|
Edward
T. James was born in Pennsylvania around 1832. He and his wife Caroline
had moved to New Jersey prior to 1855, when their son Wesley B. James
was born. Edward James worked as a box maker and as a cooper to support
his family. He lived at 109 North
8th Street during his time as a firefighter, and stayed at that
address until his passing. Edward T. James served as a volunteer
fireman in the late 1850s, as a member of Weccacoe Hose Company No.
2,
In
the election of March, 1870 Edward T. James, a Republican, was elected
to the position of Trustee of Camden's cemetery on Haddon Avenue (known
in modern times as Old Camden Cemetery) and to the position of Election
Judge, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer of March 10, 1870. In
1871 he began work at the Browning
Dye Works.
As
stated above, Edward T. James was appointed to the Fire Department in
September of 1871. He resigned from service with the Camden Fire Department on May 6,
1873.
The
1880 Census shows the following children at home, Wesley B., Mary E., Edward T.,
Forest, and
Abraham Lincoln James. Another son, George James, appears to
have married and moved to South Camden.
Edward
T. James died on March 11, 1886 as a result of internal injuries
sustained during a fall down his basement steps.
In March of 1892, son Abraham L., known
throughout his life as A.
Lincoln James, was appointed to the Camden Police Department.
When the Census was taken in 1900 his widow Caroline and sons
Wesley, Edward T. Jr., and Forest were all living at at 109 North
8th Street. Son A. Lincoln
James and his family lived at 122 North
8th Street.
Edward
T. James had been an active member of Camden
Council, No. 7, of the Order of United American Mechanics, which
had been
instituted July 29, 1847, when John R. Thompson, William
Rianhardt, Robert P. Smith, Shelbourne S. Kennedy, David Surran,
William P. Murphy, William C. Monroe, Charles M. Thompson, John
S. Long, William A. Davis, Charles S. Sturgis, Wesley P. Murray
and Richard Jones met in Starr's Hall, and were constituted as
Camden Council, No. 7, by State Councilor James Cappuck and
State Council Secretary George S. Willits. They soon removed to
Bontemps' Hall, and many years afterward to United Order of
American Mechanics' Hall, where they now meet. Camden was the
oldest council of the order in the city, and exercised large
influence in the State, and furnished, among many others, these
State Councilors, — John S. Read, William D. Middleton and Edward T.
James. The officers in 1886 were as follows: Junior Ex-Councilor, Edwin A. Stone ;
Councilor, Thaddeus B. Andrews; Vice- Councilor, Joseph B.
Elfreth; Recording Secretary, A. Benjamin Sparks ; Financial
Secretary, Joseph L. Bright ; Treasurer, Abner Sparks ;
Inductor, F. W. Armstrong ; Examiner, James H. Armington ;
Inside Protector, Merritt H. Pike ; and Outside Protector, Ballinger
Smick. Edward S.
Andrews, father of the above-mentioned Thaddeus B. Andrews and at
one time a member of the Camden Fire Department, was also a member.
A.
Lincoln James retired from the Camden Police Department on December
31, 1932 with the rank of Captain.
|
