Camden People - Albert A. Weller

ALBERT A. WELLER was born March 6, 1910. He was 18 when he married Jessie Havlick. Twin sons, Russell and Albert were born soon afterwards. The 1930 Census shows that Albert A. Weller had married while still quite young. He was living with his wife Jessie, twin sons Robert and Albert, and mother-in-law Marie Havlick, at 253 Burns Street in North Camden. Albert well then worked as a driver.

Albert A. Weller joined the Camden Fire Department on November 21, 1938. He was promoted to Captain on June 16, 1951. After his promotion, he served with Ladder Company 2 and Rescue Company 1.

Albert and Jessie Weller appear to have separated by 1947. He lived at 638 Bailey Street in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, while Mrs. Weller first moved to North 35th Street and later to Collingswood.

Captain Weller retired on May 1, 1965. He had left Bailey Street by the fall of 1969. Albert A. Weller passed away on March 12, 1972.

Camden Courier-Post - June 3, 1933

TWINS, BABY SISTER SAVED FROM FIRE
Father and Great Grandmother Carry Children from Blazing Shed

Twin brothers, 5, and their sister, 9 months, were rescued yesterday from their North Camden home by their father, and great-grandmother from a fire caused by the upsetting of a flaming bucket of gasoline into which a lighted match had been thrown.

The blaze, in a rear shed of the home of Mrs. Mary Havlick, 74, of 253 Burns Street, great-grandmother of the children, also ignited the adjoining dwelling of William Bolopue, a huckster, at 251 Burns Street. The Bolopue family was not at home. The fire occurred shortly after 11 a. m.

Albert Weller, the father of the children and grandson of Mrs. Havlick, told firemen that the fire started after he had carelessly tossed a lighted match into a pail of gasoline which he had drained from his automobile in the rear of the house.

When Weller tried to extinguish the blaze in the pail, he told firemen, he stumbled over and upset it. The flames caught afire the shed at the rear of the house.

Slamming shut the shed door to cut off the draft, Weller seized his twin boys, Russell and Albert, Jr., Mrs. Havlick snatched the baby, Doris, from a high chair. The grandmother and her grandson took the children to the home of a neighbor, Mrs. Mae Bard, 252 Burns Street.

Meanwhile, someone had sent in a fire alarm, and firemen arrived in time to put out the fire in both houses before much damage resulted.

During the blaze, Mrs. Jessie Weller, mother of the children, was visiting the headquarters of the Emergency Relief Administration to apply for more food for her babies.

Camden Courier-Post * August 19, 1957

Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course

More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have completed the Red Cross course in advanced first aid according to announcement today by Howard F. Keller, Collingswood, chairman of the Camden County Chapter's first aid committee.

Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Drillmaster Anthony Dzinski, a member of the local chapter first aid group, assisted by Nicholas E. George, were instructors. Dzinski is a member of the Red Cross faculty at the National Aquatic School held in this area each year for instruction in advance safety techniques. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.

All members of the graduating class are personnel of several units housed at fire department headquarters here. These include the Headquarters Company, Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and Truck Company 1. These groups include:

Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and Albert Weller; Edward Brendlinger, Harrison MacNeir, Robert Olesiewicz and James W. Smith.

Headquarters Company: Raymond Banford, John K. Voll and John W. Yates.

Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert E. Dukes and Otto V. Kaiser; William Watkin, Chester Gedrich, George Baxter, John Mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, Ambrose W. Faust, Joseph McTaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley and Elmer Johnson Jr.

Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, Thomas Winstanley; Carl Wirtz, James McGrory, Edwin V. Decker, James Stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, Anthony T. Orme, Mario D. Fattore, James O. Jones, Francis P. Stibi, William Hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Guiliano, Casper Martelli, Harold H. Pike, John J. Vane, William Stibi, John DiMaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.

Camden Courier-Post * October 9, 1957

CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION were presented on Tuesday to three Camden firemen by Deputy Public Safety Director Willard C. Schriver. Fire Chief William Van Pfefferle (next to Schriver) watches as presentation was made to Joseph Ballinghoff, Second Division Chief; fireman Harrison MacNeir and Captain Albert A. Weller, of Rescue Squad 1. The awards were made for prompt action of the men in searching for occupants presumed to be in a car which plunged into Cooper River on September 26.

Engine Company 2 with new pumper in front of quarters, 5th & Arch Streets, 1960.
Bottom row, from left: Fireman Harrison MacNeir, Chief Edward MacDowell, Fireman James Troutman, Captain Albert Weller, Fireman Charles Devlin, Fireman William Hopkins, Fireman George Hennessey; Top row, left to right: Fireman Francis Stibi, Fireman Robert Briggs, Fireman Bertram Dahl, Fireman Erwin Brennan, Captain Thomas Winstanley, Fireman Anthony Orme..

		Camden Courier-Post May 11, 1962 Eugene Thornton Gary Auxer John Barry Kelley Nicholas Pavlak - Peter Yecco James Anderson - Albert Weller Winfield Myers - John Kolessar Rescue Company 1 - Engine Company 6 Dr. Gerald E. Vanston - WCAM William Passwater - Mt. Ephraim Avenue Albert Thornton - Emma Thrornton Sewell School - Cooper School Pyne Poynt Junior High Albert Thornton - Jacob Thornton Diane Thornton - Carl Thornton Geraldine Thornton - Cynthia Thornton North 9th Street - Birch Street - Erie Street
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