William J. Strandwitz
William J. Strandwitz, c. 1928
William J. Strandwitz Sr. was born November 20, 1875 in Norway. He came to America in 1893. William Strandwitz married around 1905. He and wife Dorothy had five children, Margaret, William Jr., Norman, Robert, and John.
Around 1906 William Strandwitz established, with partner James J. Scott, the Strandwitz & Scott Company, a sheet metal fabricating firm at Delaware Avenue and Penn Street. The business was quite successful, servicing the many factories in Camden and vicinity. The 1910 Census shows the Strandwitz family at 546 State Street in North Camden. By 1920 William Strandwitz Sr. and his family were living at 325 Hawthorne Avenue in Haddonfield NJ. The Strandwitz family was still in Haddonfield at the time of the 1930 census.
William J. Strandwitz and James J. Scott became involved in the civic life of Camden City and Camden County. They were charter members of the Rotary Club of Camden when it was founded in 1912. In the 1920s partner James J. Scott was deeply involved with the construction and operation of the Walt Whitman Hotel. In the early 1930s, William Strandwitz was one of the leaders of the Citizens Relief Committee, a private sector organization devoted to aiding those most hurt by poverty from the Depression in Camden.
In 1942, youngest son John T. Strandwitz was killed while serving as an officer with the United States Marine Corps at Guadalcanal.
The Strandwitz and Scott Company became the William J. Strandwitz Company, Inc. sometime after November of 1936. By 1942 the firm had relocated to Jefferson Avenue and Master Street in South Camden. By 1947 William Strandwitz Sr. had moved to 18 Gilmore Avenue in Merchantville NJ, where he resided the rest of his years.
The William J. Strandwitz Co., Inc. had closed by the late 1950s. William J. Strandwitz passed away in August of 1967. He was buried at Locustwood Memorial Park in Cherry Hill NJ, where he rests with members of his family.
1913 Camden City Directory Buyer's Guide Advertisement
1913 Camden City Directory Buyer’s Guide Advertisement, Strandwitz & Scott Co.
1915 Advertisement
1915 Advertisement, Strandwitz & Scott Co.
Philadelphia Inquirer — October 27, 1918
F. Morse Archer, president of the National State Bank, is to direct the Camden drive for the war work fund. Former Judge William T. Boyle and William J. Strandwitz are the vice chairmen; Walter J. Staats is the treasurer and E. A. Stoll and David S. Rush, Jr., are the directors. The work in Camden city is to be done in six districts and the captains are E. G. C. Bleakly, James H. Long, William L. Hurley, F. B. Wallen, Wilbert Pike and Volney Bennett. Camden county’s quota is $227,500.
James J. Scott, 1925
James J. Scott, William J. Strandwitz’s Business Partner, 1925
Camden Courier-Post — July 5, 1926
Strandwitz & Scott Co. — The purpose of this plant with a staff of trained engineers is to assist manufacturers in their sheet metal problems.
$2700 Given Needy by Sears, Roebuck
Camden Courier-Post —
Employees of Camden Store Donate Half, Employer Rest to Mayor’s Committee
Blazing the trail in a county-wide relief program, Sears, Roebuck & Company, of this city, and 170 of its employees yesterday made a joint contribution of $2700 toward a general campaign fund that will be used to alleviate the sufferings of unemployed and needy persons.
One-half of the $2700 was subscribed voluntarily from the pay envelopes of the company’s employees, while the other half was a donation from the concern “matching” the amount raised by the workers.
The money, in check form, was turned over to Mayor Price’s committee on employment and relief at brief exercises at the Sears, Roebuck store, Admiral Wilson Boulevard. In behalf of the employees and the company, A. D. Corson, general manager of the Sears, Roebuck store in Camden, presented the check to William J. Strandwitz, general chairman of the mayor’s relief committee.
Pioneer In Relief Movement
First in the country to adopt this cooperative method of contributing toward a community relief fund whereby, employee and employer share in giving, is the Sears, Roebuck Company. The new policy has been adopted in stores of the concern throughout the nation.
The plan whereby the local store and employees raised their contribution is unique. Each employee contributed one day’s pay at four-week intervals during the last eight weeks of 1930.
This same plan will be followed during the first eight weeks of this year and the amount raised will be turned into the general relief fund which will be raised by the mayor’s committee in a drive for $100,000 to open Monday, Corson announced today.
Delivering a brief address at exercises in the store, Corson said:
“The plan whereby the employee gives one day’s pay out of each four weeks during eight-week periods is intended to make contributions easier for the employee. In this way funds are raised that otherwise would not be available for distribution here. Every division of this company throughout the country has received this suggestion to help the needy with enthusiasm.”
Million to be Raised
Corson estimated that the fund to be raised under this plan in Sears, Roebuck stores throughout the country would exceed $1,000,000. In each instance, he said, money contributed by employees will be “matched” by the concern.
“It gives the men and women with jobs,” said Corson, “the opportunity to help those less fortunate who are without work.”
Strandwitz, accepting the money in behalf of the mayor’s committee, praised the cooperative movement of the store and employees and characterized it as “the most inspiring thing in the relief campaign.”
“The Sears, Roebuck Company,” said Strandwitz, “has set a fine example for other concerns in Camden county and points the ways by which money may be raised to help the deserving needy in this section.”
Loyal D. Odhner, manager of the relief committee’s campaign, also commended the Sears, Roebuck Company and the employees.
Stewart Calls Clergy for Relief Conference
Camden Courier-Post —
Mayor Roy R. Stewart announced yesterday he has invited members of Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish clergy to attend a meeting at 10:30 a. m. today in the city commission chambers to discuss unemployment relief.
The mayor said he will ask the clergy of various denominations to cooperate with the municipal relief committee headed by William Strandwitz.
The meeting will be the first at which relief measures will be discussed since the committee was appointed several weeks ago.
Strandwitz Named Aide to Barnard
Camden Courier-Post —
Business Man Will Have Charge in Camden of State Relief Drive
William J. Strandwitz, chairman last winter of the mayor’s committee on employment and relief, yesterday was appointed Camden county director of emergency relief by Chester I. Barnard, state director at Trenton.
As county director of the state program, Strandwitz will be called on to ascertain the relief needs of communities in Camden County, coordinate public and private program throughout the county, stimulate the adoption of employment practices to facilitate the distribution of jobs, see that the county’s needy learn how to obtain help.
The post carries no salary. Barnard stated yesterday no salaries will be paid for relief administration at the expense of the state if it can be avoided. There is one exception, however, he said. That is in the instance of his deputy director, Colonel J. D. Sears.
“We will work under a schedule in Camden county,” Strandwitz said “that will virtually eliminate the dispensing of relief to persons who do not really need it. This is one of the most difficult phases of public relief work, but I am convinced it can be accomplished.”
“Greater stress than ever will be made this year in the matter of employment. All efforts will be made to provide work for those who honestly want it. The others will not be looked on with favor.”
Strandwitz lives in Haddonfield and is a director of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce. He is of the firm of Strandwitz & Scott, sheet metal concern, Camden.
47 More Men Join League to Aid Baird
Camden Courier-Post —
Professional and Business Leaders Back Camden Man for Governor
Forty-seven more prominent professional and business men yesterday joined the Baird-for-Governor Business Men’s League and pledged themselves to work actively in interest of David Baird Jr., for governor, and add special impetus to his campaign.
The league was organized this week at an enthusiastic meeting of 18 outstanding Baird supporters in professional and business life at the Camden Club, 315 Cooper Street. The league membership is open only to business, professional and industrial leaders who are not holding public office and who are not politicians.
The latest enrollments among community leaders pledging themselves to devote themselves to the Baird cause are the following:
F. Morse Archer, president of the First Camden National Bank; Clinton L. Bardo, president of the New York Shipbuilding Company and of the New Jersey Taxpayers’ Association; George C. Baker, of the Baker-Flick Company; Watson Shallcross, president of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce; Howard J. Dudley, Broadway merchant; Thomas E. French, prominent attorney; J. David Stern, publisher of the Courier-Post newspapers and of the Philadelphia Record; Wellington K. Barto, of the West Jersey Trust Company; Dr. Joseph Roberts, Cooper Hospital; William Clement, of the Clement Coverall Paint Company; Robert Wright, of the Haddonfield National Bank; Arthur J. Podmore, of the Camden Pottery Company; Nathan Leopold, Haddonfield druggist; Dr. J. Edgar Howard, of Haddonfield.
Dr. Alfred N. Elwell, of this city; Edward Preisendanz, Clarence Peters, N. Franks, of Franks & Sweeney; U. G. Peters, Ralph D. Baker, prominent real estate man; Archibald Dingo, George Bachman, Sr., and George Bachman, Jr., Dr. O. W. Saunders, Henry Cooperson, Leon Cooperson, Herman Z. Cutler, Charles Bauman, Harry Rose, George Austermuhl, Walter Gulick, Albert Voeglin, Howard Fearn, John A. Schlorer, Ernest L. Bartelt.
William S. Casselman, George M. Carr, J. Price Myers, Carl R. Evered, former president of the Camden County Real Estate Board; Francis B. Wallen, former president of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce; William H. Alff, Edmund J. Alff, Harry Pelouze, Walter Campbell, Dr. Thomas R. Bunting, Joseph F. Kobus and Henry E. Kobus.
Enrollments, it was announced, may be made through the following committee of the league:
Ludwig A. Kind, Thomas Gordon Coulter, Charles H. Laird, Walter J. Staats, Frank C. Middleton, Jr., Frank J. Hineline, William T. Read, Charles S. Boyer, W. W. Robinson, George R. Pelouze, Paul A. Kind, Dr. Paul A. Mecray, Jerome Hurley, Harry A. Moran, James V. Moran, William J. Strandwitz, former Judge Lewis Starr and Frank C. Norcross.
Relief ‘Chiseler’ Given Sixty Days
Camden Courier-Post —
Relief ‘Chiseler’ Given Sixty Days
Philadelphia Man Is Charged With Getting Camden ‘Poor’ Orders
A Philadelphian who obtained food in Camden in violation of the state relief law yesterday was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail.
Following the conviction, Emil Dethlefs, of the Camden county state relief committee, threatened wholesale arrests to all persons found receiving food in violation of the law.
The convicted man was William Mozitis, 25. He gave a fictitious Camden address as his own. Sentence was pronounced by Judge Pancoast.
Dethlefs, who also heads the Camden office of the state labor bureau, testified Mozitis represented himself as a Camden resident in attempting to obtain orders for food from one of the relief stations in the fire house at 1813 Broadway. Dethlefs charged Mozitis had actually obtained previous orders after giving addresses of 238 Boathouse row, foot of Jasper Street, and 1805 Mulford Street. Mozitis really lives in Queen Street, Philadelphia, Dethlefs said his investigation showed.
After the hearing, Dethlefs made a statement in which he said he and William J. Strandwitz, Camden county deputy director of state relief, are beginning a drive today to arrest “these pretenders who are receiving state aid and don’t need it.”
Dethlefs, in charge of the city’s 14 relief stations, stated that from now on all applicants for emergency relief will be even more carefully investigated than heretofore.
Strandwitz stated he was awaiting a report from Harry J. Belz, Collingswood relief director, concerning an employed Collingswood man, the owner of a home and automobile, reported to have received state emergency aid. The report from Belz, Strandwitz said, would determine whether he would make a complaint and order the arrest of the man.
Relief ‘Racketeers’ Must Repay Funds
Camden Courier-Post —
Relief ‘Racketeers’ Must Repay Funds
Jail Terms Loom If Two Men Fail to Return $116 to Board
Two violators of the state relief law escaped jail sentences in Camden police court yesterday on their promise to make restitution for emergency food orders they were charged with “snatching from the mouths of the worthy hungry.”
Arraigned before Police Judge Pancoast were Hezetiah Thomas, 49, of 1725 Master Street, and his step-son, Frank Thomas, 29, of 663 Central Avenue. Judge Pancoast deferred the case until Tuesday, June 28, to give them a chance to pay back to Emil Dethlefs, of the relief committee, a total of $116 they received in food orders.
Simultaneously, the war against “relief racketeers” turned to Collingswood where a man, the owner of his home, an automobile, and who has a telephone, was reported receiving relief on the pretense he and his family were needy.
Dunn Reports Case
A report on an investigation of the case was received by William J. Strandwitz, county deputy relief director, from William H. Dunn, Collingswood relief director.
The investigation, Strandwitz announced, disclosed the man was not at fault, but that his wife had confessed to obtaining emergency food orders without her husband’s knowledge. She needed the telephone, the report said, because she suffers a serious heart ailment and fears remaining alone in the house without it for fear of a sudden attack.
Disposing of the case, Strandwitz said he would permit the Collingswood man to make restitution for the $19.65 in food orders and fuel. He further stated he would intercede for the man in an attempt to have him reinstated with a Camden concern which dropped him from the payroll due to reports of relief law violations.
Strandwitz, however, issued a warning to other violators of the law should they be arrested. He was disposed to be lenient in this case, he explained, because of the reported illness of the wife and due to the extenuating circumstances under which the husband was involved without his apparent knowledge.
Restitution or Jail
In the police court case, Frank Thomas was charged by Dethlefs with obtaining $36 worth of food in $2 orders for 18 weeks while employed. Thomas denied in police court he had accepted orders while employed, but finally admitted his guilt under the questioning of Pancoast. He was threatened with six months in jail if he failed to make some payment for the food in two weeks.
Dethlefs and Pancoast agreed it was wiser to permit Thomas, who has a wife and child, to make restitution rather than send him to jail and throw the burden of his family’s support on the county.
Hezetiah Thomas, the father of three children, was charged with accepting $80 in food orders over a period of 28 weeks. Similar disposition was made of his case. He has been employed five years, Dethlefs charged.
Dethlefs announced that from now on all complaints concerning “relief racketeers” will be investigated whether they are anonymous or not. “I’ll stop this practice,” he said, “or break a leg trying. These racketeers are snatching from the worthy hungry.”
Engagement of Miss Mary Hopkins Coles to Norman Scott Strandwitz
Camden Courier-Post —
The engagement of Miss Mary Hopkins Coles to Norman Scott Strandwitz was announced yesterday by her brother, Joseph H. Coles at a bridge given at their home on Kings Highway and Church road, Colestown. Miss Coles is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Huelings Coles, of Colestown. She is a graduate of Moorestown Friends’ School. Mr. Strandwitz is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Strandwitz, of Haddonfield. He is a graduate of Haddonfield High School and the Peddie School and is now a student at Cornell University.
Guests at the bridge included Miss Margaret Wheeler, Miss Eva Francis, Miss Alta Mary Reagan, Miss Margaret Stokes and Miss Virginia Evans, of Moorestown; Miss Nancy Hopkins, Miss Aileen Haddon, Miss Dorothy Trumpy, Miss Margaret Strandwitz, Miss Mary Lee, Miss Betty Mahaffey, Miss Miriam Eppleman, Miss Betty Hopkins and Miss Barbara Nash, of Haddonfield; Miss Florraine Peterson, of Riverton; Miss Georgine Hughes, of Edgewater Park; Miss Mollie Burling, of Merchantville.
Odd-Job Campaign to Cover Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
Odd-Job Campaign to Cover Camden
Division of City Into Districts Announced as Part of Relief Program
An “odd-job campaign” to furnish relief to unemployed, will be launched in every direction of the city by the State Relief Administration with the support of civic, religious, fraternal and political organizations.
Plans for the campaign were announced yesterday by William J. Strandwitz, deputy director of the Camden district. The campaign will be under personal direction of Arthur M. Taylor.
The city has been divided into districts so that the solicitation of odd jobs will be intensified.
District No. 1, the Fourteenth ward, has been conducting a successful odd-job drive with 15 organizations participating. The drive was sponsored by Fairview Post No. 71, American Legion. More than 400 men were registered as unemployed in the ward, and jobs were obtained for more than 100. Nearly $3000 worth of work was given the men, such as mowing lawns, cleaning cellars, papering and painting homes, carpenter and mason work, automobile repairing.
Last night the second district, the Thirteenth and Seventh wards, was organized with John Stutzke, of 1433 Haddon Avenue, as chairman, and Mrs. Joseph Haleski, 1409 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, as vice chairman. More than 25 churches, clubs, societies and lodges of the district are co-operating.
The members of these organizations will canvass the two wards on Wednesday night to register all unemployed men and women and to list all odd jobs. The jobs will be distributed from Fire House No. 8, 1116 Kaighn Avenue.
Taylor informs all home-owners that only skilled mechanics will be sent on jobs which require the services of such men. Every home that co-operates by offering work will receive a “service star,” indicating the home has enlisted in the war against depression.
District No. 3, the Eleventh and Twelfth wards, will be organized Tuesday night, and other wards will launch drives as their organizations are co-ordinated.
Stone Ousted for Humanness; ‘Gave Too Much Milk, to Poor Children,’ Jobless Union Hears
Camden Courier-Post —
Cramer Refuses Detailed Statement, But Intimates Ex-Director of Relief ‘Let His Heart Run Away With His Head’
Editorial: “—But the Greatest of These Is Charity” appears on page 10.
Dr. Arthur L. Stone resigned as director of emergency relief in this city because of opposition to his humanness.
This was the inference drawn from both the city health bureau chief and Wayland P. Cramer, director of the Camden County Emergency Relief Administration, who requested Dr. Stone to quit.
According to Cramer, a municipal relief director “must not let his heart rule his head.”
Appointment of a successor to Dr. Stone was a topic of gossip about the city and county buildings yesterday. It was rumored that William W. Logan, at presently serving as manager in the county relief office, will be named as city director. Another report linked the name of William J. Strandwitz, who formerly was county director. A successor will be named by John Colt, of Princeton, who is state emergency relief administrator.
Dr. Stone’s comment regarding “the human side of city relief administration,” followed an expression by Clarence Moullette, executive secretary of the Unemployed Union of New Jersey, to the effect that the city physician’s ouster probably was motivated “because Dr. Stone was giving too much milk to babies.”
Further attempt to draw from Director Cramer his reason for requesting Dr. Stone to resign disclosed no specific charge. After first declining to comment Cramer did express his opinion as to the qualifications necessary for the city relief directorship.
Thought Stone Best Man
“It is not only my aim,” he said, “to be considerate of all people receiving relief, but to be considerate of those within my organization. That is the reason I am not talking about details incident to Dr. Stone’s resignation. I drafted him into the Relief office, because I thought he was the best man for the job. Affairs were in fine shape in the city administrative office when he took it over.
“However, this is a matter for John Colt to discuss. He is my superior.”
Cramer admitted that he has someone in the offing whose appointment to the city relief directorship he will recommend to Colt.
“It would be unfair for me,” said Cramer, “to mention the name of the man I have in mind, before Mr. Colt had asked for my recommendation.”
Dr. Stone said that he was “just as well satisfied” to be relieved of the city relief directorship which carries no salary.
“There was no salary to the job,” said Dr. Stone, “and it meant many long hours of work in addition to the duties of the health department. I enjoyed building up the relief organization most for the human side of it. I sent in my resignation to become effective immediately. I tried to do a human job.
“When I went to Cramer’s office this week,” continued Dr. Stone, “he did not specifically tell me what the matter was. He told me only that he was not satisfied with the way things were going in my department.”
Director Colt called today on the telephone at Princeton, said that he had not received Dr. Stone’s letter of resignation. If he accepts the resignation, Colt stated that he will immediately appoint a successor to Dr. Stone on the recommendation of Cramer.
Webster Elected Executive Head of Camden Boy Scouts
Camden Courier-Post —
30 Men Get Certificates as Leaders and Five Troops Receive Star Awards
Trophy for Veteran
Warren Webster, Jr., was elected president of the executive board of Camden County Council, Boy Scouts of America, at its annual dinner meeting last night. He succeeds J. William Markeim. The meeting was in the junior ballroom of the Hotel Walt Whitman, with 150 members attending.
Others elected were A. W. Stedman, honorary president; Joshua C. Haines, honorary commissioner; Dr. E. W. Roberts, first vice president; Albert M. Bean, second vice president; Walter G. Garlan, third vice president; Elmer J. Williams, treasurer; Col. G. Barrett Glover, commissioner; S. Lewis Davis, Cub commissioner; Webster and Davis, National Council representatives; Stedman, trustee for one year, Webster, trustee for two years and Lorenzo J. List, trustee for three years.
All were named by a nominating committee of which William J. Strandwitz was chairman. Bean was chairman of the meeting and List was toastmaster at the dinner which preceded it.
As chairman of the training committee, Bean presented certificates to 30 men who had completed courses in Scout leadership.
Commissioner Davis presented awards to the following “star” troops: 65, of Haddonfield; 117, Runnemede; 112, West Collingswood; 105, Collingswood, and 82, Westmont.
The Council awarded to Edward W. Tomkins a bronze statuette of a Boy Scout as a trophy in recognition of 25 years service as a Scouter.
Tomkins, who began his career as a Scouter in 1913, has been successively assistant scoutmaster of Troop 2, scoutmaster of Troop 3, scoutmaster of Troop 21, assistant camp director of county Scout camps, field executive of Camden city, merit badge councilor and examiner and has held numerous other positions organizing and furthering the Boy Scout movement.
The principal speaker was E. Urner Goodman, national director of program, whose subject was “Building a Stronger Generation,” the theme of the anniversary week of the Boy Scouts to be celebrated February 6 to 13.
There was an invocation by Rev. Albert F. Banse, pastor of the Francis Childs M. E. Church, West Collingswood, and a program of vocal selections by Mrs. L. J. List, soloist, and the Franklin Quartet.
Camden Courier-Post — April 4, 1940
STRANDWITZ TO OUTLINE SCANDINAVIAN POSITION
The precarious position of the Scandinavian countries in the European War will be analyzed by William J. Strandwitz, a Norwegian by birth and American by adoption, at tomorrow’s weekly luncheon meeting of the Camden Kiwanis Club.
Sharing the spotlight with this serious discussion will be a belated “April Fool’s” program under the direction of C. A. Lotz and J. Frank Hanly.
A delegation of Camden Kiwanians headed by John B. Kates will make a visitation to the Atlantic City club next Thursday, leaving the Walt Whitman Hotel at 10:30 a.m. The occasion is the appearance at the shore of Bennet O. Knudson, president of Kiwanis International.
Camden Turrets Spell Terror
Camden Courier-Post —
Strandwitz Firm Turns Out Metal Parts for Ships
Shops Work Overtime on Variety of Work for U. S. Navy
Component parts of ships which will soon take an active part in battle against Axis powers are being made in Camden at the plant of William J. Strandwitz & Co., Inc., Jefferson and Master Streets.
The Strandwitz firm is already ahead of schedule on Navy contracts for companionways, hatchways, hatch covers, engine room tanks, ventilators, pyrotechnic lockers, projectile storage lockers, powder tanks and other sheet metal construction.
Chief among the company’s work now is the riveting and welding of bulkheads for sub-chasers under construction at the Mathis Shipyard. Seven of these bulkheads will be later assembled to put aboard each ship as it is launched.
Strandwitz workers are engaged in making metal superstructure and underdeck necessities for more than 16 Navy ships, two of which will be launched from the ways of the Delaware Bay Shipbuilding Company at Leesburg and 14 on the Mathis schedule in Camden.
These are two pictures among many that could be taken every day in and around the Strandwitz shops. At the top a specially designed auto-crane, itself a product of Strandwitz ingenuity, is hauling part of a turret for a Camden-made Navy ship into position—Joseph Burke and Robert Thiede are the employees in the photo. Below, Oscar Sanse, a riveter, is working on another of the prefricated turrets.