Eighth street and Ferry avenue were completed.
Work on the others, some of which were half finished, was halted that month, however, because the money Congress appropriated was spent.
For 10 months 49 partially finished homes stood intact.
Then, last October, the federal government granted $126,805 for completion of the work and contracted with the Progressive Builders, Inc., to do it.
When the whole project will be completed is not known. Estimates range from one month to a year.
But Barnett, whose department takes applications from eligible veterans, said: “We can fill every house as soon as it is finished.”
Harker Appointed To Conduct Survey For Housing Unit
Camden Courier-Post —
William T. Harker, Camden engineer, has been named by the Camden Housing Authority, to begin initial work necessary for constructing a new low-rent housing project in the city.
Harker was directed at the authority’s meeting Thursday night to make surveys, test borings, soundings and topographical maps of the housing site. Location where the homes will be constructed cannot be revealed at this time, Joseph J. McComb, chairman, announced.
The initial work will be financed with federal funds for which the housing authority applied several months ago. First payments for the surveys have been received from the government, William F. Barnett, authority executive director, said.
The plans call for construction of 800 homes which are to replace slums.
Approval of erection of a newspaper vending stand at Ablett Village was authorized by the authority on motion of Wilbur F. Dobbins.
The stand will be used by Miss Cora Gideon, 50, of 588 Berkley street, who is blind, Dobbins explained. She will pay $1 a month as rent for the stand.
Materials and labor will be supplied by AFL unions without additional cost to the housing authority, Dobbins said.
Troiano Appointed As New Member of Housing Authority
Camden Courier-Post —
Louis Troiano, Camden real estate broker and former member of the Camden Excise Board, was appointed an appraiser for the Camden Housing Authority at its meeting Thursday night.
Joseph J. McComb, authority chairman, said Troiano’s appointment was necessitated by the authority’s plan to construct 800 additional low cost public housing units.
Troiano’s appointment was moved by Martin F. McKernan, and seconded by Sylvan G. Fletcher, authority members.
The authority approved payment of $23,000 in lieu of taxes for Chelton terrace. William F. Barnett, executive director of the housing authority, explained the city will receive approximately $14,000 and the county approximately $9000.
The authority approved five-year annual average budgets totaling $99,185 a year for Branch Village; $85,374 for Ablett, and $264,603 for Westfield Acres. The average annual budgets run through June 1954, Barnett explained.
Budgets for 1949 were approved totalling $100,889 for Branch Village; $88,239 for Ablett Village, and $253,726 for Westfield Acres.
The 1950-51 operating budget for Westfield Acres, totalling $268,726, was approved.
A $2502 increase in the operating budget for Chelton terrace was approved. McComb explained $702 of the total would be paid to the city in sewer rents while the remainder would pay for costs of painting the entire project.
Attending the meeting in addition to McComb, Barnett, McKernan, and Fletcher were Dr. Howard A. Primas and Wilbert F. Dobbins, authority members, and Raymond J. Osborne, authority counsel.
Authority Acquires 1st Parcel Toward Housing Project
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post Photo
FIRST CHECK for property to be acquired by the Camden Housing Authority for its proposed East Camden housing development, was presented to Mrs. John Dyer, of 2120 Berwick street, who is shown receiving the check from Joseph McComb, authority chairman.
The Camden Housing Authority on Monday acquired the first parcel of land on the tract where a 368-unit low-rent housing development in East Camden will be constructed at a cost of more than $4,492,000.
Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer were presented with a check by Joseph McComb, authority chairman, for their home at 2120 Berwick street.
Present in the Market Street Title Co. office on Cooper street, where the sale was consumated [sic], were Raymond Osborn, authority solicitor; William Barnett, authority secretary; George Adkins, assistant secretary for development, and Thomas McGraw, representing the title company.
Osborn said that he is preparing for the purchase of 12 other tracts on the site, where the owners have agreed on the price offered by the authority.
Osborn said that it will be necessary to proceed with condemnation proceedings against 12 other parcels on the tract. He said that some of the owners have not been able to agree on a sale price; other owners can’t be located, and title is not clear to other sections of the land.
In addition to these parcels, Osborn said, 12 other parcels are owned by the city. He said negotiations are being made with the city for their purchase.
McComb said he expects that construction on the project, which is to be one block south of Federal street and Marlton pike, will be started in early fall. The tract is bounded by Morse and Randolph streets, and Bank and Watson streets, and cuts on a rectangle to Twentieth street.
W. F. Barnett, Housing Aide, Dies Suddenly
Camden Courier-Post —
William F. Barnett, 55, executive director and secretary of the Camden Housing Authority, died at 3 a.m. today after suffering a heart attack while driving his car on Black Horse Pike, with his wife Ann. He complained of pains in the chest, so Mrs. Barnett took the wheel and drove him to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, where he died.
Mr. Barnett was born in Camden’s Third ward and attended Stevens elementary school and Camden High School. He was appointed executive director of the Camden Housing Authority in February, 1945, after serving as chief clerk of the Camden War Price and Rationing Board.
In March, 1949, Mr. Barnett suffered a heart attack and was similarly stricken a year later.
Besides his wife, Mr. Barnett is survived by a son, William, who is studying for the priesthood at the American College in Rome, and a daughter, Elizabeth, a student at Camden Catholic High School.
Mr. Barnett’s first wife, Elizabeth, died in June, 1954, and he remarried a year ago. A member of the Immaculate Conception parish, he also was a member of the Camden Moose lodge.
Prior to entering public life, Mr. Barnett was in the auto accessories business.
Funeral arrangements have not been completed.
W. F. Barnett Rites To Be Held Monday
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral arrangements were announced today for William F. Barnett, 55, of 1462 Wildwood ave., who died Wednesday following a heart attack.
Requiem high Mass will be sung Monday at 9 a.m. in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Friends will meet at 8 a.m. at the Robert J. Blake Funeral Home, 226 Collings ave., Collingswood, where they may call Sunday night.
Mr. Barnett, who was executive secretary of the Camden Housing Authority, was a member of the Men of Malvern and the 13th Ward Democratic Club.