Camden People - Carl F. Kellman

CARL F. KELLMAN was born in 1894 to Louise D. "Lulu" and Carl L. Kellman. He was the oldest of four children, coming before Helen, Frederick, and Alma. His father was born in 1868 in Germany; he came to America in 1891. His mother was born in Pennsylvania in 1870. They met and married soon after he arrived in America.

The Kellmans moved to Camden in late 1899 or early 1900. They are not listed in the 1899 Camden City Directory, however, when the census was taken on June 7, 1900 the family was living at 2919 High Street in East Camden. Carl L. Kellman worked making surgical instruments, his younger son Fred would also work as a toolmaker as an adult.

Carl Kellman attended Camden public schools, the nearest of course being the James A. Garfield School, just around the corner from his house at North 29th Street and Cramer Street. The family attended Grace Presbyterian Church, located on North 27th Street and Garfield Avenue, just across the railroad tracks in Cramer Hill. Carl Kellman attended Sunday School and later the Young Men's Bible class there. It was most likely through church where he met and became friends with the Skillen sisters, Bessie and Bertha. Bessie Skillen taught Sunday School at Grace Presbyterian in the early 1910s. The girl's mother and Lulu Kellman remained friends for decades.

Artistically talented, as evidenced by the drawing below, Carl Kellman found work in the Art Department of the Ketterlinus Lithographing Company in Philadelphia. The company published posters and art prints. Examples of Ketterlinus' prints and posters can be seen at The Philadephia Print Shop, Ltd. website.

Carl Kellman was shot and mortally wounded a few blocks from his home when robbed while coming home from a church carnival on October 13, 1912. He died the following morning. Three men were arrested, two were tried and convicted of the murder and sent to prison.

The Kellman family remained on High Street for quite some time thereafter, Mrs. Lulu Kellman staying until the early 1940s, har husband, Carl L. Kellman, having died in 1936. Sister Helen married Captain Howard Meyer, who had served with distinction as an aviator with the United States Army in France during World War I. Younger brother Frederick married and lived for many years in Pennsauken, not far from the home where he had grown up.

During the summer of 2006, Carl Kellman's nephew, Bob Kellman, told me about this case, where his Uncle, Carl Kellman, of 2919 High Street was shot down during a robbery at the railroad tracks at North 27th Street and Sherman Avenue in October of 1912. Harry Duffield, Fred "Cowboy Pete" Coursey, and Linaws Staley were arrested. Staley was cleared of any involvement in the crime in short order. Duffield and Coursey were convicted and sent to prison. A web-page about the event containing local newspaper articles was set up on September 28, 2006.

Since that time, Bob and I have kept in touch, and on a visit, the two of us and a cousin of his retraced the route Carl walked on his last night. Recently Bob sent some photos from an album that Carl had, and I thought it would be appropriate to put a page together about the life of Carl Kellman, his family and friends.

The original page concerning the murder of Carl F. Kellman is at http://www.dvrbs.com/camden-stories/CamdenHeadline-101412-cpt.htm on this link for more about Carl Kellman and his life and times.

Phil Cohen
August 8, 2009

Postcard from approximately 1904 - Carl Kellman on far left.

Photo appear to be of North 30th Street, looking towards Westfield Avenue. The large house on the far right no longer stands, but the houses further down the block and the slope of the street conform with that hypothesis.

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The James A. Garfield School

This is where Carl Kellman and his brother and sisters attended grade school. The image os from a postcard, apparently from the same series as the photo of "30, S of Westfield" above.

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Carl Kellman drew this picture, dated September 22, 1909.

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The Kellman Children in the backyard of 2919 High Street - approximately 1912

Carl Kellman is at left, young Fred is in the wheelbarrow, sister Helen is on the fence. The house to the right of Helen is 2917 Saunders Street.hoto appear to be of North 30th Street, looking towards Westfield Avenue. The large house on the far right no longer stands, but the houses further down the block and the slope of the street conform with that hypothesis.

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Bertha Skillen This phot of Bertha Skillen is from Carl Kellman's album. The nature of the relationship is not know at this time. Their mothers were friends and corresponded decades after Carl Kellman's murder. Carl Kellman was returning home after walking Bertha and her sister Bessie home from a church carnival when he was murdered.

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High Street
	2919 High Street Carl L. & Lulu Kellman Family Lulu Kellman appearo be sitting on the porch, Carl L. Kellman is standing with the two middle children, Fred and Helen. Photo is from about 1905. Click on Image to Enlarge
	2917 & 2919 High Street July 25, 2006 Click on Image to Enlarge
	2917 & 2919 High Street July 25, 2006 Click on Image to Enlarge
	2917 & 2919 High Street July 25, 2006 Click on Image to Enlarge
	2917 & 2919 High Street July 25, 2006 Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family about 1910 Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family about 1906 Looking across High Street from the porch of 2919, taken at the same time as the photo immediately above. Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family This was taken a few years after Carl F.Kellman was killed. Note the hedge not in the above photo. From the hair style the young woman at the gate has, I'm guessing before World War I. Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family Carl L. Kellman in side yard looking towards High Street Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family in side yard looking towards High Street Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family Carl L. Kellman in side yard looking from High Street. Note the house in rear that was not to be seen in the circa 1912 photo. Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family This was taken at same time as the photo immediately above, perhaps late 1920s or 1930s. See how the hedge has progessed, and note that by now the porch has been screened in. Click on Image to Enlarge
	2919 High Street 1890s-1940s Carl & Lulu Kellman Family Lulu Kellman in her kitchen 1930s-1940s Click on Image to Enlarge
	2923 to 2937 High Street July 25, 2006 Click on Image to Enlarge

815 North 34th Street - The home of the Skillen Family
Photo from July 25, 2006

Carl Kellman escorted the Skillen sisters here the night he was murdered.

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The Pavonia Railroad Station at North 27th Street

Another postcard photo, possibly from the same series as those above, taken in the early 1900s.
It would have looked pretty much the sam in 1912 as when this photo was taken

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*Camden Post-Telegram October 14, 1912**
BOY'S BRUTAL MURDERER COLLAPSES AT HEARING


...continued... O. Glen Stackhouse - John Painter - Frank B. Frost Jeff Kay - William T. Boyle

...continued... Elisha Gravenor - Grace Presbyterian Church - Bertha Skillen - Bessie Skillen Albert Ludlow - Joseph Wittick North 21st Street - North 27th Street - North 30th Street - North 34th Street Sherman Avenue - High Street - Federal Street

...continued... Thomas Sink - A. Lincoln James - William Schregler - Henry C. Moffett John Brothers - William C. Horner - Arthur Colsey - Anson Kelley Robert T. Abbott - John H. Vickers - Frederick A. Finkeldey "Indian Bill" May - Eugene McCafferty

...continued...

...continued... Dr. E.A.Y. Schellenger Sr. - John T. Potter - Elbridge B. McClong

Dr. William S. Jones - John T. Cleary - Charles A. Wolverton Thomas Gallagher's Saloon