William Stanley Ablett

PRIVATE WILLIAM STANLEY ABLETT was born on December 27, 1895, the son of James John and Harriet "Hattie" Ablett at 618 Elm Street in Camden NJ. The 1897 City Directory shows the family at 825 Elm Street. The 1898 and 1899 editions show them at 608 Cedar Street. The 1900 Census has the family living at 126 North 8th Street. They were still there in 1910. By 1914 the family had moved to 603 South 3rd Street in South Camden. He attended Cooper School from 1901 to 1911, and the old Camden High from 1911 through 1913, after which he entered Dickinson Theological Seminary at Williamsport PA to study for the ministry.  

Private Ablett had enlisted in Company B, 104th Engineers, when that company was organized in Camden on April 27, 1917. He was sent to Camp Edge, Sea Girt NJ and later to Camp McClellan, Anniston AL. Private Ablett was killed in action in the Argonne Forest on October 27, 1918, when he was shot in the arms and legs.

William Stanley Ablett was survived by his parents, James and Hattie Ablett, and a sister Alice. The surviving family moved to 618 Royden Street shortly after the war.  

In 1941, the Housing Authority of the City of Camden honored the memory of William Stanley Ablett by naming it new housing project after him. Built to house the families of those working in Camden's defense industry, the William Stanley Ablett Village took in its first tenants in the summer of 1943. The 306 unit development sits at the corner of State Street and River Road, in Camden's Cramer Hill section.

Camden Courier-Post - January 20, 1928

GOLD STAR MOTHERS TO ATTEND FOREIGN WAR VETERAN’S BALL

Gold Star Mothers will be the honor guests at the first annual military ball of the Camden Post, No. 980, Veterans of Foreign Wars, to be held on Friday evening, February 3, in the Elks ballroom, Seventh and Cooper Streets.

Elaborate plans for this ball are under the chairmanship of John S. Pennington.

Invitations have been issued for patrons and patronesses and the list will be announced early next week.

Gold Star Mothers to attend the affair are Mrs. C. Alberger, Mrs. Harriett Ablett, Mrs. Laura Brown. Mrs. A. Crangel, Mrs. A. Cassidey, Mrs. R. Dilks, Mrs. Kate Geist, Mrs. M. Griffen, Mrs. Horace B. Keebler, Mrs. H. Kirk, Mrs. Ross Leahy, Mrs. M. A. Matson, Mrs. M. McGuckin, Mrs. Mary Martin, Mrs. M. Matthews, Mrs. Cooling Pond, Mrs. Oliver Powell*, Mrs. Mary Pennington, Mrs. C. Rolk, Mrs. E. Simons, Mrs. Mary Schucker, Mrs. Margaret Steigerwald, Mrs. Annie Taylor, Mrs. M. Osborn, Mrs. Mary Keegan, Mrs. Anna Kennedy, Mrs. T.C. Young and Mrs. Walters.

Assisting Mr. Pennington in planning this ball are John Rouh, James W. Connor, Charles Bozian, Robert MacMahon, Edward Watson, David Lukoff, Harry Laxton, Edward A. Stark, George Jones, William V. Long, Joseph Keefe, Charles Blank sad Marvel Passwater.

* Newspaper error- Mrs. Oliver Powell was actually Mrs. Oliver Purnell

Camden Courier-Post
February 22, 1942

Camden Courier-Post
June 19, 1943