Camden People - Samuel Peoples

SAMUEL PEOPLES was born in Pennsylvania in November of 1864, and appears to have come to Camden around 1889. He married his Irish-born wife Mary Robinson around 1888. He first appears in Camden's City directories in 1890, living at 621 North 2nd Street and working as an iron moulder in a foundry in Philadelphia. By 1892 he had moved to 1641 Broadway and stayed there into the following year. By the end of 1894 he had moved to 1613 Broadway where he remained into 1895. Once having moved to Broadway, Samuel Peoples became politically active in the early 1890s as a Republican from Camden's Eighth Ward.

Samuel Peoples was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on November 27, 1894 as a replacement for William Bogia, who had passed away. He was assigned to Hook and Ladder Truck No 1, quartered on North 5th Street between Arch and Market Streets. When Samuel Peoples was first assigned to Hook and Ladder Truck No 1, the company was led by Foreman, Benjamin L. Kellum; the tillerman was Peter S. Gray; and the laddermen consisted of Steward D. Bakley, John Gray, Edward Weston, Samuel Peoples, and Joseph Logue.

The 1896 City Directory shows Samuel and Mary Peoples at 525 South 2nd Street. By 1897 they had moved to 606 Point Street.

On November 27, 1899 Samuel Peoples was promoted to foreman, the equivalent of Captain, of Hook and Ladder Company No 3 .

The 1897 City Directory shows Samuel Peoples at 606 Point Street, a when the 1900 Census was taken Samuel Peoples, wife Mary, and daughter Vera living at 606 Point Street in North Camden. Also living with them at the time of the census were Mary's sister Lydia and her husband David Robinson.

Sadly within a few years of his promotion, Samuel Peoples contracted tuberculosis, in that time a fatal disease with no cure. He was placed on the retired list in November of 1904 and moved to California, where it was thought that the climate might alleviate his symptoms. Samuel Peoples died at Monrovia, California on December 31, 1905. He was brought home to New Jersey and buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden. Samuel Peoples was survived by his wife and daughter, who were living at 604 North 2nd Street when the 1910 Census was enumerated. Vera Peoples was still living at that address as late as January of 1920.

Camden Daily Telegram - March 21, 1893
	Dr. William S. Jones Edward A. Mills John E. Gunby Benjamin Mellor Samuel Peoples Albert Barber


	In the foreground, the headquarters of the Camden Fire Department, built in 1899, at 19 North 5th Street. The adjacent building at 31 North 5th Street was built in 1894, and was the home of Ladder Company 1 from 1894 to 1930.