3301
Baring St. in 1962
(PhillyHistory.org)
The
History of the Building
“Italianate roughcasted brick, three-story house
with stone foundation and flat overhanging roof with modillioned wood cornice.
Frill-height first-floor windows, altered circa 1940. Fluted posts of wood
porch and swans neck lintels on second--floor windows, Circa 1905 Colonial
Revival alterations.”
(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from
the application submitted to the national register of Historic Places, 1985)
1873: Coleman
Sellers’s grandson, Harold S. Colton, described the house as having four long
French windows across the front of the living room
and parlor that opened onto the front porch. On the west Side lay a large
garden. In 1873, Sellers
“extended the west side adding a second room for his extensive
library and enlarged the dining room making it quite long. The walls he hung
with many portraits of the family by his grandfather Charles Wilson Peale. On the second floor
the master bedroom over the dining room was lengthened and over the new library
a sunny glass-enclosed conservatory was built, where his wife Cora could keep
her flowers in the wintertime. Besides the improvements to the west wing he built between the kitchen and dining room a pantry
over which were private baths on each floor. On
the third floor over the kitchen wing he built an
office for himself and a laboratory or shop reached by new back stairs. After the improvements were complete Jessie
[Sellers, his daughter] was given the large bedroom on the third floor not only
with a private hath but also with a fireplace.” Sellers “had a brick stable back of the
garden behind a grape arbor and kept a couple of horses.” (North of Market Street, Harold S. Coulton, 1962, p14)
Bromley Atlases of Philadelphia in 1895 and 1918 show 3302 Hamilton as a “stable.” It is on property
belonging to the house at 3301 Baring St.
Previous Residents
1856, Aug. 7: Franklin Fire Insurance Co.
survey #24540 for 3301 Baring St. payable to John H. McIlvain.
1858
Directory: John H. McIlvain, 33d & Baring (Mantua Village)
The
1887 Directory listed him at “Bridge ab 5th” (
1860:
John H. McIlvain 38 Lumber merchant; real estate: $39,000,
personal property: $6,000
Sarah A. McIlvain 34 Born in N.J.
Harriet McIlvain 17
Charles McIlvain 16
Alfred McIlvain 14
Samuel McIlvain 11
Laura McIlvain 2
Eliza Reed 17 Servant; born in Ireland
1861 Directory: John McIlvain, lumber mer., NW corner
Baring & 33d
1865, Dec. 26: Title transferred to
Coleman Sellers by John H. McIlvain
In
April of that year, McIlvain bought 3305 Baring St.
(along with the two lots behind it on Hamilton St.)
from the Baring estate and probably built a new house in that year. It appears
that the family then moved next door to 3305 where they lived until the death
of John H. McIlvain in 1885.
1866-’67
IRS records: Coleman Sellers, N.W. corner, 33rd and Baring
IRS
records for month of Oct, 1864 list Coleman Sellers:
Coleman
Sellers grew up in
Coleman Sellers
1870:
Coleman
Sellers 43 Manufacturer of machines; real estate:
$100,000; property: $300,000.
Cornelia (Cora) Sellers 38 Born
in Ohio (1880 census)
Coleman
Sellers, Jr. 18 Clerk in a machine shop
Horace Wells (Homer) Sellers 14
Jessie Sellers 16
Alicia Morris 28
I Samuel Watson 24 Waiter; “mulatto;” born in N.J.
Moses Gregory 32 Coachman; born in Ireland
Susan Johnson 36 Domestic servant; born in N.J.
Coleman
Sellers was the son of Coleman Sellers and, therefore, Coleman Sellers II.
Coleman, Jr. was actually Coleman sellers, III.
1870,
Jan. 16: Death of Ethel Powell, 6 months years old, daughter of Charles and
Hannah Powell of 3301 Baring St. She was born in N.J. Burial at New Jerusalem,
Upper Darby.
1880:
Coleman Sellers 52 Draftsman
Cornelia Sellers 48 Born in Ohio
Coleman Sellers, Jr. 27 Architect
Horace W. Sellers 22 Machinist
Sabin W. Colton 33 Son-in-law; banker
Jessie S. Colton 25 Daughter
Francis Simpson 12 [Relation not stated]; at school; born
in
Clara Corad 26 Servant; parents born in
Jennie Doyle 20 Servant; born in N.Y., parents born in
Mary Looney 40 Cook; born in
Henry Simpson 19 [Relation not stated]; Cadet Eng., U.S.
Navy; born in
Charlotte Simpson 17
[Relation not stated]; at school;
born in England
Coleman
Sellers was an engineer and inventor. Perhaps his most interesting invention
was the “kinematoscope,” the first operative moving-picture machine (1861) that
gave us the word cinema. He was also the chief engineer for the first
hydroelectric dam at Niagara Falls. The Sellers family, including Coleman’s
second cousins Mary Sellers Bancroft and John Sellers, was a dominant force in
the development of Powelton. A brief overview of the Sellers family and
biography of Coleman Sellers appeared in the Powelton
Post, March, 2009.
Jessie
and Sabin Colton were very recently married. A few months later, they moved to 410 N. 33rd, half of a twin built by Coleman
Sellers for his children on a part of his lot. Coleman Sellers, Jr. married
within a few months and he and his bride moved to the other half, 412 N. 33rd St. His passport application
from 1878 gives his date of birth as September 1852 in Cincinnati, Ohio; in
1879. He returned from a trip to Cuba and Mexico.
1896: Mr. and Mrs. Coleman
Sellers, 3301 Baring St.
(AWOSTING FALLS-LAKE MINNEWASKA... “Is located on
the summit of the
.. References: That this object has been
attained, the proprietor would respectfully refer to "the persons whose
names are attached to this circular — nearly all of whom have
remained at the
(http://www.archive.org/stream/cliffhouseonlake00newy/cliffhouseonlake00newy_djvu.txt)
1899,
Nov. 22: Marriage of Cora Wells to Horace Wells Sellers
1900:
Coleman Sellers 73 Engineer; owned free of a mortgage
Cornelia Sellers 68 married 49 years, 4 children, 3
surviving; born in Ohio, father in Conn., mother in
Horace W. Sellers 35 Son;
married
Cora Sellers 31 Daughter-in-law, married 1 year, no children; born in
Gertrude Palmer 24 Boarder; parents born in England
Eliza Waters 55 Servant; single; born in
Matilda Clark 21
Servant; single; born in
A
more personal view of Coleman Sellers comes from a letter written by his
grandson, Coleman Sellers, 3rd:
"Grandfather was a remarkable man, truly.
Anything he went into, he plunged deeply. When Grandmother's teeth needed
attention, he bought some books on dentistry and a set of instruments and fixed
them himself—not to save money but because he was interested. My last
recollections of him were the impressions of a small boy but are still vivid.
He was about 78 years of age, in ill health, practically totally blind from
cataracts. He took up and mastered Braille quite quickly. He bought a phonograph
which was then in its early development and immediately started improving the
horn by substituting cardboard and fibre horns of various shapes which took
away the 'tinney' sound. In connection with his early photographic work, my
father told me that grandfather invented the first dry plate for his own
convenience as he did not like the wet plates which were difficult to
transport. He was the only man in the neighborhood to have a camera and was
frequently called upon to photograph dead babies—the infant mortality was
high!"
In
M. J. McCosker. Philadelphia and the Genesis of the Motion Picture. Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography, 65, 4 (October 1941), 401—419.
1907,
Dec. 28: Death of Coleman Sellers
1909,
Apr. 20: Death of Cornelia Wells Sellers, wife of Coleman Sellers of 3301
Baring St.
1909,
Oct. 9: Marriage of Cora Beach Sellers to Enoch Lewis Burnham (214 N. 34th St.). They were married at the
home of the bride’s parents by Rev. William C. Gannett of Rochester, N.Y. (the
groom’s uncle).
1910:
Coleman Sellers, Jr. 57 Mechanical engineer; born in Ohio;
renting
Helen Emma Sellers 57 Married 21
years; born in N.J.
Coleman Sellers, 3rd 17
Cora Sellers Burnham 24 Daughter; married
once, no children
Enoch L. Burnham 27 Civil engineer
Alice Beach Jackson 61 Sister-in-law;
single; born in Md., parents in N.J.
Theresa McGlinchey 22 Servant; born in
Katherine Parkinson 21 Servant; born
in
Helen Baker 24 Boarder; stenographer; single; born in
Enoch
Lewis Burnham grew up at 214 N. 34th St. He was the son was the son
of George Burnham Jr. and the grandson of George Burnham, Sr. (3401 Powelton Ave.) and Enoch Lewis (3405 Powelton Ave.).
1911,
Jan. 1: Death of Alice Beach Jackson, of 3301 Baring St. She was the daughter of
J. H. Jackson and Mary Beach. Buried at Rockway Via Dover, N. J.
1916,
Oct.: Marriage of Kathlyne Montgomery Shattuck, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank
R. Shattuck of 223 W. Tulpehocken St., to Coleman Sellers, 3d. at the Second
Presbyterian Church, 21st and Walnut St. The maid of honor was Mildred
Shattuck. The best man was the groom’s cousin, Ralph Colton (3409 Powelton Ave.). There were two flower girls:
Margaret and Elizabeth Sellers.
1920:
Coleman Sellers, Jr. 67 Mechanical
engineer, machine tools; born in
Helen G. Sellers 67 Born in N.Y., parent in N.J.
Gertrude F. Palmer 43 Cousin
Kathryn Brennan 29 Cook; born in
Alice Brennan 25
Waitress; born in
Coleman
Sellers, Jr. died Aug. 15, 1922 in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
"Coleman
Sellers, Jr.; Machine Tool Company Head and Franklin Institute Vice President.
"Coleman
Sellers, Jr., president of William Sellers and Company, manufacturers of
machine tools, Sixteenth and Hamilton streets, died yesterday afternoon at the
home of his sister, Mrs. F. W. Colton, at Bryn Mawr.
"Mr.
Sellers who was seventy years of age suffered a severe illness three months ago
and was convalescing at his sister's home when stricken. His home was at 3301 Baring street. He was born in Cincinnati,
and came to Philadelphia while a boy. He was graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania in 1873.
"Until
his death he was vice president of the Franklin Institute and a Commissioner of
Navigation of this State. At one time he was president of the Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers; American Philosophical Society; City Club and the University Club.
"Mr.
Sellers is survived by his wife and four children: Mrs. E. L. Burnham, of
Berwyn; Mrs. A. H. Ehle, of Merion; J. C. Sellers, Jr., of Merion and Coleman
Sellers, 3rd, of Germantown." (Inquirer,
August 16, 1922)
1922,
May. 26: Death of Catharine D. Scully, 70 years old
In
1920, she and her husband, Edward, lived at 3312
Powelton Ave.
1924,
Sep. 10: Death of Florence Serena Garren, 69 years old, of 3301 Baring St.,
burial at West Laurel Hill.
1930:
Paul Rothe 40 Janitor in apartment house; born in
Frieda Rothe 41 Born in Germany
Elsie Rothe 17 Born in Germany
--
next household
Edward Scully 80 Widowed; born in N.Y.; rent: $50; Civil
War veteran
Marie Scully 38
--
next household
John Andrew 30 Leather goods salesman;; born in N.Y.;
rent: $60
Edna M. Andrew 24
Born in N.Y.
William Andrew 4
yrs., 6 months
--
next household
Harry X. Walsh 41 Professional musician; born in
Kate A. Walsh 41 Secretary in physician’s office; born
in MD.
--
next household
Edna
D. Yarnall 31 Secretary in an insurance office;
married 21 years ; rent: $42
--
next household
Charles R. Winslow 30 Government
printer; rent: $50
Florence T. Winslow 27
--
next household
Emily Day 30 Secretary in a law office; rent: $45
1931,
Apr. 1: Death of Edward Scully, 83 years old.
He
enlisted in Co. G of the 2nd Veterans Cavalry in Tuscarora, N.Y. on Sept. 9, 1863 at the age of 18. He mustered out Nov. 8, 1865. He was
born Jan. 31, 1847 in Carlo Island, N.Y.
1940:
Anna Wasson 67 Widowed; born in N.Y.; 8 years of
education; renting for $45 per month
Lillian Wasson 47 Daughter; personnel supervisor for
telephone co., earned $1,800 in 1939; single; born in N.Y.; 2 years of high
school
Samuel F. Wasson 33 Clerk at Veterans’ Bureau, earned
$1,296 in 1939; single; 4 years of high school
--
next household
Louisa S. Conead 73 Single; 4 years of high school; in 1935
lived in Lansdowne, Del. Co. ; renting for $35 per
month
--
next household
Donald R. Fortune 33 Guard at U.S.
Customs, earned $1,260 in 1939; born in Canada (English-speaking), in 1935
lived in Worchester; Mass.; 2 years of high school; renting for $30 per month
Elsie May Fortune 36 born in
Canada (English-speaking), in 1935 lived in Worchester; Mass.; 8 years of
schooling
Donald Fortune 3
--
next household
Marshall Blanchard King 66 Chief
clerk at paint manufacturer, earned $1,320 in 1939; born in Alabama; 4 years of
high school; renting for $20 per month
Dorothy R. King 48 Born in England; 4 years of high
school; nee Royale
--
next household
Norman F. Chellew 25 Superintendent
for apartment house, earned $810 in 1939; 2 years of high school; renting for
$25 per month
Frances Chellew 24 2 years of high school
Carol Chellew 3
Anna
Mackson married Samuel C. Wasson in Philadelphia in 1902.
In
1930, Marshall and Dorothy King lived 3617 Locust St. Dorothy was working as a
teacher at a singing school. She immigrated from England in 1925.
1950
Directory: Aymar K.
Allison
Barbara Brantly
Edwin E. Ridgeway (born June 1926; in 1974 he lived at 10166 Ferndale,
Phila.)
A. Trasoff
Samuel A. Wasson, Jr.
1965,
January Powelton Post:
“SHERMAN HEMSLEY HAS LEADING ROLE IN
‘THE BLACKS’”
“Sherman Hemsley, 3301 Baring St., plays Archibald in
Jean Genet’s ‘The Blacks" at the Society Hill Playhouse, 507 S. 8th St. Mr.
Hemsley's previous acting experience has been in ‘Under the Yum Yum Tree’ and
‘Pearlie Victorious’ for Theatre 14, Philadelphia's all Negro theatre group.”
<3305
Baring 3300 Baring, south side of street>