Camden People - John S. Edwards

JOHN S. EDWARDS was born in Camden NJ around 1875, the middle child of Martha and John C. Edwards, coming after James and before Lydia. The family lived on Mount Vernon Street near South 6th Street at the time of the 1880 Census. The later moved across the railroad tracks that ran down South 7th Street to a house at 815 Division Street, where they stayed until 1889. John C. Edwards worked at the Camden Iron Works during this time. He was active in politics in what was then Camden's Seventh Ward and served as an extra man with the Camden Fire Department in 1884 and 1885. The 1890-1891 Directory shows the family at 704 Cherry Street, and John C. Edwards was working as a laborer.

John S. Edwards grew up along the railroad tracks that ran down South 7th Street, and sadly, like so many boys his age, took the trains for granted. On the morning of September 8, 1886 he tried to race across the tracks at Walnut Street. He was struck by the train and thrown about ten feet from the crossing. He was carried to the butcher shop of Julius Bobst at 700 Walnut Street. Dr. William Warnock, who had his home and office at 751 Kaighn Avenue, was called for help, and found the boy badly hurt. Two hours later Dr. Dowling Benjamin performed an amputation on young Edwards' right foot. His injuries were so severe however that he passed away the following morning at 7:30 AM the following day.

The Edwards family remained in the neighborhood for many years.