Joseph
Jennings

 

JOSEPHUS JENNINGS, also known as Joseph Jennings, was well known-musician and bandleader in Camden. His band, popularly known as Jennings Band was also known as Jennings' Sixth Regiment Band and later as Jennings' Third Regiment Band was quite famous in Camden from the 1880s right on up America's entry into World War I in 1917. It was organized as the National Cornet Band in 1868 and became the Sixth Regiment Band in 1871. In its later years the band was known as Jennings' Third Regiment Band, as the old Sixth New Jersey Regiment had been replaced in Camden by the Third in a reorganization of New Jersey's National Guard Units. The name stuck even after Joseph Jennings retired as bandmaster in 1910.

George Reeser Prowell wrote about the band's early days in his HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, published in 1886:

The National Cornet Band was organized in 1868, with Joseph Jennings as leader. In 1871 the name was changed to the Sixth Regiment Band and it was mustered into the service of the National Guard, and was the only regimental band in the State for years. Their present band-room is at the Sixth Regiment Armory, southwest corner of West and Mickle Streets. The present members are Joseph Jennings, John Roth, Augusta Buese, Gordon Phillips, Lewis Seal, Charles Landwehr, Charles Felcon, John Brown, D. C. Newman Collins, Alfred Colbins, Charles Bowyer, Isaac Heins, Joseph Young, Richard Richardson, Benjamin A. Woolman, Harry Carles, William Stevenson, Frederick Klaproth, Henry Myers, G. Philip Stephany, Adam Markgraft, Charles Ellis, Emerson Ogborn, Charles Frost, Hiram Hirst.

Bandleader Joseph Jennings' was in the newspapers for a tragic reason in the fall of 1902, when his son, W. Price Jennings, and another boy, John Coffin, were murdered. Their killer, Paul Woodward, was quickly arrested, tried, and executed. 

The Sixth Regiment Armory, which was the home of the band for many years, was destroyed by fire in 1906. Three Camden firefighters, George W. Shields, William Hillman, and William Jobes, were killed while fighting this blaze, and several other firefighters were injured.

Joseph Jenning's led the band into 1912 when he retired. Joseph Bossle Sr. took over as bandmaster and reorganized the band. He led the band until 1919 when he took over the Tall Cedars of Lebanon band, which his son, Joseph Bossle Jr., had organized a few years before.

Joseph Jennings last resided at 319 North 3rd Street in Camden. He died on April 5, 1914 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Camden.

Philadelphia Inquirer - June 1, 1880
Thomas M.K. Lee Post No. 5, G.A.R. - William B. Hatch Post No. 37, G.A.R.
William H. Shearman - Sixth Regimental Band - Colonel Joseph C. Nichols
Joseph McAllister - William D. Middleton - Francis Saunders - Frederick Shill
Rev. J.B. Graw - North 5th Street - Arch Street
Hatch League No. 2, Loyal Ladies League

Philadelphia Inquirer - June 12, 1890
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Samuel Dodd - Jesse Pratt 
 Robert Bender
Samuel S. Buzine
 John A. Stockton
Henry Grosscup
 Mortimer WIlson
Amadee Middleton
Isaac McKinley
Engine Company 1
Engine Company 2
 Engine Company 3
Engine Company 4
W.E.B. Miller - E.E. Jefferis - Thomas Murphy
Jennings' Sixth Regiment Band
Albert Gilbert - Chalkley Leconey
 Engine Company 1 - Engine Company 2
 Engine Company 3 - Engine Company 4

Camden Post-Telegram
February 28, 1896

Philadelphia Inquirer - February 23, 1901

Jackson Street
Colonel D.B. Murphy
 Jennings Third Regiment Band
John Foster
Arthur Stanley - William E. Albert
Hugh Boyle
Sergeant Horner - Sergeant Bentley
George A. Donovan
Edward S. Hyde
Samuel S. Elfreth
Samuel Buzine - Benjamin Kellum
Ivy Fife & Drum Corps
Cooper B. Hatch

Click on Image for PDF File
of Complete Article

October 1, 1902 to January 14, 1903

The Paul Woodward Murder Case

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On October 1, 1902 Paul Woodward murdered two young boys by giving them poison, one of the being Joseph Jennings' son, Walter Price Jennings. Frank T. Lloyd, then Camden County prosecutor, was responsible for leading the investigation and prosecuting the case.  Paul Woodward was arrested on October 4, 1902, and was quickly indicted on murder charges. Woodward was tried and found guilty in November of 1902. Woodward was sentenced to death, with sentence to be carried out on January 7, 1903. Efforts to gain a new trial failed, as did the appeal for clemency. Paul Woodward was executed on schedule at the Camden County jail, with Sheriff Christopher J. Mines Jr. supervising.

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Links to pages and planned pages about people mentioned below:

Joseph Jennings - Jennings' Third Regiment Band - Frank T. Lloyd 
Dr. William S. Jones - William D. Hart - Dr. Paul N. Litchfield - F. Morse Archer
John Foster - John Painter - John Cherry - Isaac Toone - Paul Woodward
George M. Beringer - Charles G. Garrison - J. Wesley Sell
Christopher J. Mines Jr. - Frederick A. Rex - J. Frederick Voigt
George F. Kappel - Isaac Toy - Harry S. Scovel - Francis Ford Patterson Jr.
John S. Smith - O. Glen Stackhouse - Hugh Boyle - Charles D. Ridgley
Francis Abbatto - Eli Shaw - Lafayette Gruff - Annie Irving Keeler
David Kaighn - George Leathwhite - George J. Pechin - Elmer E. Cox - T.L. Bear
 Patrick Harding - Frank S. Albright - William J. Paul - Thomas Walton
David E. Barry - Edward Wilcox - Dr. WIlliam H. Iszard - Dr. J.F. Leavitt
Dr. WIlliam H. Knowlton - Dr. William Miles - Dr. George H. Chapman

Other people involved in this case:

John Coffin - W. Price Jennings
Mrs. Edith Barber - Rev. C.A. Adams - Rev. John Lyell
Rev. William H. Fishburn -  - Rev. Gilbert Underhill - Rev. John Warnock
Harry Bowen - Joseph Simpkins - Ann Somers - William May - Lillian Martin
James Sheiding - Harry H. Robinson - Edwin Hillman - William Robinson
George Asay - William Powell - William Anderson - Charles Eiley
Thomas J. Atkinson - Wilson English - Harry Avis - George H. Stineford Sr.
John M. Hyde - William Heggan - John St. Clair - Charles S. Hess - William Rex
Daniel J. Horgan - Isaac Siebert - W. Wilmer Collins, Druggist - Major Edward Coffin
William Coffin - William Coffin Jr.  - Kingston Coffin -  - Fayetta Jennings
Charles May - Mary Eiler - William F. Smith - Lee Hubert - Maurice Daniels
Thomas Woodward - Bella Woodward - James Bland - James Morrisey
Samuel Paul - Fred George

Philadelphia Inquirer
October 3, 1902

John Coffin
William Coffin
W. Price Jennings
Joseph Jennings
Jennings' Third Regiment Band

 
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 4, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 5, 1902

     
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Frank T. Lloyd - Dr. William S. Jones - William D. Hart - Dr. Paul N. Litchfield
F. Morse Archer - John Foster - John Painter - John Cherry - Charles May
David Kaighn - George Leathwhite - Isaac Toone - George J. Pechin
Elmer E. Cox - T.L. Bear - Paul Woodward - Joseph Jennings
Benson Street - North 3rd Street - Kingston Coffin
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 6, 1902
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Trinity Baptist Church - John S. Smith - George M. Beringer
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 7, 1902

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O. Glen Stackhouse - Hugh Boyle - George F. Kappel - Isaac Toy
Charles D. Ridgley - Paul Woodward - Rev. C.A. Adams
Rev. John Lyell - Rev. William H. Fishburn - Cooper School
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 8, 1902
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Harry Bowen - Joseph Simpkins - Harry S. Scovel - Eli Shaw - Mrs. Edith Baker
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 9, 1902

PAUL WOODWARD
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Philadelphia Inquirer - October 10, 1902
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Lafayette Gruff - Anna Somers - Royden Street
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 11, 1902

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Annie Irving Keeler - William May - Charles May
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 12, 1902
William D. Hart - John Painter - Frank T. Lloyd - Dr. Paul N. Litchfield
George M. Beringer - Francis Abbatto - John S. Smith
  Annie Irving Keeler - John Houseman Coffin
Walter Price Jennings - Miss Lillian Martin
Mrs. Edith Barber - Paul Woodward

 

Philadelphia Inquirer
October 13, 1902

James Sheiding
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 14, 1902
Edwin Hillman
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 15, 1902
Harry H. Robinson
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 16, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 19, 1902
George M. Beringer - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 22, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 24, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 25, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - October 31, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - J. Wesley Sell - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 1, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 12, 1902
Charles G. Garrison - Frank T. Lloyd - Paul Woodward
 

Trenton
Evening Times

November 12, 1902
 

Philadelphia Inquirer
November 13, 1902
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William Robinson  - George Asay - William Powell - William Anderson
Charles Eiley - Thomas J. Atkinson - Wilson English - Harry Avis
George H. Stineford Sr. - John M. Hyde - William Heggan - John St. Clair
Charles S. Hess - William Rex - Linden School
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 14, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 15, 1902















 

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Daniel J. Horgan - Isaac Siebert - W. Wilmer Collins, Druggist - Major Edward Coffin
Coffin's Corner, Ashland - William Coffin - William Coffin Jr.  - Mary Eiler
William F. Smith - James Sheiding - Fayetta Jennings - Lee Hubert
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 16, 1902


 
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Maurice Daniels - Thomas Woodward - Bella Woodward
 

Philadelphia Inquirer
November 17, 1902

 

 
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 18, 1902


 
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Philadelphia Inquirer - November 19, 1902
James Bland - James Morrisey
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 21, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 22, 1902
 
 

 

 

 

Philadelphia Inquirer
November 23, 1902

Patrick Harding
Frank S. Albright
William J. Paul
Thomas Walton
David E. Barry
Edward Wilcox
Dr. WIlliam H. Iszard
Dr. J.F. Leavitt
Dr. WIlliam H. Knowlton
Dr. William Miles
Dr. George H. Chapman
Charles G. Garrison
Paul Woodward

 

 

 
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 26, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 29, 1902
 
Kalamazoo Gazette - November 29, 1902
Salt Lake Telegram - December 2, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 4, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 7, 1902
Rev. Gilbert Underhill - St. John's Episcopal Church
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 9, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 12, 1902
J. Frederick Voigt
 

Philadelphia Inquirer
December 14, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 15, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 17, 1902
Frederick A. Rex
 

 

 

 

Philadelphia Inquirer
December 21, 1902

 

 

 

 


 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 25, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 26, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 30, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 31, 1902
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 1, 1903
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 3, 1903
Christopher J. Mines Jr. -  Rev. John Warnock
 

 

Philadelphia Inquirer
January 5, 1903

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

Philadelphia Inquirer
January 6, 1903

 

 

 

 

 
 
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 7, 1903

 

 

Wilkes Barre Times
January 7, 1903

 

 

 

 
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 8, 1903

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Samuel Paul - Fred George
Philadelphia Inquirer - January 17, 1903
 

Camden Post-Telegram - June 18, 1910

Philadelphia Inquirer - October 16, 1910
Click on Image for PDF File of Complete Article

Jennings' Band - Joseph Jennings - Joseph Bossle - John A. Mather

Camden Post-Telegram - October 14, 1912

Philadelphia Inquirer - April 6, 1914

Bridgeton Evening News - April 11, 1914

Philadelphia Inquirer - May 7, 1914
Click on Image for PDF File of Complete Article
Charles Worthington - Joseph Nowrey - Charles H. Ellis - Jennings' Band

Camden Courier-Post * November 4, 1949
Click on Image for PDF File of Complete Article
 
...CONTINUED---

Linden Street - Pearl Street
Joseph Bossle Jr. - W. Louis Bossle - Dr. N.R. Bossle - Charles Bossle
Tall Cedars of Lebanon - Albert Eckenroth
Jennings' Band - Conway's Band - John Philip Sousa - Victor Herbert 

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