3400 Baring Street
3400-3402 Baring
was built by Thomas D. Crespin as were 3404-06 and 3408-3410. Crespin 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 apparently built 3509-11
and 3417-3421 Hamilton St. (The name was variously spelled Crespenn or
Crispenn.)
“Second
Empire-style, two-and-one-half story stone: double with original wood porch,
balustrade addition. Decorative woo.& cornice; paired brackets with
triglyph detail. Arcuated lights in dormer windows. Entrance to 3400 within
rectangular tower; top of tower removed. Two-and-one-half story bay, projects
towards
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the national register of Historic
Places, 1985)
The History
1866, June
14: Transfer of lots 3400, 3402, 3404, 3406, 3408 and 3410 Baring from Richard
Smethurst to William Sellers and John Sellers Jr.
The 1858 Directory lists Richard
Smethurst, conveyancer & accountant, 144 S 4th St.
1972, Oct.
7: Deed transferred from William Sellers and John Sellers, Jr. to Thomas D.
Crispen.
1873, Dec. 31: Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Co. survey
#9893 for 3400 and 3404 Baring St. Insured value of $5,000 each payable to
Thomas D. Crispin.
1874, April
30: Deed transferred from Thomas D. Crispen to
The
1874 directory (compiled the previous fall) lists Everett Webster of William H.
Kirkpatrick & Co. living at 3408
Bridge (Spring Garden) St.
1880:
Everett Webster 56 Gentleman; born in Mass.
Helen F. Webster 50 Born
in Mass.
Mary E. Webster 19 Born
in Mass.
Ellen F. Webster 15
William E. Webster 12
Herbert F. Webster 8
Mary Orr 50
Servant; born in
1890 Directory: Everett Webster
William R Webster
1895 Directory: Herbert F. Webster, clerk
William E. Webster, conveyancer
1895, June 5: Marriage of Elizabeth J. Thompson to William E.
Webster at the home of the bride's sister, 1711 Montgomery Ave. by Rev. S. A.
Muchmore, D.D.
1900:
Everett Webster 70 Capitalist; born in
Helen F. Webster 60 Married 39
years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in
Ellen F. Webster 30 Daughter;
single
1902, Jan. 18: Death of Ellen Frances Webster, 35 years old,
daughter of Everett and Helen Webster of 3400 Baring St. Burial was at West
Laurel Hill Cemetery. (Phila. Death Index)
1909, June 15: Death of Everett Webster, 85 years old, of 3400
Baring. Funeral services at his late residence, 3400 Baring St. Burial was at
West Laurel Hill Cemetery. (Phila. Death Index and Phila. Inquirer)
1910:
Helen Webster 78 Widowed; 7
children, 6 surviving
1913, June 6: Death of Helen Frances Webster, widow of Everett
Webster of 3400 Baring. Funeral services at her late residence, 3400 Baring St.
1915, Sept.
28: Deed transferred from William E. and Elizabeth J. Webster (husband and
wife) and Herbert F. and Emma B. Webster (husband and wife) to Rebecca R.
Trout.
William
Webster continued working as a conveyancer with his own office. Herbert Webster
became a stock broker.
1920:
Ella R. Trout 38 Hair
dressing teacher; single, self-employed; born in N.J.; owned free of a mortgage
Annabelle Trout 22 Niece; born
in N.J.
Ethel Gardnor 21 Boarder; Milliner in a department store;
single; born in Md
Horace V. Williams 39 Lodger; divorced
William H. Duffy 42 Automobile
commercial trader; born in
Edward A. Darby 40 Department
store salesman
1922: Marriage license issued to Annabelle Trout of 3400 Baring
St. and George E. Green
In 1910, George E. Green lived with
his parents at 3907 Brandywine St. His father, George W. Green, was a shipping
clerk for a publisher. In 1920, they lived at 5107 Cedar Ave. George E. was a
clerk for a steam railroad.
1930:
George Green 31 Clerk in
a railroad office; married at age 22
Annabelle Green 30 Married at age 21; born in N.J.; owner,
house worth $25,000
Thomas E. Landis 45 Lodger; worked
as an “affair detective;” married at age 35 [?]; born in N.C., father in Pa.,
mother in Ga.
Ida Landis 44 Lodger;
married at age 22 [?]; born in R.I., father in England, mother in Conn.
William Lamb 45 Lodger; automobile
salesman; single
Annabelle Trout Green apparently
inherited the house from her aunt.
1940:
George Green 41 Railroad
accounting clerk, earned 4,800 in 1939; 3 years college; owner, value -$4000
Annabelle Green 40 Wife;
4 years high school
Constance Green 15
— next household
Grove P. Mitchell 77 Time
clock salesman; born in Alabama; 4 years high school; renting for $26 per month
Therese Mitchell 75 Wife;
born in NY; 4 years high school
— next household
Martin [A.] Hahn 49 Shipfitter
at Navy yard, earned $1,852 in 1939; married; born in Tenn., lived in Boston in
1935; 8 years of school; renting at $42 per month
Lillian [N.] Hahn 48 Wife;
born in Mass., lived in Boston in 1935; 4 years high school
Eugene Hahn 24 Son; earned $120 for 8 weeks work in 1939; born in Mass.,
lived in Boston in 1935; single; 2 years college
Grove P. Mitchell was the son of
Edmund R. and Geraldine Mitchell. In 1870, they live in Montgomery, Alabama.
Edmund, a commission merchant, was born in New York and Geraldine was born in
Alabama.
In 1920, the Hahn family lived in
Newton, Mass. Martin was a retail clothing merchant.
1950 Directory: Ellwood M. Pall
1950:
1st
floor
George Green 51 Accountant for railroad company, earned
$3,800 for 50 weeks of work in 1949; other relatives in the household earned
$2,500 other than earnings in 1949; 2 years of college
Annabelle Green 48
Charles
McGoldrick 28 Son-in-law; electrical repairman for
wholesale appliance store
Constance
McGoldrick 25 Daughter
Robert McGoldrick 6 Grandson
John McGoldrick 4 Grandson
George McGoldrick 3 Grandson
Constance
McGoldrick age? Granddaughter; born in Oct. 1949?
2nd floor
Elwood M. Paul 40 Plumbing supervisor for plumbing contractor
Mathilde E. Paul 47
3rd
floor front
John Kaufman 52 Born in Austria
Pauline Kaufman 50 Sewing machine operator in clothing factory; born in Austria
3rd
floor rear
Elizabeth James 37 Clerk for state employment service
Nickolas Shimkas 64 Chemist at distilling plant; born in Russia
Katharine Shimkas 66 Born in Russia; 4 years of college
Note: information on education and
earning only available for every fifth individual.
Elizabeth James and the Shimkas
couple are listed on different pages as living in the 3rd floor
rear.
1952, Mar.
24: Registration of a deed transfer from George E. and Annabelle Green to
George E. Green
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Revised: 5/22/2023