Camden People - John C. Weldy

JOHN C. WELDY owned a men's shop at 810 Broadway from before 1920 through the 1950s, and is well remembered by Joseph Cooper, who grew up nearby at 919 Broadway, where his father Dr. David Cooper had a dental practice.

John C. Weldy was born in Camden NJ around 1889 to Lemuel R. and Kate Weldy. Lemuel and Kate Weldy lived at 323 North 9th Street in the late 1880 and early 1890s. In those days Lemuel Weldy worked as a weaver at Camden Woolen Mills. Grandfather John Weldy lived at 505 Berkley Street, along with aunt Mary E. Weldy, a seamstress, and uncle Morris Weldy, who worked both as a barber and as an umbrella maker. in the 1880s and 1890s. By the summer of 1913 his parents had moved to 810 Broadway.

John C. Weldy served in America's armed forces during World War I. The 1920 Census shows that Lemuel Weldy, wife Kate, and son John were living at 810 Broadway, where John conducted a men's furnishings business. Younger brother Russell Weldy was still at home, working as a superintendent in a machine shop.

When the census was taken in April of 1930, Lemuel Weldy had passed away. John Weldy and his mother were still living at 810 Broadway. Russell Weldy had married and would go on to a successful career in real estate, later owning the Weldy Apartments at 414 Broadway.

By 1947 John C. Weldy had wed, and lived with his wife Rose at 440 Newton Avenue. The 1959 Bell Telephone Directory shows him as back living at 810 Broadway in 1959, no retail activity, however, is indicated. He appears to have passed away before 1970.

Up the street on Broadway in the 800 block was a gentleman by the name of Mr. Weldy. He had an upscale (for the period) men's clothing store. He would, at times stand outside, and during the day, raise or lower his awning. He knew me and, even in the late 1940s he would see me, we would talk, and he would usually say he "felt good," better than being in "Harleigh cemetery." If he happened to meet my oldest uncle (Dr. Hyman Goldstein), he would shake his hand, and they would talk. Mr. Weldy would say to me that he usually got a "free medical" visit from Hyman, because Hyman would take his pulse.

Mr. Weldy was a very interesting individual, in that he had this men's store on Broadway and you hardly saw any customers. What did he do all day? For a while, my mother kept her stuff and lived for a while on the third floor over "Steve's" short-order restaurant and when I came home from Duke, I would look out the window and see [him] close up his shop at night, and he had to come back a number of times to "test" the door making sure it was locked.

Joseph Cooper