3306 Baring Street
The
History of the Building
1871: Built by Thomas D. Crispenn
Crispen usually identified himself as
a bricklayer, although he is listed as a builder in the 1881 city directory.
From at least 1856 until the 1870s, he lived at 116 N. 39th St. (which no
longer exists) with his wife and seven children. In the 1870 census he declared
$25,000 in real estate and $1,400 in personal property. His younger brothers,
James C. Crispen and Joseph Crispen, probably worked with him. They were also
bricklayers. In the late 1860s, Joseph lived at 34th and Filbert Sts. He did not claim any real estate. Thomas Crispen also
built 3400-3410 Baring St., 3509-11 and 3417-3421 Hamilton St. as well as other
buildings in Powelton. (The name was variously spelled Crespenn
or Crispenn.)
3304-06:
“two-and-one-half
story Second Empire style double with stone facade over brick construction.
Original wood porch with shared gabled entry intact. Modillioned wood cornice.
Four dormers with segmental windowheads project from
mansard; 3304 has original patterned slate; 3306 replaced with asphalt
shingles.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1866, Jul. 18: Title
for 3300-3306 Baring St. transferred to Mary S. Bancroft by Samuel Hutchinson
Samuel Hutchinson
purchased a large block of land from Charles Ingersoll, et al. April 30, 1856.
1870, Sep. 1: Title
transferred to Thomas D. Crispenn by Mary S. Bancroft
1873 Directory:
Abraham R. McIlvaine of McIlvain Brothers
1873: Death of Thomas Matlack,
84 years old. Funeral services at his late residence 3306 Baring St.
In
1870, he lived at 3317 Baring St.
1878: The Scott Atlas
shows the owners as “S. Matlack, et al.”
1876: Mrs.
Henry [sic.] E. R. McIlvain,
3306 Baring
(List of
Members. Papers Read at the Fourth
Annual Congress Held at St. George’s
Hall,
1880:
E. R. McIlvaine 60 Widowed
Emma S. Matlack 56 Sister; single
Catherine Matlack 50 Sister; single
Ella Vonneida 19 Servant
Sarah Mc Guckin 20 Servant; born
in
Jerry Ennis 27 Servant;
black; father born in
In 1870, the three Matlack sisters
(E.R. McIlvaine was born Elizabeth Matlack) lived with their father at 3317 Baring St along with Elizabeth’s two sons.
1885 Directory: Elizabeth McIlvaine, widow
1885, July 1: Death of Emma S. Mattack,
60 years old, of 3306 Baring St. She was born in Phila. Burial at Monument Cemetery. (Phila. Death
Index)
1887 Directory: C.R. Matlack
1890 Directory: Lilian Gaddis
1895 Directory: Kate
Matlack
1900:
Sarah Matlack 62 Widowed, no children; owner, free of
mortgage
Jennie Ennis 49 Servant;
black; widowed, no children; parents born in
Florence Ennis 32 Servant;
black
1903, Dec. 1: Death of Sarah A Brown, 70 years
old, black, of 3306 Baring St. Married; burial at Olive. (Phila. Death Index)
1909, Oct. 19: Death of Catherine Rugan Matlack, 81 years, 6
months, 2 days years old,, daughter of Thomas Matlack
and Mary C Rugan (born in Phila.) of 3306 Baring St..
She was single. Burial at Monument
Cemetery. (Phila. Death Index)
1920:
Helen E. Kelley 33 Stenographer for a wholesale textile
company; single
Marie J. Kelley 31 Sister;
bookkeeper for a publishing company; single
Alice G. Kelley 29 Sister;
single
Frank B. Ensley 35 Cousin;
bookkeeper for builders
Margaret Ensley 31 Cousin;
bookkeeper in a doctor’s office
Carlos Mestres 33 Lodger; college teacher; born in
Alice Mestres 29 Lodger;
born in
Helen,
Marie and Alice Kelley were the daughters of Rose A.
Kelley. In 1900, they were living with
their widowed mother and two younger siblings (Rosetta age 10 and Raymond, 6)
at 615 N. 42md St. In 1910, they all
lived at 681 N. 37th St.
1921: Carlos Mestres, [student in] “Courses for
Teachers - Partials” 3306 Baring
Ruth
Lester McMillen , “Partials - School of Education)
[from] Kansas [local address] 3306 Baring
(Catalogue of the University of Pennsylvania,
1921-22)
1930:
Helen C. Kelley 43 Secretary
for tea firm; owner, house valued at $8,000
Alice G. Kelley 39 Sister;
teacher, therapy
Rosetta Meade 39
Sister; married at age 24
Anna M. Byrne 46 Lodger;
office clerk for cement co.
Joseph Meade 16 Nephew
Robert Meade 14 Nephew
Hugh Meade 12
Nephew
Raymond Meade 11 Nephew
1939, April 16: New business was registered by Robert J. Meade as
the Fairview Garage t 34th and Wallace Streets. (Inquirer)
1940:
Rosetta A. Meade 47 Owner, house
valued at $6,400; married; 4 years high school
Joseph R. Meade 25 Gas station
superintendent, worked 70 hours in previous week; 4 years high school
Robert G. Meade 23 Gas station
superintendent, worked 70 hours in previous week; 2 years high school
Raymond L. Meade 21 Manager gas
station, worked 56 hours in previous week, earned $1,000 in 1939; 4 years high
school
Anne M. Byrne 58 Lodger;
dressmaker at home; 4 years high school
1950:
1st floor:
Adelbert M. Mathis, Jr. 45 Proprietor of retail
butcher shop; single; born in NJ
Adelbert M. Mathis 68 Father, born in NJ
Anna Rose Mathis 67 Mother; born in
NJ
Ruth Mathis 35 Typist
for a private organization, earned $1,200 for 50 weeks of work in 1949; 12
years of schooling; single; born in NJ
2nd floor
Henrietta Murdoch 47 Widowed
Mary Ann Murdoch 20 Daughter; Medical
technician for electric battery plant; single
Mario Trejo 21 Lodger;
translator for dental laboratory; single; born in Cuba
Ross Archer 23 Lodger;
consultant for sales department soap manufacturer; single; born in FL
William Brown 24 Lodger; crew
manager for sales department soap manufacturer, earned $1,000 for 44 weeks of
work in 1949; 2 years of college; single; born in FL
3rd floor:
Sgt. Kenneth Johnson 32 U.
S. Army Sergeant at U.S. Quartermaster Depot
Cleone Johnson 30
Barbara Johnson
2
Note:
education and income data only available for every fifth person
1950 Directory: A. M. Mathis
Mrs. Henrietta Murdoch
Revised 4/10/2022