206 N. 34^th Street

204-206 N. 34^th St.

The History of the Building

200-206 N. 34^th 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 rough casted 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 34^th St. were saved from condemnation and demolition by an agreement between the Powelton Village Homeowners Association and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. (see Powelton Quarterly, vol 1(1); pp 1 &3.)

Previous Residents of 206 N. 34th Street

1878 Atlas shows the owner of 200-210 as Henry D. Justi.

Henry D. and Elizabeth Justi lived at 3401 Baring St.

1887 Directory: James C. Prichett, flour at 317 N. Borad St.

The 1884 directory lists him at 3412 Spring Garden St. In 1880, they lived 1507 N. 19^th St. He was a commercial flour dealer. In 1870, he reported real estate valued at 4105,000 and personal property valued at $75,000.

1890 Directory: James C. Pritchett, flour, office: 317 N. Broad

1890, April 9: Death of James C. Prichett of 206 N. 34th St. Funeral services at his late residence.

The 1891 directory lists his widow living at 3715 Baring St. with their son, Herbert C. Prichett.

1891, December: Deed transferred from Henry M. & Elizabeth (wife) Justi to George B. & Lucy M. (wife) Evans.

Lucy M. Hickman married George B. Evans March 12, 1890. They were married by Rev. Henry C. McCook at the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church (Phila. Inquirer)

1898 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. George B. Evans

George B. Evans was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)

In 1900, they lived at 223 N. 34th.

1900: not censused

1902, September: Deed transferred from George B. & Lucy M. (wife) Evans to John & Ada W. (wife) Powers.

In 1900, John and Ada Powers were living in Haverford, Delaware Co., Pa.

1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. John O. Powers

1910:

John O. Powers 41 Advertiser; born in [Sheffield] England, parents born in N.Y.; owner with mortgage

Ada A. Powers 46 Married 12 years, 4 children; born in N.Y., father in Pa., mother in N.Y.

Walter E. Powers 11 Son; born in Calif.

Anna Powers 7

Robert W. Powers 9

Ethel Powers 5

Esther Thomas 32 Cook; black; married 10 years, one child; born in the West Indies

Bessie Brown 20 Waitress; mulatto; born in Va.

For a brief bio, see the Powelton History blog.

1911, October: Deed transferred from John & Ada W. (wife) Powers to Michael & Esther (wife) Ryan.

1918, November: Deed transferred from Michael & Esther (wife) Ryan to Mary F. Ryan.

1920:

Michael Ryan 75 Born in Ireland, immigrated in 1855; owner with mortgage

Esther Ryan 74 Born in Ireland, immigrated in 1855

Mary F. Ryan 40 Clerk in a department store

Kathryn V. Ryan 43 Public school teacher

Thomas J. Ryan 41 [Unreadable] in electric goods; widowed

Stephan Ryan 29 Clerk in railroad office

Stephen Ryan 9 Grandson

In 1900, they lived at 57 Saunders Ave. Michael and Esther stated they immigrated in 1860.

1922, February: Deed transferred from Mary F. (single) Ryan to Mary H. Smith.

1930:

Andrew B. Smith 54 Manager in coal office; owner, house valued at $20,000

Katherine E. Smith 54

Mary H. Smith 56 Sister, bookkeeper in coal office

Katherine Smith 19 Librarian

A. Boyd Smith 16

Minnie M. Amon 49 Lodger; accountant for engineering firm; rent: $22

May C. Stai 58 Lodger; rent: $22; widowed; born in Kentucky

Viola Ennis 56 Lodger; rent: $22; born in Del.; librarian in a public library

Nina Walker 56 Lodger; rent: $22; widowed; clerk

1940:

Andrew B. Smith 67 8 years of schooling

Katherine S. Smith 66 8 years of schooling

Mary H. Smith n/a Bookkeeper for coal co.

Katherine Smith 28 Librarian, earned $1,200 in 1939; 4 years of high school

Boyd A. Smith 27 3 years of high school

1942, Feb. 17: Death of Mary H. Smith, 70 years old, of 206 N. 34th St. She died of breast cancer and was buried in Fernwood Cemetery. (Records of St. Andrew’s Church)

1942, October: Deed transferred from Audren B. Smith of the Estate of Mary N. Smith and Emily Smith as of Mary N. Smith to Phila Trust Co. Helen Nebb and Mildred Tifft Trustees under Will of Robert W. Fitzell (dec'd) Fidelity.

According to the 1900 Census, Robert Fitzell was a real estate broker. He was born in Ireland in 1842 and immigrated in 1843 as an infant. His wife, Sophia, was born in Maryland in 1854. Helen Webb and Mildred Tifft were his daughters. Mildred was married to Richard Tifft, an insurance broker. In 1930, they lived in Lower Merion. Helen was married to Edward L. Webb, a graduate of the Naval Academy who was born in Louisiana. He also had a son, Robert, and another daughter, Evelyn.

1943, July: Deed transferred from Phila Trust Co. Helen Nebb and Mildred Tifft Trustees under Will of Robert W. Fitzell (dec'd) Fidelity to Sadie (widow) Wolinsky.

1976-1997: 204-206 34^th St. was the home of the Drexel University chapter of the ΣΑΕ, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, fraternity.

2009: The home of the Drexel University chapter of the ΑΧΡ, Alpha Chi Rho, fraternity.

<204 N 34th 208 N 34th >

8/6/2022

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