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George Birch
George Birch was born on May 10, 1905, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father either passed away or abandoned the family, leaving George’s mother, Katherine Halligan, an illiterate Irish immigrant, to raise him alone. Around age 10 or 11, George suffered a head injury that left him deaf, a condition that was medically irreversible at the…
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Joseph M. Nardi, Jr
Joseph M. Nardi Jr. served as Camden’s mayor from 1969 to 1973 and had a distinguished career as a judge and community leader. Born and raised in Camden, he graduated from the Rutgers University School of Law in 1956 and became actively involved in various professional and community organizations. He served on the Board of…
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Ron “Itchy” Smith
Ron "Itchy" Smith, a standout basketball player and guard for Camden High School, graduated in 1960 after an exceptional basketball career. Over three seasons, he scored 1,276 points and led Camden to back-to-back Group 4 basketball championships in 1959 and 1960. Playing under basketball coach Tony Alfano, Smith and his teammates, Golden “Sonny” Sunkett and…
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Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson was born in Pennsylvania in 1847, according to the 1870 Census. By that time, he lived in Camden’s South Ward, worked as a hotel waiter, and boarded with Eliza Williams. He was single at the time. On April 8, 1877, Camden Fire Department records show that Wilson, then residing at 422 Mount Vernon…
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John McKay
John McKay was born on October 22, 1891, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Malcolm and Mary McKay. Along with his brothers Malcolm, Thomas, and Stanley, John grew up at 362 East Indiana Avenue in Philadelphia, as recorded in the 1900 Census. By 1910, the family had relocated to 607 Powell Street in Gloucester City, New Jersey.…
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Benjamin D. Coley
Benjamin Coley was born in England on February 1, 1826, and immigrated to America as a child. He lived briefly in Camden, New Jersey, during the 1830s and returned in the mid-1840s. Upon his return, he worked for businessman Richard Fetters for five years before venturing out on his own. Before the Civil War, Coley…
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