Felix
E.
Bendzyn


FELIX BENDZYN was biorn on May 30, 1899 in Camden, New Jersey to Louis and Anna Bendzyn. His family had lived in Phialdelphia before he was born. The Bendzyns were at 829 Sycamore Street at the time of the 1900 Census. Louis Bendzyn worked as a day laborer to support his family, which then included four children older than baby Felix. They were Helen, Louis, Paul, and Mary. Two other children had died, an all but to infrequent event in those times. By 1906 the family had moved to 1041 Diamond Street.

When he registered for the draft in September of 1918 Felix Bendzyn was working at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard. The census taken in January of 1920 shows that Felix Bendzyn was still working at the shipyard and living with his parents was living with his parents, 

older sister Helen, and younger siblings Frank, Alexander, and Anna at 1041 Diamond Street.  

By 1924 the Bendzyn family had moved to 1247 Thurman Street and stayed there as late as 1927. Brothers Paul and Louis had also moved back in with the family. Felix Bendzyn remained with the shipyard until the spring of 1928.

Felix Bendzyn was appointed to the Camden Fire department on April 28, 1928 and assigned Engine Company 7 as a hoseman. The 1929 Camden City Directory shows him living at 926 Howe Street with his wife, the former Martha Kokocha. This would be his address for the rest of his days. During the 1930s Martha Bendzyn was an active member of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Camden Police and Firemen's Association. In October if 1943 Martha's brother, Peter Kokocha, was appointed to the Camden Fire Department.

On June 16, 1951 Felix Bendzyn was promoted to Captain and transferred to Engine Company 8.

Felix Bendzyn was still serving with Engine Company 8 when he died on June 4, 1961. He was replaced on the Fire Department by James Stewart, who reported for duty on August 1, 1961. Felix Bendzyn was survived by his wife Martha, who joined him in 1986.


World War I Draft Card


Camden Courier-Post - April 4, 1928

...continued...

Thomas Nicholas - John H. Lennox - Rollo Jones - William Harring  
Clarence Madden
- George B. Wade - William W. Patterson - George Hunt  
David Ellis
- George Saunders - Eli Hunt - William Van Pfefferle
William H. Toy - Leo Tomkins - Horace T. Molan
Laurence Boulton - George W. Garner - Felix E. Bendzyn
Harry H. Hess - Charles Jones
Thomas F. Gibbons - Byron Davis - John S. Anderson
Ladder Company 1 - Engine Company 3
Engine Company 6
- Engine Company 7 - Engine Company 9
 27th Street - Arch Street - Broadway Clinton Street
Federal Street
-  Ferry Avenue
-
York Street


Camden Courier-Post
April 17, 1928

Thomas Nicholas - John H. Lennox - Rollo Jones William Harring - Clarence Madden - George Hunt
George B. Wade
- William W. Patterson - David Ellis George Saunders - Eli Hunt - Edwin Callahan
Eli Hunt - William Van Pfefferle - William H. Toy
Laurence Newton - Leo Tomkins - Horace T. Molan
Lawrence Boulton - George W. Garner
Felix E. Bendzyn - Harry H. Hess
Thomas F. Gibbons - Byron Davis
Lawrence Milton - John S. Anderson

Ladder Company 2 - Ladder Company 4  

Engine Company 1 - Engine Company 11
Engine Company 2
- Engine Company 3
Engine Company 4 - Engine Company 5
Engine Company 6
- Engine Company 7
Engine Company 8 - Engine Company 9

 


Camden Courier-Post - July 11, 1933
C.B. Coles & Sons Lumber Co. - Kaighn's Point - Knight Street - Front Street - Mechanic Street
Atlantic Avenue - Kaighn Avenue - South 2nd Street - Margaret Dolson - Robert Dolson
Engine Company 8 - George Tucker - Charles Voll
Dr. Arthur L. Stone - Mrs. Marion Richards
Henry C. Coles - John Bircher - John H. Lennox - James H. Long - Harry Hertline
Joseph Novack - E.H. Stewart
...continued...
Camden Clown Club - James Shay - Alice Williams - Alice Shay - William Shay
Stanley Berthelot - Henry Small - James Rice - William Haines - Anna Parker - Mary Numbers 
Engine Company 2 - Engine Company 7 - William Hopkins - Felix Bendzyn
Dennis Block - C.E. Wells - Howe Street - Cedar Street - Wiley Mission

Camden Courier-Post * February 4, 1938

Heads Auxiliary

MRS. ANNA GLEASON, who was elected president of the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Camden Police and Firemen's Association, 1175 Whitman Avenue. She is the widow of Lester A. Gleason. Other newly elected officers are Mrs. E. Schriver, vice president; Mrs. Ruth Baker, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Mable Batten, secretary, and Mrs. Martha Bendzyn, treasurer.


Captain Felix Bendzyn of Engine Company 8, encrusted in ice following the extinguishing of a fire on the pier at the foot of Clinton Street, winter of 1958

Photo by Bob Bartosz

Click on Image to Enlarge


 


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