WILLIAM DENO was born in Pennsylvania in July of 1849 to William and Mary J. Deno. He appears in the 1870 Census working as a brickmaker and living in Camden's South Ward with his wife, the former Catherine Gallagher and what appears to be his mother, Jane, then 59 year of age. Beyond that his family background is not clear but he appears to have been related to James Deno, whom the 1878 Camden City Directory states was a brick manufacturer living at 321 Mount Vernon Street, Alfred Deno, of the same address, and Walter Deno, also a brickmaker, of 1910 Viola Street. William Deno is listed in this directory as a brickmaker, living at 733 Chestnut Street. By 1879 William Deno had moved to 629 Chestnut Street, and he was still at that address when the Census was taken in 1880. At the time of the Census the Deno family consisted of William and Catherine Deno and their daughters Mary, 8, and Kate, 5.

City Directories from 1881 through 1884 show William Deno and family at 1021 Broadway, where he operated a cigar store. The 1885 Directory shows an address of 1011 Broadway, this may have been a misprint.

In 1884 William Deno was appointed to the Camden Fire Department as a Driver, under the command of then Chief of Department Daniel A. Carter. When Samuel S. Elfreth was reelected to the Chief of Department position in 1885, William Deno was retained and he worked for the Fire Department until his passing on August 10, 1912.

In 1886 the Camden Steam Fire Engine Company Number 1 was located at 409 Pine Street in a three story 20 by 90 foot brick building (the old Independence Fire Company No. 3 engine house). The company's apparatus was an Amoskeag second class steamer (maker's plate 6318) drawn by two horses and one Silsby two wheel hose cart drawn by a single horse. The company was equipped with 1000 feet of good hose, axes, lamps, etc. The company roster included John Stockton, Foreman; G. Rudolph Tenner, Engineer; William Deno, driver; William W. Laird, stoker; Wilson Bromley and Jacob F Nesson, hosemen. Call Men were William Deith, Andrew Miller and William Bogia. Bromley and Bogia would later suffer line of duty deaths.

The 1887 Camden City Directory shows William Deno and family living at 902 Broadway. By the the end of 1888 they had moved to 512 Chestnut Street, which remained the family home through 1894.

The 1890-1891 City Directory states that William Deno the driver at Engine Company 3, whose firehouse was located at 1819 Broadway. The foreman of Engine 3 was Mortimer Wilson, engineer Samuel R. Lodge, driver William Deno, stoker John Helmbold, hosemen John Ware and Joseph Reed. John Helmbold resigned on August 1, 1890. Joseph Reed was promoted to stoker and George Shields was brought in on August 14, 1890 as a hoseman. Engine Company 3's crew was still configured as such when the 1891-1892 Directory was compiled.

The 1893-1894 and 1894-1895 City Directories states that the crew at Engine Company 3 were as follows: Foreman William Deno, Engineer Samuel R. Lodge, Driver George B. Wade, Driver George Shields, Hosemen John Ware, and Lewis Buzine. 

The 1895-1896 City Directory states that the crew at Engine Company 3 were as follows: Foreman William Deno, Engineer Samuel R. Lodge, Stoker Lewis Buzine, Driver George Shields, Hosemen John Ware, and Augustus Dole (John Augustus Dold).

By the time the 1896 City Directory was compiled, William Deno and his family had moved from 512 Chestnut Street to 1043 South 5th Street, where he lived for the rest his days.

The 1896 Directory lists the crew at Engine Company 3 as follows: Foreman William Deno, Engineer Samuel R. Lodge, Stoker Lewis Buzine, Driver George Shields, Hosemen John Ware, Albert James, and John A. Dold. 

The 1897 and 1898 Directories lists the crew at Engine Company 3 as follows: Foreman William Deno, Engineer Samuel R. Lodge, Driver Lewis Buzine, Stoker George Shields, Hosemen John Ware, Albert James, and Wright Cox. Cox would later transfer to the police department. 

The 1899 Directory lists the crew at Engine Company 3 as follows: Foreman William Deno, Engineer Samuel R. Lodge, Driver Lewis Buzine, Stoker George Shields, Hosemen John Ware, Albert James, and John A. Dold. 

The 1900 Census shows the Deno family at 1043 South 5th Street. Catherine Deno had given birth to four children by this time, three of whom were still living. At home with William and Catherine Deno were daughter Kate and son William Deno Jr.

When the Census was taken in April of 1910 the Deno household consisted of William and Catherine Deno, daughter Kate Chew and her husband George W. Chew, brother-in-law Henry Gallagher and niece Kate McAllister.

William Deno remained Foreman of Engine Company 3 until July 1, 1910. Prior to that the Foreman job title was changed to Captain. On July 1, 1910 William Deno transferred to Engine Company 7 as it went into service, thus being the new company's first Captain.

A Camden fire fighter to the end, Captain William Deno passed away on August 10, 1912 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery. His widow and daughters were living at the South 5th Street address when the 1924 Camden City Directory was compiled.