In
1907 a Joseph Baxter, who worked as a finisher, was living at
211 Milton Street in the
Poets Row section of
North Camden. This
person was at 934 Pearl Street in 1908, and at 113 North 21st
Street in 1909. Wives were not named in the directories for
those years.
The
1910 Census shows Joseph Baxter, unmarried and working as a
trucker for an express company, boarding with a co-worker, Paul
Judge, at 113 North 21st Street in
East Camden. He boarded with
the Judges into the 1920s, even when the family moved from one
house to another. The 1914 City Directory shows that he had
moved to 46
North 21st
Street and was working as a leatherworker again. The 1917
Directory has the same information regarding address and
employment.
After
America got involved in World War I, there was a great deal of
turnover in the Camden Fire Department. By the time the 1918-1919
City Directory was compiled, Joseph
A. Baxter had been appointed to the Camden Fire Department. This
took place prior to
September 12, 1918 when he registered for the draft. He was
still living at 46 North 21st
Street. When he registered for the draft Joseph Baxter indicated that his nearest
relative was Rebecca Baxter of Philadelphia, and a widow by that
named does appear in the 1910 and 1920 Censuses. It is
conceivable that this was his mother.
The
Census taken in January of 1920 shows Joseph A. Baxter
boarding at 50 North 21st
Street, still with the Judge family.
City Directories through 1924 also have him at this address. The
1923 City Directory places him at 1134 Baring
Street, boarding with Daniel
B. Riegel. He boarded with Riegel through most of the 1920s,
moving to 1124 Baring
Street when did in the mid-1920s.
Joseph
Baxter married late in life, shortly after the 1929 City
Directory was compiled. He was still living at 1124 Baring
Street. When the Census was taken in April of 1930, Joseph and
Mary Baxter were living at 573 Spruce
Street. Neighbors included
grocery store owner Charles Malamut at 577 Spruce, veteran
police officer Frank Crawford at 569, and long-time Democrat political leader
George
Kleinheinz at 574 Spruce
Street.
The
1940 City Directory lists Joseph A. and Mary Baxter at 235 Eutaw
Avenue in East
Camden.
By
the spring of 1942 Joseph A. and Mary Baxter had moved to 24
Read Avenue in Runnemede, New Jersey. He was still a member of
the Camden Fire Department, however, when he registered for the
draft.
Joseph
A. Baxter is not listed in the 1956 New Jersey Bell Telephone
Directory, however, his wife Mary is, at the Read avenue
address. It would appear that he had passed away prior to the
compilation of the Directory.
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