309 N. 33rd Street

MOVE house, 307-309 N. 33rd St., 1978

 

Corner of 33rd & Pearl, 2009

 

The History of the Building

 

3307-9 were built in the 1870s. In the 1970s, they became the home of John Africa and the MOVE family. The house was destroyed after a gun battle between police and MOVE in 1978. The lot remained vacant until 1989 (see below) when it was converted to three lots and three 3-story town houses were built facing Pearl St.

 

Previous Residents of 309 N. 33rdStreet

1880:

James Garrett              40        Building material business

Hannah Garrett           37

Mary Devine                24        Servant; born in Ireland

            James Garrett and Hannah E. Lewis were married on March 20, 1878. He was the son of David Garrett and Anna Taylor. Her parents were William Levis Lewis and Elizabeth Grover VanLeer. In 1900, they lived in Landsdown, Pa. with daughters Hannah and Anna (see below).

            The 1879 directory lists him at 3701 Powelton Ave.

 

1881 Directory: James Garrett, builder’s materials, S 30th c Walnut, h 309 N 33rd

 

1882, July 18: Hannah E. Garrett born to James Garrett and Hannah (Lewis) Garrett

 

1884, Nov. 18: Anna Garrett born to James Garrett and Hannah (Lewis) Garrett

 

1890 Census Veterans Schedule: Samuel Potts, Corporal, no further information

 

1890 Dir.: Samuel J. Potts

 

1898 Blue Book: W. E. Boughton, member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)

    In 1900 he lived at 3609 Spring Garden St.

 

1900:

Eugene Redfield          41        Commercial produce; born in Conn.; renting

Lydia Redfield             39        Married 16 years, no children; born in N.J., parents born in Pa.

            The 1897 directory of Camden, N.J. lists them living at 407 Cooper. They are listed in the 1901 directory of Atlantic City, N.J.

 

1906 Blue Book: Mrs. E. H. Lewis & daughters

 

1910:

Elizabeth Lewis           78        Widowed; born in England, immigrated in 1888

Elizabeth Lewis           45        Daughter; nurse for a private family; single; born in England, immigrated in 1888

Mary Lewis                  43        Daughter; nurse for a private family; single; born in England, immigrated in 1888

Mary Igo [?]                 34        Servant; widowed, 2 children, 1 surviving

            In 1900, the Lewis women were living at 319 N. 33rd St. and in 1920, they lived at 3523 Hamilton St. Elizabeth H. Lewis died there at age 90 on April 4, 1921.

 

1920:

Louisa Zagbaum          61        Keeper of a lodging house; single; father born in Germany, mother in S. Carolina; owner free of a mortgage

Helen   Zagbaum         59        Sister

– 2nd household

James H. Lee               28        Claim agent for Penna. R.R.

Esther Lee                   24        Father born in Va., mother in Pa.

Louise Anderson          46        Lodger; university teacher; born in Minn., parents born in Pa.

            Louisa and Helen Zogbaum were the daughters of Charles and Caroline K. Zogbaum. He was a music professor.

 

1927 Directory: Miss L. A. Zogbaum

 

1930:

Louise Zogbaum          71        Single; father born in Germany, mother in S. Carolina; owner, house valued at $7,000

Lillian Boswell             52        Lodger; postal clerk; widowed; born in N.Y., father in Germany, mother in Indiana

Nathaniel J. Reich        53        Lodger; college professor; single; born in Yugoslavia, father born in Yugoslavia, mother in Czechoslovakia

 

1989:    “Now rising from the site of the shootout that left a Philadelphia police officer dead are three duplexes that likely will be home to Drexel University students soon.

            “Cinderblock walls for the townhouse duplexes were being put up yesterday by a small construction crew.

            “Bart Caprario, co-owner and developer of the long-vacant lot at the corner of 33rd and Pearl streets, declined to discuss his plans yesterday when reached at the nearby Powelton Avenue office from which he manages the dozens

of apartments he and a partner own in the neighborhood.

            “At the time of the blockade, the three-story brick twin at 307 N. 33rd St. was owned by Rita Slotter. The other half of the building was owned by an attorney.

            “City real estate records show that Slotter, who could not be reached yesterday, sold her half of the vacant, scraggly lot to University City Associates Limited Partners in December 1987 for $13,000.

            “In January 1988, city records show, Caprario, identifying himself as owner of the property, obtained a zoning permit to subdivide the property into three lots so he could build three 3-story duplexes with interior two-car garages. The estimated cost for the project: $145,000.”

(“New Life at Powelton Move Site Developer Starts 3 Duplexes There.” Philadelphia Daily News, August 31, 1989. Leslie Scism)

 

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Revised 12/19/2015

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