Charles J.
"Jeff"
Kay

CHARLES JEFFERSON 'JEFF' KAY was born in Camden in October of 1860 to Isaac B. and Rebecca Kay. The 1880 census shows him living at 627 South 6th Street, the home of his parents, and working as an upholster. Also home was older brother Harry Kay, and two younger sisters, Mary and Violetta.

Directories from 1883 through 1885 all show Charles J. Kay living with his family at 317 Arch Street, working as a driver. Charles J. Kay turns up in the 1887-1888 and 1888-1889 Camden City Directory. He was then a teamster, and living at 444 Pine Street. He shows up in the 1890-1891 directory as a driver, basically the same thing, living at 921 Lawrence Street. The 1893-1894 City Directory shows him living at 325 Cole Street. The 1894-1895 City Directory shows him at 323 Cole Street, working as a fireman. Charles J. Kay joined the Camden Police Department in 1895. He was still living at 323 Cole in the 1896 Directory. The 1897 Camden City Directory lists Charles J. Kay at 324 North 3rd Street. He was living at 306 Linden Street when the 1898 City Directory was compiled. The directory for 1899 shows him living at 217 Linden Street.

By June 6, 1900 he was renting a home at 217 Linden Street with his wife of fourteen years, Elizabeth, and their two children, Violetta and Harry.

By 1906 he had moved to 204 Elm Street in North Camden. When the census was enumerated in 1910 he, was living with his wife Elizabeth and 14-year old son Harry A. Kay, still at 204 Elm Street. Despite his age, he became on of Camden's first motorcycle policemen. The Kay family was still at 204 Elm Street in 1914.

By 1920 he had been promoted to Sergeant, and was living at 606 North 4th Street. His son, who had married, was then working as a shipyard electrician. He was still on the force and living on North 4th Street in April of 1930. He was Sergeant and still on the motorcycle squad as late as October of 1931. Sergeant Kay retired from the police department in 1935 after having served the City of Camden for 40 years. He was 75 years old when he finally turned in his badge.

Elizabeth Kay died in August if 1940. After an illness of ten days, Charles Jefferson Kay joined his wife on March 27, 1941 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery survived by his son and daughter and three grandchildren.

Camden Post - March 23, 1893

May 31, 1894

James Baird
 Joseph Logue
William Patterson
George Cox
David Andrews
John A. Dold
William Jobes
William O. Sawyer
Albert James
Samuel Curriden
James Elberson
Charles J. "Jeff" Kay

October 23, 1909

June 15, 1910

Jeff Kay - Joseph Forsyth - Jack Johnson
Haddon Avenue - Market Street

Jeff Kay
Elbridge B. McClong
Haddon Avenue
Thoms Kenwiorthy
Joseph Chiorano

Philadelphia Inquirer - January 1, 1918

Camden Courier-Post * April 16, 1930 

POLICE ESCORT FUNERAL OF FORMER CHIEF HYDE

Camden Morning - December 12, 1930

Camden Evening Courier - December 13, 1930

Lawrence T. Doran - Charles V. Dickinson - Clifford A. Baldwin - Walter Mattison
Howard Smith - George A. Ward - Jeff Kay - Alfred Shires - Harry Kyler
Archie Riess - Walter Smith - Harry Cattell - Earl Rider - Charles F. Smith
Charles H. Smith - John Toal - John Taylor - Frank Carle - Oscar Thompson
Highland Worsted Mills - North Camden - State Street 
Moore Street - Chestnut Street

WILKIE THREATENED BY EIGHT MEN IN AUTO

Search for a maroon-colored touring car believed by John V. Wilkie, Camden's
notebook cop," to contain eight beer runners was made yesterday after Wilkie had
been threatened by an occupant of the automobile while in his traffic booth at Baird
and Wilson boulevards.

The car containing the eight men, three in the front and five in the rear, was 
proceeding northwest on Admiral Wilson boulevard when one of the occupants 
uttered the threat against Wilkie. 

"Come on out and fight; you ____” the stranger shouted. Wilkie said he placed
the light at amber and sought to learn the license number of the automobile. The 
plates however, were indistinguishable, he said, or had been either smeared or 
turned around to be unrecognizable.

Wilkie said he reported to police headquarters and that Major Charles V. Dickinson, deputy director of public safety, and Motorcycle Police Sergeant Jeff Kay and Policeman Nathan Wine searched and waited for hours for the return of the mysterious car without avail.