The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 83

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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511

THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

than halfa century was a great market for the pine and oak timber brought there from the head-wa- ters of the Susquehauna.

Much of the lumber of the present day is shipped here by rail, in the form of boards and manufac- tured lumber in various shapes, from the great lum- ber centres of the West, and Central Pennsylvania.

Among the first lumber dealers in Camden was Charles Ellis, who, in 1820 and later, was engaged in the business, and also kept store on the south- west corner of Second Street and Market, and Richardson Andrews, about the same time, had a lumber-yard on the corner of Third and Cooper ; Andrews had a lumber-yard on Market above Fourth, where he made shingles. The shav- ings were put upon the street and it was known as "Shingle-Shaving Hill." This was the term ap- plied to the locality on the east side of Fourth Street north and south of Market. There was a large pond extending north from the Baptist Church, and into this Richardson Andrews and Isaac Wilkins dumped their shingle-shavings, until the mound served the boys of 1815-20 for coasting purposes in the winter season. Andrews was the father of Samuel and Edward P. Andrews. He lived at the southeast corner of Third Street and Cooper, and his lumber-yard and shingle-shop was to the east. Isaac Wilkins' lumber and shingle- yard was at Front and Market, extending as far east as the State Bank.

Gideon Stivers, a bridge-builder and carpenter, was a resident of Camden from about 1816, and later he had a shop on the corner of Fourth and Market, on the site of Odd-Fellows Hall. Stivers was a builder of considerable note and erected Coopers Creek Bridge, the bridge at the Falls of Schuylkill and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Cam- den. He continued in business in Camden until after 1840. In the year 1827 James Bromall, as- sisted by Joseph Edwards, proprietor of the distil- lery on Front Street, erected a saw-mill on William Carman's land, between Coopers Point Ferry and Cooper Street Ferry. This soon after was owned and operated by William Carman, and was con- tinued until July 8, 1835, when it was destroyed by fire, with large piles of lumber adjacent. Fire companies from Philadelphia and Camden were at the place and assisted in extingishing the flames, until the Philadelphia companies were.summoned to return by the old State House bell announcing a fire in that city. Mr. Carman at once began the construction of a larger mill upon the premises, and in November following a main building, forty-four by eighty feet, and a fire-proof engine-house, twenty by thirty-six feet, were erected and fitted

with a twenty horse-power engine, two large saws and a circular saw. He also erected a range of buildings for employees. In addition to the manu- facturing of lumber, Lehigh and Schuylkill coal was kept for sale. This mill was again destroyed on the night of June 7, 1845, and another saw-mill belonging to him, on the 5th of November the same year. They were both rebuilt and the busi- ness was conducted many years. The mills on the site are now owned by George Barrett & Co. In 1840 and before, Carpenter & Flannigan owned a saw-mill and lumber-yard, and a flouring-mill along the Delaware River, north of Penn Street. They did a good business, supplying, many large contracts, and prospered in their occupation. In 1854, or thereabouts, McKeen & Bingham succeeded them in the ownership of this yard and ran the saw-mill, but after continuing for a few years with success, the entire interest was destroyed by fire. As they did not own the land upon which the yard and mills were situated, the business, after the fire, was discontinued at this point. Ackley .& Wharton, and afterwards Abraham Ackley alone, for many years owned a lumber-yard which was. situated on Front Street, below Market. In order to better his location he secured a more eligible spot and moved his yard down to the corner of Second Street and Stevens, where Joseph Cooper became associated with him in the business, under the firm- name of Ackley & Cooper. In 1820 Isaac Smith was one of the first Inmber dealers in Camden, and also owned a large grocery store. He was suc- ceeded by John Browning, who was the owner of a lumber-yard above Market Street, and also sold lime.

William Carman, who started in the lumber business at the foot of Linden Street, and on Pearl Street, erected a steam saw-mill, as above mentioned, and enjoyed a large trade, the man- agement of which was under the control of George Stockham, the eldest brother of Charles Stockham, the well-known lumber merchant, whose yard and mill are at the foot of Vine Street. In 1852 Wil- liam S. Doughten and Henry B. Wilson, under the firm-name of Doughten & Wilson, engaged in the lumber business at Kaighns Point and were the pioneers in the business in the lower part of the city. Their yard was situated on Front Street, be- tween Kaighn Avenue and Chestnut Street. They did a general lumber business together until 1859. Mr. Wilson then opened a lumber-yard in Glouces- ter. He is now the well-known coal dealer, with his yard at Kaighn Avenue. Mr. Doughten built a planing-mill and afterwards became a partner with Charles B. Coles in the same business. Nor-

512

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

cross & Streets started a lumber-yard at Ferry Avenue and Mechanic Street in 1852, but soon thereafter moved to Philadelphia.

The steam saw mill, planing-mill and Ium- ber-yard at the foot of Vine Street, now owned and operated by Mr. Charles Stockham, were originated by Dock, Ott & De Haven in the year 1852. They previously had operated the Carman mill. Messrs. Dock, Ott & De Haven continued in the business but a short time, when Mr. De Haven purchased the entire interest and the ground upon which the mills and yard were situated, and in 1859 dis- posed of them to Charles Stockham and his broth- er, John Stockham. The firm of .J. & C. Stock- ham continued to exist from April, 1856, to April, 1882, a period of twenty-six years, during which time they met with continued prosperity. John Stockham, in 1882, retired from business and moved to a delightful home in Harford County, Md., where he now owns four large farms, twenty- three hundred acres, and there lives in retire- ment. Charles Stockham has been the sole pro- prietor in the business and is also the owner of . several farms in Maryland. When the Stockhams purchased the mills and lumber-yard from Mr. De Haven they made the necessary improvements for the manufacture of heavy lumber for ship- builders, for joists and for derricks, using for this purpose heavy white pine and oak timber, which was obtained from the forests of Pennsylvania and from the South.

They did a very extensive and prosperous busi- ness before, during and since the war, selling large orders of white-oak lumber to the various ship- builders in the large cities along the coast of New Jersey, Maine and Massachusetts. Their trade in oak lumber for a time was with the Eastern States, especially the State of Maine. They purchased an interest in vessels, upon which entire cargoes of lumber were sent to the New England coast and elsewhere. The pine lumber which Mr. Stock- ham manufactures is largely obtained in rafts from the lumber region of the Susquehanna River, in Pennsylvania. His lumber-yards and the mills cover an area of several acres, on which an average of three million five hundred thousand feet of lum- ber of all kinds and varieties have been kept in store. A very substantial saw-mill was erected, which is now supplied with a planer, three sets of lathes, vertical and circular saws, which are driven by an engine of eighty horse-power. In the steam planing-mill and saw-mill some of the sawed lum- ber is prepared for the use of contractors and for builders' supplies.

Mr. Charles Stockham, the enterprising pro-

prietor of the industry above described, and who has filled an important position in the lumber and other business interests of Camden, is of English descent. His grandfather, George Stockham, was born in Bristol, England. In the year 1765 he came to America, landed at Philadelphia and soon thereafter settled at a place now known as Schenck's, on Penn's Manor, near Bristol, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, going back to England the next year, where he was married to Elizabeth Biss, of his native town. In 1767 he re- turned, with his wife, to Bucks County, where he first located, and there followed the occupation of a farmer until his death, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. By this marriage were born three sons,-Thomas, George and John. The youngest son, John Stockham, was born near Bris- tol, Pa., and in 1824 moved to Harford County, Md., where he afterwards became a successful farmer, owning and cultivating a large farm until the time of this death, at the age of seventy-three years. He was married to Alice Smith, of Bristol, Bucks County, Pa. Their four sons were George, a successful lumber merchant of Philadelphia; Thomas, a farmer of Maryland; John, mentioned above as engaged in the lumber business in Cam- den; and Charles. Charles Stockham was born near Bristol, Pa., in 1820. When he was but four years old his father moved to Harford County, Md., where he attended the schools in the vicinity of his home and worked on his father's farm until the age of eighteen years, and in 1838 he came to Cam- den to live with his brother George, then engaged in the lumber business. He attended a Friends' school in Philadelphia, and soon afterward became a salesman of his brother George, then in the lum- ber business at Beach and Norris Streets, Phila- delphia, until 1856, when he engaged in the lumber business with his brother John, as above described, and in which business he has met with uninterrupted success. For many years he has been a stockholder and a director in the First National Bank of Camden. Mr. Stockham is a man of plain, unassuming manners, care- ful and judicious in all his business relations, a good judge of values, and, through his native energy and individual attention to the interests of his business, has had a prosperous and successful career in life. Originally a staunch Whig in the days of that party, he has since been an ardent advocate of the principles of the Republican party, though he never asked or desired positions of political preferment. Mr. Stockham was married, in 1858, to Mary Humes Tomb, a descendant of a prominent English family, of which the late Gen-

Charles Stockham

513

THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

eral Robert Toombs, of Georgia, and Hon. Jacob Tome, of Maryland, with a slight change in the spelling, are representatives. Her father, George Tomb, who married Jane Humes, of Milton, Pa., was a native of Lycoming County, Pa. He was largely engaged in the general merchandising, farming and lumber business of that section, and was a director and stockholder in the Williamsport Bank, but spent most of his time as a practical civil engineer and general contractor of large enterprises. He su- perintended the construction of the dam and bridge across the Susquehanna River, at Columbia, Pa., where the Tide-Water Canal crosses that stream. He also entered into a contract and made the Kana- wha River, in West Virginia, navigable for steam- boats. Mr. Tomb died at the age of seventy-seven years, his widow still surviving him. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stockham are Laura (mar- ried to Richard Pancoast, of Camden, with whom she has two sons, Charles and Richard); George T. engaged in the commission business in Philadelphia; Edward, who, in 1885, entered the United States Military Academy, at West Point, where he has gained prominence for proficiency in his studies ; and Mary H. Stockham, the youngest daughter, who is at home.

SCUDDER'S STEAM PLANING - MILL, at Front Street and Arch, has been in constant operation since 1866, and was established by John B. Thomp- son for the manufacture of doors, sash, blinds, shutters, mouldings, scroll work and other kinds of builders' material. In 1868 W. C. Scudder and Robert C. Cook bonght the mill and operated it, trading as Scudder & Cook. In 1871 they built a large addition to the mill, and made improve- ments which greatly increased the capacity. In May, 1874, W. C. Scudder bought the interest of Robert C. Cook, and continued the business alone until 1883, when his son, Reuben G. Scudder was admitted as a partner. An eighty horse-power engine is used ; sixty hands are employed ; a large lumber-yard covering three acres is also owned by this firm. A prosperous business is done.

GEORGE BARRETT & Co. own and carry on one of the largest saw-mills in Camden, which has been in operation for more than fifty years. It was run by different owners until 1878, when George Bar- rett and Aaron W. Patchin, trading under the firm-name of George Barrett & Co., bought the entire plant. There are seven buildings on the grounds, which include sixteen acres, between Pearl Street and Penn, and extend one thousand four hundred and forty-seven feet westwardly to the riparian line of the river. These buildings include the mill proper, three dwelling-houses, office, stable's and

sheds. The saw-mill is one hundred and twenty- five by one hundred and forty-nine feet, is arranged with three sets of gang-saws, four circular- saws, one lath-saw and two large planing-machines, and has been specially designed for the sawing of ship, wharf and bridge timbers, large girders, derrick frames, and is the only mill in Camden cutting curved timber for street railways. About twenty- five hands are employed. An extensive business is done. This firm recently constructed a wharf eight hundred feet long by ninety feet in width, . from high-water line into the river, which gives improved facilities for shipping the products of the mills.

HENRY FREDERICKS, for many years one of the most enterprising, successful and favorably-known business men of the city of Camden, was born at Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey, July 25, 1825, and obtained his education in the schools of his native town. When about sixteen years of age he left his home and entered a wholesale and retail grocery store in Hoboken, and there, by his faith- fulness to duty, won the approbation of his em- ployer and laid for himself the foundation for a career of prosperity and usefulness. He remained in the Hoboken store, and also acted as assistant postmaster, for a term of four years, and, at the expiration of that time, moved to Camden, in which city he has since resided. Here he first en- gaged as superintendent and general manager of the business of James Elwell, who was then post- master of the city and proprietor of the Railroad Hotel. In the mean time Mr. Fredericks sold the tickets for the Camden and Philadelphia Ferry Company. In this new field of labor he was com- paratively a stranger, but his gentlemanly deport- ment, accommodating manners and aptitude to the position soon won him many firm friends. Seven years of service under this employer gave him an intelligent knowledge of business, and fitted him for still more onerous duties. He was next chosen, in 1852, superintending clerk in the office of the ferry company, for which he had sold tick- ets in connection with his other business, and re- mained in that position for a period of six years. Upon the death of Mr. John J. Benson, the super- intendent of the ferry, he was elected to that posi- tion and most acceptably filled it for a term of one year, when he declined re-election, but subsequently served as an employee of the ferry company for a considerable time and then resigned. Determining to establish himself in business, he opened a hard- ware store at Fourth and Federal Streets. By un- daunted energy and rare executive ability he gradually increased his trade, and was thus neces-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

sitated to make additions and improvements to his store in order to meet the demands. After remain- ing at that place for several years, and having built up a large and profitable business with the builders and dealers in the surrounding country as well as the city, John S. Read erected for him a large and commodious store building at Third and Federal Streets, into which he removed and connected with the hardware trade the sale of window-sash, blinds and doors. As his business continued to grow and prosper, he erected for him- self a building in which to conduct his store, on Federal Street, below Second, and moved into it in 1864, He has there regularly continued to en- joy a large trade for nearly a quarter of a century. In May, 1884, he built a store of brick, twenty by ninety feet, and three stories high, for the recep- tion of sash, doors, blinds, etc., his other building not being large enough to meet the increased de- mands of his business.

Sheriff Fredericks, the name by which he is best known, was obtained through his eleetion to the office of sheriff of Camden Connty by the Democ- racy, to whose principles and party he has always been a devoted adherent. He first served in official position in 1856, as tax collector for the Middle Ward of Camden, and the next year and in 1860 was the Democratic nominee for the office of coun- ty clerk and received more than the party vote. His election to the office of sheriff, in 1870, by a majority of over two hundred, in a county which for the head of the ticket at the same time gave a large Republican majority, was a signal triumph for him, no other Democratic candidate having been elected for a period of twenty-three years previous- ly. He administered the duties of the office of sheriff greatly to the satisfaction of his constitu- ents. It was during his term, and by his special act, that the noted criminal, John Ware, was brought to justice and hanged for the murder of his father, it being the first execution in Camden County.

Since the year 1876 Mr. Fredericks has served as a director in the First National Bank of Cam- den. In 1884 he was appointed by Governor Leon Abbett, for a term of four years, a member of the Council of State Charities and Correction. This body is composed of seven members, of which the Governor is president. Mr. Fredericks was first married to Judith Ann Horner, danghter of John and Elizabeth Horner, and to this union were born four children,-Lizzie (deceased), William H., Henry F. and Lewis C. (deceased). By his second marriage he has had three children,-Elias M., Howard P. (deceased) and Josiah Wallace.

William H. Fredericks, the eldest son by the first marriage, was born in 1854, and was educated in the public schools of Camden, Pennington Seminary and William Fewsmith's Select School, in Philadelphia. In 1872 he entered his father's store as assistant book-keeper. During the past eight years he has had the superintending charge of the extensive business interests of his father, and in this position has shown rare executive and administrative abilities. He was married, in De- cember, 1884, to Clara R. Rotan, of Philadelphia, Pa. They have one child, Edna R. Henry Fra- zee, the second son, is a clerk in the wood depart- ment of the store; Elias Morgan, the third son, is a clerk in the hardware store; Josiah Wallace, the youngest son, is a student at Chester Military Academy.

GEORGE A. MUNGER & BRO. are manufacturers and wholesale dealers in North Carolina pine lumber. Their planing-mill in Camden is on North Delaware Avenue. George A. and Chauncey W. Munger, the members of this firm, began, in 1883, the business of planing and preparing North Carolina pine lumber for the market. They ship their lumber direct from their own mills in that State, one of the brothers being constantly engaged in manufacturing and shipping the same to their yards in Camden and large wharves on the river. The planing-mill is thoroughly equipped with five new machines for the preparation of their Inumber for the trade, and the planers are of their own design, and patented. The machinery is driven by a forty horse-power engine. Twenty hands are constantly employed. The firm do a large wholesale business principally with the Pennsylvania and New Jersey trade.

THE BUILDERS' MILL, on Cherry Street, owned by William H. Wilkins & Co., has a front of sixty feet, and a depth of eighty-eight feet, and was built in 1882 by James F. Davis, for the produc- tion of finished material used in his business as contractor and builder, and who still occupies a portion of the building. In March, 1886, he leased the mill to the present proprietors, William H. and E. A. Wilkins, who are at present engaged in the manufacture of builders' mill work, such as sash, doors, blinds, etc. Various improved and patented machines for the production of window- frames and inside blinds are driven by an engine of thirty-five horse-power, with forty horse-power boilers. The company is preparing to build on their ground, opposite the mill, a large warehouse for the storing of builders' material to supply the trade.

THE PLANING-MILL, on Second Street, below Roydon, was built in 1882 by Wilson Ernst, a

515

THE CITY OF CAMDEN.

prominent builder of Camden, for the manufacture of door and window-frames, sash, blinds and build- ers' material, used in his business. For several years prior to the building of this mill he had con- ducted a similar one on Seventh Street, above Roydon. The mill he now owns is fitted up with planers, moulders, and mortising machinery for rapid production of finished work, and which is run by a steam-engine of fifteen horse-power. Twenty-five hands are employed, and the products are used in the buildings which the proprietor has in course of construction in Camden.

C. B. COLES' PLANING-MILL, corner of Front and Liberty Streets, is owned by Charles B. Coles, who, in 1864, in connection with William S. Doughten, started the business on Front Street, corner of Chestnut, the firm-name being Doughten & Coles. They continued in partnership until 1870, when they dissolved, and Charles B. Coles built his own mill at the present location. The mill is two stories in height and one hundred feet square and is equipped with all improved machin- ery for dressing timber, scroll and other kinds of sawing, and for the manufacture of doors, sash, blinds and builders' materials of various kinds. A large space is set apart as a box manufactory, where boxes of all kinds, from the smallest size tea- box to the largest size packing-boxes, are made to order. Soon after the erection of the mill his business had so greatly increased that he found it necessary to purchase ground along the entire river-front in the rear of his mill for the storing of lumber. The manufactured products were also in great demand and to keep up a lot of seasoned goods in this line, he had erected a three-story brick office and a large store-house at No. 14 Kaighn Avenue, where the goods were stored and primed. The local trade is large, and contractors from Cape May, Atlantic City, Delaware and Maryland are supplied from this mill. Since the improvements made by the Reading Railroad Company he has his timber shipped direct from the West, while his facilities for shipping are unsur- passed. From seventy-five to one hundred hands are employed. This industry is one of the most important in South Camden and the business is of very large proportions.

CHARLES B. COLES, who is prominently identi- fied with the business interests of the city and county of Camden, is a lineal descendant of Sam- uel and Elizabeth Coles, who emigrated from Coles Hill, Hertfordshire, England, and landed on the Jersey shore of the Delaware River a few miles above the site of Philadelphia, before that city was founded. Samuel Coles was a hatter in

his native country, and doubtless plied his trade among the few settlers here in the primitive forests of New Jersey when he first arrived. He built a house near the spot where he landed, but soon afterward moved farther eastward, and on the 13th day of the Third Month, 1682, obtained a right of survey for five hundred acres of land on the north side of the mouth of Coopers Creek and fronting on the river. His nearest neighbor, William Cooper, about the same time settled on the oppo- site side of the creek, in the midst of an Indian village of Shackomaxin. Samuel Coles sold part of his land to Henry Wood and purchased five hundred acres on the south side of Pemisaukin Creek aud removed there in a house already erected. He gave the name of this place New Orchard, which was situated near the head of the south branch of that stream, but has now lost its identity. He subsequently owned more than one thousand acres of land, then mostly an unbroken forest, but now many valuable farms, some of which are owned by direct and collateral branches of the family which he founded in America. Samuel Coles was a member of the Legislature in the years 1683 and 1685 and had much to do with the polit- ical trouble of the province of New Jersey, among which was the settlement in 1685 of the first boundary line between the counties of Burlington and Gloucester. About 1790 he went on a visit to England and on his way back to New Jersey the vessel on which he was sailing stopped at the Island of Barbadoes, where he was taken sick of a fever and died.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 83

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220