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William
Stanton was born in New Jersey around September of 1853. He was
working as a bricklayer and living at 515 Bridge
Avenue when he was appointed to the Fire Department. He
married around the same time he was with the Fire Department. His
wife, Lizabeth J. "Lizzie" Stanton, bore a daughter,
Bertha was born in August of 1877, followed by Edward in May of
1879, Raymond in May of 1881, and Bessie in June of 1885. William
Stanton move around Camden and pursued several different lines of
work during his working life. He was still at 515 Bridge
Avenue and working as an expressman and as a mover when the
1878-1879 City Directory was compiled. By 1879 he had moved to 507
Bridge Avenue and was still at that address into 1881. The
1882-1883 and 1883-1884 Directories show him running a saloon at
505 Bridge
Avenue. This venture did not last, as the 1884-1885 Camden
City Directory shows that he had moved to 509 Bridge
Avenue, and was working as a bricklayer. The 1887 Directory
lists him in the milk business, but he was back to working a
bricklayer the following year. The 1890-1891 shows that he was
still living at 509 Bridge
Avenue, and was running a livery at 510 Taylor
Avenue. In 1892 he was working as a member of the Camden
Police Department. The
1893-1894 and 1894-1895 City Directories show that William Stanton
was again involved in the bar business, at Newton
Avenue and Chestnut
Street. By 1895 he was living at 422 Chestnut
Street and working as a bricklayer. The 1896 and 1897
Directories has William Stanton living at 422 Chestnut
Street and operating a flour and feed store across the street
at 427 Chestnut
Street. This venture too did not pan out. By 1898 he had gone
back to work as a driver, however, the 1899 Directory states that
he was still in the flour business. The Stantons were still living
at 422 Chestnut
Street when the Census was taken in 1900. No occupation was
listed in the Census. William
Stanton was reappointed to the Camden Police Department in
December of 1902. He was brought up on charges of drinking on duty
in February of 1905. He resigned from the department effective
April 1, 1905, along with Benjamin Hovis, John Miller, and John
Wagner. The
Stanton family had moved to 1120 Baring
Street by the time the 1906 City Directory was being compiled.
He was then working as a watchman and that would be his line of
work for the rest of his working life. The 1910 Census shows the
Stantons at 739 Walnut
Street. By 1914 they had again moved, this time to 421 Cedar
Street in North Camden. They were still at that address in
1915, when the State Census was taken. William
Stanton and his wife appear to have parted ways prior to the compilation of the 1918-1919
Camden City Directory. His widow and daughter Bessie Stanton
Bozarth, also a widow, lived at 531 Berkley
Street, where they ran a boarding house, when the 1920 Census
was taken. When he separated from his wife, William Stanton
remained at 421 Cedar Street, where he kept company with Mrs. Anna
Johnson.
William Stanton was still living at 421 Cedar Street in June of
1921. One June 29, 1929 he went to 347 Royden Street and attempted
to reconcile with Mrs. Johnson, who had moved out of the Cedar
Street house. Failing in this, he shot and killed Mrs. Johnson,
then turned the gun on himself, and attempted to shoot himself in
the head. He failed also in that, was treated for his wound and
taken to jail. Pleading non vult to a charge of murder, on July 5,
1921 William Stanton, 68 years of age, was sentenced to life in
prison. On September 18, 1923 it was reported in the Camden
Post-Telegram that William Stanton lay dying in the prison
hospital at Trenton State Prison.
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