FRANK H. POWELL was born in New Jersey to Edward Smith Powell and his wife, the former Jane Beideman in March of 1868 to Edward and Jane Powell, according to the 1900 Census. He was the youngest of the 12 Powell children. His father was a farmer, working a farm in the late 1870s and early 1880s near what were then the outskirts of Camden near North 6th and State Streets.

Frank Powell married around 1898. A resident of the town of Stockton, which, in 1899 was united with Camden bringing what is now known as East Camden and Cramer Hill into the city, Frank H. Powell was active in politics and civil affairs at an early age. In the early 1890s he served as a special officer at Stockton Park, a resort area located on the site of the modern day McGuire Gardens public housing project. He briefly kept a saloon in the 1890s and in November of 1899 was considered for a position with the Camden Fire Department, but was not selected at that time.

The 1898 Camden City Directory shows Frank Powell at Franklin Avenue (modern day 34th Strteet) near Harrison Avenue in wht was then Stockton, now known as Camden's Cramer Hill neighborhood. The 1900 Census shows Frank Powell working as a bricklayer and living in an unnumbered house on Bergen Avenue near Farragut Avenue in the same arean with his wife Maggie. His 83 year-old widowed mother also lived there. 

On November 20, 1903 Frank H. Powell was appointed to the Camden Fire Department as a replacement for Joseph Oscar Till Sr., who had died seven days previously. Frank H. Powell would serve with the Camden Fire Department through at least the end of 1926.

The 1906 City Directory show Frank Powell living at 1039 North 34th Street. He was still at that address when, on May 23, 1908 a tornado hit Camden, causing flooding throughout the city and doing extensive damage to homes and business along the north bank of the Cooper Cooper and in the vicinity of the 1500 through 1700 blocks of Federal Street and elsewhere. The roof on Frank Powell's house was blown clear of the building.

The 1910 Census shows the Powells at 900 North 28th Street, the corner of North 28th Street and Hayes Avenue. There had been five children born, but only sons Melvin and George had lived to that time. 

The 1914 City Directory and the 1920 Census shows the Powell family had moved around the corner to a house at 2827 Concord Avenue. Frank and Maggie Powell were still at that address when the 1927 Camden City Directory was compiled. Frank H. Powell retired from the Fire Department not long afterwards. By the time the 1929 City Directory was compiled, the Frank H. and Maggie Powell had left Camden.

Fire Department records from 1931 show that Frank H. Powell was alive and collecting his pension. His mailing address was c/o Lemuel D. Horner, 3521 Westfield Avenue, Camden New Jersey. Horner was a prominent funeral director, his wife was Frank Powell's cousin.