C. Leonard
Brehm

CARL LEONARD BREHM, better known as C. Leonard Brehm,  was born on January 7, 1888 in Pennsylvania to George and Barbara Brehm. His father is first listed in Camden's City Directories in the 1890-1891 edition, when he was living and operating a lager beer saloon at 909 South 4th Street. By the time the Census had been taken in 1900, George Brehm had acquired the hotel and tavern at 35 Kaighn Avenue, adjacent to the Kaighn Avenue Ferry.  Besides C. Leonard Brehm, the family included sisters Hattie and Mina, and brothers George Jr. and Emile. The family remained at the Kaighn Avenue address for many years afterwards. George Brehm Sr. passed away sometime after 1900.

Older brother George Brehm Jr. operated the hotel and tavern at 35 Kaighn Avenue as early as 1918. The brothers were living there at the time of the 1920 Census, along with sister Mina Brehm and their widowed mother Barbara. The business was adjacent to the ferry terminal on Kaighn Avenue at Front Street operated by the Reading Railroad. George Brehm also operated a cafe at 437 Kaighn Avenue in the early 1920s, after Prohibition had gone into effect.

From 1924 through 1933 C. Leonard Brehm is on record as operating the cafe at 35-37 Kaighn Avenue. Active in politics, C. Leonard Brehm served as Camden County Freeholder from Camden's Fifth Ward in the years 1930 through 1933. 

Sadly, C. Leonard Brehm was drowned in a boating accident on the Delaware River in June of 1936. His wife and son Carl Leonard Brehm Jr. survived the accident. Carl Leonard Brehm Jr. later joined the United States Navy.

The widowed Mrs. Frances Brehm married Camden plumber and construction official Urquhart A. "Urkie" Ward. C. Leonard Brehm Jr. returned to Camden after World War II and was living with his mother and Mr. Ward at 1513 Princess Avenue in the Parkside section of Camden NJ when the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled. The young Mr. Brehm made a career of the Navy, retiring in 1971.

“Urkie” and Frances Ward moved from Princess Avenue to South 27th Street in East Camden sometime in the 60's. They lived there until about 1972 or 73 when they retired to Florida. “Urkie” Ward passed away not too long after that. Frances Ward passed away in Florida in 1983. She is buried at Harleigh Cemetery between her husbands, C.Leonard Brehm and Urquhart Ward. 

February 20, 1928

Fifth Ward Republican Club
Kaighn Avenue

Bernard Bertman
Leonard Brehm
John Carroll
George Cotter
Charles H. Elfreth
Kirby Garwood
Rox Gimello
Theodore Kausel
William Kensler
George W. Nichols
Winfield S. Price
Leo B. Rea
Clay W. Reesman
David S. Rhone
Harley C. Shinn

Camden Courier-Post
December 1, 1930

Robert Ashenfelter
William Stein
C. Leonard Brehm
Front Street
South 2nd Street
Federal Street

Camden Courier-Post - February 7, 1933

JUDGE AVIS ISSUES 7 BENCH WARRANTS; BREHM DISMISSED
Former Dry Agent Witness Against Freeholder Fails to Appear
12 WILL BE TRIED TODAY

Fifty-six liquor 1aw violation cases were called in U. S. District Court here yesterday and 19 defendants paid $1265 in fines. Judge John Boyd Avis issued bench warrants for seven who failed to appear.

The case against Freeholder C. Leonard Brehm, who has a cafe at 37 Kaighn Avenue, was dismissed for lack of evidence. A prohibition agent who no longer is in the service had reported making a purchase of whiskey there last April, but he could not be found yesterday. 

Three Plead Guilty

Three defendants pleaded guilty and were fined $200 each. They are George Karp, 48 South Massachusetts Avenue, Atlantic City; Martin Zimmerman, of 288 South Massachusetts Avenue, Atlantic City, and Peter Coppejan, alias Peter Smith, of 3016 Arctic Avenue, Atlantic City. 

The seven men for whom bench warrants were issued are Benjamin Brinan, of Vineland; Harry Benzuk, of 3215 Alabama Road, Camden; Louis Carlino, of 322 Benson Street; John Deegan, 160 Ocean Avenue, and Cilvio Tonetti, of 9 Florida Avenue, both of Atlantic City; Louis Eberle, of 714 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, and Samuel Berger, of 166 South New York Avenue, Atlantic City. The last two were reported to be in Florida. 

Two cases against William Koehler, 2101 Broadway, Camden, were continued until Friday owing to absence of his counsel. 

2 Put on Probation

Robert Stretch, 23, of Ocean City, former life guard there, and Roland B. Palmer, Jr., 24, of Belmar, were placed on probation for two years on charges of transportation and possession of liquor. A truck on which they were riding was picked up by the Coast Guard at Somers Point last October, with 161 cases of liquor aboard. Judge Avis said he disliked sending young men to jail and warned them against continuing in the liquor business.

Stephen Di Caicco, of 121 South Missouri Avenue, Atlantic City, was fined $50 for possession of liquor in an automobile. His father is a turnkey at the Atlantic county jail. William Carson, of 208 White Horse Pike, Atlantic City, was fined $25 after telling the court that he was taking home to his ill father the small quantity of liquor found in his possession.

Fisherman Fined

A fisherman, Albert P. Cramer, of 46 East New Jersey Avenue, Somers Point, was fined $25. He admitted he fished two cases of liquor out of The Thorofare, after the wreck of a rum running boat.

Others fined for possession, transportation, or both were : John Pizzi, of Minetola, $50; Harvey Wilson, of Upper Darby, Pa., salesman for a foundry supply house, $25; Ellis W. McCormick, 1238 North Twenty-sixth Street, Camden, $75; Harry Collins, 1004: South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, $$100 fine and his automobile forfeited.

Charles McLaughlin, 839 South Tenth Street, Gloucester, received a fine of $10 and 10 days in jail for making beer.

Others Pay Fines

Pete Weiner, of 1520 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City, was fined $25; Benjamin Plevinsky, 852 Locust Street, Camden, $50 for possession and maintaining a nuisance; John Allen, of Gibbstown, a former contractor, $50 on same charges; Benjamin Mathis, of Somers Point, fined $15 automobile forfeited.

The name of Louis Del Duca, 330 Stevens Street, Camden, was called, and no one appeared. He recently was sent to prison for five years for robbery in Salem county. The case will be held against him pending his release, it was said.

12 on Trial Today

Twelve defendants pleaded not guilty to possession and nuisance charges and will go on trial beginning today.

They are: Albert M. Somers, of Northfield, charged with rum running; John Dietrich, 1317 Memorial Avenue, Atlantic City; Louis Atlas, 24 South New York Avenue, Atlantic City; Allen Larkin, 809 Old White Horse pike, Absecon; Peter Capiozola, of Buena; Fred Yarrow, 3122 Bay Shore Avenue, Brigantine Beach; Hyman Kramer, of Missouri and Arctic Avenues, Atlantic City, and his brother, Benjamin, of 11 Centennial Avenue; Levi Kimbrough, colored, 2926 Peltz Street, Philadelphia; Louis Lorenzo, 115 North North Carolina Avenue, Atlantic City; Frank Stecker, 419 Dauphin Street, Riverside, and James T. Mulrey, of Egg Harbor.

Five others placed on probation for two years, in addition to Palmer and Stretch, are: Wilbur Steece, 18 South North Carolina Avenue, Atlantic City; Henry Roth, of Fairview, Bergen county; Clarence Love, of Millville; Ralph S. Miller, of Newfield, and George Gerber, of 111 South Albion Place, Atlantic City.