Although not built until 1886, 305 Cooper Street’s first resident was a surgeon who became locally famous for his accounts from the frontlines during the Civil War. Henry Genet Taylor came from a well-known local medical family, and he carried on the family name. At the start of the war in 1861, Taylor was newly graduated from medical school, and he quickly became appointed assistant surgeon for the Eighth Regiment of NJ Volunteers. In 1862, he was deployed to Virginia to treat the wounded and recover the dead.

In 1862, Taylor became a local household name when at least four of his letters detailing the frontlines were published in the West Jersey Press. These letters included his experiences during the Battle of Williamsburg and Second Bull Run. In his letter detailing the latter experience, Taylor described being sent behind enemy lines under a white flag to recover the wounded and dead who had been left behind after the Union Army’s retreat. While there, he recounted meeting General Stonewall Jackson, Commander Robert E. Lee’s famous right-hand man, who treated him well and admitted his regret for being unable to give Taylor a better fare due to limited supplies. Taylor’s letters provided details of the front lines for those back home who were nervously awaiting news of the areas their loved ones were fighting. By the time Taylor mustered out in 1864, he had served in twenty-five major and minor battles, including Gettysburg.

After the war, Taylor’s service remained a core part of his identity. He served with the National Guard, and he also led medical examinations for the Board of Pensions, which gave financial assistance to soldiers and families who experienced injuries or were killed during the war.

Taylor quickly came to hold many leadership positions in Camden and became one of the city’s more wealthy and successful residents. He married Mary Cooper, a descendant of the original Coopers, and eventually built 305 Cooper in 1886, which served as his doctor’s office and residence. He spent the rest of his days as a leader in the medical field and a family man, often traveling to Cape May with his family during the summers. He eventually died in 1916.