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Dr.
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Dr.
Howard |
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DR. HOWARD EMMITT PRIMAS was born in Camden NJ in 1893. He was educated in the Camden public school system, and graduated from Camden Manual Training and High School, at Haddon and Newton Avenues. Dr. Primas was a 1914 graduate of Howard University and a 1918 graduate of the Howard University College of medicine. After interning at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington DC in 1919, Dr. Primas returned to Camden and established a general medical practice. Dr. Primas lived for many years at 772 Pine Street in the Kaighnsville section of Camden. Deeply involved in civic affairs, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden in June of 1939, serving in that capacity into the 1950s. During his tenure the Clement T. Branch Village, the William Stanley Ablett Village, and the Chelton Terrace public housing projects were completed, and temporary emergency housing was provided to returning war veterans. From 1942 until 1956 Dr. Primas was the Chief of the Medical Department of the Camden public school system. He was also a member of the South Jersey Medical Society, and served as both President and Secretary of that body at different times during his career. Dr. Primas was married to the former Josephine Strother. They had four children, Howard Emmitt Jr., Garnett Nicholas, Josephine Marie, and Clara Williams. Dr. Howard Emmitt Primas passed away in 1956. Primas Court in East Camden is named in his memory. |
| Camden Courier-Post - February 14, 1938 |
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WOMEN-
AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING By M. IRENE FROST THE committee on race relations of the Camden Young Women's Christian Association, whose endeavor it is to promote greater understanding between the races, is participating in the nation-wide celebration of Negro History Week now in progress. The committee is sponsoring an extensive program covering both the youth and adult membership and including three broadcasts. Today, Mrs. Harold W. Bennett, of this city, will speak over Station WCAM at 2.15 on "Race Relations and Good Neighbors." On Wednesday, Mrs. Wilda Townsend will broadcast over the same station at 2.30 on "Contributions of the Negro to the Culture of America." A recital will be given over WCAM at 2.30 on Friday by James Marshall Wheeler, pianist, and Lawrence Lawson, tenor. Following a short business meeting of the board of directors of the Camden Association tonight in the headquarters, Miss Marjorie Penney, executive secretary of the Young People's Interracial Fellowship of Philadelphia, will speak. Girl Reserves have been invited en masse to a meeting on Thursday night in the headquarters, to hear Allan Freelon, one of the nation's leading artists, and supervisor of art in the Negro schools, of Philadelphia. Mr. Freelon, who will speak at eight o'clock, will also exhibit some of his work. The Frances Harper branch committee of management will be piloted by the following new officers for 1938: Mrs. C. T. Branch, chairman; Mrs. Sadie Wright, vice chairman; Mrs. Howard Primas, secretary; Mrs. Louis Smith, assistant secretary. Dr. M. O. Lee will speak on "The Makers of Negro History". next week before the Phyllis Wheatly Club of the branch.. |
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Camden Courier-Post - August 26, 1941 |
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Henry
Magin Laid to Rest By War Veteran Buddies Funeral services for City Commissioner Henry Magin were held today with his colleagues in official and veterans circles participating. Services
were conducted in city commission chambers on the second floor of city
hall, in charge of Rev. Dr. W.W. Ridgeway, rector of St. Wilfrid's Episcopal
Church. The casket was carried by war veteran associates of the public works director, who died from a heart attack Friday. A color guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion preceded the casket, followed by the four remaining members of the city commission, Mayor George Brunner and commissioners E. George Aaron, Mrs. Mary W. Kobus and Dr. David S. Rhone. A guard of honor lined both sides of' city hall steps, 22 policemen on one side and 22 firemen on the other, representing Magin's age, 44 years. Hundreds of men and women waited
outside the building to pay their respects as the solemn procession
filed by. Mayor Brunner had declared this morning a holiday for city
employees. The casket was borne by Thomas Jackson and Samuel Magill,
both past Legion commanders; Leon McCarty, past commander of August
Walter Chapter, Disabled American Veterans; Richard Jermyn, past
commander of Post 1270, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Benjamin P.
Thomas, past captain of Sparrow Ship No. 1269. V. F. W.; and William
Miller, past State commander, D. A. V. Three trucks were required to carry
the floral pieces from the scene of the services to the National
Cemetery at Beverly, where burial took place. An estimated 8000 persons from all walks of life paid their respects to the late official by viewing the body as it lay in state in the commission chambers. The throng of mourners of Camden city and county was the largest to converge on a public building since the funeral of Fire Chief Charles Worthington, who was killed while fighting a fire almost 20 years ago. His body was placed on public view in the rotunda of the old county courthouse. File Past Bier A continuous progression of people filed past the flag draped bier for more than three and one-half hours. Scores of Republicans and hundreds of Democrats joined in the tribute. Services were conducted by Camden
lodges of Elks and Moose. Military rites were conducted by the
Fairview Post, American Legion, of which Magin was a founder and past
commander. The tribute was led by Mitchell Halin, post commander, and C.
Richard Allen, past department commander. James W. Conner, chief clerk of the
city water bureau and past State Commander of the V.F.W., conducted
rites at the grave. Mayor Brunner and Commissioners
Kobus, Aaron, and
Rhone
came early and remained throughout the hours of
viewing. Mrs. Helen Magin, the widow, and daughter Helen, attired in
deep mourning, arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Embraces Widow, Daughter Commissioner Kobus, who knelt in
prayer before the bier, arose and went over to Mrs. Magin and her
daughter. Mrs. Kobus
embraced and kissed the widow and daughter of the late commissioner.
They were in tears. Three firemen and three policemen
maintained a vigil as a guard of honor. They were Patrolmen Jack Kaighn,
George Weber, and William Deery and Firemen
Arthur Batten, Warren Carter
and William Reed. American Legion and V. F. W. members
in uniform alternated as members of the military guard of honor. A
detail of 50 policemen was under command of Acting Lieutenant John
Garrity. Fifty firemen, under supervision of Deputy Chief Walter
Mertz,
assisted the patrolmen in handling the crowd, which at times choked the
stairways leading to the
second
floor. Freeholders Arrive Albert H. Molt, director of the Board of Freeholders and
Freeholders
John J. Tull, Oscar Moore, Ventorino
Francesconi,
Stanley Ciechanowski,
Earl Armstrong
and Emil J. McCall arrived shortly after 7:00 PM. Moore and Tull wore American
Legion overseas caps. Albert S. Marvel, clerk of the board, accompanied
the freeholders. Employees
of the various bureaus in the department of public works, headed by
Commissioner Magin, came in delegations with the highway bureau having
150, the largest number. Frank
A. Abbott, acting director of the department, accompanied by James P.
Carr, superintendent of Streets;
led the
highway bureau employees.
Abbott is deputy director of revenue and finance and first
assistant to Mayor Brunner. He was named by Brunner as
acting
director until the City Commission elects Mr.
Magin's successor. County
Clerk Frank J. Suttill, City
Clerk Clay W.
Reesman,
Fire Chief John H. Lennox and
James A. Howell, chief of
the
city electrical bureau, attended, as did Albert
Austermuhl, secretary of
the board of education. Every city department sent a floral piece. Outstanding Floral Tribute Outstanding
among the floral tributes was a six-toot broken circle of varied
flowers, an offering from Mayor Brunner and
Commissioners
Kobus, Aaron, andRhone. A
floral chair was sent by the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association.
The word “Rest” was made up of flowers. The offering of the Veterans League
of
South
Jersey,
an organization formed by Commissioner Magin and of which
he
was the first president, was a large floral pillow. The freeholders and county officials
gave a large floral basket. Floral tributes came from the employees of
the board of education, the RCA Manufacturing Company, the police and
fire bureaus, Pyne Point Athletic Association, the Elks, Moose and
several Democratic clubs. The floral tributes came in such
numbers yesterday afternoon that Funeral Director Harry Leonard and his
assistants could not find room for them in the commission chamber
proper. They were banked on both sides, in the rear and over the casket. Among prominent officials and
citizens who came to pay their respects were Congressman Charles A.
Wolverton and his son, Donnell, Assemblymen Joseph W. Cowgill and J. Frank Crawford, Sidney P.
McCord, city
comptroller, Thomas C. Schneider, president of Camden County Council No.
10, New Jersey Civil Service Association. Others at Bier Others were Sue Devinney, secretary
to Mrs. Kobus; Fred S. Caperoon; Henry Aitken, city sealer of weights
and measures, Horace R. Dixon, executive director of the Camden Housing
Authority; George I. Shaw, vice president of the board of education. Sgt. Ray
Smith, chairman of the Elks
Crippled Children Committee and commander of East Camden Post, V.F.W.; Albert
Becker, commander of Camden County Post 126, Jewish War Veterans; Dr.
Howard E. Primas and Wilbur F. Dobbins, members of the Camden Housing
Authority; Postmaster Emma E.
Hyland; Samuel E. Fulton, member of the
Camden local assistance board. Also
former Assemblyman Rocco Palese, former Freeholder Maurice Bart and
wife, County Detective James Mulligan, Deputy City Clerk William D.
Sayrs, Mary King, secretary to City Clerk Reesman, Charles W. Anderson
and John W. Diehl Jr., former members of the housing authority, Walter
P. Wolverton, chief clerk of the public works department; Thomas J.
Kenney, Maurice Hertz, Isadore Hermann, chief of the city tax title
bureau; S. Raymond Dobbs; acting chief of city property, John Oziekanski,
building inspector, Harry Langebein, city assessor. Oliver H. Bond,
housing manager of
Clement T. Branch Village; former Judge Joseph
Varbalow, acting city
counsel John J. Crean, assistant City Counsel Edward V. Martino, Paul
Day, secretary of city board of assessors, former Assemblyman William T.
Iszard, Harry Roye, district director of NYA; Victor J. Scharle and
Martin Segal, Democratic and Republican registrars, respectively, of the
Camden County permanent registration bureau. Mrs. Marian Garrity and Mrs. Mary F.
Hendricks, vice chairman and secretary respectively, of the Republican
City Committee; Dr, Ethan A. Lang and Dr. Richard P. Bowman, members of
the board of education; Edward J. Borden, Carl
Kisselman, Harry A.
Kelleher, Samuel T. French
Sr., former Freeholder Walter
Budniak,
Coroner Paul R. Rilatt, County Treasurer Edward J.
Kelleher, William
Shepp, of the city legal bureau, Marie Carr, stenographer, mayor's
office; Samuel T. French Jr., member, board of education. Also John C. Trainor, member of the
Camden County Board of Elections; Antonio
Mecca, funeral director;
Alexander Feinberg, solicitor of the housing authority, former
Freeholder John T. Hanson, Sterling Parker and Paul Reihman, member of
the county park commission. James O’Brien, commander of the
Camden Disabled American Veterans, was in charge of services by veterans
at the cemetery. Former Freeholder Edward J. Quinlan, county
vice-commander of the American Legion, directed last night memorial
services and was in charge of the firing squad at the grave. |
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From Left:
Unknown - Wilbert F. Dobbins - Horace
Dixon |
