History
1862
(compiled Fall, 1861): Erastus Poulson, attorney and pension agent, 429 Walnut,
h 35th & Race
In 1850, he was Deputy Clerk of the
Orphan’s Court. The 1850 census shows him living with Edwin H. and Elizabeth
Curtis (probably his sister) and Margaret and Mary Poulson (probably also
sisters). He was elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1853. The 1858 directory lists Erastus Poulson, wines & liquors,
721 Market living at 748 S. 9th. The 1860 census lists him as a
lawyer. In the 1861 directory, he was listed as an attorney living at 748 S. 9th
St. His wife, Sarah E. Poulson, was born in Philadelphia. In 1860, she listed
$3,000 in real estate and $300 in personal property.
1862, Nov. 3: Title transferred to S. Emma Poulson by Mary Price
Mary Price was Sarah’s mother. In
1860, she was age 75 and living with the Poulsons.
1870:
Erastus Poulson 53 Claim
agent; born in Va.
Sarah Poulson 40
William Poulson 17 Clerk
in pension office
Mary Price 86
Elizabeth Curtis 40 Born
in Va.
Mary Bansion 43 Domestic servant; born in Ireland
At some point (probably very early)
he was associated with the Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church and involved in
the formation of their Mission and Temperance societies
He was associated with the “Society
of Mysterious Pilgrims” 1872-75. He also held the public office of Solicitor,
receiver of taxes.
“In 1875 a watchdog subcommittee of
the Union League... publicly condemned the Pilgrims as ‘that dictatorial band
of men, nominally of both parties, but without true allegiance to either, which
now runs and oppresses our city and is disgracing and destroying the Republican
organization....’”
(When Bosses Ruled Philadelphia: The
Emergence of the Republican Machine, 1867-193. Peter McCaffery, Penn State
Press, 1993 , pp 26-7, Table 3)
1880:
Erastus
Poulson 63 Lawyer; born in Va.
Sarah E. Poulson 56
William H. Poulson
27 Conveyancer
Mary Price 96
Amanda M. Wilson 50 Boarder
Mary Welsh 26 Servant; born in Ireland
Sally Welsh 24 Servant; born in Ireland
1881, Aug. 3: Death of Mary E. Price, 97 years old. Funeral from
the home of her son-in-law, Erastus Poulson, 208 N. 35th St.
1890 Directory: William H. Poulson, conveyancer, 34 N 9th, home:
208 N 35th
1891, Sept 15: Marriage of Emma L. Kain, daughter of the late
Joseph H. Kain, to William Harold Poulson at the residence of the bride’s
mother, 1728 N. 15th St., by Rev. Charles W. Buoy, D.D.
1900:
Erastus
Poulson 83 Lawyer; born in Va.
William H.
Poulson 47 Real estate agent
Emma K. Poulson 46 Married
nine years, two children, one surviving; born in N.J.
Irene P. Poulson 5 Granddaughter
Maggie Walsh 30 Servant;
born in Ireland; immigrated in 1866
1900, Nov. 12: Death of Erastus Poulson, 84 years old. Funeral
services at his late residence, 208 N. 35th St. Orient Lodge No. 281, A. Y. M.
and Orient Lodge No. 113, I. O. O. F. invited.
“Erastus Poulson’s Death
“Erastus Poulson, at one time a
pension agent, died yesterday morning at his home, 208 North
Thirty-fifth street, in his eighty-fifth year. He practiced law here at
one time, and was elected to the Legislature in 1854…. Internment, with Masonic
ceremony, will be in Mount Peace Cemetery.”
(Phila. Inquirer, Nov. 13,
1900)
In 1910, William, Emma and Irene
were living at 210 Walnut Lane, Radnor, Pa. He was retired. In 1920, William
and Irene were living in Penns Grove, Salem Co., N. J.
William was widowed and Irene was a public school
teacher.
1901, Jul. 3: Title transferred to Ellwood Bonsall by estate of
Erastus Poulson
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. Ellwood Bonsall [In 1890, he lived at 219
N 34th St.]
Mrs. William B. Judge
1905, April 26: Ellwood Warner
Bonsall married Marion Adele Ivison at St. James Church.
She was the daughter of Isaac D.
Ivison and Mathilda Heath Parsons. She was born in Media, Pa.
1910:
Ellwood Bonsall 72 Conveyancer;
born in Ohio; owner, free of a mortgage
Julia H. Bonsall 68 Married
48 years, 4 children, 2 surviving
Florence E. Judge
32 Daughter;
married 13 years, 1 child
Florence B. Judge
9 Granddaughter
Julia Hellig
married Elwwod Bonsall in Nov. 22, 1862
at Trinity Lutheran Church, Philadelphia. She was the daughter of John Hellig.
Florence Edna Judge was the wife of
William B. Judge, a carpet manufacturer. They had been married 3 years. In
1900, the Bonsalls and the Judges lived in the 4202
Parkside Ave. The Bonsall’s son, Elwood Warner Bonsall, lived with them.
1913 Obituary: “Ellwood
Bonsall Is Victim of Apolexy
“Death
Comes Suddenly to Wealthy Real Estate at Mt. Pocono Summer Home
“Leader
in Church Work
“Ellwood
Bonsall, one of the oldest and wealthiest real estate men of this city and for
years recognized as one of the city's leading real estate experts, died
suddenly of apolexy at his summer home in Mt. Pocono,
according to information received here today. His death occurred yesterday
while he was with his family. He was 77 years old.
“Mr.
Bonsall's city home was at 208 North Thirty-Fifth street. He was a type of the
old-time conservative Philadelphia, who devoted himself to his home, his church
and his business, and while he was probably one of the best-known among the big
business adherents of the city, he seldom came into general public view, except
when called on, as he frequently was, by the city to assist in determining land
values.
“He
was a director of the Land Title and Trust Company, of which his nephew Edward
H. Bonsall, is second vice-president, and was a director of the Philadelphia
Company for Guaranteeing Mortgages since the organization of that company. In
addition to that he also was a director of the Rue Manufacturing Compnay, 228 Cherry Street.
“For
years the real estate firm of Bonsall Bros. has occupied a conspicuous place in
the history of this city. Mr. Bonsall conducted the business up to the time of
his death and his son, E. Warner Bonsall, was associated with him.
“Leader
in Church
“He
was one of the leaders in the Presbyterian Church, and
was a member and one of the elders of Northminster
Presbyterian Church, Thirty-Fifth and Baring Streets. For several years he
was one of the main supports of the Homan Presbyterian Church at Mt. Pocono.
This church is only open two months in the year and is for the benefit of the
summer visitors, and Mr. Bonsall was one of several owners of summer homes to
start the involvement for the support of the church.
“Less
than three years ago Mr. Bonsall was trustee of the estate of Mrs. Annie L.
Lowry, presented to the First Presbyterian Church, at Seventh and Locust
streets, in this city, $54,000 toward making a $200,000 endowment fund to
guarantee the permanency of the historic church which was founded in 1698 and
is known through the country as the "mother" of American Presbyterian
churches. The Lowry fund was entirely in the hands of Mr. Bonsall to distribute
where the work of the Presbyterian church needed help and where the promise for
results was encouraging.
“Mr.
Bonsall leaves a widow and two children, his son, who was his partner in
business and Mrs. Judge, a daughter.”
(Evening
Telegraph: 7/24/1913)
1920:
Julia H. Bonsall 78 Widowed;
owner, free of a mortgage
Florence E. Judge 43 Daughter;
divorced; father born in N.J.
Florence B. Judge 18 Granddaughter
1920, Dec. 16: Death of Florence Bonsall Judge of 208 N. 35th St.
1924, Nov. 23: Death of Julia Helig
Bonsall of 208 N. 35th St.
1930:
Ellwood W. Bonsall 59 Renting for $100 per month; married at
age 34; father born in N.J.
Adele Bonsall 55 Married
at age 31
Patricia Bonsall 17
1932, Dec. 17: Death of Ellwood Warner Bonsall
of 208 N. 35th St.
1935, Oct. 19: Marriage of Patricia Bonsall to
Herbert Wallace Stuart at St. Andrews Church by Rev. William Hugh Fryer
Herbert
Stuart was probably the son of Walter D. Stuart. In 1930, the family lived at
2041 S. 20th St. The 1940 census shows them living in Beverly,
Burlington Co., N. J. He was a metallurgist doing research for the government. He
was 32, she was listed as 35. They both had four years of college. She
graduated from Goucher College for Women.
Patricia
Stuart died in 1996. In 2000, the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of
Veterinary Medicine announced “$152,855 from the estate of Patricia Bonsall
Stuart of Kennett Square, PA in support of the Patricia Bonsall Stuart Fund for
Equine Studies in the College and perpetuation of the Herbert W. Stuart
Memorial Scholarship. The total funding from the estate for the Fund endowment
now totals $1,319,622 and will enhance efforts to support and advance equine
health enormously. The College is very grateful for the life and legacy of this
couple and their dedication to horses.”
Her estate left $2.7 million to be divided equally between this college
and Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
1936, Dec. 9: Title transferred to Annie M. Fry
by Land Title Trust Co., Trustee
1939, Sep. 26: Title transferred to Howard D.
McKeever, Jr. by Annie M. Fry
In
1940, Howard D. McKeever, Jr. was 30 years old and living with his parents at
118 Terrace Ave. He was a real estate salesman.
1940, May 29: Title transferred to George McKee
by Howard D. McKeever, Jr.
1941, May 12: Title transferred to Wayne R.
Parks and Margaret M., his wife, by George McKee
1955, May 25: Title transferred to Drexel Institute
of Technology by Wayne R. Parks and Margaret M., his wife.
1968 Reverse Directory: Epsilon Phi Fraternity
Tau
C. Blumberg
L. Buchman
A. Gruber
D. Jamieson
L. Mittleman
S. Skolic
Revised
8/14/2022