Haddon Township Historical Society

06/20/2026

06/20/2026

America’s 250th - Let’s Celebrate Our Patriot Ancestors

While doing some research on a former Haddon Township business owner and resident (W. R. Scudder), we noticed that his son had filed an application with the National Society Sons of the American Revolutions (SAR) noting their ancestor who had participated in the Battle of Brandywine and Monmouth.
So, that made us wonder if any of YOU have done some ancestry research and traced your lineage to an American Revolutionary War veteran. If so, feel free to share their name, rank, duties, battle information, etc. in the COMMENTS below. It would be especially meaningful if you were raised in Haddon Township, or currently live here. (Feel free to share your Loyalist ancestor too - no judgment here!)
To start things off, here is a little information about the American Revolution family ties of a former Haddon Township resident whose name will probably sound familiar to you: Joseph Ogden Cuthbert. In 1850, Cuthbert, born in Philadelphia in 1800, purchased a house (built in the mid-1700s) with 110 acres of farmland in Newton Township, in what is today’s Haddon Township. His house was situated about where today’s Walgreens parking area is located on Haddon Avenue. Cuthbert lived here, along with his wife, Elizabeth Coles-Cuthbert, and their children (after Joseph retired, his sons took over operating the farm), until his death in 1887. Joseph Ogden Cuthbert was the son of Anthony Cuthbert (1751-1832) and Mary Ogden Cuthbert (1770-1862). As noted on the Independence Seaport Museum’s website:
“Anthony Cuthbert was a prominent businessman of Philadelphia, a mast maker and one of Philadelphia’s early shipbuilders. During the Revolutionary War, Anthony Cuthbert served as Captain of the Sixth Company, Artillery Battalion of Philadelphia. He saw action at the Battle of Princeton and was promoted for bravery at Amboy… Mary Ogden Cuthbert’s father, Joseph Ogden (1725-1805), worked at various times as a merchant, a tavern keeper and a ferryman in Philadelphia. He was issued a license to keep a public house in Philadelphia in 1767 by John Penn, and from 1767 to 1771, he managed the One Tun Tavern at Third and Chestnut Streets. He later owned the Middle Ferry on the Schuylkill River. During the Revolutionary War, he was imprisoned by the British for putting impediments in their way at the ferry … [and] was detained in the Walnut Street Prison during their stay in Philadelphia in 1777, for aiding citizens west of the Schuylkill in escaping from a brutal soldiery.” (This information and its sources can be found online and is quoted from the collection’s Biography/History summary of the Ogden and Cuthbert family papers held at the Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives & Library.)

Please share in the COMMENTS below your family research in which you found a participant in the American Revolution.

06/13/2026

Horace Whitehead (b. 1882; d. 1957)
Haddon Township’s First Police Officer/Chief of Police

As Haddon Township Police Department celebrates their 100th Anniversary, let’s take a look back at the life of Haddon Township’s first police officer and chief of police. Horace Whitehead was born on November 20, 1882. He was the son of George C. Whitehead (1862-1943), a tinsmith, and Emma Laura Fries-Whitehead (1865-1930), a seamstress. Horace was one of George and Emma’s four children recorded in the 1900 census residing in the family’s home located at 435 4th St., Camden, NJ. Horace Whitehead married Kathryn H. Bickel (b. 1886; d. 1976) in 1907. Camden City Directories list Horace’s occupation as “hatter” from 1906-1913. The 1910 census recorded Horace, Kathryn, and their one year old daughter, Helen, renting a residence at 533 3rd St. in Camden. Horace, age 27, was working as a hat maker for a Panama Hat manufacturer. In 1912 they had changed residences and were living at 728 New Street in Camden. By 1918, when Horace registered for the draft, he and Kathryn were living at 113 Melrose Avenue in Westmont, and Horace was working as a machinist for McArthur Brothers Bag Loading Plant in Woodbury, NJ. According to information found in his obituary, Horace Whitehead was a Navy veteran of the Spanish-American War, and served in the Navy for seven years until 1905. He was barely 16 years old when he enlisted.
Horace Whitehead’s career path changed drastically when, in 1926, he was appointed Haddon Township’s first police officer (prior to 1926 the township had constables). Whitehead’s appointment on June 1, 1926 came after a holdup at the Westmont National Bank, located at 144 Haddon Avenue, on April 8, 1926.
Officer Whitehead was known to patrol the streets of Haddon Township on his motorcycle. In 1927 Horace Whitehead was named Chief of Police as the department added 2 more officers (William Gorman and William Snyder), which grew to 3 officers in 1929 with the addition of Charles Craig. As noted on the Haddon Township Police Department’s web site, one of Chief Whitehead’s “major public safety concerns was an area of the Black Horse Pike called “Road House Row.” (You can read about this on the Haddon Township Police Department’s web site.)
On July 5, 1929 while attempting to perform a routine traffic stop at 2 a.m. on the White Horse Pike in Haddon Township, Chief Whitehead was struck by a bus as he attempted to cross the White Horse Pike. He was dragged 50 feet and sustained serious injuries, and was taken to West Jersey Hospital by Officer Charles Craig who was also on the scene at the time of the accident.
Horace Whitehead announced his resignation from the Haddon Township Police Department on June 5, 1934, asking that the resignation become effective on June 20, 1934. He stated that he was resigning to pursue a business career. William Snyder was promoted to Chief of Police on June 19, 1934. During World War II Whitehead served as captain of the guards at the Ordnance Depot in Philadelphia, and was later employed by Cooper Hospital. Horace G. Whitehead died at Cooper Hospital on March 13, 1957. He is buried in New Camden Cemetery in Camden, NJ.

06/06/2026

Camden County’s Revolutionary War History

Staff members, associates, and historians from the Camden County Historical Society have been hard at work researching and documenting the area’s role in the American Revolution, creating comprehensive literature and maps, and placing historical markers with mobile app QR codes throughout Camden County, all in preparation for America’s 250th. Did you know that there are 2 sites in Haddon Township that are part of the county’s Revolutionary War history? Thousands of soldiers marched on the Ferry Road (Haddon Avenue) going right through today’s Haddon Township, camping nearby, foraging for food, and plundering local farmers. The remains of 21 men who served in the 2nd Regiment, Gloucester County Militia, are buried in the cemetery (Newton Union Burial Ground) located in the West Collingswood Extension neighborhood in Haddon Township. Most of these men had lived in the area.
Please visit the Camden County Historical Society’s website and go to the menu option “America’s 250th.” This will take you to downloadable (PDFs) literature and maps, as well as videos and images, all pertaining to Camden County’s Revolutionary War history. Here’s the link: https://cchsnj.org/americas-250th/
And, let’s not forget that the Haddonfield Skirmish is TODAY, June 6, 2026! See the last image posted here for the timetable of the day’s activities and locations.

06/02/2026

Did you know New Jersey adopted its Constitution before the Declaration of Independence was signed?📜🪶

Join us for a special evening with renowned constitutional scholar Professor Robert Williams as we explore 250 years of the New Jersey Constitution—from revolution to modern day.

Presented in partnership with Grace Church and the Indian King Tavern Museum.

📅 June 2, 2026�🕖 7:00 PM�📍 Grace Church, Haddonfield

Come celebrate 250 years of New Jersey history with us.

06/02/2026

100 Years of Dedicated Service to Haddon Township

🎉🚔 Celebrating 100 Years of Service to Haddon Township! 🚔🎉

This year marks a remarkable milestone as the Haddon Township Police Department proudly celebrates 100 years of service to our community.

Since 1926, generations of dedicated officers, dispatchers, civilian staff, and community partners have worked together to keep Haddon Township a safe and welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family. Over the past century, policing has evolved in many ways, but our commitment to professionalism, integrity, and service has remained constant.

As we reflect on the accomplishments of the past 100 years, we also recognize the residents who have supported us. Your trust, partnership, and involvement have helped shape our department into what it is today.

Thank you for being part of our history, our present, and our future.

🚓

05/31/2026

Can't let the day end before we wish a Happy Birthday to Walt Whitman! Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819. Did you know that Walt Whitman visited Crystal Lake?
Yes, it is true, the poet Walt Whitman came to Crystal Lake in Haddon Township. It was lifelong Haddon Township resident Walter Stoy (1862-1955) who recalled when Walt Whitman came to the family's farm (today the Stoy house is located at 330 Westmont Ave.) and asked to borrow a rowboat. In a 1950 Newark Star Ledger interview Stoy says: "He [Whitman] said he had come out on the toll-road [Haddonfield Turnpike which is today's Haddon Avenue] and he wanted to think quietly, on the water. We found him a boat and he rowed out in the shade of some willows. Maybe he did a little fishing, I don't know. All I know was that when he rowed in, he wanted to pay and we wouldn't take anything. My father and I knew who he was, of course, and we were glad if the old mill pond gave him some inspiration." (Newark Star Ledger 4/16/1950) As author Dennis Raible wrote in his book "Down A County Lane," Walter Stoy's account is accurate and can be corroborated in Whitman's day book. Walt Whitman purchased his Mickle St. house in Camden in 1884 and lived there until his death in 1892. Whitman had arrived in Camden in 1873, the year his mother died, and he stayed with his brother George on Stevens Street before purchasing his own house.

05/30/2026

Haddon Township Women in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps During World War II

The U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps was a federal program established in 1943 by the Nurse Training Act to alleviate the critical nursing shortage during World War II. It was NOT a military training program or associated with military rank or duties. Locally, Cooper Hospital, West Jersey Hospital, and Hahnemann Schools of Nursing participated in the cadet training plan. The same standards and requirements governing becoming a registered nurse were applied to the cadets’ training. Their curriculum was the same, there were no shortcuts or deletions of any part. However, their training was accelerated. Instead of three years, their training took 24-30 months. There was heavy pressure to study, and they had earlier practical experience in hospital wards. It was very challenging, but it also gave cadets an immediate sense of participating in the war effort. In exchange for their pledge to serve in health care facilities for the duration of the war, the program provided subsidized tuition, uniforms, and a monthly stipend. It also gave them an excellent career path as a registered nurse to continue after the war. In its first year (1943-44) the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps enrolled over 65,000 new student nurses. By 1945, Cadet Nurses were providing 80% of the nursing care in U.S. hospitals.
Our research located 5 Haddon Township women enrolled in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps: Julia E. Klopp (29 Wynnewood Ave.), Jane C. Boedker (84 Virginia Ave.), Alice H. Townsend (111 Melrose Ave.), Julia M. Kleinschmidt (58 E. Collingswood Ave.), and Mary M. Berglund (210 Virginia Ave.).
Julia E. Klopp graduated from Collingswood High School, Class of 1938. She enrolled in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps in August 1943 and received her education at West Jersey Hospital’s School of Nursing. Jane C. Boedker attended Collingswood High School, Class of 1945, before enrolling in the Cadet Training program. She received her education at Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing. After serving in the Cadet Nurse Corps, Jane earned her Master’s in nursing education from West Chester University. She was a registered nurse for 45 years, the final 25 years as a school nurse for the Pottstown School District. Alice H. Townsend attended Collingswood High School, Class of 1929. She went on to earn a B.S. degree in education from NJ State Normal School at Glassboro in 1932, and taught for several years. In 1945 she began her training with the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps at Bryn Mawr College Summer School of Nursing, followed by attending Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, MD. After the war, Alice Townsend became a Baptist missionary nurse and administrator, serving in the American Baptist mission in Assam, India for 27 years. Julia M. Kleinschmidt graduated from Collingswood High School, Class of 1942. She entered the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps in 1944, and graduated from West Jersey Hospital School of Nursing in 1946. Mary M. Berglund was in the Class of 1943 at Collingswood High School. Mary entered the U. S. Cadet Nurse Corps in August 1943, graduating from West Jersey Hospital School of Nursing in 1946. Mary married Bernard Carman in 1949. In 1950 she was active in arranging the West Jersey Hospital Nurses Alumni Association reunion and chairing the annual ball.
The American Hospital Association credited cadet nurses with helping to prevent the collapse of America’s nursing care during World War II, but their contributions are largely forgotten. It is important that we preserve their legacy, honor, and remember the nurses of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps by telling their story. If you are a relative of a former cadet nurse who lived in Haddon Township when she joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, please let us know. If you are the relative of any woman who became a nurse through the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, you may also wish to honor her legacy by sharing her story at uscadetnurse.org.

05/23/2026

On this Memorial Day, let us pause to honor and remember those who gave their lives while serving our country.
FIRST LIEUTENANT DONALD C. BOHN, 21, of 216 Burwood Avenue in Haddon Township, NJ, assigned to the 413th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry “Timberwolf” Division, was killed on April 19, 1945, at Halle, Germany while trying to rescue several of his wounded men. Bohn was the infantry platoon leader. He voluntarily left his position and moved across fire-swept terrain to give first aid and evacuate five wounded members of his platoon. While performing this self-assigned task, he was severely wounded, but refused treatment until he was certain that his men had been removed to safety. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart, and is buried in Locustwood Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ, near his parents and brother.
Born October 2, 1923, he was the son of Frederick H. and Ruth M. Bohn. His father served in the Army during World War I with the 52nd Pioneer Infantry. Donald Bohn was a 1942 graduate of Collingswood High School, Collingswood, NJ, and was quarterback for the school football team. He attended a semester at Western Maryland College before being called to service in February 1943. He was sent overseas in December 1944.
His parents and a brother, Sergeant Frederick H. Bohn, Jr., survived Donald Chant Bohn. His brother also served in the Army with Company A of the 835th Engineer Battalion in North Africa and Italy for 31 months during the war.
You will see Lieutenant Donald C. Bohn's name etched on the WWII memorial at the Westmont Fire Company No. 1 station on Haddon Avenue. On Monday, May 25th at 10:00am the Westmont Fire Company will again host the annual Haddon Township Memorial Day service at the Firehouse located at 120 Haddon Avenue. Weather permitting, the service will be outdoors on West Walnut Avenue in front of the war monuments. All are invited to attend.

05/16/2026

Haddon Township Teen Canteen and The Flamingos

Originating in 1954, the Haddon Township Teen Canteen was organized to provide local teenagers with fun and safe activities and to promote good behavior. Sponsored by the Haddon Township Police, the Teen Canteen was a cooperative effort between Haddon Township teenagers and volunteering adults, including the Canteen’s “founding mother” Bernice Homac-Getzinger. She and her husband, William G. Getzinger, were local residents and owners of Westmont Hardware since 1932. The Canteen’s Friday night dances, held at the Haddon Township Junior High School during the school year and in the schoolyard behind the Westmont School on Haddon Avenue during summer months, had the local band “Ralph Crane and The Flamingos” providing the music. The band members were high school students who all lived in Westmont. The band was composed of the following members (left to right in the circa 1959 photograph): Bill Ludwig –rhythm guitar, vocals; Jim Reid – trumpet; Mike Murray – drums; Ed Shields – bass and accordion; Ralph Crane – lead guitar and vocals; Ray Goebel – saxophone. The band played together from 1958-1961, not only at the Teen Canteen, but also at local parties throughout South Jersey and Philadelphia. Their music was mostly covers of popular rock and roll music, with a few original songs. Prior to the band’s performances, radio DJ and Westmont resident Eddie Mulford played records at the dances. Mulford worked at WCAM radio (an AM radio station broadcasting from Camden) and emceed record hops at Wagners Ballroom in Philadelphia. With money earned by charging admission to the dances, the Westmont Teen Canteen also sponsored a local youth baseball team and provided uniforms for them.