Introduction
William T. Comerford Jr. was born on February 28, 1889 to William and Ida Comerford in Camden, New Jersey. The family had recently moved to Camden from Delaware. William Comerford Jr. was one of at least eight children. The family was living at 417 Erie Street in North Camden in 1890, according to that year’s City Directory. His father worked as a caulker and as a ship carpenter at the many shipyards in Camden. When the Census was taken on June 1, 1900 the Comerford family was living at 13 North 21st Street in East Camden. The Census shows the Comerford children, aged 18 to 1, as Theodore, Charles, Howard, William (the census records him as Willie), Blanche, Paul, Pauline and George.
The family was living at 8 Marlton Avenue in East Camden when the 1906 Camden City Directory was compiled.
The 1914 Camden City Directory shows William Comerford and his family, including his parents, at 15 North 25th Street. He was then working as a clerk.
Republican party leader Jacob Schiller lived nearby (at one time around the corner on Federal Street) and it most likely was at his behest that William Comerford was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on November 26, 1916. During his career he served as a Battalion Chiefs Aide, at the East Camden firehouse from the time he joined the department through the end of 1920, then at the Engine Company 3 firehouse at 1813 Broadway. He was working in the title of District Chief’s Aide when he retired.
William Comerford was living at 2706 Westfield Avenue in East Camden when he registered for the draft on June 5, 1917. When the Census was taken in January of 1920 William Comerford, his wife Emma, their four sons, William III, Frederick, Roland, and Lawrence, and his parents were at that address. They were still at that address in 1927. When the City Directory for 1929 was compiled, the Comerford family had moved to 25 North 24th Street. The April 1930 Census shows William and Emma Comerford, his parents, their four sons, daughter-in-law Mildred, the wife of William III, and granddaughter Dolores at that address. By 1931 William Comerford had moved to 39 South 33rd Street. By 1940 he had moved to 3808 Westfield Avenue.
On November 16, 1940 Roland Comerford joined the Camden Police Department, where he had a long and distinguished career.
On March 18, 1941, firemen arrived at a working fire in a vacant dwelling at Chelton Avenue and Mulford Street, South Camden. As members were extinguishing the blaze, Fireman William Comerford discovered a moonshine still on the second floor. The building had been a contraband whiskey factory. Acting Chief Leonard Megee summoned police who confiscated fifteen gallons of stock.
William Comerford registered for the draft a second time in the spring of 1942. The family then lived at 3808 Westfield Avenue. By 1943 William and Emma Comerford had moved to 207 North 40th Street.
William Comerford Jr. having reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, retired on May 1, 1954. The Comerfords were still living at 207 North 40th Street as late as the fall of 1959. William Comerford Jr. passed away in November of 1964.
Changes Among Camden Firemen
Philadelphia Inquirer —
There are a number of changes that become effective in Camden’s Fire Department today. Charles Fitzsimmons, Jr., will become a lieutenant to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal of Israel Adams owing to physical infirmities. Irwin Price, of the Sixth ward, takes the place of William McCauley, dismissed, and Lewis Newman, of the Twelfth ward, will assume the duties of Harry Suters, resigned. William Cumerford, of the Twelfth ward, has been appointed a fireman to fill the vacancy caused by the promotion of Fitzsimmons.
Dismissed as Tipsy, Fireman Is Heard in Civil Service Plea
Camden Courier-Post —
‘Drunk on Duty’, Former Associates Testify at Garner’s Hearing
DECISION IS RESERVED
Testimony by fellow firemen that he “was so drunk he had to be lifted off a fire truck” marked the hearing of George W. Garner, a city fireman of 1266 Kenwood avenue, before Civil Service Commissioner William S. Etiles yesterday.
The case was the first Civil Service hearing in Camden in two years. Commissioner Stiles reserved decision.
Garner was dismissed on May 4, 1934, by Mayor Stewart in his capacity of director of public safety. The charge was “continued disobedience of orders and intoxication while on duty.” The defendant is married and has two children, one four years and one only three days old.
Capt. James Young, Garner’s superior officer at Engine Company No. 2, 619 Kaighn avenue, testified that he found Garner in a saloon with a woman on the evening of April 30 last.
Ignored Orders
“Garner had asked permission to go out about 7 o’clock and get coffee for the men,” said Captain Young. “Two hours later he went out without permission.
“Senior Captain Lawrence Newton and I went looking for him and found him in a saloon operated by Umberto DiClaudio at Sixth and Kaighn avenue. He was sitting at a table with a woman.
“I asked him what he was doing and he said the woman had a toothache.
“At 2.29 a. m. an alarm sounded, and when we went to take out the fire truck Garner was on the running board unconscious. We couldn’t rouse him and I had to assign two men, Chester Price and Irving Bishop, to carry him off. He was too intoxicated to move.”
Price and Bishop corroborated the testimony of their captain, as also did James A. Creato and William Comerford. Battalion Chief Leonard Magee, of Engine Company No. 3, testified he saw Garner after the fire and “the man was in a stupor.”
Looked Bad Next Day
Acting Fire Chief John H. Lennox said the next morning when he saw Garner, “He looked to me as if he had had a bad night.”
DiClaudio, the saloon proprietor, denied that Garner had bought anything to drink, saying he sold him 12 boiled eggs to eat.
Garner, on the stand, entered a general denial of the charges. He was represented by Morris Tartar.
Assistant City Solicitor Lewis Lieberman showed the court a resignation signed by Garner and dated March 10.
Mrs. Kobus Names 3 Cops, 4 Firemen
Camden Courier-Post —
Son of Former Fire Captain Among Men Appointed to Police Force
Appointment for three policemen and four firemen, all of whom will report for duty today, was announced yesterday by Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety.
The new policemen will be assigned to duty in company with older officers to gain experience. The new firefighters will be trained at the police fire school.
Edward D. Tatem, of 565 Mt. Vernon street, one of the new patrolman, is a son of former Fire Captain William Tatem. Tatem is a graduate of Camden High School. Roland E. Comerford, of 2931 Cramer street, who also was appointed to the police force, is a son of Fireman William Comerford, chauffeur for Battalion Fire Chief Charles Erickson. Young Comerford is a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School.
The third new policeman is Joseph Hooven, of 918 North Nineteenth street. He is a Camden High graduate and also studied two years at Villanova College.
Those appointed firemen are Phillip H. Farrow, of 529 Newton avenue; John Gryckiewicz, of 810 North Front street, Thomas Winstanley, of 329 Bailey street, and Anthony Bretschneider, of 1621 Louis street.
Farrow and Gryckiewicz graduated from Woodrow Wilson and Gryckiewicz served a four year enlistment in the Navy. Bretschneider graduated from a Philadelphia high school and attended evening classes at Woodrow Wilson.
All appointments were made from a State Civil Service Commission list of eligibles. Commissioner Kobus has adopted a policy of appointing high school graduates to both the police and fire departments.
Photos
Undated 1949 photo showing William Comerford, driver for Camden’s fire chief, passing out circulars to recruit support for police and fireman pay raises in front of the Alfred Cramer School.
Personnel Record
Camden Fire Department personnel record for William T. Comerford Jr.