Camden People - Charles Laib

CHARLES LAIB was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 19, 1882, the youngest of the three children of John and Caroline Laib. His parents were both born in Germany, and came to America after the Civil War. They met and married in 1874. John Laib was a butcher by trade. The Laibs first show up in Camden City Directories in 1890, establishing a butcher shop at 2606 Federal Street. The family lived next door at 2604 Federal Street. The 1900 Census shows John Laib, daughter Carrie and sons John and Charles at 2604 Federal Street. By 1905 John Laib Jr. had married. Charles Laib, his parents and older sister Carrie had moved to 2401 Howell Street. When the elder Laib retired, John Jr. partnered with Lemuel D. Horner, keeping the business in operation until ill-health caught with him. After an illness of many months, John D. Laib passed in July of 1911.

With the closing of the meat business, Charles Laib looked for other work. Taking an interest in politics, Charles Laib ran for freeholder in the Republican primary in 1911. Politics did not turn out to be a career for him, but he was rewarded for his efforts with an appointment to to the Camden Police Department on January 12, 1912 by Mayor Charles H. Ellis.

Charles Laib was promoted to Sergeant in 1916, and to Lieutenant in 1929. He was put in charge of the Department's traffic department not long thereafter.

When he registered for the draft on September 12, 1918 he and his wife Sibella lived at 2606 Federal Street.

Charles Laib retired on pension from the Police Department on January 1, 1933. He was living at 76 South 24th Street, and was at that address as late as April of 1942. He died at home of a heart attack on January 4, 1945, survived by his wife Sibella and his stepson, William Marple. Sadly, William Marple and his wife were killed in an automobile accident in Texas in 1953.

Philadelphia Inquirer - September 7, 1911

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Amos Richard Dease - John A. Mather - Melbourne F. Middleton Jr. - William D. Brown - Arthur Colsey William F. Kelly - R.J. Garrison - James E. Hewitt - Lawrence Reader - Dr. Grant E. Kirk George Kleinheinz - James F. Walton - David A. Henderson - John T. Rodan - Charles Laib

Above: Early photo of Camden Motorcycle Police - 1910s
Charles "Jeff" Kay - Charles Laib - Frank Frost - Josiah Pedigree
Note that Officer Jeff Kay on far left in this photo is also on far left in the picture above
Click on Image to Enlarge

Camden Post-Telegram - May 21, 1917

Jeff Kay - Charles Laib - George Garner - William WIlkins - Charles Sampson - Penn Street

Philadelphia Inquirer - January 1, 1918

Albert L. Cornog - Charles Ellis - John Golden
Hugh Boyle - Howard Smith - James Clay - Charles Laib
Jefferson Kay - Edmund Pike - Robert Abbott
George M. Beringer - Meyers Baker

Above: Camden Motorcycle Police - location unknown
around 1920 - at far left, Officer Jeff Kay

Camden Courier-Post - February 15, 1928

POLICE AXES PLAY DIRGE ON SLOT MACHINES

Confiscated slot machines being stacked in front of police headquarters today, preparatory to being carted to Civic Center and destroyed.

Camden Courier-Post * April 9, 1930

2 POLICE OFFICERS MADE LIEUTENANTS
Rhone Reported Ready to Make
Five Patrolmen Sergeant

Reports that five members of the Camden police department will be promoted to sergeants tomorrow were circulated, today after announcement that two sergeants had been appointed lieutenant.

Those who, according to rumors, will be elevated to sergeant are Nathan Petit, of the second police district, to be assigned to the traffic squad; Gus Koerner, detective bureau; Walter Rowand, first district; Frank Truax, Second district, and Edward Hahn, third district.

The two new lieutenants who took oath of office yesterday are Samuel Johnson and Thomas Cunningham. The former was a sergeant of police attached to the detective bureau and will continue in that department, while Cunningham, while a sergeant, was acting lieutenant in day command at the fourth district. He remains in that district, The appointments were announced yesterday by Commissioner David S. Rhone, director of public safety.

Both were immediately administered oaths of office by Dr. Rhone's secretary, Bayard M. Sullivan, at the director's office, Lieutenant Cunningham is already eligible for retirement, having served more than 20 years on the city police force.

The two appointments complete the seven lieutenancies created n by a city ordinance. Ten members of the police department passed civil service examinations for the post, which pays an annual salary of $2500. Each must serve one year as lieutenant before becoming eligible to take examination for captaincy.

The five previously appointed lieutenants are George Frost, now night commander of the fourth district; Walter Welch, third district; Charles Laib, a sub-commander of the traffic bureau under Captain Charles T. Humes, traffic Inspector; Ralph Bakley, second district; and George Ward, first district.

The other three candidates who passed the examination, Sergeants John Potter, Herbert Anderson and Harry I. Newton, did not receive lieutenancies, although Potter had the highest percentage in the tests.

*Camden Courier-Post December 20, 1932**


Charles Laib	Charles J. "Jeff" Kay	Theodore Guthrie	Howard Smith

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J. Oscar Till - Louise F. Walsh - John W. Golden - Charles H. Ellis - Charles Humes South 24th Street - North 25th Street - North 4th Street - Penn Street - Fiore Troncone - Chestnut Street Sheltering Arms Home - Newton Ash - William Michalak - John J. Robinson - Roy R. Stewart

*Camden Courier-Post December 31, 1932**

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Nathan Petit - Roy R. Stewart - A. Lincoln James - Samuel Johnson - Charles Laib Frederick Watson - William Boettcher - Thomas Stanger - George Ward - George Frost - Louis Shaw Thomas J. Murphy - William Robertson

Camden Evening Courier - December 3, 1930

Ralph Bakley - Charles V. Dickinson - George Frost Charles T. Humes - Charles Laib - Clarence Thorn Lewis H. Stehr - George Ward - Walter Welch