CAMDEN NJ - First Methodist Episcopal Church

FIRST
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
301 South 6th Street
Southwest corner of South 6th and Stevens Street

The First Methodist Episcopal Church, although not given an article of its own in George Reeser Prowell's 1885 book, The History of Camden County, New Jersey was long established by the time that book was written. Prowell does mention its activities in Camden's participation at the outbreak of the Civil War, in April of 1861.

On the 22d of April Samuel H. Grey made an address before the Board of Freeholders in a patriotic appeal, soliciting the board to make appropriations for the relief of families of volunteer soldiers. John S. Read offered a resolution favoring the appropriation of five thousand dollars, which was unanimously adopted. On the evening of the 25th the City Council voted four hundred dollars for the same purpose. On the same evening the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Camden collected one hundred and fifty dollars and purchased five hundred Bibles for the volunteer soldiers of Camden County.

The $150 dollars raised, being quite a significant sum in 1861, bears testimony to the standing of this church and its members in Camden at that time.

The church once opened soon became one of Camden's more prominent churches, and remained so for many years, possibly in part to its proximity to City Hall and Cooper Hospital, which stood directly across the street. This church was built in the 1890s after the land was procured. Well-known Camden realtor George W. Jessup Sr. handled the transaction.

Prominent members of the church over the years included J. Hartley Bowen, Colonel William H. Cooper, Joseph H. Murray, Charles T. Murray, and Samuel Barrett.

Rev. Rhomas Brock was paster in 1924. Rev. Carlton Van Hook was the pastor in the late 1920s and early 1930s. By the spring of 1933 the Reverend George Yard was leading the church. The church is not listed, however in the 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory. The Reverend, J.S. Pemberton led the church by February of 1838

Sadly, the beautiful church at 6th and Stevens was razed by the management of Cooper Hospital in 2005 to make way for a parking garage.

Philadelphia
Inquirer

February 22, 1900

Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church
First Presbyterian Church
North Baptist Church
First Methodist Episcopal Church
Eighth Street Methodist Episcopal Church
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church

John Foster
Arthur Stanley
Hugh Boyle
William E. Albert

Daniel B. Murphy

Rev. James W. Marshall
Rev. W.H. Fishburn

Ancient Order of United Workmen

Camden Courier-Post - October 23, 1931

Missing Girl Weds Bandit On Way to Pen
Bridegroom Linked in Ashenfelter Case; Mother Faints

By ERNIE TALBOT

A prisoner in the Camden county jail awaiting removal today to state prison, married his sweetheart yesterday afternoon.

Last flight the bride was reported as having been missing from her home in Westville Grove for two days.

The bride is Mary Lillie, 22, of Second and Cedar Avenues, Westville Grove, and here mother with the same name, was almost frantic when informed by a reporter from the Courier-Post of the marriage.

The bridegroom, Frank Tiedeman, 18, of 820 Beideman Avenue, was sentenced to five years in prison when he pleaded non vult to four robberies and carrying concealed deadly weapons, by Judge Samuel M. Shay last Monday.

Tiedeman was a member of the "North Cramer Hill gang", two of whom participated in the robbery in which one bandit was killed after wounding City Detective Robert Ashenfelter.

The marriage was performed by Rev. Carlton R. Van Hook, of First M. E. Church, at the request of the prisoner.

Mary is a dressmaker. She is the sole support of her mother and two unemployed brothers. The family lives in meager circumstances. The bride's weekly wage is their only provender.

Last night, it was learned the mother had heard from neighbors that her daughter loved Frank. Mary had expressed it by saying "I will wait ten years or longer, if he is found guilty and sent to jail"

Mrs. Little, however, laughed it off. She didn't believe Mary would marry Tiedeman.

When she heard the news she almost collapsed.

She told a reporter she would "report it to the police" and have a search made for Mary.

The girl left home Tuesday.

Mary's two brothers, George and Edward, last night started to hunt for their sister and will order her home, if successful in their effort to locate her.

The others receiving sentences with Tiedeman were David Allaband, H. Gordon McCrea and Melbourne James. The last two, each got five years apiece and Allaband 6 years.

Camden Courier-Post - February 4, 1933

WILFRED M. KAIGHN FATALLY STRICKEN
Descendant of Pioneer Camden Family Dies at Home on Benson Street

After an illness of 12 hours, Wilfred M. Kaighn, 66, a direct descendant of the first settlers of Kaighn's Point, died yesterday at his home, 567 Benson street. Mr. Kaighn was stricken with a hemorrhage of the brain Thursday night. He was superintendent of the Baltimore Life Insurance Company until six years ago, when he retired. He was a member of the official board of First M. E. Church and Ionic Lodge No. 94, Free and Accepted Masons.

Survivors are: The widow, Mary A., and a daughter, Mrs. Vera Kaighn Nirella, soprano soloist in East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, and former church singer in Philadelphia. Mr. Kaighn also is survived by two grandchildren.

Dr. George W. Yard, pastor of First M. E. Church, and Dr. Thomas S. Brock, pastor of St. Paul's M. E. Church, Atlantic City, will conduct services at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, at the funeral home of Joseph H. Murray & Son, 408 Cooper street. Burial will be in Harleigh Cemetery.

Mr. Kaighn was a descendant of John Kaighn, who arrived from England at Byberry, Pa., in 1690 and later acquired all of the land in what now is Camden, from Line street to Line Ditch.

Camden Courier-Post - June 13, 1933

PASTOR AND WIFE lNJURED IN CRASH
Daughter of Rev. George W. Yard Escapes Injury in Pennsylvania

Rev. and Mrs. George William Yard, of 309 South Sixth street, Camden, were injured seriously late today, and their daughter, Frances, escaped injury, when their automobile collided with a team of mules and swerved into a field near Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Rev. Yard, pastor of the First M.E. Church, Sixth and Stevens Streets, suffered severe scalp cuts. Mrs. Yard suffered a fractured shoulder blade, according to word received here.

They were returning to Camden from Dickinson College, Carlisle, following their daughter's graduation.

At Hogestown, eight miles east of Carlisle, the Yard car skidded into the team, which was pulling a state highway department mower, the report from Carlisle said. One of the mules was killed. Rev. and Mrs. Yard were removed to a nearby hospital.

Camden Courier-Post * June 30, 1933

Bathing Season Opens at Home for Friendless

Youngsters at the Camden Home for Friendless Children yesterday attended "en masse" the opening of the wading pool at the home's playground. More than 50 of the "swimmers" are shown above as they, romped in the cooling waters.

Children at Camden Home Have Big Time in Wading Pool
Bathing Place, Given by Citizens Officially Opened
Four Youthful Charges, Left Motherless, to Return to Father

Bathing in the backyard is a privilege of the children of the Camden Home for Friendless Children that is enjoyed by few of the other youngsters in the city. Yesterday, 63 of the little charges of the institution romped and played in the newly opened wading pool in the home playground.

Built by contributions of residents of the city, the pool was officially opened yesterday for the first time this season to the delight of the children whose gay laughter and shouts resounded throughout the grounds.

The children, whose ages range from 4, to 12, finished their school term last Friday and are now on "vacation" during which time they are taken for sight-seeing trips and picnics by civic club groups and individuals.

Included among the recent outings given the children was a trip to the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens under auspices of the Camden Kiwanis Club. Plans are now complete for a picnic at Berlin Park under direction of Rev. George Yard and members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church.

Six of the children, some of whom have been at the home for more than six years, will leave the institution within the next few days. Four of those are returning to their father who was left with the motherless group upon the death of his wife:

Not all of the home inmates were among the "waders" at the pool yesterday. Five charges are but in fants who are occupants of the "baby house," and were unable to join the crowd.

The children who are under direction of Miss E. R. Schofield, superintendent of the home, apparently enjoy the period of vacation equally as much as youngsters whose parents take them to seashore or mountains, with the older children of the group acting as embryonic "dads" and mothers to the smaller inmates.

Camden Courier-Post * June 30, 1933

*Keep Wedding Secret 7 Months*	Childhood Sweethearts Reveal Marriage Seven Months Ago Herbert O. Hampton and Naomi Sturm Tell Parents They Just Could Not Keep Their Secret Any Longer Childhood sweethearts since they were 14 years old, Herbert O. Hampton, of 1020 Princess Avenue, and the former Miss Naomi Sturm, of 626 Pine Street, both 21, revealed yesterday that they had been married seven months ago. Playing together, riding Herbert’s bicycle together, going to high school together throughout seven years, the couple were married on November 24 last year, and "just for the fun of it," decided to keep their marriage a secret. "We decided yesterday we just I couldn't hold out any longer," Herbert said, "and so we told our parents." They were married at the parsonage here of Rev. George W. Yard, pastor of the

Although they were wed in Camden seven months ago, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert O. Hampton, both 21, succeeded in keeping their marriage a secret until Wednesday, and even then it was the couple themselves that revealed it.
First Methodist Episcopal Church, and were attended by a young married couple, Mr. and Mrs. William Buckley, of 1227 Magnolia Street, friends, who also promised they would keep the secret. Herbert is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Oscar Hampton, of 1020 Princess Avenue, where the young couple will begin making their home temporarily. His bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Sturm, of the Pine Street address. Herbert graduated from Camden High School in the 1929 class. His wife left high school after two years' attendance there. The couple became acquainted as children when Naomi resided at 1061 Princess Avenue with an aunt.

Camden Courier-Post - February 9, 1938

W.C.T.U. TO MEET IN FIRST M.E. CHURCH

Central Branch of the Camden County W.C.T.U. will meet at 2 p. m. today in the parlors of the First M.E. Church, Sixth and Stevens Streets. Mrs. Charles E. Whinna, Collingswood, director of child welfare, will present her department report and there will be a social session in which members will be introduced to their "mystery" sisters.

Dr. Harry A. Ironside, of the Moody Memorial Church, Chicago, who is holding a three-day conference at the Camden church, will give an address.. One of the mules was killed. Rev. and Mrs. Yard were removed to a nearby hospital.

Camden Courier-Post - February 9, 1938

Temperance Bodies Hold Meetings in Fairview, Camden

Central Branch of the Camden County Women's Christian Temperance Union will hear Dr. Harry A. Ironside, of Chicago, in an address following their monthly business meeting this afternoon in the parlors of the First M.E. Church, this city.

Dr. Ironside is pastor of the Moody Memorial Church, Chicago, and is conducting a three-day Bible conference at the First M.E. Church.

A business session will be conducted by the president, Dr. Josephine Kaye Williams, after which a program on child welfare will be presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Whinna, child welfare chairman of the branch.

Fairview Plans Memorial

Fairview Branch, Women's Christian Temperance Union, will meet this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home of Mrs. Clara Siddons; of 2855 Yorkship Road.

The meeting will be given to a program in memory of Lillian Stevens and Frances E. Willard, pioneers in the work of the organization, It also is the annual dues paying meeting.

Mrs. Anna Dewar will give a "Tribute to Mrs. Stevens" and following presentation of the Stevens legislation fund will be made by the branch president, Mrs. Myrtle Leiter. Mrs. Sue Clemmans will present the Willard Memorial Fund..