Frank
S.
Van Hart

FRANK S. VAN HART was born in 1875 in Pennsylvania. His family moved to Camden when he was a young boy. As a young man he was well known as an athlete. Frank S. Van Hart was widely regarded as one of the best second-basemen in South Jersey, playing for such local teams as the Howards and the Camden Athletic Association. Playing on the same teams as future major league stars William "Wid" Conroy and "Kid" Gleason, Van Hart was said to have turned down several offers to sign with minor league professional teams. In the days prior to million-dollar contracts, there were many superb ballplayers who chose to stay at home, work a regular job, and play semi-pro ball on the side.

Frank Van Hart played football for the Camden Athletic Association, which in those days played its games at North 3rd and Erie Streets. Among his team mates were William French and his brother Samuel J.T. French, George and Martin Bergen, and Tom Peterson. The French brothers and the two Bergens all became lawyers in Camden, and had notable careers, William French rising to the judgeship.  

After starting his career with a rope company in Philadelphia, Frank S. Van Hart went to work in the office of the Esterbrook Pen Manufacturing Company in Camden. This led him to a sales job that saw travel to 29 states and Cuba, and culminated with his rise to the position of General Manager. 

At the time of the 1920 census Frank S, Van Harts was living with wife Ida and son D. Spencer Van Hart at 851 Haddon Avenue, and working as a manager at the Esterbrook Pen Company. The home was later sold to Robert Blake, who operated a funeral home there from the mid 1940s to the 1960s.

Aligned politically with David Baird Sr., as president of Camden's City Council Frank S. Van Hart was named to succeed Charles H. Ellis to serve as the acting mayor of Camden NJ in 1922 when Ellis was named as Camden's Postmaster. He ran for Mayor in the election of 1923, but was defeated by Victor S. King. Frank S. Van Hart was the last Mayor to serve prior to the adoption of the commission system of government. 

In 1925 John Foster served as Exalted Ruler of Camden Lodge 293 of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.

Frank S. Van Hart returned to private business after leaving the mayor's office. By 1930 he had moved from Camden to 910 Station Avenue in Haddon Heights NJ. He later took a position as the General Manager of the Camden Lime Company.

Frank S. Van Hart retired in the fall of 1940, and moved to his long-time summer home at Pitman NJ. He died as a result of a sudden heart attack on January 11, 1941. Frank S. Van Hart was buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, where he now rests next to his wife Ida. 

Below:
Drawing of
Esterbrook Pen Manufacturing Company
published in 1926

During the 1920s, Frank S. Van Hart was the Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Camden. He was the last to hold this post while the Elks were at this building, at the south-east corner of Broadway and Federal Street. The Elks erected a new building during the 1920s at 7th and Copper Street, which in 2004 is the home of the LEAP Academy charter school.

Camden Courier-Post - February 8, 1933

CAMDEN ELKS TO HONOR PAST EXALTED RULERS

Past exalted rulers will be honored  tonight by Camden Lodge of Elks with a dinner, ceremonial and entertainment. 

The program will be nation-wide. A dinner will be served at 6:00 PM, followed by a business session. Harry G. Robinson, present exalted ruler, will open the ceremonial and turn the lodge over to the past officers.

The past exalted rulers expected are Samuel Kilpatrick, who served in 1900 and 1921; Dr. A. Haines Lippincott, Alexander J. Milliette, J. Harry Switzer, James H. Long, Marian Moriarty, Allen Jarvis, Albert Austermuhl, William L. Sauerhoff, former Mayor Frank S. Van Hart, D. Trueman Stackhouse, Harry Ellis, William G. Ferat, Judge Garfield Pancoast, Rudolph Preisendanz, Jr., Theodore T. Kausel, Edward J. Kelley, Mayor Roy R. Stewart, William H. lszard, William S. Lehman and J. Harry Todd.

Camden Courier-Post - June 2, 1933

CAMDEN ELKS HOPE TO GET CONVENTION
Advisory Committee Will Present Formal Invitation for State Meet

The twenty-first annual reunion and the convention of the New Jersey State Elks Association will be held in Camden next June if efforts of the advisory board of' Camden Lodge of Elks are successful at the state meeting in Newark on June 15, 16 and 17.

Members of the advisory board for the local lodge, who are past exalted rulers of the Camden lodge, will present the invitation to hold the 1934 meeting in Camden, at the twentieth reunion and convention in Newark.

Members of the lodge have adopted a resolution confirming the action of the advisory board and plans were made to set the necessary machinery in motion to bring the 1934 convention to Camden. It was pointed out that Camden Elks have the largest home in the state.

Samuel Kilpatrick, the oldest past exalted ruler of the lodge, is head of the advisory board, and Harry G. Robinson, youngest past exalted ruler, is delegate to the state association, which is composed of past exalted rulers of all Elks lodges in New Jersey. 

Although the state association was formed in Camden, there has never been a reunion or convention of the association held here, it was pointed out.

The outstanding feature of each annual convention is the mammoth sessions, with thousands of Elks in line. It is estimated the parade would draw more than 50,000 persons to Camden, if the local lodge's invi­tation is accepted.

The Camden lodge is sending the band and patrol to Newark for the parade, which will start at 7 p. m. on June 17. Arrangements are being made to have the largest delegation in the parade represent Camden.

Past exalted rulers who comprise the advisory board, and the year they took office, follow: Samuel Kirkpatrick, 1900; Dr. A. Haines Lippincott, 1901; Alex J. Milliette, 1906; J. Harry Switzer, 1908; James H. Long, 1911; Marion Moriarty, 11113; Allen Jarvis, 1914; Albert Austermuhl, 1915; William L. Sauerhoff, 1917; Theodore T. Kausel, 1918; Garfield Pancoast, 1919; William G. Ferat, 1920; Harry Ellis, 1921; Samuel A. Dobbins, 1923; D. Trueman Stackhouse, 1924; Frank S. Van Hart, 1925; Edward J. Kelly, 1926; Rud Preisendanz, Jr., 1927; Roy R. Stewart, 1928; William H. lszard, 1929; William Lehman, 1930; J. Harry Todd, 1931, and Harry G. Robinson, 1932.

Deceased past exalted. rulers and the year they took office are: John H. Foster, 1895; W. E. B. Miller, 1896; Philip Burch, 1897; D. Harry Condit, 1898; H. L. Hartshorn, 1891; George D. Borton, 1902; Maurice Rogers, 1904; Francis Warren, 1907; E. Wilmer Collins, 1909; Lewis H. Leigh, 1910; Monia Odell, 1912, and W. Wallace Balcom, 1922.