Camden People - William F. "Billy" Sand

WILLIAM F. "BILLY" SAND was born in what was then Newton Township, New Jersey, one of at least six children of Paul and Mary Sand, both of whom were German-born, around 1856. Paul Sand worked as a day laborer prior to the Civil War, and was in business as a cattle dealer at the time of the 1870 Census, residing in Haddon Township. Paul Sand soon went into the saloon business on Haddon Avenue near Kaighn Avenue.

He was involved in the bar business as early as 1874. By 1880 Billy Sand had married, and was running a bar at 800 Kaighn Avenue with his wife Sallie, then 19. The couple would go on to have at least two children, William J. and Mary Sand.

Billy Sand owned and operated a bar at 900 Walnut Street in the mid-1880s and early 1890s. He remarried around 1895. By 1900 Billy Sand was living at 565 Haddon Avenue. The 1906 City Directory shows his business at 571 Haddon Avenue. Billy Sand was living at 571 Haddon Avenue when the Census was taken in 1910 with his son William J., daughter Mary, and third wife Catherine Mary, 19 years his junior, whom he had wed late in 1908.

Billy Sand sold his business in May of 1914 to James D. Thompson. Son William J. sand stayed on with James D. Thompson as a bartender through at least 1920.

Camden Post-Telegram - May 7, 1914

BILLY SAND OUT AFTER 37 YEARS
Oldest Liquor Man in Point Of Service Disposes of Business
LICENSE GOES TO JAMES D. THOMPSON

After thirty-seven years in the saloon business, William F. Sand last night had his license at 571 Haddon Avenue transferred to James D. Thompson. “Billy” Sand, in point to consecutive years of service, was the oldest dispenser of liquor in the city, and one of the best known. James D. Thompson is a son of John Thompson, who, for a number of years, had a saloon and Second and Chestnut Streets and later at 306 Federal Street. The young Mr. Thompson is widely known in athletic circles, very popular and his management will no doubt be all that a licensed place should be.

Other transfers granted are:

Elizabeth J. Middleton, 451 South 3^rd Street, to James Monahan.

Benjamin Klein, 817 Broadway, to Harry Galbraith.

Wilhelmina Foehl, widow of Gottlieb Foehl, 1041 Cambridge Avenue, to her sons, Jon and William Foehl.

G. Frank Travis, 320 Spruce Street, to Charles Epifanos.

William F. Turner, 806 Kaighn Avenue, to George N. Ware.

An application from Koeton Oleswicz for the right to sell at wholesale at 1152-54 Atlantic Avenue was refused.

A communication was received from the Camden Retail Liquor Dealers Protective Association placing itself on record as being opposed to gifts on Christmas.