Camden People - George E. Boyer

GEORGE E. BOYER was born in Pennsylvania in November of 1849. When the census was taken in 1900 he and his wife Sarah had been married for 28 years. Five of their nine children were alive, four of them at home, Lizzie Boyer Koehler, sadly a widow at the age of 20, George Jr., Mary, and Lillian. Daughter Laura had married Samuel S. Conver, an architect, and had moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

George Boyer came to Camden in 1869. On October 6, 1871 he married. He worked as a house painter, eventually going into business for himself.

The 1878 and 1882 City Directories show him at 713 Mt. Vernon Street. He was working as a painter for M.A. Furbush in 1882.

George Boyer and his family were active members of Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church. This church was organized in 1879 when several meetings of persons interested in having an English-language Lutheran church in Camden were held at the residence of George Shimer, 503 Linden Street. The congregation organized as "Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church, and held its first service on Sunday evening, November 23, 1879, in Reed's Hall, at the corner of Third and Federal Streets. Rev. William Schaeffer of Philadelphia, conducted the worship and preached the sermon. He had charge of the mission from that time until the close of the following summer. He was succeeded by Mr. S.L. Sibole, then a student in the Philadelphia Seminary. In June, 1881, this gentleman was ordained and regularly installed as the first pastor of the new congregation. He served the mission until October, 1882, when he resigned to accept a call to St. Luke's Church, Philadelphia. For four months the pulpit was vacant, when Mr. Clarence K. Binder, of the senior class of the Theological Seminary assumed charge, and was installed pastor June 10, 1883.

Under Rev. Binder's pastorate the congregation has been steadily advancing. In the mid 1880s a lot was secured at the corner of Seventh Street and Market, and a church, which is still in use in 2009 (although by another deomination) was built in 1887. The congregation held services at a hall located at the southwest corner of Third Street and Market until its building was completed. In 1886 their were about one hundred adult members. A Sunday school was founded that was, through 1886 at least, under the care of the pastor as superintendent, with George Boyer as assistant.

On March 24, 1892 George E. Boyer purchased a home at 708 Market Street. Boyer's business was located at 1017 Broadway through 1912. By 1914 he had relocated to Newton Avenue, the Broadway property razed to make way for the Lyric Theater.

On December 13, 1912 George Boyer and twenty-eight other prominent Camden businessmen founded the Rotary Club of Camden, New Jersey..

Daughter Lillian Boyer Ellis lived at 708 Market Street until the spring of 1967, when she was forced out of her home to make room for a proposed building to be built by New Jersey Bell Telephone. Unlike many other projects in Camden that destroyed homes and businesses in the name of "progress", the building was actually completed, and is still in use in 2009.

1906 Camden City Directory Advertisement

Advertising Postcard - Late 1890s - early 1900s
George E. Boyer at far left

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George E. Boyer
and
two workers
late 1890s - early 1900s

George E. Boyer at left

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Mrs. Sarah Boyer

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March 24, 1892

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Philadelphia Inquirer * December 22, 1895

Ionic Lodge No. 94 F. & A.M.

George E. Boyer
George Maguire
William K.Robinson
Josiah Matlack
William J. Maguire
J. Alpheus Vansant
Walter Parson
Horace H. Githens
Ralston Sickler
George M. Price
Charles O. Olden
William McCoy
C.C. Smith
Joseph Sickler
Joseph W. Burns
Charle H. Snyder
William Snyder
Willim Gibson
William Selser

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Philadelphia Inquirer - March 25, 1900

William Joyce Sewell - E.A. Armstrong - Harry B. Paul - H.J. Rumrille - George E. Boyer - Lizzie B. Koehler Elizabeth Read - William Schellenger - William Swindell - Sarah Mumford - Florence Ivins - Rev. Joseph Garrison - W.A. Springer North 5th Street - Cooper Street - Locust Street - Asbury M.E. Church

Philadelphia Inquirer
April 15, 1900

George E. Boyer
Edwin K Jackson
Dr. Alexander McAlister
Francis Ford Patterson Jr.
Thomas C. Park
Edwin Hall

North 2nd Street
South 5th Street
Market Street

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for Enlarged View

Philadelphia Inquirer
May 27, 1900

George E. Boyer
Hattie C. Travis
Kaighn School
Lemuel Horner
Leona C. Haines
George H. Eyre
South 3rd Street
Market Street
Spruce Street
North 27th Street
Westfield Avenue
North 36th Street
Mary E. Stevenson
Godfrey Fisher
Frank Peas
Charles Abrams

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for Enlarged View

Philadelphia Inquirer
May 27, 1900

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for Enlarged View

Mrs. Harry B. Rose

Camden Courier or Camden Post-Telegram
October 13, 1910

F. Wayland Ayer
George E. Boyer
Charles Rose
Harry Rose

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MISS BOYER WEDS ALTOONA MAN
A Large Throng of Friends at Wedding of North Camden Young Girl
MANY GUESTS FROM OUT OF CITY

A beautiful church wedding occurred at seven o'clock last evening when Miss Mary Erma Boyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Boyer, of 708 Market Street, was married to Harry B. Rose of Altoona, Pa., son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rose, of 612 North Fourth Street, this city. The ceremony was performed in the Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church, at Seventh and Market streets, by the pastor, Rev. Clarence K. Binder.

The wedding was the occasion of a gathering of friends from several nearby cities. Both the church and home of the bride was elaborately decorated in autumn flowers.

The bridesmaids were Miss Madge Van Hart, Miss Jan Rose, a sister of the bridegroom, and Miss Edna Money, of Norristown, Pa. The maid of honor was Miss Nettie Moreland. Charles Rose, a brother of the groom, attended as best man, while Master Russell Conver af Lansdale, Pa. was the ring bearer. The ushers were Raymond Glover, Thurston Jackson and Merrill O'Brien.

The bride was handsomely gowned in a tresaleau of white satin crepe metior trimmed with Irish point lace. She carried a spray of lily of the valley and orchids. In her hair she wore orange blossoms. The maid of honor wore a beautiful empire gown of yellow satin. She carried yellow chrysanthemums. The bridesmaids were attired alike in beautiful pink satin, trimmed with pink chiffon drapery. They carried pink and white chrysanthemums.

The bride was given away in marriage by her father. Following ritual service at the church a reception was held at the home of the bride's parents where an elaborate banquet was served. Later in the evening
Mr. and Mrs. Rose left for Washington, D. C. They will spend their honeymoon touring the South and West. Upon their return they will live in Altoona.

The groom was formerly connected as a draughtsman with the New York Shipbuilding Company but is now head draughtsman for the Cambrid Steel Company, at Altoona.

...Continued...

Philadelphia Inquirer
June 23, 1912

Charles H. Ellis - William Weiser
Joseph Shackleford - Frank W. Tussey
Adam R. Sloan - William P. Osler
Reuben Croxton - George E. Boyer
William F. Schmid - John W. Johnson
George F. Hammond - Albert B. Fortiner
J. Blair Cuthbert

Masonic Temple - Ridgway House

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Philadelphia Inquirer
October 7, 1921

George E. Boyer
Rotary Club of Camden
Market Street

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for PDF File

Camden - October 7, 1921

A.F. Waltz - Doris Rose - Lillian M. Ellis - Rev. Weber
Fred Wenderoth - Edna Wenderoth - Ethel Wenderoth
William Hussong - Henry Voight - Joshua C. Haines - George Wonfor
Leroy Goodwin - Charles Rose - Frank G. Hitchner

The view from the front step
of
708 Market Street

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Boyer Koehler at front gate

The building across the street is
709 Market Street
which at the time was the Friend's School

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708 Market Street - 1960s

Camden Courier-Post * March 22, 1967

A Lifetime of Memories
City House to Be Razed for Bell Building

By BARBARA S. WILLIAMS
Courier·Post Staff

THE HOUSE literally holds a lifetime of memories for Mrs. Lillian Boyer Ellis.

It's a neat, narrow, three story dwelling that sits back from, Market Street and fits snugly between two converted office buildings. The gay yellow paint on its frame and the red trim gives a splash of color to that section of down town.

Mrs. Ellis was three months old when George E. Boyer moved his family of nine to 708 Market Street.

OTHER members of her family gradually left and her parents died, but Mrs. Ellis stayed on. After more than 75 years of living in that house, Mrs. Ellis had to leave.

She moved the other day for the first time in her life - and it was hard; very hard. - The nine rooms were filled with antiques and family mementos.

About 20 years ago she had moved her business- which involved hair and scalp care- from the Walt Whitman Hotel to her home. In addition to her furniture, there was all of that equipment to dispose of.

MRS. ELLIS really isn't unhappy about going out of business. She had been anxious to sell her franchise for some time, and the city’s Urban Renewal Department will give her a small business relocation payment.

But it was her house that mattered. She's been relocated to Park View Apartments, Collingswood where she has some friends. But, it will be a long time before she becomes adjusted to her small, one bedroom unit.

Mrs. ELLIS has kept as much as she could squeeze into the new apartment, but she had to let so much of her life go. It's even hard to find room to put out the lovely cut glass and antiques she just couldn't relinquish.

"It was a big house," she said. "People always were surprised when they came in and saw how big it really was."

She looked around at the unpacked boxes and said: "Last night it hit me. I wanted to go home. It's a terrible feeling."

Mrs. Ellis has no complaints about the assistance she's receiving from the city. Actually her attorney has taken care of most of the details.

It's just that the now vacant house holds all those memories; they are pleasant memories and "I don't want to let go of them," she said. "I will just have to adjust, but I'm not keen about it.”

She looked at the bouquet of fresh flowers sent to her new apartment by relatives. "I didn't know you got flowers when you moved," she smiled. Mrs. Ellis isn't used to just sitting and she hopes to get a part-time job to fill up the days.

In not too many days- by the middle of next month- the house at 708 Market Street will be among 10 razed to make way for the proposed$8-10 million New Jersey Bell Telephone building.

Mrs. Ellis won't be able to avoid going by the site of her former home. Her church, the Epiphany Lutheran where her father was superintendent for 32 years, is just across the street.

"I lived there a lifetime. I don't want to see it torn down," she said. “I just won't look over that way."