3401 Powelton Avenue
3401 Powelton Ave., Scientific
American, 1891
Carriage House for 3401 Powelton
Ave.
(from the Inventory of Powelton Buildings, 2021)
The
History of the Building
William Sellers
sold the lot to Anna Burnham on Feb. 23, 1884, the same day she sold 3405 to
Enoch Lewis. (177, 117)
“In 1885 [sic.],
Mr. Enoch Lewis... bought a lot east of 3409 Powelton
Ave. and built a large brick house. A few years later, George Burnham, Sr.,
built a large gray stone residence at the corner of 34th St. and
Powelton Ave.”
(North of Market. Harold S. Colton, 1961.
P. 39.
“Built 1886.
Two-and-one-half story residence; heavy rusticated stone and limestone trim;
massive stone column with Corinthian capital supports Richardsonian Romanesque
porch arch; main entrance is arched with balcony above; westerly end of main
facade has inverted stone arch, filled in as later alteration; gabled front and
end with coping recall late medieval-style. Part of the original cresting
remains along ridge of slate shingled roof. Architect: T.P. Chandler.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the
National Register of Historic Places)
The carriage house was often
listed at 3400 Pearl St.
History of 3401
Powelton Avenue
1889 Directory: George Burnham, 3401 Powelton
Ave.
The 1887 Directory still listed them
at 2211 Green St.
His
son, George, Jr., was married to Anna Lewis, daughter of Enoch Lewis who lived
next door (3405 Powelton Ave.). The young couple
lived at 214 N. 34th St. George Jr.’s
sister, Ann Burnham, married Anna Lewis’s brother, Theodore. Theodore and Anna
lived next to their siblings at 212 N. 34th
St.
1892, Jan. 2: Death of Ann Hemple
Burnham, 69 years old, of 3401 Powelton Ave.
Charlotte Lewis (3405 Powelton Ave.) wrote in her diary “Mrs.
Burnham passed on from this life of trial to shine in other realms – only four
days confined to her room and without pain in those days. E [Enoch Lewis] and I
went in to see Mary & father in evening.”
1898 Blue Book: George Burnham was a member of the Powelton Club.
(For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)
George Burnham, 1887, by Cecilia Beaux
Philadelphia Museum of Art
1900:
George Burnham Sr. 83 Capitalist;
widowed; born in Mass.
Mary A. Burnham 48 Daughter
Hanna Rodgers 29 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated 13 years earlier
Emma Rodgers 22 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated 7 years earlier
Sarah Quinn 28 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated 20 years earlier
Katherine Halligan 37 Trained
nurse; single; born in N.Y.
William Hollians
53 Coachman; black; married 10 years; born
in Md.
Edith Hollians 35 Servant; black; married 10 years, no
children; born in Va., father in N.C., mother in Va.
Della Hollians 14 Servant; black; father born in Md.;
mother born in W.D.C.
George Burnham, Sr. was the senior
partner in Burnham, Perry & Williams & Co., the parent company of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works. (His partner, Edward H. Williams lived at 101
N. 33rd St.) The Baldwin Locomotive Works was the largest
manufacturer of steam locomotives and was a major employer. Its
factory at Broad and Spring Garden Sts. filled
three square city blocks
The Hollians
family actually lived in the carriage house, 3400 Pearl St. In her will, Mary Burnham placed $4,000
(2015 equivalent about $50,000-100,000) in trust for Mr. Hollians.
She also granted him use and occupancy of a house she owned (the address is
given as 87th St. and Lyons or 2709 S. 87th St.)
1910:
George Burnham 93 Manufacturer
of locomotives; widowed; born in Mass., father in Conn., mother in Mass.
Mary A. Burnham 57 Daughter;
single
Anna K. Stimson 17 Granddaughter;
born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.
Boudinot Stimson 12 Grandson; born in N.Y., father in N.Y.,
mother in Pa.
William B. Stimson 10 Grandson;
born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.
Katherine G. Halligan 47 Trained
nurse; single; born in N.Y.
Rose Belgrau 25 Servant; born in Ireland
Annie Lee 30 Servant; born in Ireland
Grace Martin 25 Servant;
born in Ireland
Katherine Bonner 23 Servant;
born in Ireland
Anna K., Boudinot,
and William B. Stimson were the children of Emma Burnham (1861-1906) and
Frederick Stimson (1856-1926). Frederick Stimson remarried in 1913.
1912, Dec. 10: Death of George Burnham, 95 years, 9 months, 10
days years old, parents were Charles Burnham and Peper
White. Both parents were born in Springfield, Mass.
“PHILADELPHIA'S GRAND OLD MAN GONE
“Ninety-five
years is an age seldom reached by anyone and almost never by those who have had
any active participation in the important affairs of life. The late George
Burnham was born while the echoes of the War of 1812 were still resounding
through the land, when steamboats were in their
infancy and before George Stephenson had even conceived the Rocket to draw the
first railway train. He lived to be the head of the largest locomotive works in
the world, to have sent his product to the ends of the earth, and to witness
the rise of a new power in electricity which threatens the reign of the
locomotive.
“To
have lived a very long life is no particular merit in
anyone, but to have labored long for the uplift of the world is an achievement
of which any man may be proud. Mr. Burnham helped in the construction of the
first American-made locomotive, ‘Old Ironsides,’ and his interest was
maintained in the business to the very last, when the cab of the great monsters
used on Western railways would contain the first of the species born in this
city.
“With
all the demands on his time from private business, Mr. Burnham was a
public-spirited man, who gave of his energies and money to public
considerations, who dispensed much of his wealth for educational and charitable
purposes. The young grocer's clerk of eighty years ago could not have foreseen
his own remarkable career, but there are those in as humble positions today
destined to equal achievements. Our great constructive men never have been born
to the purple; they have fought their way through difficulties to success by
courage, ability and creative imagination.
“In
spite of his long retirement from business, Mr. Burnham will be missed by many,
because his generous impulses and open check-book remained to the last.” (Phila. Inquirer, Dec. 12, 1912)
“GEORGE BURNHAM DIES; LONG ILL
“One of the Founders of Baldwin Locomotive Works
– Early Union League Member
“George
Burnham, one of the founders of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, died yesterday at
his residence, 3401 Powelton avenue, after a protracted illness.
“George
Burnham was born in Springfield, Mass, March 11, 1817. On his mother’s side he
was descended from Elder John Wiate [?], one of the
early Puritans. On the parental side, Mr. Burnham was a descendent of
[illegible] Burnham of Hartford, who settled there about 1619.
“Mr.
Burnham came to Philadelphia when about 15 years old, going into the grocery
store of Simon Colton. After he became a clerk for Mathias W. Baldwin and grew
up with the locomotive business on the financial and accounting side.
“After
Mr. Baldwin’s death, Mr. Burnham became a member of the firm of M. Baird &
Co., in 1867, and in 1873, after Mr. Baird’s retirement, he became a senior
partner of the firm of Burnham, Perry, Williams & Co. After Charles T.
Perry’s death the firm became Burnham & Williams
& Co., and so remained until the incorporation of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works in 1909. Mr. Burnham’s connection with the business was continuous
throughout, a period of seventy-three years.
“Mr.
Burnham married in 1843 Ann Hemple, daughter of
Samuel Hemple. Mr. Burnham was largely instrumental
in having erected the church at the corner of Twenty-second and Chestnut
streets.
“He
was one of the very early members of the Union League, a member of the
Committee of One Hundred, and although seldom active in politics, was a
generous contributor to reform and civic movements.” (Phila.
Inquirer, Dec. 11, 1912)
Notes: His
partner in Burnham, Williams & Co. was Edward H. Williams who lived at 101 N. 33rd St. from the 1860s until his death in 1899.
The church at 22nd &
Chestnuts was the Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenbourgian).
Many members of the church lived in Powelton. The leader of the Swedenbourg church in the U.S. lived at 3609 Hamilton St. For a brief discussion of Giles
and the church, see the Powelton
History Blog.
The Baldwin Locomotive Works were
quite extensive covering 14 acres fronting on Broad St. from Spring Garden St.
to Pennsylvania Ave., and extending back to 16th St., with two
additional blocks bounded by Buttonwood St., Pennsylvania Ave., 17th and 18th Sts.
1920:
Mary A. Burnham 65 Single;
owned the hosue free of a mortgage; father born in
Mass.
Anna K. Stimson 27 Niece;
born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.
William B. Stimson 20 Nephew;
born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.
Katharine G. Halligan 57 Boarder;
trained nurse for a private family; widowed; born in N.Y., parents in Ireland
Sophia J. Truman 52 Boarder;
dressmaker for a private family
Annie F. Lee 35 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated in 1902
Winifred McMenamin 24 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated in 1909
Bridget Bonner 23 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated in 1915
Mary Burnham was very active in the
women’s suffrage movement. (See “Powelton’s
Suffragettes” on the Powelton History
Blog, Jan. 2014.)
1928, May 2: Death of Mary A. Burnham, burial at West Laurel Hill
Cemetery
Her state included at least $200,000
of personal property and $50,000 of real estate including 3401 Powelton Ave., a
property in Bolton, Warren Co., New York and a
premises at 87th and Lyons Ave., Philadelphia. The will instructed
that $80,000 in trust with the income to go to her friend Katherine G.
Halligan. After Ms. Halligan’s death, the income was assigned to her son,
Robert S. Halligan. After his death, the principle was to be divided among his
heirs.
1930:
Anna K. Stimson 32 Single;
born in N.J.; owner house valued at $50,000
Margaret McCloskey 38 Waitress;
single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1912
Sophia Gruner 74 Maid; single; mother born in Ohio
Annie Lee 47
Cook; single; born in Ireland,
immigrated in 1904
1940:
John Lee 52 Apartment house superintendent, earned
$720 per month in 1939; black; born in VA; 4 years of school; renting for $25
per month
Elizabeth Lee 37 Housework; black; born in VA 7 years of
school
Aida Lee 7 Daughter; black
1950 Directory: John M. Muroff [also
listed at the carriage house, 3400 Pearl St.]
2009: The home of the Drexel University chapter of the ΛΧΑ, Lambda Chi Alpha, fraternity.
<
3405 Powelton 3400 on south side of street>
Revised
9/24/2022