IN MEMORIAM - William Bogia

WILLIAM BOGIA was born in Delaware around 1846 to John F. and Josephine, one of at least ten children born to the couple. The Bogias lived in New Castle, Delaware at the time of the 1850 Census enumeration. The 1860 Census shows the family living in Dagsboro Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, where the elder Bogia worked as a blacksmith. Beside William there were three other children at home, John, Anna, and Mary. Older brothers John, Alphonso (Alfred), Ferdinand, and Benjamin all served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

William Bogia came to Camden in the 1860s to seek his fortune. When the Census was taken in 1870, he lived in Camden's South Ward, with his wife Martha and daughter Lillie, 2 years of age. He was working as an iron moulder at the time. The 1878 Camden City Directory shows him living at 336 Division Street. By 1880 the family was living at 213 Pine Street, and included four children, Lillie, Ella. John, and Martha. From 1881 through 1885 City Directories give his address as 915 South 4th Street.

The 1887-1888 Camden city directory shows William Bogia working as a laborer. He was then living at 813 South 2nd Street. He moved late in 1887 or early in 1888 to 255-1/2 Pine Street.

William Bogia joined the Camden Fire Department as a call man in 1886. 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 Nesson, hosemen. Call Men were William Deith, Andrew Miller and William Bogia. Bromley and Bogia would later suffer line of duty deaths.

William Bogia began working full-time with the Fire Department in June of 1890. By 1894 he was living at 257 Pine Street in South Camden, a block's walk from his assigned station, Engine Company Number 1 at 407-409 Pine Street, where he was a hoseman.

Fire Fighter Bogia took ill after fighting a fire, and died as a direct result of causes sustained from weather conditions or substances inhaled or ingested while fighting this fire. He returned to work on October 1, 1894 but fell ill two weeks later. He was reported seriously ill with recover doubtful on October 16th. William Bogia died on October 20, 1894, and was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery on Mount Ephraim Avenue in Camden.

Well liked and respected by friends, neighbors, and his brother fire fighters, William Bogia's funeral was attended by a large number of people. He was survived by his wife Martha and children Lillie, John, Catherine, and Josephine. Widow Martha, John, and Catherine "Kate" Bogia lived at 559 Royden Street by 1904 and were still there as late as April of 1930. Daughter Lillie Bogia, married a man named Hitchcock, then in 1899 married Charles Stark. They lived in Atlantic City in 1910.

Philadelphia Inquirer - July 30, 1890

South 6th Street - Mechanic Street - John J. Hayes - Engine Company 3 - Engine Company 1 Samuel Lodge - Mortimer Wilson - William Bogia - Charles Robinson - Ladder Company 1 Cooper Hospital - Daniel Scofield

Camden Post - March 23, 1893

First Ward Republican Club - John L. Westcott - Robert Smith - George Barrett - Rev. A.G. Lawson North Baptist Church - Engine Company 4 - Jesse Conley - James Dunn - Joseph Love Samuel Elfreth - Amedee Middleton - Frank Turner - Edward Hartman - Walter Browning Robert Steer - William Bogia - Charles Jefferson Kay - George Martin