William H. Lickfeld

William H. Lickfeld was born in what was Prussia (after 1870 this was Germany) in March of 1850. He came to the United States in 1867. In 1878 he married Emma Gaebler. The 1880 Census shows William and Emma Lickfeld living in Philadelphia, where he operated a saloon on Reed Street.

William and Emma Lickfeld lived in Pennsylvania through at least May of 1888. Four children were born in the 1880s, William E., Emma, Agnes M., and Frederick. Sadly, Emma died at 11 months of age in 1884.

The 1900 Census shows William and Emma Lickfeld living at 454 Academy Street in Glassboro, New Jersey, where he operated a hotel, known, appropriately enough, as the Academy Hotel. The family included sons William and Frederick, and a daughter, Agnes.

By 1906 William Lickfeld had moved to Camden where he operated a bar at 200 Mickle Street. He made his home with his wife Emma and their three children at 425 Stevens Street. Sadly, Fred Lickfeld passed away at the age of 19 on June 21, 1907. The following July, William Lickfeld sold his business at 200 Mickle Street to Harry Wein. By 1910 and most likely sooner William Lickfeld had obtained the saloon at 818 Broadway which had been owned and operated from 1892 through 1906 by Nicholas Dillon. With the help of son William Ernest Lickfeld, he operated the saloon until his death on February 7, 1919 at the age of 69.

William Lickfeld was survived by his wife, daughter Agnes, son William Ernest Lickfeld and his wife Ruby and their sons William Alpha Lickfeld and Frederick E. Lickfeld. The Lickfeld family kept the saloon open into 1920 but by 1924 were no longer running the business. Mrs. Lickfeld retained ownership of the property into the 1930s.

John Pennington was operating the bar by 1933, and continued to do so into the 1950s. William Ernest Lickfeld was still living in Camden and was working as a bartender at what was his father’s saloon at 818 Broadway as late as 1946.

Thanks to Karen Whyte, great-great-granddaughter of William H. Lickfeld, and Evelyn Hayes, great-granddaughter of William H. Lickfeld, for their help in creating this page.

To the inspiring strains of Olin Wright’s orchestra, David Duffy, as grand conductor, and Mrs. Mary E. Parker, of Gloucester, led the grand march of over one hundred couples at last night’s fourth annual ball amid a scene of social splendor and gaiety of the Bartenders’ International Union No. 263. That genial gentleman, Andy Maguire was in charge of the festivities and that capable policeman, “Buck” Taylor, along with Phil Knauff, John Gilbert, “Kid” Begley, Sergeant Pete Stow preserved the best of order, in fact there was no disorder, everybody being in good humor and out for a good time.

The officers of the ball are as follows: Grand conductor, David Duffy; assistant grand conductor, James Martin; floor managers, John McNulty, Claude Reinwick, John Brosel.

Officers—David Duffy, president; James Martin, vice-president; William Dischert, secretary-treasurer; Anthony F. Petry, recording secretary; William Stetler, chaplain; Michael Flynn, inspector; Matthew Flanagan, inside guard; William Sultzbach, press agent; Harry Wible, business agent.

Ball Committee—Harry Wible, chairman; Anthony Petry, secretary, William Dischert, treasurer.

Trustees—Philip Gorman, chairman; Harry Neutze, William Lickfeld.

Executive Board—Harry Wible, chairman; Philip Gorman, George A. Koehler, William Dischert, Anthony Petry.

Printing Committee—Alex. Weill, chairman.

Refreshment Committee—Philip Gorman, chairman.

Police Committee—Matthew Flanagan.

Delegates to Central Labor Union—Andrew J. McGuire, John Kelly, Daniel Whalen.

It being St. Patrick’s Day, the colors of old Erin, even to Mrs. Neutze giving away green eggs at her hospitable lunch table, predominated, and the full moon like a big yellow chunk of cheese, was hanging amid the twinkling stars on the western horizon when Ball Chairman Harry Wible left the festal ball with a grip full of the coin of the realm.

Official Journal of the Hotel & Restaurant Employees International Alliance & Bartenders International League of America

Dear Sir And Brother—Another good report from Local 263: One of the largest crowds that has ever assembled in Eagles Home, 415 Broadway, participated in our fifth annual ball, which was held Friday evening, February 16. From every standpoint the affair was the most brilliant ever held by the local. It was estimated that about 1,400 persons attended. The dining hall was handsomely decorated with practically the same trimmings that featured the Hebrew Ladies’ Aid Community Hall, which were considered the prettiest that ever graced the walls. Through grotesquely carved swinging lanterns came the soft, pink rays of light, making the scene a handsome one. There were thirty-two dance numbers on the program, eight more than the usual number. The couples started to dance early, and “early” in the morning they were still at it, whirling about the floor, and keeping time with the strains of music rendered by Olin Wright’s famous orchestra. There was no grand march this year, the feature being eliminated because of the density of the crowd.

The ball committee was composed of the following: John H. Riddle, grand conductor; William Lickfeld, assistant conductor; John J. Coffey, John McNulty and Edward Steigerwald, floor managers; Charles Brown, Andrew Maguire, Frank Brewer, Joseph Mulvihill and Jesse Sawyer.

The following are the officers of Local 263: President, Philip J. Gorman; vice-president, William D. Potter; secretary-treasurer, William Dischert; recording secretary, Anthony F. Petry; chaplain, Andrew Maguire; inspector, Joseph Pierce; inside guard, Matthew Flanagan; trustees, Alexander Weill, Henry Neutze and John T. Kelly; press agent, William Sultzbach.

We held our regular semi-monthly meeting Sunday, February 18th, and the report of the ball committee showed it the grandest success of anything ever undertaken by the local. One new member was initiated and we are working hard to have every bar unionized.

William Sultzbach, Press Agent, Local 263