214 N. 34th
Street
The
History of the Building
In the 1878
Scott’s Atlas, this
land and most of the square block were owned by George A. Fletcher who
later lived at 216 N. 34th.
“Three-story
double composed of red brick with pressed brick ornament. The original wood
porch is intact. Composition of the double consists of outer bays with
bracketed hipped roofs &and inner bays with front projecting bracketed
gables with shingles around attic windows. At the second
-floor, a projecting pressed metal bay has been added to 212. Architect:
A.W. Dilks.”
(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 34th 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
1882, Dec. 27:
Title transferred to Anna L. Burnham by George A. Fletcher
Anna
Burnham was the daughter of Enoch and Charlotte (Thorn) Lewis who later lived
around the corner at 3405 Powelton Ave. She was
married to George Burnham, Jr., whose parents later lived at 3401 Powelton Ave. Anna’s brother, Theodore Lewis,
and George’s sister, Anna Burnham Lewis, purchased the lot next door, 212 N. 34th
St. George and Anna were living at 3321 Hamilton St.
1884,
January: George Burnham, Jr. and Anna (Lewis) Burnham
moved into their new home. (Diary of
Charlotte S. Lewis)
His father, George Burnham, Sr. (3401 Powelton Ave.), was president of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works, the largest manufacturer of steam locomotives. Anna Lewis Burnham
was the daughter of Enoch Lewis, 3405 Powelton Ave
who was the Chief Purchasing Agent for the
Pennsylvania Railroad. Her brother, Theodore J. Lewis, married George Burnham,
Jr.’s sister, Ann Burnham; they lived next door (212 N.
34 St.). Enoch Lewis Burnham married Cora Sellers, the daughter of Coleman
Sellers, Jr. In 1910, they were living with her parents at 3301 Baring St. where she grew up.
“George
Burnham, Jr., C. E., (Philadelphia, Pa.,) son of George and Anna (Hemple) Burnham, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., November
3oth, .1849. Prepared at private schools and entered the Institute September, 1868. In the fall of 1872 entered the service of
the Pennsylvania railroad company, as rodman, on a branch road from Williamsburgh to Springfield, in Blair
county, leaving this road in the summer of 1873. In the spring of 1875
was appointed levelman on the "Bridge Division " of Bound Brook &
North Pennsylvania railroad, remaining for one year, and assisting in the
surveys for and final execution of the bridge across the Delaware river at
Yardley. In the spring of 1876 formed partnership with Nelson Stow, of
Binghamton, N. Y., for the manufacture of the Stow flexible shaft, under style
of Stow & Burnham, afterward "The Stow Flexible Shaft company,
limited," of which he became secretary and treasurer. In September, 1880, entered the Baldwin locomotive works, as
assistant in the purchasing department. Is a member of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, Rensselaer Society of Engineers, and of the Engineers' Club of
Philadelphia. April 4th, 1881, married Anna Gilpin
Lewis, daughter of Enoch Lewis, of Philadelphia. One child. P. O. address, 214
North 34th street, Philadelphia, Pa.”
(Biographical Record of the Officers and
Graduates of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1824-1886. 1887. P 427.)
1885 Directory (fall, 1884): George Burnham,
Jr., clerk, h 214 N 34th.
1890 Directory: George Burnham, Jr. Treasurer at N. 18th corner of Lehigh Ava., h 214 N 34th
In the 1881 Directory, he is at 2211
Green St.
1898 Blue Book: George Burnham, Jr. was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)
1900:
George Burnham,
Jr 50 Manufacturer;
owned free of mortgage
Anna L. Burnham 41
Enoch Lewis
Burnham 17
Jean Burnham 14
Margaret Burnham 10
George Burnham 6
Katherine Cannon 25 Servant;
single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1892
Bridget Mc
Monaghan 34 Servant; single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1890
Mary Whelan 21 Servant; single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1897
Alice Morley 26 Servant; single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1893
1904: Enoch Lewis Burnham received an A.B. degree from Harvard
University. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. George Burnham, Jr.
1907: Enoch Lewis Burnham received a degree in chemical
engineering from Cornell University
1909, Oct. 9: Marriage of Cora Beach Sellers to Enoch Lewis
Burnham. They were married at the home of the bride’s parents (3301 Baring St.) by Rev. William C. Gannett of
Rochester, N.Y. (the groom’s uncle).
1910, Philadelphia Inquirer: “George Burnham, Jr., vice president
of the Union Trust Company, and Albert E. Turner, of Edward B. Smith &
Company, sail March 24 for a trip to Bermuda and West Indies.” (Mar. 17, 1910)
1910, April 20: The family was enumerated in the census on the
Newtown-Sugartown Rd., in Easttown, Chester, Pa. (near
Devon). This was probably a summer retreat.
George Burnham,
Jr. 60 “Own
income”
Anna L. Burnham 51 Mother
born in N.J.
Jean B. Peck 23 Daughter
Arthur Peck 28 Son-in-law; cloth manufacturer; born in Illinois, parents
born in N.J.
Florence Tegart 22 Servant, maid; born in Ireland,
immigrated in 1899
Mary Mckenzie 30
Servant, cook; born in Ireland,
immigrated in 1900
William Green 21 Servant,
butler; black; born in Va.
The directories for 1912 to 1918
list George Burnham, Jr. living in Berwyn. In 1918, he is listed as president
of Keystone Coal & Iron Co. and as treasurer of C. H. Wheeler Manufacturing
Co. After that, they return to this address.
Jean Clifton Burnham and Arthur Peck
were married February 12, 1910 at her parents’ home
(214 n 34th) by Rev. William C. Gannett of Rochester, N.Y. He was
the son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Peck of Plainfield, N.J. Rev. Gannett was a
Unitarian minister who was married to Jean’s aunt, Mary Thorne Lewis.
1913: Rev. Charles Harvey was listed
in the Harvard Directory living here and engaged in ministry and education.
1918 Philadelphia Directory: Rev. Charles W. Harvey
The 1919 directory (Fall, 1918)
lists him at 315N. 35th St. (see a brief biography there.)
1920:
George Burnham,
Jr. 70 Manufacturer
of Locomotives
Anna L. Burnham 60 Father
born in Del., mother in NJ
Mary Loughery 53 Servant;
parents born in Ireland
Annie Hanan 45 Servant; born in Ireland
1924, Nov. 22: Death of George Burnham, Jr., 75 years old, at his
residence, 214 N. 34th St.
1930:
Anna L. Burnham 71 Owner,
house valued at $20,000
Coleman Johnson 42
1937, July 15: Title transferred to Lettie E. Potteiger
by E. Lewis Burnham, et al. Trustees for the Estate of Anna Burnham
She was the widow of John C. Poettiger who died in 1924 when they were living at 4029
Powelton Ave. In 1900, they lived at 3714 Baring St.
1938, July 15: Title transferred to Samuel P. Lavine by Lettie E. Potteiger
1945, Jan. 3: Death of Harry F. Haas, 65 years old, of 214 N. 34th
St.
In 1930, he lived with his wife and
children at 3308 Race St.
1948, Aug. 24: Title transferred to David Balaity
by Samuel P. Lavine
The same day title was transferred
to Harold J. Budd.
1948, Dec. 27: Title transferred to Drexel Institute of Technology
by Harold J. Budd
1968 Directory: Delta Signa PI Fraternity
Pullen T.