Introduction
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. They 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 Edwards family remained in the neighborhood for many years.
A School Boy Mangled; Young Edwards’ Sad Death
Camden Courier-Post — September 8, 9, & 11, 1886
A School Boy Mangled — John Edwards Struck by a Train and Badly Hurt. — September 8, 1886
John Edwards, a ten-year-old boy, living on Division street above Eighth, was struck by an outgoing freight train on the West Jersey railroad at Seventh and Walnut streets, about half-past eight o’clock this morning, while on his way to school. How the accident occurred is hardly known, but it is said that the boy attempted to pass in front of the approaching train, and was run quite quickly; he was struck and thrown about ten feet from the crossing. The lad was picked up and carried into the butcher shop at Seventh and Walnut streets, and was afterwards taken home, when it was found necessary to amputate the right foot, which was horribly mangled. Besides this, the boy had several bruises about the body and one very bad one on the side of the head. It is doubtful whether or not the boy can survive. The amputation was performed by Dr. Benjamin.
Young Edwards Dies — September 9, 1886
John Edwards, the lad who was struck by a train on the West Jersey railroad at Seventh and Eighth streets, yesterday, died from his injuries at half past seven o’clock this morning. Coroner Davis is in charge of the body and will hold an inquest at the court house on Friday morning.
Young Edwards’ Sad Death — Evidence Taken in the Recent Railroad Accident — September 11, 1886
The Employee Exonerated From All Blame But the Company Censured for Not Providing Safety Gates At the Crossing
At quarter past two yesterday afternoon Coroner Davis commenced calling the names of the jurors who had been summoned to hold the inquisition in the case of John C. Edwards, the lad who was killed by a train on the West Jersey railroad, at Seventh and Walnut streets, on Monday last. After this had been finished the examination of witnesses was commenced. The first examined was Dr. Warnock, who was the first physician to attend the boy. The doctor testified as follows:
He was called about eight or nine o’clock on Monday morning to attend the boy Edwards. He was then lying on a lounge in the butcher shop at Seventh and Walnut streets. The right leg was nearly cut off by a thread of skin. His skull, the shoulder blade, and one rib on the left side were broken, and he being bruised about the head and body. The skull was not fractured, although there were several bad cuts on his head, which possibly caused the convulsions. The mangled foot was amputated two hours after the accident.
Warned of His Danger
The next witness was Charles Steelman, a bright, intelligent lad who warned Edwards of his danger when he attempted to cross in front of the train. In the testimony he said, “I saw the train coming down the track and called to Edwards, ‘here comes the cars, lookout,’ when he responded, ‘mind your mush,’ and a moment later he was struck by the train.”
Thomas Gause Woodfield, a lad, and James Spence, residing at Eighth and Walnut streets testified to seeing the boy struck. Ex-Policeman William H. Griffin, residing at 816 Walnut street, testified that the bells were ringing all the time the accident occurred. No other witnesses testified to either hearing the bells ringing or the whistle blow.