Introduction
George Smith was born in Pennsylvania on August 1, 1890. His obituary states that he enlisted in the United States Army in October of 1910, and served until December of 1917. Selective Service records from the 1918 Draft state that he served with the United States Marine Corps. During his time in the military he saw duty in the Philippines and in Mexico.
George Smith married around 1914. The 1918–1919 City Directory shows George and Ethel Smith at 228 Ambler Street. Later that year, when he registered for the draft (September, 1918) he was living with his wife Ethel and two children at 326 Washington Street, and working as a laborer for the Campbell Soup Company.
George Smith was appointed to the Camden Fire Department around 1921. The 1924 City Directory shows him living at 233 Point Street. The 1927 edition gives an address of 1111 North 26th Street in Cramer Hill. The 1929 City Directory lists George and Ethel Smith at 429 Vine Street. George Smith appears in the 1930 Census with his wife Ethel at 410 Vine Street in North Camden. The 1940 City Directory lists him at 107 Penn Street, which in the 1910s had been the home of 19th Century Camden Fire Department veteran Robert S. Bender. He last resided in Camden at 540 Bailey Street.
George Smith was cited twice for bravery during his fire fighting career. In 1926 he was cited for attempts to rescue two children from a burning home in East Camden. In 1933 he saved two of his brother firemen who had been overcome by smoke at a vacant factory in North Camden.
George Smith was placed on retirement from the Fire Department due to ill health in 1941. He had been a patient at the Camden County Hospital at Lakeland for some time when it became apparent that he would not be returning to active duty with the Fire Department. He died on May 21, 1943 at the hospital at Lakeland and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery.
George Smith was survived by his wife Ethel and two daughters. Mrs. Ethel M. Smith was living at 424 South 7th Street when the 1943 City Directory was compiled.
Hero Dies
Camden Courier-Post —
George Smith
Retired Camden fireman who died yesterday after an illness of nearly three years.
1930 Census Sheet
1930 Census Sheet
George Smith Dies; Fire Bureau Hero
Camden Courier-Post —
Twice Cited in 20 Years with Department; Veteran of U. S. Army
George Smith, 53 Camden Fire Department hero and Army veteran, died yesterday in the Lakeland General hospital where he had been a patient nearly three years.
Mr. Smith, who lived at 540 Bailey street, had been a member of the fire department 20 years. He was retired because of ill health two years ago.
He was commended twice for bravery during his fire-fighting career. In 1926 he was cited for attempts to rescue two children from a burning East Camden home, and in 1933 saved two firemen overcome by smoke in a three-alarm fire at a vacant factory building in North Camden.
Smith, served in the Army from October, 1910, to December, 1917, and saw activity in Mexico and the Philippines. He was a member of Matthew-Purnell Post No. 518, VFW. He is survived by his widow, Ethel, and two daughters.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Thursday at the Bailey street address, in charge of Harry J. Leonard, 2880 Federal street. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery.