William T. Bailey
WILLIAM T. BAILEY was born in Gloucester County NJ in 1836 to William Bailey and Lynda Denstan Bailey. He married Elizabeth McFarland on November 17, 1859 at the Methodist Episcopal Parsonage in Clarksboro NJ, a few miles south of Woodbury. The Baileys had at least three children, John Leonard Bailey born about 1859, William T. Bailey Jr., born about 1865, and Emmarilla Bailey born about 1869.
By the time the 1870 Census was taken William T. Bailey was living in Camden NJ with his wife and three children. He was then working as a fire and life insurance agent. He would engage in a variety of business pursuits over the next four decades, and was among the leading businessmen in the city.
The 1880 Census shows William T. Bailey owning a home at 203 State Street in north Camden. His next door neighbor at 301 State was Augustus Reeve, the oilcloth manufacturer, and Richard Esterbrook, of the Esterbrook Pen Manufacturing Company, lived at 303 State. Other prominent neighbors were John J. Burleigh at 326 State, William Bleakly at 316 State, and Joseph Troth at 220 State Street. William T. Bailey remained a resident of 203 State Street through the 1880s into the 1890s. By 1896 he had moved to 120 Cooper Street.
William T. Bailey appears in the Camden City Directories in the years 1887 through 1891 in connection with several businesses. Working out of offices at 106 Market Street, he was a partner with A. B. Nelson in the firm of Bailey & Nelson, engaging in railroad and bridge construction. He was secretary of the Barnegat City Beach Association, with Benjamin F. Archer and Enoch Boice being the other officers; and with Boice and Charles T. Parry he was treasurer of the Staffordville Gravel Company. William T. Bailey also had his own contracting business. Taking part in the great wave of house building that took place in Camden in the late 1870s and 1880s, William T. Bailey in 1888 built and sold rows of homes between North 5th and North 6th Streets, on State, Bailey, Grant, and York Streets. It is highly likely that Bailey Street in North Camden was named by and/or for him.
The 1890–1891 City Directory shows that William T. Bailey and his partners had moved their offices to 301 Market Street, the then newly-opened New Jersey Trust building, better known as the Security Trust building. He also had joined Edward Ambler Armstrong and John J. Burleigh in a new enterprise, the Camden Lighting And Heating Company, with offices at 40 North Front Street. Another Bailey business was the Camden Storage Warehouse Company, whose building was destroyed by fire in May of 1904.
The Home for the Aged and Infirm of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the County of Camden, State of New Jersey, was incorporated February 3, 1890. It was formally opened April 15, 1890. It was furnished complete at 531 York street, Camden, N. J., with Auxiliaries from eight churches, as follows: Centenary, Tabernacle, Third Street, Broadway, Wiley, Union, Haddonfield and Gloucester M. E. Churches. William T. Bailey of Centenary M. E. Church, donated the rent, amounting to $20 per month, toward the fund for a permanent building. During the first year nine old ladies became members of the Home.
Elizabeth Bailey passed away on September 25, 1896. William T. Bailey married Jessie Haberstrom on March 25, 1898. William T. Bailey passed away on October 31, 1908.
Model Homes
Camden Post —
Finished with the Latest Improvements, and containing all Modern Conveniences. These Houses are finely located in a high and healthy portion of the city, and will make delightful homes. Street cars will be at the door by July 1. Five minutes to the ferry and ten minutes to Philadelphia. The terms on which these houses will be sold are unexceptionably easy. A large share of the purchase money can remain at 5 per cent. as long as desired, or be paid off at the convenience of the buyer.
They are all situated between Fifth and Sixth Streets, on Bailey, Grant, York and State Streets. Inspection of the above solicited.
W. T. BAILEY, Owner,
N. J. TRUST BUILDING, CAMDEN, N. J.
In the Political Whirl
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden in a Lively Congressional Contest.
ANTI-GRATZ WORKERS ENCOURAGED
Campaign Jottings of Interest Gathered at the City and State Committee Headquarters of Both Parties.
There was widespread interest in the Republican delegate election in Camden county last night. Delegates were chosen to the Congressional District Convention, which meets at Bridgeton on Thursday next. Hon. Thomas H. Dudley and Christopher Bergen were the rival candidates, and the latter’s friends claim to have carried every ward in the city.
During the voting at the Fourth ward polls Policeman Ikey Scheeve got into an altercation with two men named Richmond and Walters. It is alleged that he used a blackjack without provocation. The two men who were assaulted immediately engaged the services of a lawyer, who will cause Sheeve’s arrest to-day on the charge of assault and battery. Following are the delegates elected in Camden city and in the various townships:
First Ward—W. Baily, Isaac Githens, George Barrett, Frank Welch and Howland Croft.
Second Ward—J. Willard Somers, Frank C. Somers, John Wells, W. H. Day and Samuel Bakely.
Third Ward—Dilwyn Pettit, J. Milton Powell, David Freeman, Sr., George Denny and Albion Lane.
Fourth Ward—Everett Ackley, Samuel M. Gall, William Ireton, Joseph Brown and Howard Lee.
Fifth Ward—Christopher J. Mines, Jr., Frederick Parker, John H. Miller, David Rankin and Samuel Roach.
Sixth Ward—A. R. Dease, James Brown, Isaac Robinson, John Brother and James Hewitt.
Seventh Ward—John C. Edwards, M. D. Cornish, William K. Price, Reuben Gaskill and John W. Everman.
Eighth Ward—Samuel H. Mourey, William H. Smith, Herman Helmbold, E. Thompson and Thomas Watson.
Stockton township was carried by Dudley, and W. Harrison Livermore carried Woodbury. Centre, Delaware and Haddon townships of Camden county were carried by Bergen.
The Congressional district includes Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Cape May counties. The indications are that Congressman Hires will be renominated.
Corporation Elections
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CORPORATION ELECTIONS.
The Kaighn’s Point Ferry Company yesterday elected these officers and directors: President, Austin Corbin; vice president, A. A. McLeod; W. R. Taylor, secretary; W. A. Church, treasurer; directors, Austin Corbin, A. A. McLeod, George DeB. Keim, S. A. Caldwell, A. J. Antelo. W. R. Taylor, Herbert C. Felton. Herbert C. Felton was elected superintendent.
The West Jersey Title and Guarantee Company elected these officers and directors: President, Samuel H. Grey; secretary, William S. Cassleman; treasurer, D. Somers Risley; directors, Samuel H. Grey, Hon. William J. Sewell, Peter L. Vorhees, William S. Scull, E. N. Cohn, Franklin C. Woolman, D. Somers Risley, Peter V. Vorhees, Thomas E. French, William S. Cassleman and Alexander C. Wood.
The stockholders of the Camden Heating and Lighting Company elected these directors: E. A. Armstrong, J. E. Roberts, George Barrett, J. W. Morgan, William S. Scull, William J. Sewell, William T. Bailey, J. J. Burleigh, David Baird, Howard M. Cooper and Rene Gillon.
Many Houses Now Being Erected
Camden Daily Courier —
New Buildings Going Up.
Many Houses Now Being Erected
Closing Up Fall Operations and Preparing For the Coming Spring.
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 hundred foot four 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.
At Pavonia, Cramer Hill, Fairview and Dudley many new buildings are in course of erection and completion and building mechanics are busy and in demand at good wages.
Material men and the sash and door manufacturers are doing a rushing business, many of them being behind with their orders, while brick dealers and quarrymen are as busy as the rest furnishing the material in their line.
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 bordered by Sixth and Seventh streets and Benson and Washington. Another well-known operator made very strong efforts to secure this property, but Mr. Holl had an option on it and closed at $30,000. The ground is vacant with the exception of nine old houses owned by the Real Estate Investment Company. Mr. Holl has been in a number of large and successful building operations in this city, but this one will perhaps be the heaviest in which he has yet engaged. A street is to be cut through the block running north and south between Sixth and Seventh streets on which the houses will be set back twenty feet. All of the houses on the block will be three-stories in height and will be equipped with all of the newest improvements. Should the winter hold off, work may be commenced in a few weeks, but it is more than likely that nothing can be done until spring.
Bailey
Philadelphia Inquirer —
BAILEY—On September 22, 1896 Elizabeth, wife of William T. Bailey, aged 62 years. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral services, on Friday morning, September 25, at 10 o’clock, at her husband’s residence, 120 Cooper street, Camden, N J. Interment private, at Harleigh Cemetery.
Blaze Wrecked Camden Warehouse
Philadelphia Inquirer —
FIREMEN FIGHTING WAREHOUSE BLAZE
For the second time within two weeks Camden was yesterday visited by a disastrous fire, when the Camden Storage Warehouse Company’s building, at Delaware avenue and Cooper street, was almost gutted, causing a loss estimated at $50,000, partially covered by insurance.
The fire was discovered about 5 o’clock yesterday morning and shortly after a general alarm was turned in. The local firemen soon arrived and through heroic work prevented the surrounding buildings from being destroyed. By 7 o’clock the fire was under control.
While the fire was raging many women who had practically all their valuables stored in the warehouse without a cent of insurance stood about the doomed structure wringing their hands. Several burst into tears, giving a pathetic touch to the scene. Some lost a few dollars, while others saw hundreds going up in smoke.
Philadelphia offered to send assistance, as she did at the recent fire at the Victor Talking Machine Company’s plant, but it was not needed.
The large structure, of which the walls alone now remain standing, was five stories in height and composed of brick. It contained 600 storage rooms, which were nearly all filled with the household goods belonging to several hundred families. All the goods were, with few exceptions, reduced to ashes. The origin of the fire is unknown.
The business of the company was conducted by Ex-Postmaster William T. Bailey.