The
History of the Building
315-317: “three-story
Italianate double, stuccoed with rusticated quoins.
Original Victorian wood porch, full-height windows, paired ornate brackets
below flat overhang.”
(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from
the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1855, Sept: Baring “by
indenture estate”
1856,
July 17: transferred from Charles Ingersoll & John Craig Miller, trustees
of Harry Bingham Baring to Richard Smethurst (RD 88 149)
The
1858 Directory lists Richard Smethurst, conveyancer & accountant,
1859,
June 4: transferred from Smethurst to Robert Steen
1860,
June:
Malcolm Campbell 33 Stock broker; personal property: $9,000
Martha A.
Mary S. Campbell 6
John A. Campbell 5
Kate A. Campbell 4
Alex Campbell 2
Malcolm Campbell 1
Sarah P. McMullin 45
Anna McMullin 37
Matilda McMullin 21
Mary A. Ward 43
Mary McKinney
50 Servant; born in Ireland
Han Ore 37 Servant; born in
Ann Martin 35 Servant; born in
In
the 1859 Directory, he was listed as an exchange broker working at 38 S. 3rd
with his home at 710 S. 10th St. The 1860 directory (compiled in the
Fall of 1859) lists him as a broker at 230 Walnut St. His sister and
brother-in-law, Charles and Mary Pascal, lived next door at 315 N. 35th
St.
From
the 1850 census, it appears that Sarah P. McMullin and Mary A. Ward were the
daughters of Martha McMullin. Matilda McMullin (listed as “Mad”) is probably
Mary Ward’s daughter, Matilda Ward. In 1870, they lived at 3706 Baring St.
where “McMullin” was changed to “Mullen.”
In all sources, the names Mullen and Ward are changed from census to
census for different individuals. In 1900, Matilda Ward was still single and
living at 3417 Hamilton St. where she was listed as a boardinghouse keeper.
1861
Directory: Malcolm Campbell, stockbroker, 35th below Baring.
The
1866 Directory lists him as working for the Adams’ Express Co. which was at
The
1868 directory lists him living at 3206 Hamilton St.
and working as an insurance agent at 409 Walnut St.
1866,
Feb. 22: Robert Steen died and the house passed into an estate which held it
until 1920.
1870: apparently not enumerated
1872-‘74
Directories: Samuel A. Jarden, silver plated ware, 306 Chestnut St.
The
directories for 1868-1871 list him living at 1832 Mt. Vernon St.
The
1870 census lists the following members of his household:
Samuel
A. Jarden 34 Silver plate manufacturer; personal
property: $15,000
Almira
Jarden 33
Mary
C. Jarden 10
Frank
C. Jarden 9
Lizzie
H. Jarden 7
Almira
Jarden 2
Hester
Coyle 25 Domestic servant; born in Ireland
Lizzie
Wallan 18 Domestic servant; parents foreign-born
1874, Sep. 4: Death of
Samuel A. Jarden, 38 years old, of 317 N. 35th St. He was a manufacturer of
silver ware; married; born in Pa.
1875
Directory: Elmira Jarden, widow of Samuel
The
1876 directory lists her living at 527 S. 42nd St.
1876
Directory: Sansom Perot, maltster [i.e., a person who makes or deals in malt]
at corner of N. 16th and Master Sts.
William
S. Perot, Jr., Perot & [William L.] Allen, grain, 2110 Market
1877, May 8: Death of Mary
Perot, 18 years old, of 317 N. 35th St. She was single.
1877-1878
Directories: Edward S. Perot, machinist at N. Front and Oxford
Sansom
Perot, 125 S. 7th St.
William
S. Perot, Jr. Perot & [William L.] Allen, grain, 2110 Market
1880:
Samuel J. Cresswell 40 Iron
worker; mother born in England
Emma L. Cresswell 40 Mother
born in New York
Samuel Cresswell, Jr. 15
George W. Cresswell 10
C.J. Dougherty 68 Mother[-in-law?]; widowed; parents born
in New York
Jos(ephine) Dreher 18 Servant; parents were born in Germany
Samuel J. Cresswell
provided the iron work for Horticultural Hall for the 1876 Centennial
Exhibition in
The
1861 Directory list S. J. Cresswell, brass and iron
founder & stove maker, 814, 816, & 818 Race, h 243 N 9th.
The 1866 Directory lists Samuel J. T. Cresswell, iron
foundry, 816 Race St. The 1875 directory lists him living at 236 N. 12th
St. The 1878 directory lists him living in Wayne.
1881
Directory: Samuel J. Cresswell
The
1887 Directory lists them they living at
In
1887, his brother, David S. Cresswell, lived at
1893
Directory: Benjamin Sharp, Physician
The
1886 directory lists him living on McKean’s Ave. near Manheim in Germantown.
1895:
Benjamin Sharp made his second trip to the arctic.
“PHILADELPHIA,
April 24.-Tbe United States Government has invited Dr. Benjamin Sharp,
Corresponding Secretary of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Professor of
Invertebrate Zoology, and John M. Justice of this city to visit Alaska and the
seal fisheries on the Pribilof Islands, on the revenue cutter Bear in the
interests of science. The party will be gone three or four months, and will
collect specimens of botany, zoology, and mineralogy.
“As an act of courtesy
to Gen. Isaac J. Winter, President of the academy, the Government permits Dr.
Sharp and Mr. .Justice to collect skins and skeletons of the male, female, and
young of the fur seal for the academy, although in general the law forbids the
killing of seals. The party leave Philadelphia to-morrow for Port Townsend,
where they will meet the Bear.” (NYT, April 25, 1895)
1900:
Benjamin Sharp
41 Professor of Zoology, Philadelphia
Academy of Natural Sciences
Dorothy Sharp 17 Born in
Karl B. Sharp 15 [In 1910 his is listed as Benjamin C.]
Harold Sharp 13
Delia Sullivan 28 Servant; born in Ireland
Nora Sullivan 35 Servant; born in
In
1910, they were living in
“Dr.
Benjamin Sharp, formerly corresponding secretary of the Philadelphia Academy of
Natural Sciences, died yesterday at Morehead, N.C., aged 56 years. He was with
Commander Peary’s first expedition to the arctic in 1891. Dr. Sharp was a
graduate of
“On
his return he was appointed Professor of Invertebrate Zoology at the
Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and from 1884 to 1896, he held the
same position at the University of Pennsylvania. He passed the Winter of
1888-1889 on the
Of his dedication to Nantucket, it was said that
"No 'off islander' I have ever known has absorbed so much of the spirit of
all that was best in old Nantucket as he." and “Though not a Nantucketer,
he was perhaps the best Nantucketer of us all.”
1902:
S. Presser,
1904
Directory: Selig Presser, ladies' tailor, 42 S. 17th St.
In
1900, they lived at 40 and 42 S. 17th St. which was the address for
his business. The 1910 census shows the family living at 225
N. 34th St. where he and his wife lived until their deaths in
1934 and 1941.
1910: apparently not enumerated
1910, Nov. 19: Advertised for rent for $47.50 per
month (Inquirer)
1913
Directory: Ann C. Compton, boarding
1916
Directory: David A. Simpson, paper
Thomas
M. Simpson, vice-president, Irwin N. MeGargee &
Co., Inc., paper, envelopes, card, and board, 12-14 S. 6th St.
William
Simpson, finisher
Matilda
M. Ward
1920:
Thomas M. Simpson 65 President, wholesale paper; mother born
in N.Y.; renting
Helen
K. Simpson 55 Mother born in
Helen
T. Simpson 29 Elementary school teacher
David
A. Simpson 25 Clerk in paper business
Mildred
A. Simpson 19
Thomas
M. Simpson 16
In 1880, Thomas was 25 years old,
living with his parents, James and Phoebe (Fish)
Simpson, at 1114 Diamond St. In 1880, he and his father were “fancy car
dealers.” The 1895 Directory lists him
living in
1920, Feb. 7:
Marriage license issued to Edith L. Wymer of 317 N
35th St. and David A. Simpson of 317 N 35th St. They were married the same
year.
1920,
Dec. 17: Deed transferred to Thomas M. Simpson
1926, Feb. 17: Death
of Thomas M. Simpson, 72 years old, of 317 N. 35th St.; burial at Woodlands
Cemetery
“Thomas M. Simpson
“Manufacturer in City for Half
Century, Was 71
“Thomas M. Simpson, of 317 North Thirty-fifth street, died last Wednesday at his home,
at the age of seventy-one. Mr. Simpson was engaged in the paper business for
the past half-century.
“The paper manufacturer was a
resident of this city all his life. He stared business as a young man in the T.
M. Simpson Company. He later became the vice president of the Atlantic Paper
Company, 919 Walnut street. …
“Funeral services will be conducted
by Rev. Sr. Joseph B. Mackie, pastor of the Northminster Presbyterian Church.
Internment will follow in Woodlands Cemetery.” (Inquirer)
1930:
Helen
K. Simpson 65 Widowed; mother born in N.Y.; owner,
house valued at $9,000
Helen
T. Simpson 39 Manager of a dress shop
– 2nd household
Gordon
Wilmer 25 Advertising agent; married at age
24born in N.Y., father born in S.C., mother in N.Y.
Mary
Wilmer 24 Married at age 23; born in N.Y., father
born in N.Y., mother in Conn.
Mary
A. Apple 67 Lodger; widowed
Catherine
Gravell 31 Lodger; clerk in insurance firm; born
in W.D., parents born in
Annie
E. MacLaughlin 50 Lodger; single
Ethel
Coene 44 Lodger; collect, electric [rest
illegible]; single; father born in Ken., mother in Ind.
1940:
Helen K. Simpson 76 Widowed; owner, house valued at $6,000;
1 year of high school
Helen T. Simpson 50 Single; executive in dress
manufacturing company, earned $1,500 in 1939; 4 years of high school
Thomas M. Simpson 36 Salesman for a publishing company;
married; 4 years of high school
Marion Armstrong 61 Sister; widowed; lived here 5 years
ago; 4 years of high school
Annie L. Maclaughlin 82 Lodger;
single; 4 years of high school
In
1920, Marion (Allen) Armstrong lived with her husband, Dr. William Armstrong,
and their daughter Marion, at 3632 Powelton Ave.
1940, Jun. 16: Death of
Helen Keen Simpson, 76 years old, daughter of the late David Allen and Rachel
M. Sullivan. She was a member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church. Burial
at the Woodlands Cemetery.
1940, Sept. 15: For Sale
“317 N. 35th. Twin homes with 3 apts. all rented. Oil ht. lot 190’
deep, Reas. offer.” (Inquirer)
1950:
1st floor:
Raymond L. Phebus 29 Metallurgist
at state university, worked 16 hours in past week;
born in MD
Elise B. Phebus 26 Born
in MD
Elise B. Phebus 1 Born
in Baltimore, MD
Margaret S. Phebus 2 months, born in MD in February
2nd floor
Harry M. Rutledge 71 Candy maker for retail candy factory;
born in N. Ireland
Alice M. Rutledge 59 Wife
3rd floor
Edward McFadden 42 Bank guard
Margaret McFadden 32 Born in NY
Ralph McFadden 10
Eileen McFadden
4
1956, Jun. 29: Marriage
license issued to Paula Frailey (20) of 304 Magee
Ave. and Everet Anderson (31) of 317 N. 35th St.
1979, June 24: For Sale “317
N. 35th St., $79,500. Built Circa 1867 [sic.] this tastefully
restored 2 family dwelling features mod. kits. & baths,
wood burning fpl., yard 50x198 & 3rd fl $250 mo apt…. Walter M. Wood”
(Inquirer)
1979, Oct.: Sold by Gerald
L. Kreider to Steven M. Lovelady for $789,500. (Inquirer, Oct. 14)
1988, May 13: For Sale “317
N. 35th St., $224,500. Stately 2-family circa 1859, breathtaking
features, pvt. yard 80x40, all mod utils., 3 BR, 2 bth, 2-fireplace, owner’s quarters…. Walter M. Wood” (Inquirer)
Steven
M. Lovelady was Managing Editor for the Inquirer and became editor-at-large for
Time Inc.
1988, Nov.: Sold by Steven
Lovelady and Ann Kolson to Kasi Kuzinski
and Patti Collins for $190,000 (Inquirer, Nov. 31)