George F.
Kappel

aka George Cable

GEORGE FREDERICK KAPPEL was born in Camden around 1866 to Frederick and Lizzie Kappel. The family name appears spelled "Cable" in City Directories and newspapers into the early 1890s.

George F. Kappel's father, Frederick Kappel,  came to Camden from Germany, and in his young manhood fought in the Civil War. He later worked in a lumber yard. The Frederick Kappel family made its home on 530 North Front Street from the 1870s through the 1890s, except for a brief period around 1880. The family was at 530 North Front Street in 1878. The 1880 Census shows the family, which included younger sisters Lizzie and Amelia, living at 538 French's Court, a short street that was in the 400 block of Sycamore Street in South Camden. The family moved back to 530 North Front Street by the middle of 1882. By 1884 they had settled in at 538 North Front Street.

The 1879-1880 City Directory states that George Kappel had gone to work as a spinner in one of Camden's textile mills. He was listed in the 1884-1885 and 1885 City Directories at 538 North Front Street, living with his parents. George Kappel married early in 1887. The 1887-1888 City Directory states that George F. Kappel was living at 5 England Place in Camden and working as a bleacher in 1887. His son, George W.A. Kappel was born that September, daughter Anna and son Elwoood came soon after.  

George F. Kappel was worked as an extra man with the Engine Company 2 of the Camden Fire Department in 1887. By the middle of 1887 the Kappel family had moved to 523 North Front Street, and George F. Kappel had secured an appointment to the Camden Police Department. He would remain connected with the Camden Police Department for twenty-three years. The family had moved to 108 Birch Street in North Camden by the middle of 1890. The 1892-1893 and 1893-1894 Directories shows George Cable residing at 609 North Front Street. He is not listed in the 1894-1895 City Directory, but was still being referred to as "George Cable" in the press as late as December of 1894.

In 1895 George F. Kappel appears to have stopped using the "Cable" spelling once and for all. The 1895-1896 City Directory shows that he had moved to 102 Pearl Street, next door to the saloon owned by John Dugan and family. The Kappel family was still at that address when the census was taken in 1910. George F. Kappel retired from the Camden Police Department on May 14, 1910.

After Mr. Kappel's son George W.A. Kappel, mastered the steamfitter's and heating trade, father and son formed The Camden Heating Company in May, 1905, and the concern was incorporated in 1907. The firm became well known as specialists in heating and ventilating of all sorts, and were located at 8 Market Street, in Camden. With the family business well in hand, George F. Kappel retired from the Camden Police Department on May 14, 1910.

Wife Emma having died in the 1910s, George F. Kappel was a widower by January of 1920. His later years were spent at 311 Penn Street in Camden. He passed away on July 6, 1924.

Philadelphia Inquirer
August 9, 1889

George "George Cable" Kappel
Beideman's Station
David Baird Sr.
Alfred Hugg
Richard Kerswell
Samuel Dodd
Jesse Pratt

Camden Post
November 7, 1889

William "Policy Bill" Smith
Harriet Smith
Owen G. Stackhouse
George F. Kappel
James Brown

George F,Kappel
Isaac Toy
Harry Miller
O. Glen Stackhouse
Harry Livermore
John Mares
Henry E. Nunnich
Market Street
South 3rd Street
Clinton Street
Pennsylvania Bottling & Supply Co.

Philadelphia Inquirer * February 12, 1905

Philadelphia Inquirer - March 5, 1906