315 North 37th
Street
The
History of the Building
3711,
3713, 3715: “three-story
brick rowhouse with Circa 1890 Colonial Revival porch; first-floor projecting
bays (except for 315); segmental lintels and bracketed wood cornice”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
311-315
N. 37th were built by John Shedwick and his sons. In
1870, they lived at 3624 Baring St.
Previous Residents
1868, Sep.
29: Title transferred to Annie E. Allen by John Shedwick
1871
Directory: Robert B. Allen of Allen & Clifford (with Harry M. Clifford),
chemicals at 129 Church St., h 315 N. 37th
In 1870, they lived in the home of
John and Mary Fischer at 3957 Warren St. Robert was listed as a drug
manufacturer with real estate valued at $5,600. John Fischer was a 63-year-old
harness manufacturer.
1875 Directory: Robert B. Allen, civil engineer, surveyor,
accountant and adjuster
1880:
Robert R. B.
Allen 40 Civil engineer
Annie E.
Allen 38
Nellie M. Allen 19
Clarence W. Allen 11 At
school
Robert B. Allen and Annie E. Fisher
were married at the Church of the Redemption (Episcopal), Philadelphia on Oct.
6, 1859.
1883 Directory: Robert B. Allen
1884 Directory: Robert Allen
The 1886 and 1887 directories list:
Robert B. Allen, chairman, 312 Stock Exchange Place, home: 413 Pine St.
1886 Directory: Anna E. Allen
Henry R. Montgomery, insurance
1887 Directory: Clarence Allen, clerk
The 1884 directory lists him as a
salesman living at 521 Buttonwood.
1900:
Arthur W. Lindsay
41 Foreman for a paving co.; mother born in
N.Y.; renting
Susan E. Lindsay 33 Married 2 years, no children; born in Canada, immigrated in
1891, parents born in Scotland
Alveh H.
MacCrearey 23 Boarder; furniture salesman
Gertrude E. MacCrearey 21 Boarder; married 3 years, no children
Eliza W Sinclair 57 Boarder; single
By 1905, Elizabeth Sinclair was
living with her sister and brother-in-law at 3614
Baring St. Her family history, along with information about her sister’s
family, is summarized in the blog entitled Mrs.
Joseph Ashcroft.
1901, Jul. 19: Title transferred to Walter R. Pedrick by Annie E.
Allen
1910:
Anna B. Van Buren 50 Widowed,
2 children; born in N.Y., mother in Ireland (English); renting
Viola M. Van Buren 22 Daughter; born in Austria
Elsie B. Van Buren 20 Bookkeeper in hardware business
Jennetta R. Scott 75 Mother;
widowed, 3 children; born in Scotland
Jane S. Trank 75 Boarder; widowed, 2 children; born in
Maine
Lillian S. Trank 40 Boarder;
Artist; single; parents born in Maine
1911 Directory: Le Barre J. Leamy, physician
In 1909-’10 he lived with his second
wife at 3316 Spring Garden St. Before his
first marriage in 1897, He lived with his parents at 435
N. 33rd St. (see his biography there.)
1915, Nov. 8: Title transferred to Edith H. Mecke, wife of Wilson,
Jr. by Walter R. Pedrick
1917 Draft Card: Wilson Mecke, Jr., born Aug. 15, 1885, employed
as a manager by Charles W. Miller at 407-7 Commonwealth Blved., Phila.
He was the son of Wilson and Emma Mecke. Wilson, Sr. was in the surgical instrument business. They
lived at 4038 Green St.
1920:
Wilson Mecke 36 Real estate; mother born in N.Y.; owner with a mortgage
Edith H. Mecke 36
Wilson H. Mecke 6 years,
7 months
Lillian A.
Guthrie 42 Sister
William N.
Guthrie 41 Brother-in-law; salesman of meats and groceries
Wilson Mecke
and Edith Horter were married in Philadelphia in 1911.
Lillian A. Horter married William N. Guthrie in Philadelphia in 1917. The Horter family lived for many years at 211
N. 36th St.
1930:
Wilson Mecke 44 Salesman,
general insurance; married at age 24; owner, house valued at $10,000
Edith Mecke 43 Married
at age 23
Wilson Mecke 17
1942 Draft Card: Wilson Mecke, born Aug. 15, 1885, married to
Mrs. Edith H. Mecke, employed by Albert M. Greenfield & Co., real estate
1944: Marriage of Evelyn M. Roberts to Wilson H. Mecke.
In 1930, the Roberts family lived at
3514-16
Spring Garden St. In 1940, they lived at 5750 Larchwood. She was working as
a clerk at an oil refinery.
1950 Directory: Wilson Mecke, Jr.
1950, May. 12: Title transferred to Wilson Mecke J. and Edith H.,
his wife, by Edith H. Mecke
1955, May. 2: Title transferred to Laurence C. Clemens and Odell,
his wife, by Wilson, Jr. and Edith H. Mecke
<
Across to 318 N. 37th 313 N. 37th
>
Revised
3/26/2015