311 North 34th Street

 

311n34th

 

The History of the Building

 

309-311: “two-and-one-half story red brick double, mansard roof; projecting front gables; pressed and corbelled brick detail; appears to have been sandblasted. Same as 313. Stoop alteration.”

(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)

 

1877, Jan. 4: Title for 3319-3331 Powelton Ave., 309-313 N. 34th St. and 3319-3321 Pearl St. transferred to Emma W. Shipper by Henry H. Houston and wife

 

1882, Oct. 12: Title for 3319-3331 Powelton Ave., 309-313 N. 34th St. and 3319-3321 Pearl St. transferred to William S. Kimball by Emma W. Shipper

 

1883, Apr. 23: Title for 3319-3331 Powelton Ave., 309-313 N. 34th St. and 3319-3321 Pearl St. transferred to John Rea by William S. Kimball

            then immediately to Sanford P. Campbell.

 

Previous Residents of 311 North 34th Street

 

1886, Dec. 16: Title transferred to William S. Kimball by Sanford P. Campbell

 

1889 Directory (Fall, 1888): Percival S. Hill (Boyd, White & Co.)

            In 1880, he lived with his parents, W. George and Sarah J Hill at 1805 Spring Garden St. His father was President of American Life Insurance Co., the first American Life Insurance Company incorporated in the U.S. The 1884 to 1888 directories list him living at 3221 Powelton Ave.

            He “left college [Harvard] in April, 1880, and owing to the illness of his brothers who were in the jobbing-carpet business in Philadelphia, went into the business to look after their interests. After winding up their affairs continued the business in his own name, changing it gradually to that of selling cotton and woolen yarns chiefly to carpet manufacturers. Was married April 3, 1883, to Cassie Rowland Milnes of  Philadelphia, and with his wife spent three months in travel in Europe. On returning continued his business as before till December 1, 1883, when he gave it up to become junior partner in the firm Boyd, White & Co., Philadelphia, Dealers in Carpetings.

            “‘The uneventful tenor of my life was interrupted on October 22, 1884, by the birth of a son, George W. Hill, Jr., but the novelty of this change has now nearly worn off and from present indications my ship is floating gently on the sea of life, moored to its present location, and there seems to be no prospect of my spreading its sails to the winds to seek new pastures.’" (Baccalaureate Sermon, Class Day Oration, Etc,  Harvard University Class of 1882)

            In 1912, he replaced James Duke as President of the American Tobacco Co. as part of an anti-trust reorganization. His son George W. Hill, succeeded him as President in 1925. He emphasized the Lucky Strike brand.

            “Percival S. Hill died at age 63, president of American tobacco co. 12/7/1924.” (American Decades 2001. The 1920s: Business and the Economy.).

 

1894 Directory: Percival S. Hill, secretary & treasurer at 1332 Chestnut

 

1896 Directory: Percival Hill, segars

 

1896, Aug. 23: Offered for rent for $66 per month (Inquirer)

 

1897, Apr. 4: Offered for sale for $11,000 (Inquirer)

 

1900:

Ellen Wigton               72        Widow with 2 children; renting

Eleanor W. Hoch         36        Daughter; married 7 years, no children

William R. Hoch          42        Son-in-law; physician

William W. Wallace     67        Nephew; coffee manufacturer

            Ellen was married to Robert B. Wigton, a coal shipper. They had four children. In 1880, they lived at 1811 Spring Garden. They had a son, Charles, who lived at 429 N. 33rd St. in 1890.

 

1910:

Mary E. Eyre               62        Boardinghouse keeper; widowed, 8 children, 7 surviving

Miriam Eyre                21        Typewriter for an insurance co.

Irving Bramer              23        Boarder; pharmacist; born in N.Y.

Clara Bramer                25        Boarder; married 2 years, 2 children; born in N.J., parents born in Pa.

Lewis Bramer               13 months

James D. Bramer         13 months

Alex Hutchinson         49        Boarder; foreman; parents born in Ireland

Grace Etta                   27        Boarder; stenographer

--- next household

Joseph E. Wise            55        Lithographer; single; father born in Maine

Mary J. Wise                65        Sister; single, a clerk; father born in Maine

Francis I. Wise             57        Sister; single; occupation illegible; father born in Maine

            The Bramer family moved to Fairport, N.Y. in 1910 or 1911.

Clara (DaCosta) Bramer (1884-1913)

 

1914, May 5: Title transferred to Maris M. Barton by Kate C. Kimball estate executor

 

1920:

Maris M. Barton          73        Retired carpenter; owned free of a mortgage

Matilda Barton             74

Elsie M. Barton            34        Single

Raymond M. Barton    21        Grandson; phonograph salesman; single

            Maris was born and raised in Martic, Lancaster Co. Where his father was a carpenter. In 1864, he enlisted in the 203rd Pennsylvania Volunteers and served during the last nine months of the Civil War. In 1910, they lived at 3623 Hamilton St.

--- 2nd household                                

Martha (Levers) Seiders           34        widowed

Harvey L. Seiders                      6

Elsie M. Seiders                         3

            Martha was the widow of Theodore M. Seiders who would have been 56. They were married at the United Church of Christ in Harrisburg in Dec. 14, 1907. He was a clerk for the railroad. In 1910, they lived at 140 N. Dewey St. near 61st and Market.

 

1921, Apr. 26: Title transferred to Elsie M. Barton by Maris M. Barton

 

1923, Aug. 12: Death of Maris M. Barton, 77 years old, of chronic myocarditis; burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Lancaster, Pa.

 

1927 Directory: I. J. Barton

                         E. M. Barton

 

1930:

Matilda Barton             84        Widowed; owner, the house was valued at $7,000; apparently, she did not own a radio

Ira J. Barton                 59        Son; a public accountant; divorced

Elsie Barton                 44        Daughter; single

Francis J. Burgher        64        Lodger; divorced, a gold miner

            In 1920, Ira Barton and his wife lived at 437 42nd St.

            In 1910, Francis Burgher was living in NY City with his wife of 16 years. They had three children. He listed his occupation as real estate agent. In 1920, he was divorced and living with his daughter and son-in-law. His occupation was private investigator/investigator.

 

1936, Dec. 13: Death of Mathilda (Paxson) Barton, 91 years old, of uterine cancer; ; burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Lancaster, Pa.

 

1938, May 3: Title transferred to Elsie M. Garner by Elsie M. Barton

 

1940: Not enumerated in this census

 

1941, Oct. 20: Title transferred to Philadelphia Federal Savings & Load Ass'n. by sheriff

 

1942, Apr. 23: Title transferred to Minna Martin & Edith P. Martin by Philadelphia federal Savings & Load Ass'n.

 

1953, Apr. 20: Title transferred to Edward Vandereen and Hazel, his wife by Minna Martin & Edith P. Martin

 

1968, Dec. 5: “Let it be known that estimates are being received for the rehabilitation of the property known as 311 N. 34th

St., City of Philadelphia.

            “Bids must be submitted to the Redevelopment Authority no later than 12:00 Noon December 16, 1968.” (Inquirer)

            A similar notice was published at the same time for 309 N. 34th St.

 

1983, Oct.: Sold by Gerd G. Maul to Jeanne Murray Walker for $68,500. (Inquirer, Oct. 30)

 

1998: Sold by Jeanne Murray Walker to Michael A. Jones

 

< 313 N. 34th                                                                                                                                    309 N. 34th >

Revised: 1/20/2022

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