Andrew
"Fritz"
Miller


ANDREW MILLER was born in New Jersey in July of 1860 to Charles and Dora Miller. His parents were both born in Germany, and Andrew Miller was known to friends as Fritz.

When the Census was taken in 1880 he was living with his widowed mother Dora and older brother John at 330 Sycamore Street. He married shortly after the Census was taken.  By the middle of 1881 the Millers were at 624 Mount Vernon Street. Andrew Miller was then working as an oilcloth printer, working for Richard C. and Benjamin H. Reeve at their factory on the corner of Pine Street and Haddon Avenue. The 1882 Camden City Directory shows Andrew Miller living at 731 Mount Vernon Street. By 1884 the family had relocated to 756 Cherry Street and he was working as a dyer. The 1885 City Directory shows Andrew Miller working as a laborer and living at 937 South 7th Street. The 1900 Census shows that he had married, and that his wife Cassie had bore seven children, all of them still living, Andrew Jr., Anna, John, George, Dora, Harry, Katy.  

Andrew Miller was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in 1885, and, according to Census records, was still with Department as late as April of 1930. His first assignment was to serve with Engine Company Number 1. His obituary states that he served 27 years as a member of the Camden Fire Department.

In 1886 the Camden Steam Fire Engine Company Number 1 was located at 409 Pine Street in a three story 20 by 90 foot brick building (the old Independence Fire Company No. 3 engine house). The company's apparatus was an Amoskeag second class steamer (maker's plate 6318) drawn by two horses and one Silsby two wheel hose cart drawn by a single horse. The company was equipped with 1000 feet of good hose, axes, lamps, etc. The company roster included John Stockton, Foreman; G. Rudolph Tenner, Engineer; William Deno, driver; William W. Laird, stoker; Wilson Bromley and Jacob F Nessen, hosemen. Call Men were William Deith, Andrew Miller and William Bogia. Bromley and Bogia would later suffer line of duty deaths.

Andrew Miller and his family had moved to 742 Walnut Street by 1887. City Directories show that they stayed at that address until 1892. The 1892-1893 Directory lists Andrew Miller at 728 South 9th Street, and he was still at that address in the 1895-1896 edition. The 1896 City Directory has listings for Andrew Miller at both 704 and 706 Walnut Street. By 1897 Andrew Miller had moved to 707 Walnut Street. They were still at that address when the census was taken in 1900. City Directories from 1906 to 1914 show at 703 Walnut Street. Sadly Andrew Miller Jr. died of tuberculosis in May of 1908 of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The 1918 Camden City Directory and the 1920 Census show Andrew Miller at 724 Mount Vernon Street. His neighbor at 714 Mount Vernon Street was brother firefighter Seth Monnell. By 1924 Andrew Miller had moved to 1255 Sheridan Street. The Directory for 1927 says that he had moved to 1123 Liberty Street. The 1929 Directory and 1930 Census state that Andrew Miller was living at 1345 Princess Avenue in Camden's Parkside district with his wife Catherine, and as indicated above, was still employed by the Camden Fire Department.

While it may seem improbable that Andrew Miller was still with the Fire Department in his seventieth year, it should be noted that mandatory retirements from the Fire and Police Departments did not go into effect until 1950. When they did, Camden had a 75 year-old firefighter, John "Shorty" Prucella, and a policeman who was past seventy, Samuel E. Johnson

City Directories indicate that Andrew and Catherine Miller were living at 1441 Princess Avenue when the 1940 and 1943 City Directories were compiled. Andrew Miller passed away in 1948 and was buried at New Camden Cemetery. He last resided at 4020 Westfield Avenue in Camden with daughter Alice, her husband Edward McMaster, and their son James McMaster. Andrew Miller's grandson, James McMaster, served with the Camden Fire Department for 26 years, retiring as Deputy Chief on 1989.

Andrew Miller's oldest daughter, Annie, married a member of the Camden Fire Department, Harry Haines Sr., who retired as a Captain with Engine Company 3. Harry Haines son from a previous marriage, Harry Haines Jr., also served with the Camden Fire Department, mostly with Ladder companies over the course of a 29 year career. Between the four of them, there was a total of 140 years of service.

Philadelphia Inquirer * July 30, 1890

Philadelphia Inquirer - January 6, 1910

John H. Vickers - William O. Sawyer - Newton Ash
William Miller - Samuel Lodge - William Rose
William Elberson - Scott Franklin - Andrew Miller

Philadelphia Inquirer - December 6, 1917

Daniel W. Leach - William Walton - Howard L. Currie - Horace Cairns
Henry J. Gerke - Andrew Miller

Camden Daily Courier
November 16, 1921

W. Scott Franklin
Andrew "Fritz" Miller
Engine Company 1

Engine Company 1

John K. Voll - Andrew "Fritz" Miller

Camden Courier-Post
June, 21, 1958

Camden Courier-Post - December 31, 1932
Charles T. Humes - Albert York - David Hunt - Clarence Thorn - James R. White - Harry Haines
William H. Miller Jr. - Charles H. Ellis - William G. Schregler - Wilson Ashbridge
Charles Powell - "Honest John" Brunen - James Navin - George W. Hollins - Richard S. Marter
Arthur Wingate - Joseph Earnest - Samuel Harring - Daniel Grimes - Andrew Miller - Steward Bakley
...continued...
 
 
 







 

Camden Courier-Post * January 2, 1933
...continued...
Roy R. Stewart - Charles T. Humes - Albert York - Clarence Thorn - David Hunt - Harry Haines Sr.
John Lutts - James R. White - William H. Miller Jr. - Major W. Greenwood - Adrian Bateman
Elmer Burkett - Robert M. Coffman - Howard L. Currie - James E. Navin - George W. Hollins
Richard S. Marter - Arthur A. WingateJoseph F. Ernst - Samuel E. Harring - Andrew "Fritz" Miller
Steward Bakley - William K. Buzine - Daniel Grimes - William H. Bennett

Camden Courier-Post
1948

Westfield Avenue
Engine Company 1

 


Camden Courier-Post
August 20, 1951

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