ROY ARLINGTON SMITH was born on April 27, 1884 in New Jersey to William Henry Smith and his wife the former Harriet C. Stewart. He was the youngest of eleven children, two of whom had died prior to his birth. The 1880 Census shows the family at 726 Federal Street, with children William H. Jr., Virginia C., Augustus D., Sue G., Howard M. Smith, Clarence S. Smith, and Walter H. Smith. Two more sons came in the early 1880s, Crawford M. Smith. and Roy A. Smith. William Henry Smith died in 1886. Known locally as "Policy Bill" Smith, he had been arrested a number of times on charges of operating a "policy game", i.e., an illegal lottery, what was late called the "numbers racket". After her husband's death, Harriet Smith, with 5 mouths to feed under the age of 12 stayed in the "family business" and was in and out of legal trouble until she and her her unmarried sons fled to Philadelphia in 1898 to escape prosecution. They returned to Camden around 1903.

Roy A. Smith's oldest brother, William H. Smith Jr., popularly best known as W. Harry Smith, was working by 1890, as was second son Augustus D. Smith found work as a blacksmith. W. Harry Smith began involving himself in local politics in Camden's 9th Ward as a Republican, and over the years this served him and the Smith family well. W. Harry Smith's friend an political ally Harry J. Wagner Sr. married Sue Smith.

Roy Smith married around 1905. The 1906 City Directory shows him living at 609 North 6th Street in North Camden. He was then working as a car builder.

Having W. Harry Smith for a brother and Harry J. Wagner Sr. for a brother-in-law definitely helped the younger Smith brothers. Possibly due to their influence and possibly due to the fact that the Camden Police Department's baseball team needed a pitcher, Howard M. Smith was appointed to the Camden Police Department on March 20, 1906, and promoted to detective in 1918.

When the Census was taken in April of 1910 Roy and Anna Smith were living at 727 Carman Street. He was then working as a bartender. He was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in June of 1914 and went to work on July 1 at Engine Company 7.

By the time the 1914 Camden City Directory was compiled, Roy A. Smith  and wife Anna had moved to 607 Carman Street, where he lived out his days.

Roy Smith's brother, Walter Smith, was appointed to the Camden Police Department on April 30, 1914. By 1925 he too had been promoted to Detective, and served in that until his retirement on February 15, 1935.

When the new firehouse was opened on Morgan Boulevard, Roy Smith was promoted to stoker and assigned to Engine Company 10.

Roy Smith served with the Fire Department until ill-health forced an early retirement. He was granted a disability pension on January 6, 1933. Sadly, Anna H. Smith passed away on May 20, 1934 at the age of 47. Roy A. Smith joined her on January 17, 1936. They both rest at Harleigh Cemetery.

Roy Smith's nephew, Harry J. Wagner Jr., served as a member of the Camden Fire Department for 39 years and 8 months, reaching the rank of Acting Chief of Department. Another nephew, Roy Wagner, owned Roy's Tavern on Federal Street from 1936 to 1964, and nephews Philip and  George C. Wagner tended bar there. Another, nephew, Howard Baker Smith, worked as in security at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard and as an investigator with the Camden County Prosecutor's office until his retirement in 1981.