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Samuel |
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Samuel |
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SAMUEL JONES TILDEN FRENCH JR. was born June 7, 1909. He was the son of Samuel J.T. French Sr. and his wife Alma Ashley Cavileer French. He also was a great-great-great-grandson of American naval Captain Micajah Smith, of Chestnut Neck, on Little Egg Harbor in Atlantic County NJ. Captain Smith brought in the large British freighter Venus, of London, in August, 1778. This and other American activities in and near Chestnut Neck brought about a British attack, which was unsuccessful in the first week of October 1778. This became known as the Battle of Chestnut Neck. The elder French and his brother William were prominent lawyers in Camden. William eventually was made a judge, and Samuel J.T. French Sr. was involved in civic affairs in Camden, chairing one of the early commissions working on bringing a bridge or tunnel between Camden and Philadelphia. He also ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Democrat against Charles A. Wolverton in 1932. What made this rather interesting is that the two candidates lived only six doors apart, on the same block! By 1913 the French family was living at 513 State Street in North Camden. Besides Samuel Jr. there were three other children, Nelson, Lillian, and Richard French. The family would summer at the Jersey shore, spending vacations and weekends at Port Republic NJ. Both Samuel Jr. and older brother Nelson graduated from Camden High School, Nelson in 1926 and Samuel two years later. Both French brothers were well known baseball players. Nelson was a star pitcher for Camden High and had a tryout with Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's, and his brother caught him. The French brothers teamed up as pitcher and catcher in Camden for teams such as the Carmen F.C. and the East Side Athletic Association. The brothers also pitched for the Port Republic team in the South Jersey League, which their father managed in the early 1930s. After graduating from Camden High School in 1928, Samuel J.T. French Jr. followed in his father's footsteps. and studied for the bar. He graduated from the South Jersey Law School on June 18, 1934 with a Bachelor of Law Degree. Samuel J.T. French Jr. married Ardrey Cordrey, of Oceanville NJ on April 4, 1942. The newlyweds resided at the family home on State Street in Camden. Samuel J,T. French Jr. had partnered with his father in the law firm of French and French, whose offices were at the Security Trust Building at 305 Market Street prior to his marriage. During World War II he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy. Serving as a legal officer, he was stationed at Jacksonville FL, where his daughter Audrey was born. After the war, Samuel and Ardrey French returned to Camden, and the family law firm. The elder French retired sometime prior to 1958. Besides maintaining his law practice, Samuel J.T. French Jr. served the City of Camden as President of Board of Education in the 1950s. He took a position as the Assistant County Prosecutor for Camden County, and remained in that post until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Samuel J.T. French Jr. remained in practice at 305 Market Street as late as 1977. He also remained a resident of North Camden, maintaining a residence at the family home at 513 State Street as late as 1977. He had a summer home at Port Republic NJ, and at some point in the 1970s Samuel J.T. French Jr. passed away in Port Republic NJ on May 5, 1988, survived by sons Daniel and Samuel J.T. French III, and daughters Susan Alida and Ardrey Alma "Audrey" French. |
Camden High School "Purple & Gold" Yearbook - 1928 |
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The Security Trust Building Camden Courier-Post July 5, 1926 Click on Image to Enlarge |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 6, 1933 |
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Extra!
Girl Awarded 6
Cents
As 'Playboy' Breaks Heart A
verdict of six cents was awarded against William B. Knight, Jr., in
favor of Miss Emma M. Thagen in a breach of promise suit at a moot trial
in the Chancery Court room. The
trial was held by the graduating
class of the South Jersey Law School with an all male jury in the box
and the court room crowded. Young
Knight was described as a playboy by his friends. He declared Miss
Thagen once told him that she would never marry him if she wanted
a "permanent man." He said she declared he was all right as a
playboy. He denied he ever promised to marry her. He admitted showering
her with gifts and took her out twice a
week Miss
Thagen said she gave up Edward
A. Finn when she "fell in love I
with
Billie." She said he always led her to believe they would marry
some day. She admitted calling him a "scarecrow
once." The fair plaintiff collapsed when the jury
"vindicated" her wounded heart with the verdict. "Judge”
Henry F. Stockwell presided.
Knight was represented by Robert Norris, Angelo
D. Malandra and Henry Miller. John L. Morrissey and Ellis H. Wood
were counsel for Miss Thagen. Raymond
J. Jubanyik was a character
witness for Knight. Edward A. Finn and Lawrence Finlayson testified for
Miss Thagen. F. De Witt Kay acted as sheriff and John F. Rogers was
clerk of the court. The
jurors were Henry Wille, foreman;
Samuel Singer, Joseph McCullough, Walter W. Evans, John Kerrigan, Harold
W. Kotlikoff, Mitchell Stern, Charles Hale, Robert Landis, Fred Streng,
Elmer Bertman and Joseph Liebeman. The
constables were Wiedner Titzck, Theodore T. French, Samuel
T. French, Jr., William G. Freeman and George A. Streltz. Elmer G. Van Name, president of the college, was among the interested spectators. The trial was given under the direction of Professor Edward L. Platt, associate dean. |
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17, 1933
Sam French's Boys Form Battery for Local Club. Following in the footsteps of their famous dad, the French boys, Nels and Sam, have taken to baseball in a big way, forming a battery that mows the opposing batsmen down with disastrous regularity. Not so many years ago these lads were performing on the North Camden sandlots in those "choose-up-side games." And--inevitably--Nels was always on the pitcher's mound while his younger brother Sam was behind the plate taking care of the servings of his older relative. Then as they aged and became more mature they tired of their unorganized efforts so the Carmen F.C. was formed in the neighborhood with the French brothers as the battery. The next step caused the boys to separate for a while as Nels became a flinger for the Camden High School team which cleaned up in South Jersey in 1926 to win the district championship. Again last year the favorite sons of Sam French came into prominence as a battery for the Port Republic team in the South Jersey League which lost the crown to Vineland after a tough race. During last year's play, Pere French managed the "Port" team with great success and although they are in no league this year the members of the club are again trying to get Sam, Sr., to handle the reins from the managerial seat. Sam and Nels are still performing with the Port Republic boys but have also cast their lot with Ed Goldie's East Side A.A. Club which is playing independent ball. And what did they do the other night but help the East Siders to a 10 to 1 win over the Triangle nine. Nels was on the mound, as usual, and during the course of the fray fanned seven of the enemy batsmen while only allowing them four hits which were good for one run. While his brother was pitching a snappy brand of ball, Sam was handling his shoot faultlessly and also added to hits to the East Side cause. When the University of Delaware trackmen staged a 14 event meet of the Charles S. Rogers trophy ,Stretch Pohl came off with the prize with a total point score of 26. From these results, it might be said the boys are keeping the trophy in the family for they both got their starts at Camden High School in days gone by. At one time Charles S. Rogers was known as Cholly to Camden High football rooters and later received the monicker of "Camden Comet" when burning up the Penn opposition on Franklin Field. Now Cholly is the coach at the "Mudhen" institution as well as donor of the trophy. Likewise, Stretch also got his start out at Farnham Park where he was a versatile trackman. And the Pohl lad did not drop his activities after he left the Purple and Gold institution as he continued to decision his track opponents while at Mackenzie Prep before going to Delaware. In the 1932 Penn Relays, Stretch entered the decathalon and gave a good account of himself although succumbing to the skill of some of the most versatile trackmen in the country. Although the decathalon was abolished at the relays this year, Pohl has kept plugging at his favorite events, which enabled him to win the covered Rogers Award from his teammates. |
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Camden Courier-Post - October 26, 1936 |
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$60,000
DEMANDED FOR CRASH INJURIES Damages
of $60,000 are asked by a Camden girl and her father for injuries
suffered by the girl when an automobile struck her. In
a suit filed in state Supreme Court by Samuel T.
French, Camden
attorney, Miss Doris Sauer, 17, of 1114 Lois Avenue, seeks $50,000 and
her father, Frederick R., asks $10,000 for medical expenses and loss of
his daughter's services. Defendants in the action are LeRoy Robinson,
427 Washington Avenue, Haddonfield, vice president of Mathis
Shipbuilding Company, and Robert W. Saeger, 336 Cooper
Street . Saeger, it is charged, drove the car owned by Robinson at
the time of the accident. Miss
Sauer was one of a number of girls crossing Admiral
Wilson Boulevard at Memorial avenue shortly before midnight January
12 last. One of the girls, Edith Gilbert, 16, of 216 Fillmore street,
Riverside, later succumbed to her injuries. French
avers the car operated by Saeger was going north on the boulevard at the
time of the accident. One machine, proceeding in the same direction, had
stopped to let the girls se get across and as they neared the curb, it
is alleged, Saeger drove his vehicle past the standing car on the right,
knocking down several of the girls. Miss
Sauer, according to the bill of complaint, suffered a compound fracture
of the right leg and skull in addition to other body injuries. She was
unconscious in the hospital for 10 days and during that time her life
was despaired of, French charged. It is further alleged Saeger was operating his car at a high rte of speed and was negligent in failing to stop when he saw pedestrians crossing the boulevard. |
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Camden Courier-Post - October 26, 1936 |
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| Camden Courier-Post - February 1, 1938 |
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BOARD
Of EDUCATION SHIFTS 14 TEACHERS The Camden Board Education last night approved transfers of 14 teachers, the appointment of two new instructors and the retirement on pension of two others. The board then adjourned until 11.45 a. m. today and it was announced the 1938-39 board will be organized at noon when Commissioner Mary W. Kobus is expected to be re-elected president. When the report of the teachers committee making recommendations for appointments, transfers and retirements was read it was approved by unanimous vote and without comment. Following the meeting Carlton W. Rowand explained that most of the transfers were made to meet emergencies in teaching classes at Woodrow Wilson High School, where more than 1500 students will be enrolled for the second semester, be ginning today. Rowand explained that enrollment at the Wilson school is the highest in its history, due to many students taking up English and commercial courses instead of entering Camden senior high school, which will have an enrollment of approximately 1540 students, the smallest in several years. List of Transfers Transfers affecting teachers in junior high schools are: Louis E. Feinstein from Hatch Junior High School to commercial business organization, Wilson High School; Frank E. Sias, from Cramer Junior High to physical education, Wilson High; Jessie W. McMurtrie from Cramer Junior High School, to physical education, Wilson High; Wilton D. Greenway, from Cramer Junior High School to mathematics, Camden High; Elizabeth Dickinson, from Bonsall; to English, Cramer Junior High; Mrs. Mildred C. Simmons, from English to mathematics, Cramer Junior High; Miss Celia Boudov, from Hatch Junior High to departmental geography, science, and penmanship, Liberty School; Mrs. Elizabeth R. Myers assigned to English, Hatch Junior High; Thelma L. Little transferred from, Grade 5 to Cooperative Departmental; Dudley school. The following elementary school transfers, also effective today, are: Beatrice W. Beideman from Starr to Sharp school; Mrs. Esther S. Finberg from Cramer to Broadway school; Dorothy M. Lippincott from Parkside to Dudley school; Mrs. Alva T. Corson from Washington to Broadway school, and Mary G. Cathell from Washington to Dudley school. Teachers whose retirement was approved are Carolina W. Taylor, Grade 2, Broadway school, and William M. Thayer, mathematics [Camden] senior high school. Both teachers had resigned and applied for their pensions, the report read. Appointments Made Nathan Enten was appointed as physical education teacher in the Cramer school and Harry S. Manashil was appointed commercial teacher in Hatch school. Each will receive $1400, annually. The board also approved the appointment of Florence M. Dickinson as principal of Lincoln school at a salary of $2200 annually. The assignment of Miss Grace Hankins as principal of Parkside school to succeed Miss Dickinson also was approved. Ethel Thegen was approved for appointment as assistant librarian at the Camden senior high school at a salary of $5.50 a day. All appointments are effective today. To relieve overcrowded conditions among pupils the board approved the transfer of 7A and 7B classes from the Washington to the Cramer school. The board vote to open a library in the Cramer school and Raymond G. Price, supervisor of building was instructed to provide, the necessary equipment. A resolution of condolence upon the death of Ethel C. Wenderoth, for 19 years a teacher in the Broadway School was passed and secretary Albert Austermuhl was instructed to send a copy to members of the deceased teacher's family. 2 New Faces on Board The board received and filed a letter from Mayor George E. Brunner in which he stated he had appointed Mrs. George W. Tash, Samuel T. French Jr. as new members and had re-appointed Robert Burk Johnson as a board member. William B. Sullender, of the Tenth Ward, who was not re-appointed, was commended by the members for his services. E. George Aaron said he regretted the fact that Sullender was leaving as a member and wished him success. Others joined in this tribute. Sullender in reply thanked the members for their co-operation during his term of office. |
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Camden Courier-Post - August 26, 1941 |
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Henry
Magin Laid to Rest By War Veteran Buddies Funeral services for City Commissioner Henry Magin were held today with his colleagues in official and veterans circles participating. Services
were conducted in city commission chambers on the second floor of city
hall, in charge of Rev. Dr. W.W. Ridgeway, rector of St. Wilfrid's Episcopal
Church. The casket was carried by war veteran associates of the public works director, who died from a heart attack Friday. A color guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion preceded the casket, followed by the four remaining members of the city commission, Mayor George Brunner and commissioners E. George Aaron, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus and Dr. David S. Rhone. A guard of honor lined both sides of' city hall steps, 22 policemen on one side and 22 firemen on the other, representing Magin's age, 44 years. Hundreds of men and women waited
outside the building to pay their respects as the solemn procession
filed by. Mayor Brunner had declared this morning a holiday for city
employees. The casket was borne by Thomas Jackson and Samuel Magill,
both past Legion commanders; Leon McCarty, past commander of August
Walter Chapter, Disabled American Veterans; Richard Jermyn, past
commander of Post 1270, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Benjamin P.
Thomas, past captain of Sparrow Ship No. 1269. V. F. W.; and William
Miller, past State commander, D. A. V. Three trucks were required to carry
the floral pieces from the scene of the services to the National
Cemetery at Beverly, where burial took place. An estimated 8000 persons from all walks of life paid their respects to the late official by viewing the body as it lay in state in the commission chambers. The throng of mourners of Camden city and county was the largest to converge on a public building since the funeral of Fire Chief Charles Worthington, who was killed while fighting a fire almost 20 years ago. His body was placed on public view in the rotunda of the old county courthouse. File Past Bier A continuous progression of people filed past the flag draped bier for more than three and one-half hours. Scores of Republicans and hundreds of Democrats joined in the tribute. Services were conducted by Camden
lodges of Elks and Moose. Military rites were conducted by the
Fairview Post, American Legion, of which Magin was a founder and past
commander. The tribute was led by Mitchell Halin, post commander, and C.
Richard Allen, past department commander. James W. Conner, chief clerk of the
city water bureau and past State Commander of the V.F.W., conducted
rites at the grave. Mayor Brunner and Commissioners
Kobus, Aaron, and
Rhone
came early and remained throughout the hours of
viewing. Mrs. Helen Magin, the widow, and daughter Helen, attired in
deep mourning, arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Embraces Widow, Daughter Commissioner Kobus, who knelt in
prayer before the bier, arose and went over to Mrs. Magin and her
daughter. Mrs. Kobus
embraced and kissed the widow and daughter of the late commissioner.
They were in tears. Three firemen and three policemen
maintained a vigil as a guard of honor. They were Patrolmen Jack Kaighn,
George Weber, and William Deery and Firemen
Arthur Batten, Warner Carter
and William Reed. American Legion and V. F. W. members
in uniform alternated as members of the military guard of honor. A
detail of 50 policemen was under command of Acting Lieutenant John
Garrity. Fifty firemen, under supervision of Deputy Chief Walter
Mertz,
assisted the patrolmen in handling the crowd, which at times choked the
stairways leading to the
second
floor. Freeholders Arrive Albert H. Molt, director of the Board of Freeholders and
Freeholders
John J. Tull, Oscar Moore, Ventorino
Francesconi,
Stanley Ciechanowski,
Earl Armstrong
and Emil J. McCall arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Moore and Tull wore American
Legion overseas caps. Albert S. Marvel, clerk of the board, accompanied
the freeholders. Employees
of the various bureaus in the department of public works, headed by
Commissioner Magin, came in delegations with the highway bureau having
150, the largest number. Frank
A. Abbott, acting director of the department, accompanied by James P.
Carr, superintendent of Streets;
led the
highway bureau employees.
Abbott is deputy director of revenue and finance and first
assistant to Mayor Brunner. He was named by Brunner as
acting
director until the City Commission elects Mr.
Magin's successor. County
Clerk Frank J. Suttill, City
Clerk Clay W.
Reesman,
Fire Chief John H. Lennox and
James A. Howell, chief of
the
city electrical bureau, attended, as did Albert
Austermuhl, secretary of
the board of education. Every city department sent a floral piece. Outstanding Floral Tribute Outstanding
among the floral tributes was a six-toot broken circle of varied
flowers, an offering from Mayor Brunner and
Commissioners
Kobus, Aaron, andRhone. A
floral chair was sent by the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association.
The word “Rest” was made up of flowers. The offering of the Veterans League
of
South
Jersey,
an organization formed by Commissioner Magin and of which
he
was the first president, was a large floral pillow. The freeholders and county officials
gave a large floral basket. Floral tributes came from the employees of
the board of education, the RCA Manufacturing Company, the police and
fire bureaus, Pyne Point Athletic Association, the Elks, Moose and
several Democratic clubs. The floral tributes came in such
numbers yesterday afternoon that Funeral Director Harry Leonard and his
assistants could not find room for them in the commission chamber
proper. They were banked on both sides, in the rear and over the casket. Among prominent officials and
citizens who came to pay their respects were Congressman Charles A.
Wolverton and his son, Donnell, Assemblymen Joseph W. Cowgill and J. Frank Crawford, Sidney P.
McCord, city
comptroller, Thomas C. Schneider, president of Camden County Council No.
10, New Jersey Civil Service Association. Others at Bier Others were Sue Devinney, secretary
to Mrs. Kobus; Fred S. Caperoon; Henry Aitken, city sealer of weights
and measures, Horace R. Dixon, executive director of the Camden Housing
Authority; George I. Shaw, vice president of the board of education. Sgt. Ray
Smith, chairman of the Elks
Crippled Children Committee and commander of East Camden Post, V.F.W.; Albert
Becker, commander of Camden County Post 126, Jewish War Veterans; Dr.
Howard E. Primas and Wilbur F. Dobbins, members of the Camden Housing
Authority; Postmaster Emma E.
Hyland; Samuel E. Fulton, member of the
Camden local assistance board. Also
former Assemblyman Rocco Palese, former Freeholder Maurice Bart and
wife, County Detective James Mulligan, Deputy City Clerk William D.
Sayrs, Mary King, secretary to City Clerk Reesman, Charles W. Anderson
and John W. Diehl Jr., former members of the housing authority, Walter
P. Wolverton, chief clerk of the public works department; Thomas J.
Kenney, Maurice Hertz, Isadore Hermann, chief of the city tax title
bureau; S. Raymond Dobbs; acting chief of city property, John Oziekanski,
building inspector, Harry Langebein, city assessor. Oliver H. Bond,
housing manager of
Clement T. Branch Village; former Judge Joseph
Varbalow, acting city
counsel John J. Crean, assistant City Counsel Edward V. Martino, Paul
Day, secretary of city board of assessors, former Assemblyman William T.
Iszard, Harry Roye, district director of NYA; Victor J. Scharle and
Martin Segal, Democratic and Republican registrars, respectively, of the
Camden County permanent registration bureau. Mrs. Marian Garrity and Mrs. Mary F.
Hendricks, vice chairman and secretary respectively, of the Republican
City Committee; Dr, Ethan A. Lang and Dr. Richard P. Bowman, members of
the board of education; Edward J. Borden, Carl
Kisselman, Harry A.
Kelleher, Samuel T. French
Sr., former Freeholder Walter
Budniak,
Coroner Paul R. Rilatt, County Treasurer Edward J.
Kelleher, William
Shepp, of the city legal bureau, Marie Carr, stenographer, mayor's
office; Samuel T. French Jr., member, board of education. Also John C. Trainor, member of the
Camden County Board of Elections; Antonio
Mecca, funeral director;
Alexander Feinberg, solicitor of the housing authority, former
Freeholder John T. Hanson, Sterling Parker and Paul Reihman, member of
the county park commission. James O’Brien, commander of the
Camden Disabled American Veterans, was in charge of services by veterans
at the cemetery. Former Freeholder Edward J. Quinlan, county
vice-commander of the American Legion, directed last night memorial
services and was in charge of the firing squad at the grave. |
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BOARD OF EDUCATION DR.
ETHAN A. LANG Click on Image to Enlarge |
| Camden Courier-Post * July 3, 1942 | |
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| ...continued... | |
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| Dr.
Charles A. Maurer - Mair
Auerbach - Earle Benton - Thomas F. Connery - Joseph
Hildebrand David MacGhee - Robert W. Lowden - Philip W. Cooper - Joshua V. Davidow - William G. Freeman Nelson G. French - Joseph Frost - Jack H. Fuhrman - John R. Hall - William B. Knight W. Warren Luckenbill - Joseph Moss - Robert W. Norris - Ralph Obus - William Peel - John F. Rodgers C. Zachary Seltzer - Robert T. White - John J. Crean - Angelo De Persia - Samuel T. French Jr. Thomas B. Hazelton - Robert Hollingsworth - John H. Mohrfield - Bernard W. Nicel - Frederick A. Smith Fred Thatcher - John Borden - William Boyd - Dominic De Persia - Elmer Highley - Frank Houser William Johnston - Samuel Massimiano - James Matthews - Robert Runge - John Winton - Clyde Creato William T. Hiering - John Heckers - Robert F. Miller - Leo Burnett - Robert Cundy - Charles Adamson John Broomall - Ralph Corriden - Clark Fountain - Ben Hollick - Alfred Pierce - William Sippel Richard Truette - Vincent J. Manno |
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| Camden Courier-Post * February 1, 1954 | |
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| ...continued... | |
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| Merrill Hallowell - John Odorisio - Samuel J. T. French Jr. - Benjamin Miatico - Joseph Sherman | |
| Camden Board of Education - 1955 | |
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Around
the Table:
Victor Levinson |
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| Camden Board of Education - 1957 | |
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Around
the Table:
Eluria Milliken |
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513
State Street
2000 |
