Charles J.
"Jeff"
Kay

CHARLES JEFFERSON 'JEFF' KAY was born in Camden in October of 1860 to Isaac B. and Rebecca Kay. The 1880 census shows him living at 627 South 6th Street, the home of his parents, and working as an upholster. Also home was older brother Harry Kay, and two younger sisters, Mary and Violetta.

Charles Jefferson Kay turns up in the 1887-1888 and 1888-1889 Camden City Directory. He was then a teamster, and living at 444 Pine Street. He shows up in the 1890-1891 directory as a driver, basically the same thing, living at 921 Lawrence Street. 

Charles Jefferson Kay served briefly with the Camden Fire Department in the early 1890s before joining the police force in 1895. By June 6, 1900 he was renting a home at 217 Linden Street with his wife of fourteen years, Elizabeth, and their two children, Violetta and Harry.

By 1906 he had moved to 204 Elm Street in North Camden. When the census was enumerated in 1910 he, was living with his wife Elizabeth and 14-year old son Harry A. Kay, still at 204 Elm Street. Despite his age, he became on of Camden's first motorcycle policemen. 

By 1920 he had been promoted to Sergeant, and was living at 606 North 4th Street. His son, who had married, was then working as a shipyard electrician. He was still on the force and living on North 4th Street in April of 1930. He was Sergeant and still on the motorcycle squad as late as October of 1931. Sergeant Kay retired from the police department in 1935 after having served the City of Camden for 40 years. He was 75 years old when he finally turned in his badge.

Elizabeth Kay died in August if 1940. After an illness of ten days, Charles Jefferson Kay joined his wife on March 27, 1941 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery survived by his son and daughter and three grandchildren.

Camden Courier-Post * April 16, 1930 

POLICE ESCORT FUNERAL OF FORMER CHIEF HYDE

Camden Morning - December 12, 1930

Camden Evening Courier - December 13, 1930

Lawrence T. Doran - Charles V. Dickinson - Clifford Baldwin - Walter Mattison - Howard Smith
George A. Ward - Jeff Kay - Alfred Shires - Harry Kyler - Archie Reese - Walter Smith - Harry Cattell
Earl Rider - Charles F. Smith - Charles H. Smith - John Toal - John Taylor - Frank Carle - Oscar Thompson Highland Worsted Mills - North Camden - State Street - Moore Street - Chestnut Street

WILKIE THREATENED BY EIGHT MEN IN AUTO

Search for a maroon-colored touring car believed by John V. Wilkie, Camden's
notebook cop," to contain eight beer runners was made yesterday after Wilkie had
been threatened by an occupant of the automobile while in his traffic booth at Baird
and Wilson boulevards.

The car containing the eight men, three in the front and five in the rear, was 
proceeding northwest on Admiral Wilson boulevard when one of the occupants 
uttered the threat against Wilkie. 

"Come on out and fight; you ____” the stranger shouted. Wilkie said he placed
the light at amber and sought to learn the license number of the automobile. The 
plates however, were indistinguishable, he said, or had been either smeared or 
turned around to be unrecognizable.

Wilkie said he reported to police headquarters and that Major Charles V. Dickinson, deputy director of public safety, and Motorcycle Police Sergeant Jeff Kay and Policeman Nathan Wine searched and waited for hours for the return of the mysterious car without avail.