The
History of the Building
200-206 N. 34th St.: “Both these buildings are three-story, four-bay
red brick doubles. Horizontal bands of pressed brick ornament the building.
Stepped bricks advance outward towards the flat roof line giving the
appearance. of a slightly flared upper story. The houses have original wood
porches. 204-06 has some altered posts, altered balustrades and roughcasted base.
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the
national register of Historic Places)
1969: The houses on the west side of the 200 block of
Previous Residents of
1887 Directory: John A. Wiedersheim,
solicitor of patents, 919 Chestnut, 265 Broadway, N.Y. & 514 F St
Washington, h 200 N 34th.
In 1881, he lived at
1890 Directory: John A. Wiedersheim, patents, 919 Chestnut, h 200
N 34th
1890 Dir of Washington DC: John A.
Wiedersheim Location: Phila. Business Name: Robert Aiton & Co; John A
Wiedersheim & Co
1890 Census Veterans Schedule: Wiedersham, John A., Corporal, F
Co., 119th
(ED 511, p. 5)
In 1884, he took part in the ceremonies at the
burial of President Grant. “Junior Vice-Commander John A. Wiedersheim (laying a
rose or flower upon the coffin): ‘Symbol of purity, we offer at this sepulcher
a rose. May future generations emulate the unselfish devotion of even the
lowliest of our heroes.’"
(From the Tannery to the White House: Story
of the Life of Ulysses S. Grant ... William Makepeace Thayer. 1889. P. 399)
1893: John A. Wiedershiem was elected to serve as a director of
the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)
1900:
John A.
Wiedershiem 57 Solicitor
of patents; owner, free of mortgage
Josephine B.
Wiedershiem 57 Married 27 years, one child
Lilian A.
Wiedershiem 23
Mary Mustin 60 Sister-in-law; single
Margaret Marley 26 Cook; born in
Mary Mc Donald 24 Chambermaid; born in
“…John A. Wiedersheim, Esq., of Philadelphia, one of the oldest
established attorneys of that city, in the practice of Patent Law, the offices
of the firm being at 917 and 919 Chestnut St. On the first of March 1896. the
firm name was changed to Wiedersheim & Fairbanks.”
(Genealogy
of the Fairbanks Family in America, 1633-1897. By Lorenzo Sayles Fairbanks.
American Printing and Engraving Co., 1897, p 794.)
1905 Passenger list: “Col John A. Wiedersheim - Former commander
of the Veteran Corps, First Regiment Infantry, N.G.P.. Miss Lilian Wiedersheim”
(Transcribed
List of Passengers for the 16 August 1905 Westbound Voyage of the steamship
Friesland of the American Line from
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. John A. Wiedershelm
1909, June 2: Marriage of Lilian Allison Wiedersheim to Rev.
Arthur W. Warner (424 N. 34th St.) at St. Andrew's Church, by the Right Rev. Alexander
Mackay-Smith.
1910:
John A.
Weidersheim 67 Patent
attorney; parents born in
Josephine B.
Weidersheim 63 Married 37 years, 2 children, one surviving
Lilian A. Warner 33 Daughter; married less than one year
William A. Warner 38 Son-in-law; clergyman; born in NY, father in NY, mother in
Ella G. Marbin 32 Cook; born in Ireland
Mary J. Nolan 21 Waitress; born in
In 1911, Rev. William Arthur Warner was Secretary to the
Bishop and of Diocesan Committees for the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. In
1888-‘89, he was a special student at the [Episcopal]
General Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1899, he was the minister at
1920:
John McLay 39 Self-employed chauffeur; owner with a
mortgage
Hattie McLay 42 Born
in N.C.
Philip Combs 23 Step-son;
singer in theater; born in
Southard Combs 20 Step-son;
chauffeur; born in
1930:
Lurdia Smith 24 Battery charger; married at age 19; born in Illinois; renting
for $100 per month
Cecile Smith 24 Married at age 19; born in Illinois
Anton M. Smith 4 born
in Illinois
Benjamin Switzer 50 Lodger;
clerk for a steam railroad; born in Illinois, father born in Virginia, mother
in Missouri
Alice Sharp 22 Lodger; stenographer; born in Virginia
Wilson V. Gates 52 Lodger;
accountant for steam railroad
Helen C. Baker 27 Lodger;
supervisor for steam railroad
1940:
William V. Gates 62 Single;
4 years of high school; renting for $18 per month
_ 2nd Hh.
William T.
Dobinson 63 Unemployed; born in NY; 8 years of schooling; renting for $18
per month
Ester M. Dobinson 55 Unemployed;
8 years of schooling
2009: home of the Drexel chapter of ΣΦΕ, Sigma Phi Epsilon, fraternity
8/7/2022