Note: This newspaper article/obituary is transcribed from a Baltimore Newspaper, April 9, 1915.

ANDREW J. BERGER DEAD

Former Politician and Fireman Was 73 Years Old.

East Baltimore lost one of its notable characters when Andrew Jackson Berger, former president of the Hendricks Club of the Tenth ward, for five years head of the Veteran volunteer Firemen’s Association and last surviving member of the old New Market Fire Company, died Wednesday afternoon at his home, 918 Greenmount Avenue, from a complication of diseases. He was 73 years old.

For 10 years, he had been custodian of the volunteer company’s engine house at 9 Harrison Street. Previous to that he had been a harness maker, an oyster inspector and, under Mayor William Pinkney Whyte, superintendent of street lighting in the Western district. He was always a loyal Democrat, and was a member of the committee of one hundred that nominated Whyte for the Mayoralty, being a representative of what was then the Eighth ward.

His father, Maurice Berger, was a native of Alsace. When Napoleon returned from Elba [Letty’s note – about 1815] Berger and a brother, being opponents of the Napoleonic regime, emigrated to America. The brothers parted in New York, Maurice coming to Baltimore, where for many years he was a contractor.

Andrew J. Berger for 20 years was an employee in the harness shop of William Platt, which was first located on Light Street, later on Howard. Then he set up in business for himself, retiring after 10 years to accept a city job. He was always active in ward politics, and in his prime had a considerable local following.

His wife, who was formerly Miss Mary Ann Raymond, of York, Pa., died 27 years ago. He leaves five children – John M., Alphonso M. and Perrie [sp - Pierre] Berger, Mrs. John Etzel and Mrs. Benjamin Manko---and 11 grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at 9 o’clock this morning from St. John’s Catholic Church, where a requiem mass will be celebrated by the Rev. Stephen McCabe. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.

The active pallbearers will be his five grandsons—Andrew J. Berger, Cosmos J. Berger, John Philip Berger, Andrew J. Etzel and Joseph J. Etzel—and a nephew, Maurice Rigger.