3319 Hamilton Street
The
History of the Building
The
northern edge of this property was part of the northern boundary of the
Bingham-Baring estate.
3319-3321:
“two-and-one-half
story Second Empire style brick double. 3321 has one-story entrance bay added;
porch originally wrapped around to side. Victorian porch added. Later
.alterations to second floor projecting bays and shingling of entrance bay, and
residing of mansard. Asphalt shingles.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1879 Directory: Miller Charles T., secretary at 19 S.
5th St.
Miller Charles T. Jr., paperhanger
1880:
Charles T. Miller 55 Factory
[worker?]; born in
Claire A. Miller 50 Born in
N.J., father born in N.J., mother in
Charles T. Miller, Jr. 27 Paper
hanging; born in N.J.
In 1870, they lived in Ward 1,
District 3.
1881 Directory: Charles T. Miller, secretary,
Charles T. Miller, Jr., paper hanger
1887, March: Deed transferred from Louis Massey (Trustee will of
Lambert R. Massey dec'd) to William W. Fiske.
1890 Directory: William W. Fiske, publisher
Church Register, newspaper
1900:
William W. Fiske 41 Publisher; born in
Eliza R. Fiske 44 Married 25
years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in Ohio, father born in Mass., mother in
Robert S. Fiske 15
Sleda Fiske 10
R. Donald Fiske 7
In 1910, they lived at 3403 Hamilton St.
In 1910, Robert lived in
1910:
Ernest Chase 56 Insurance salesman; father born in Mass.; renting
Ann T. Chase 50 Married
15 years, 5 children, none surviving; parents born in N.Y.
Charles Maison 86 Father-in-law;
clergyman; widowed; born in N.Y.
Alice Johnson 23 Servant;
black; born in Va.
Ann Thomas Maison was born June 10
1859 and was baptized at St James Church, Kingsesslng,
Philadelphia. She received confirmation
there in 1874. In 1870, they lived at
6903 Darby Rd. She was married to Ernest
Chase in 1895.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported their wedding as follows:
“Media, Oct. 17
[1895] – Ernest Hazen Chase and Miss Ann Thomas Maison, both of Philadelphia,
were married this afternoon in Christ Episcopal Church, Media. The ceremony was performed by Rev. C. A.
Maison, assisted by Rev. A. J. Arnold, father and brother-in-law of the bride
respectively. The maid of honor was Miss
Kate S. Bankson, of Philadelphia. Randolph Taylor, of Philadelphia, was best
man. The ushers were Louis B. Henry,
Samuel H. Chase, John P. Bankson, T. Ernest Collins,
of Philadelphia; Robert S. Holt, of New York, and Dr. William Knowles Evans, of
Chester. The bride was given away by her
brother, Dr. Robert S. Maison, of Chester.
Following the ceremony a breakfast was served at the rectory, at which
there were nearly one hundred guests present.”
(Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 18,
1895)
In 1900, Rev. Charles A. Maison
lived at 3403 Hamilton St.
The census actually gives Ann’s name
as Lydia. Lydia C. Arnold was her sister
who lived in the Hamilton Court Apartments at 39th and Chestnut with
her husband, Rev. Alfred Judson Arnold.
(Not to be confused with Lydia A. Arnold who lived at 3701 Powelton.)
1940:
Marshall Bigham 32 Lineman
for Pennsylvania Railroad; renting for $45 a month; born in SC; 6 yrs. of
school
Margarite Bigham 24 wife;
4 yrs. high school
Sandra Bigham 2
Violet Miner 30 Sister-in-law; married; 2 yrs. high school
Marylyn Miner 6 Niece
—2nd
household
Joseph Devine 26 Looking
for work, worked 12 weeks in last year as a clerk for a manufacturer, earned
$300 in 1939 (for12 weeks); renting for $25 a month; single; 4 yrs. high school
Lillian Devine 53 Mother;
trained nurse, earned $2,000 in 1939 (for 52 weeks); widow; 4 yrs. of college
Marshall C. Bigham and Marguerite G.
Dunbar were married in Philadelphia in 1937.
She grew up at 3311 Hamilton St. as did
her sister, Violet Miner.
Marshall Bigham died in Oct.,
1982. He was living in Plymouth Meeting,
Montgomery Co., Pa. He was born Feb. 20,
1908.
Revised 10/11/2021