Camden People - Erwin Brennan

ERVIN BRENNAN was born in Camden, New Jersey to William R. and Ellen Brennan on April 4, 1915. His father worked in the shipyards that were numerous in the neighborhood and on the Philadelphia side of the Delaware River. The family, which included older brother William Jr. lived in North Camden on the 900 block of North Front Street through 1918, and by 1924 had moved to 3 Wood Street.

Erwin Brennan's parents divorced around 1927. His mother soon was soon remarried, to William Weber, who also worked in the shipyards. By April of 1930 Mr. and Mrs. Weber, their baby son William, along with Erwin and William Brennan were living at 10 York Street. The Webers remained on the unit block of York street for many years, having moved to 12 York Street by 1947. William Brennan Sr. was still living in the immediate neighborhood as late as 1942, then working at the Noecker shipyard in Cramer Hill.

Erwin Brennan attended school through the 9th grade before, like most other boys of his era, he entered the workplace. On July 5, 1941 he was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. was a fire fighter in the city of Camden. When the 1947 Camden City Directory was compiled, he lived in North Camden with his wife Kathryn at 50 Wood Street. Erwin Brennan later moved to 412 North 39th Street in East Camden.

Erwin Brennan passed away in August of 1974.

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..

1965- On the occasion of Edward Michalak's appointment to Chief of Department (seated from left) retiring Chief of Department Edward MacDowell, Chief Edward Michalak, Director Keith Kauffman; (standing from left) District Chiefs Frank Deal, Joseph Guarino, Robert Dukes, Anthony Saponare, Theodore Primas, Daniel Jiannetto, Fireman Erwin Brennan, Major William Gwynne of the Volunteers of America Fire Canteen.