A non-profit organization dedicated to
Local History * Community
Service
* Senior Dog Adoption
* Classic Rhythm & Blues Music *
"A
PEOPLE WHICH TAKES NO PRIDE IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF REMOTE
ANCESTORS WILL NEVER ACHIEVE ANYTHING WORTHY TO BE REMEMBERED BY
REMOTE DESCENDANTS." Thomas Babington Macaulay
DVRBS
is The
Delaware Valley Rhythm & Blues Society, Inc.
Within this site there are several websites
that I hope you will find interesting. Please drop me a line by
e-mail to let me know you have been here. Comments, suggestions,
and material to add to the these websites are very much
appreciated, which is to say, I've started this, but YOU are
more than welcome to be a part of it. Check out the history,
talk to me about funky music, and most importantly, Enjoy
Yourself!
On
November 1, 2008 I reworked the homepage to make it easier to find
things on the site. If the navigation bar at the left doesn't help
you, you can FIND any word on this page by typing
Control-F and then enter the word you are looking
for. You can also SEARCH the
website by using the Google Search box below.Have
Fun!
"LIFE
IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE
WITH THE INTENTION OF
ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE,
THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT,
AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING WOW.... WHAT A RIDE !!!"
"Knowing
is not enough; we must apply. Understanding is not enough; we must
do.
Knowing and understanding in action make for honor.
And honor is the heart of wisdom."
Johann von Goethe
No
man owns history, therefore you should feel free to use anything
in this web site for any purpose you see fit. The only important
thing is that knowledge be preserved, made accessible, and
passed down to future generations. This site is not for profit and
proud of it, for to claim title to and profit from the actions of
those long gone seems to, at best, bogus, and at worst, immoral.
If left to the greedy, there would be no public domain-
Constitution and the Bible would be the property of an individual,
institution, or corporation. -- Phil Cohen.
"War
is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and
degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing
worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more
about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable
creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so
by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart
Mill
Martin
W. Baskow owned and
operated the Nine-Thirty-Nine
Bar at 939 Market Street
in Camden NJ in the 1960s. He was brutally murdered in his bar on
the morning of July 14, 1967. This case remains unsolved, 41
years later. If you have any information concerning this crime,
please e-mail
me. Your identity will
be kept confidential and there is a reward for information leading
to an arrest.
STILL
RELEVANT: At $35.00 each, the rolls of microfilm contain one
month of post-1920 Camden newspapers, the Post-Telegram in the
years through 1926, the Morning Post and Evening Courier
beginning in 1930, and in the late 1940s the combined
Courier-Post.
Donations
can still be made toward for the newly acquired scanner, or can
be directed to the month and year of Camden newspapers of your
choice, as long as they are available through the New Jersey
State archives. I'm also looking to upgrade to a new server
before the end of 2009, as the one we are on now is in its sixth
year of use.
Once
again, for all the millionaires reading this,
DVRBS Inc. is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization and
tax-deductible
donations can be made by check or
money order.
To
donate by check or money order, make them payable to DVRBS Inc.,
and mail to PO Box 1466, Camden NJ 08105-0466.
This
section had grown so large that I decided to dedicate a separate
page of links to all the pages about interesting people who have
lived in our city... a biographical section, as it were. The
"People of Note" section has been moved here, as well
as the "Camden Sports Hall of Fame", "Camden
Entertainment Hall of Fame", "Camden
Families" and the "Mayors of Camden"
sections. I have also moved the links and set up a new section
of links to Camden family web-pages both on this website and
elsewhere.
Nothing
has been removed...... I've just set up a separate section in
order to let THIS page load faster for those who are still using
dial-up connections.
As
always, suggestions, questions and comments are quite welcome.
Thanks to Jim Bessing and Mike Scheele for twisting my arm
(figuratively of course!) so I would get off my rump and get
this done!
I
don't try and never will try to hide who I am and what I believe.
This will sooner or later get me physically assaulted, cost me my
job, get this web site hacked, or some such nonsense.
Don't
be surprised.... everything that is a hairless biped is not
necessarily human. What happened to filmmaker Theo van Gogh in the
Netherlands, who was murdered for exposing the physical abuse of women
in the Islamic community, can happen in America... WILL happen
in America, and is being ENCOURAGED to happen in America by CAIR,
moveon, and like minded parties. If the same happens to me, don't
be surprised, do not mourn. DO BE ANGRY and DO TAKE UP ARMS.
Camden Serves America: Soldiers,
Sailors, & Airmen Camden
Heroes & Veterans
Honoring All Camden County Men and Women
Who Serve and have Served Our Country
Army - Air Force - Coast
Guard - Merchant Marine - Marine Corps - Navy
An
Index to Biographical Web Pages on this Web Site
Includes
Camden Sports Hall of Fame * Camden Entertainment Hall of Fame
Camden Mayors
and many other interesting people who have lived in Camden!
A
slide presentation of photos of men and women who were serving
with the United States armed forces during World War II. This
presentation was compiled and first shown at St. Joseph's Church
in June of 2009 in commemoration of Armed Forces Day.
If
you would like to download this in PowerPoint format, click
here.
In
great part due to the efforts of the website, Chief Scott
Thompson of the Camden Police Department, and other
members of Camden's Finest, the name of Detective
William T. Feitz, the first Camden police
officer to lose his life during the performance of his
duties, was inscribed along with 414 other law enforcement
officers on the National
Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC.
These men were honored in a candlelight vigil on May 13,
2005.
Discussions
are also taking place to see that Detective Feitz's name
be added to the Camden NJ Police Memorial at Federal
Street and Haddon Avenue.
Camden
Serves America: Soldiers, Sailors, & Airmen Camden Veterans
Honoring All Camden County
Men and Women Who Serve and Served Our Country
Army - Air Force - Coast
Guard - Merchant Marine - Marine Corps - Navy
- A reunion is
being planned for later in the year.
If you recognize anyone or are in this picture yourself,
PLEASE e-mail Bob
Bartosz at
civilwarbnp@verizon.net
THE
STREETS OF CAMDEN, NJ A Virtual
Walk Down Camden City Streets
&
The Stories Behind The Names of the Streets - the answer to Who
Was Admiral Wilson?
1912-1913
Camden City Directory Aachen
& Munich Fire Insurance Co. of Germany to Fritz, Emma;
Lightcap, Mary to Lindehorn, Harry; Moran, Margaret to Morgan,
John; Nardello, Rocco to Naval Reserve Drill Hall;
Norris, William W. to Norwood, I. Gertrude; Swyler, Amanda to
Taggart, Lorenzo M.;
Tribitt, George to Trophy, John; Warrington, Estelle to
Wasserman, Jacob;
West, Hannah to West Jersey Title & Guaranty Co
JON
VAN TIL’S HOME PAGE
Jon Van Til is
Professor of Urban Studies and Community Planning at Rutgers
University’s Camden Campus. This website provides material for
his students in several courses, and for colleagues in the field
of urban policy, voluntary and nonprofit organization, and
citizen participation.
Note
From Phil:
There is a lot here that I strongly disagree with. LIVING here
for 25 plus years carries a lot more weight than commuting in
from the suburbs and taking a class... I'm not all that
impressed with late 20th century academia, but that's MY value
judgment. Still, there is much at this website that is of
interest to those interested in Camden.
The
Sinking of HMT ROHNA
Twelve soldiers from Camden
County- six men from South Camden, one from Haddonfield, one
from Blackwood, two from Pennsauken, one from Merchantville, and
one from Lindenwold- died together when the troop transport HMT
Rohna was struck by a German guided glider bomb and sank of the
coast of North Africa. Eight men from other South Jersey
communities were also lost. A total of 1,015 men were lost that
day, many of them from South Jersey, but the story was never
told to the families or the general public for over 57 years due
to wartime censorship. At the time, conflicting stories were
issued about the fates of these men. Some families were told
that their sons were killed, others were told that their family
members were missing in action. This page is dedicated to these
men and their families.
On January
26, 1944 the LST-422 struck a mine of Anzio, Italy. 419 American
soldiers and 29 British sailors were lost. Seven of those victims were
from Camden County, New Jersey. This is their story.
THE SS
LEOPOLDVILLE DISASTER
On
December 24, 1944 the SS Leopoldville, carrying over 2000
American soldiers, was torpedoed off the coast of Normandy. 764
Americans lost their lives that night, including two from Camden
NJ, PFC Edward E. Benson, and Staff Sergeant Robert F. Miles..
To learn more about the Leopoldville disaster, and what happened
to Robert Miles and Edward Benson, click on the links below.
As
many were fond of saying, the world changed on September 11,
2001. Well, it did not really change, but the United States DID
get a wake up call. America is at war, which is a sad thing....
people get hurt and killed, lives are ruined. On the other hand,
a look at the world over the past few years... and over the past
1000 or so years... truly gives evidence to what America and
those who share our values and culture are up against.
Make
no mistake about this.... the world is at war, and it IS a
religious war. I will be charitable and say a branch of Islam is
bent on world conquest and the establishment of world rule under
Islamic religious war. I will also be very truthful and state
that is is a VERY large and very well-funded branch.
As
this website is very much a teaching tool, I thought it
appropriate to present some articles I have found helpful- some
that I have found, others submitted by visitors to this website.
I
have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have
before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us
many, many months of struggle and suffering.
You
ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea,
and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God
has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never
surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime.
That is our policy.
You
ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory.
Victory
at all costs - Victory in spite of all terrors - Victory,
however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there
is no survival.
In
this war on terror, this war for the future of humanity, there can
be no neutrality. Those who do not actively combat terror by
definition actively condone it.
Phillip
Cohen, July 2004
At the siege of
Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian
Europe.
We are in a new phase of a very old war.
"Before
You Go" is
offered as an expression of heartfelt gratitude to those
who fought and won the Second World War - for their
bravery, gallantry and sacrifices that assure the
continued enjoyment of freedoms unprecedented in the
history of mankind.
As
we lose those who gave us so much to age and time, it is
our hope that the wondrous technology of the age of
Internet will help us to deliver this tribute and
message of thanks to every surviving veteran of the
Second World War, their families and descendants.
With
our profound thanks to those who we can never adequately
thank, and in the hope that you will help us spread our
message, we offer
If
any of the links on this or the following pages fail to
work, hold down the <ctrl> key while clicking on
the link
Though
dedicated to the veterans of the Second World War, we
view "Before You Go" to be equally applicable
to all of the veterans of subsequent wars and current
conflicts who have responded to the call of their
country and placed their lives on the line on our behalf
when asked to do so
VETERAN’S
DAY – 2006
The
local paper advertised a parade on the extensive grounds of our
Bay Pines VA Hospital, but its route wasn’t described. I
wondered if my wheelchair buddies in the nursing home might be
able to watch it from a nearby road, so I went there a bit
earlier to see if I could help. As it turned out, the activities
leader was getting a bunch of men ready to go to a shaded spot
behind the building for the ceremonies, where they might miss
the parade.
As
it turned out, the parade came to them. We wheeled over 30 guys
to a spot beside hundreds of empty chairs. Shortly, we heard
drums and music as three bands and several groups marched in and
filled the seats. After Presentation of the Colors, Pledge of
Allegiance, and the National Anthem, we heard short speeches by
the Secretary of the Navy, the local Congressman, the Director
of the Hospital, and best of all, the main address by a very
articulate Medal of Honor soldier.
The
man sitting next to me was a wounded Marine just back from Iraq.
We bonded instantly, and he even worked beside me pushing the
wheelchairs back to the nursing home. Later I drove him to his
next stop and he wants get involved in volunteer work. With 61
years between our wars, he now knows that every older veteran is
his buddy too, because we shared a common experience.
In
other news, we read of a 111 year-old Florida man who is one of
15 World War I veterans still alive!
If
you didn't miss Camden, you probably wouldn't be visiting this
website. Why not COME BACK? I've been here 31 years, and
couldn't imagine living anywhere else. There simply are so many
advantages that far outweigh the
over-emphasized-in-the-media disadvantages. If you have never
lived in Camden, you don't know what you are missing.
I
met Craig Campbell back in 1977 when I was living on Penn
Street. Craig is THE man to see if you are looking to come to
what is arguably the most eclectic neighborhood in South Jersey.
Bob
Stanton has written several books devoted to the history of
railroads and trolleys in Camden and South Jersey.
His "Trolley
Days in Camden" is a real gem, with
lots of pictures from days gone by that I haven't seen
elsewhere.
We are the
Wireless solution you'll need!
Looking
for Wireless Internet Access? You found it! Looking to setup
Wireless WAN's / LAN's? Just Ask! Looking for a dependable
company? Here we are!
Delphon,
Inc.
based in Beverly, NJ services all of New Jersey and Eastern
Pennsylvania. Delphon
provides a verity of computer related business services
including Networking, Hardware Repair and Upgrade, Server &
Preventive Maintenance, LANs, WAN's, Wireless, Hosting, Web
Design, Tower Installs, DSL, ISDN, T1, VPN, and Dialup.
Camden
Shipyard and Maritime Museum at The
Church of Our Savior Episcopal 1910-1912 Broadway (Broadway
and Viola Streets)
Camden, N.J.
We need Photographs!
A
restoration plan is being developed for this historic church that
will guide its transformation into the new home for the Camden
Shipyard and Maritime Museum. We are looking for any photographs of
the interior or exterior of this church including family events such
as weddings and baptisms, etc. We would like to make copies of these
for use in the historic restoration process. If you can assist in
any way or know of someone who can, please contact. Mary Ann Eves,
Project Historian, at (215) 545-1076orProfessor
Michael Lang, Project Director, at (609) 280-7659.
Tom
Gralish has worked at the Philadelphia Inquirer since 1983,
working as both an editor and photographer. During the Gulf War in
1991, he was the Department of Defense Pool newspaper photo editor
in Saudi Arabia. He has covered stories from the revolution in the
Philippines to George W. Bush's campaign for the presidency to
street people living on the sidewalks of Center City Philadelphia.
Tom
Gralish was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography and
the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for his photo essay on the
homeless in 1986.
In
1998 he began a weekly photo column titled "City Life"
in the Philadelphia Inquirer, documenting everyday life in about
150 Philadelphia neighborhoods. Since 2001, the column - with a
new title, "Scene on the Street" - began taking a weekly
look at our urban landscape.
Before
coning to Philadelphia Tom Gralish spent seven years working for
United Press International as a photographer in Minneapolis,
Dallas, Detroit and Kansas City.
Visit
The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/home
every day and click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms"
button to help fund free mammograms for homeless, low-income
women. It costs you nothing to help make early detection and
survival possible. Funding is paid by site sponsors and goes to
the nonprofit National Breast Cancer Foundation, who uses it to
grant access to mammography to women in need. You can click once
per day. Pass it along as a way to fight breast cancer all year
long! http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/home
Pustilnik Family
member Neil Weiss is a leading producer of World Music, Jazz
and other genres.
Visit the website of his Big World label,
and his website devoted to the Candombe music if Uruguay.
I
met Craig back in 1977 when I was living on Penn Street. He is
THE man to see if you are looking to come to what is arguably
the most eclectic neighborhood in South Jersey.
Talking
About History!
May 6, 2004
3 of
Camden's Finest
at
Louis & Mechanic Streets
Left to
Right:
Sakeera Caphas, Ny'shyaa Smith,
& Madelin Ruiz
Click
on Image to Enlarge
Many
thanks to those who have contributed pictures and information
which are displayed within this website.... and I KNOW I've
forgotten to mention far too many.
Steve
Ross - THANK YOU for pushing me to cleanup the home page... and
everything else!!!!!
A
special thank you to Peter McHugh for proofreading many of the
pages found here.
Thanks
to Frederic El for his suggestions for Camden's Sports Hall of
Fame.
Thanks
to Maryanne Mingle, Joe Clawges, John Ciafrani, Jim Bessing,
Floyd Miller, John Myers and MANY others for North Camden
Memories.
Thanks
to Tom Agin, Lynne Stuhltrager, and Fred Kalt for East Camden
memories.
Thanks
to Ed Milewski for Whitman Park memories.
Thanks
to Bonnie Errickson for "Blood, Toil, Tears, &
Sweat"... and a lot of encouragement!
Thanks
to Molly Lou Conrad for reminding me of the 50
Years website!
Thanks
to Von Lechner, for photographing the former homes of local war
heroes.
Rabbi
David Herman for innumerable treasure about Beth El and Jewish
life in Camden
