Camden People - Philip Farrow

PHILIP H. FARROW was born in Camden NJ on April 10, 1916 to Leslie Ray and Nellie M. Farrow. The elder Farrow had served in the navy for eight years, and had seen action in the 1915 naval expedition to Veracruz, Mexico. When the city directory was compiled in 1914, while still in the United States Navy. Leslie Farrow Sr. and family lived at 1012 South 4th Street in Camden. He had left the Navy by 1917.

Philip Farrow was the second of six children, coming after Geraldine, and before Jesse C., Leslie Ray Jr., George and Evelyn. In June of 1917, when Leslie Sr. registered for the draft, the family lived at 1378 Whitman Avenue. He listed is occupation as spike maker for the Steel Company of Canada, based in Hamilton, Ontario. Leslie Farrow Sr. worked as an engineer for the Camden city water department, and was active in the Masons.

The Farrow family lived at 529 Newton Avenue in Camden. Five doors down, at 519 Newton, lived former major league third-baseman Ed Lennox, brother of John Lennox, the Chief of Camden's Fire Department from 1932 until his death in 1947. On November 16, 1940 Philip Farrow joined the Fire Department. He was then serving with Engine Company 8.

Fear of enemy air raids in 1942 spawned a number of Federal Decrees regulating public conduct in the event of air raid warnings. One new Federal Regulation prohibited fire apparatus from using sirens in response to alarms. Under war-time regulations, sirens would be reserved exclusively for air raid warnings.

The use of audible warning devices by fire apparatus was restricted to bells only. The burden to both fire fighters and the public safety was formidable. On March 1, 1942, the inevitable happened. Engine Company 8 while responding to an alarm was involved in a collision with a ten ton truck at Third Street and Kaighn Avenue. Upon impact all of the firemen were thrown into the street. The truck driver declared that he failed to hear the bells of the approaching apparatus. The mishap resulted in injuries to six members and total destruction of the apparatus. Captain Alvin Thompson was listed in critical condition, while Firemen Mitchell Wojtkowiak, Philip Farrow, Leonard Oshushek, Lawrence Boulton and Edwin Robbins were admitted for lesser injuries. Battalion Chief Newton stated that he believed the accident might have been avoided if fire companies were not prohibited from using sirens.

Philip Farrow served his country during World War II as a member of the United States Coast Guard. Leslie Farrow Jr. was home on leave, when he was killed in a car accident on July 21, 1945. He would have been 21 the next day. He was survived by his mother, brother Philip, of 219 S. 6th Street in Camden, brother Jesse of the Newton Avenue address, and sisters, his father having passed away September 26, 1942. Leslie Farrow Jr. was buried alongside of his father, in the Masonic section of Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson NJ. His mother passed in 1967, and they all rest together.

Soon afterwards Philip Farrow returned to work with the Camden Fire Department. During the late 1940s he served with Engine Company 6 at front and Linden Streets. On June 16, 1951 he was promoted to Captain. By the mid-1960s he was working in the Fire Alarm Radio Room. He retired on September 15, 1968.

Last a resident of Ventnor NJ, Philip Farrow passed away on November 19, 1992.

Camden Courier-Post - June 1950

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His Brother, Jesse C. Farrow