3402 Baring Street
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.
1872, Oct. 7: Title for 3400-3410 Baring St. transferred to Thomas
D. Cripen by William Sellers, et al.
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 North
34th Street.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
The History
1874,
Jan. 3: Deed transferred from Thomas D. Crispen to Charles A. Enell.
The 1874
directory lists, Charles A. Enell as an inspector at 307 Walnut St. The 1872
directory lists him working for Beling, Niemeyer & Enell and living at the
corner of Sansom and S. 37th Sts.
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,
Jun. 16: Title transferred to Reese W. Flower by Charles A. Enell
1875,
Jun. 27: Death of Reese W. Flower, Sr. from pneumonia. He was 68 years old.
Burial at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.
“Reese Wall Flower, aged 68, died of
pneumonia around 8 AM on June 27, 1875. He had inherited considerable wealth
(about $80,000 [$1,270,000]) from his step-grandfather John Wall and a paternal
uncle John Flower and then had prospered in the lumber business. The
Philadelphia City Directories show him maintaining a downtown residence from
the early 1840s to the late 1850s and describe him as a gentleman. This was a
euphemism for a man of independent means who did not have to work for a living.
Although he also kept a home in West Philadelphia, the U.S. Censuses for 1860
and 1870 show his residence to be in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County at
the Flower farm. In fact, an 1848 map of the township shows him as the owner of
the farm with two structures on it; he had retired from active business
operations. As far as is known, he had joined no business associations or
social clubs. No likeness of him is known to exist. Late in life he endured
some reverses with investments in small, undercapitalized railroad lines but
still left a considerable estate at his death, which happened at 3402 Baring
Street, the West Philadelphia residence. He had moved to this address only in
the year of his death.” (Observational
Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania 1751 – 2007. Robert H. Koch,
2008)
His estate was between the West
Chester Pike and Cobbs Creek in Upper Darby.
1875: Title transferred to
Joseph S. and Thomas B. Flower by descent
1876: Nellie B. Harral attended the Fourth Annual Congress of the Association
for the Advancement of Women.
1878, Jun. 3: Title transferred to Alfred L. Leary by Joseph S.
and Thomas B. Flower
1878,
Aug. 21: Deed transferred from Alfred L. Carey to Henry K. Smith.
1880:
Henry Smith 62 Superintendent W.C. Penna. R.R.
Elizabeth Smith 61
Mary E. Smith 20
Charles Smith 22 Telegraph
operator
Florence Smith 18
Sarah Connor 26 Servant;
born in Ireland
Kate Finn 24
Servant; born in Ireland
1890: Harry
Keen, clerk
He
was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Keen. In 1880, he lived with them at 3414 Race St. In 1895, he was listed at 3512 Hamilton St.
James
C. Smith
1892,
Feb. 5: Deed transferred from Elizabeth Stallman Smith (Trustee of Will of)
Henry K. Smith to Freeman D. Somerby.
The 1890
directory listed him at 500 N. 32nd St. and working for The Mutual
Banking, Surety, Trust & Safe Deposit Co.
1895 Directory: Freedman H. Somerby
1900:
Benjamin Hawley 46 Physician;
born in Ct., father born in Ct., mother in Mass.; renting
Helen E. Hawley 46 Married 23
years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in Mass.
Benjamin F. Hawley 18
Joseph E. Hawley 13
Harold T. Hawley 11
Horace H. Hawley 8
Benjamin
F. Hawley was the son of the B. F. Hawley, the town clerk for Bristol, Conn. In
1880, he was a student in Bristol. He and Helen Ely were already married. She
was born in Holyoke, Mass. In 1887, he was a student living at 1611 Race St.
and city directories for 1889-’95, list them at 417 N.
33rd St. The 1906 Blue Book lists B. F. Hawley and B.F. Hawley, Jr. living
at 3408 Spring Garden. They had a summer
residence at Bayhead, N.J. In 1910, they lived at 3646 Chestnut St.
Source: The Washington Times, Nov. 4, 1910
c1903: B. F. Hawley, 3402 Baring
(List
of members. Proceedings of the Philadelphia County Medical Society. ...
Philadelphia County Medical Society. 1904)
1910:
Abbie W. Somerby 44 No occupation
listed; single; born in Vt., father in Mass., mother in Vt.
Elizabeth Somerby 36 Boarder; public
school teacher; born in S. America; parents born in Switzerland
c1911: “Fuller, Allen J. General Superintendent,
Bureau of Water, Phila., for mail: 3402 Baring...”
(Membership
Directory. The Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania. 1912)
In
1890, Alan J. Fuller lived at 3313 Spring Garden
St. and in 1900, he was at 3417 Hamilton St.
1915, Apr. 21: Marriage of Emma Louise Fuller
to John Lester VanName
1920:
Abby M. Somerby 51 Boarding house
keeper; born in Vt.; owned with a mortgage
— next household
John G. Fuller 51 Real
estate broker; father barn in Conn.
Alice C. Fuller 50 Father
born in Va.
Sarah C. Fuller 10
John G. Fuller 6
---
Elizabeth Schaefer 38 Lodger; high school
teacher; born in Brazil, father born in Germany, mother in Switzerland
Grace McAlister 20 Lodger;
bookkeeper for a department store; born in N.J., parents born in N.Y.
Florence McAlister 19 Lodger;
bookkeeper for a department store; born in N.J., parents born in N.Y.
John N. Faust 48 Lodger;
salesman for [illegible] Scale Co.
Aubrey Faust 45 Lodger
John G. Fuller died Dec. 23, 1926 and was buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery. In 1930,
Alice, Carol and John, Jr. were living in an
apartment building at 6355 Lancaster Ave. In 1940, Alice and Carol were in West
Chester. In 1910, the Fullers lived at 3310 Hamilton
St. John G. Fuller’s mother and brother, Dwight B. Fuller, Jr., lived at 208 N. 34th St. Another brother, J. Cutler
Fuller, lived at 309 N. 34th St. and his
sister, Carrie B. Collingwood, lived at 3415
Hamilton St. John had been a dentist (like his father and brother Dwight).
However, in 1910 he listed no occupation. An ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1914 read: “Furnished or unfurnished apartments wanted; clients waiting;
no charge unless rented. John G. Fuller, 23 S. 52d.” (July 1)
1920, Jul. 8: Title transferred to Walter A. and Francis B. Lowrie
by Freeman D. Somerby
1930:
Walter A.
Lowrie 60 Superintendent for building construction co.; married at age
23, mother born in Ireland; owner, house valued at $25,000
Frances Lowrie 58
Married at age 21; father born in
Ireland
Walter L.
Lowrie 36 Water softener salesman
— next
household
Lena Wiler 78 Single; renting for $70 per month
— next
household
Lewis
Grossman 28 Dentist; married at age 27; born in
Russia, spoke “Hebrew,” immigrated in 1905; renting for $60 per month
Emma M.
Grossman 27 Public school teacher; married at age 25
Walter Adelbert Lowrie married
Fannie Parker Ward in Philadelphia in 1892.
Lewis I. Grossman was the son of
Harry and Rose Grossman. They arrived on a ship from London in Jan. 1906. Harry
was born in Gaisen, Russia. When he applied for
naturalization in 1912, he gave his oldest son’s name as Louis and his date of
birth as Dec. 25, 1901. In 1920, they lived at 3016 Germantown Ave. His father
was a salesman for house furnishings. In 1940, Lewis and Emma lived at 348 E.
Meehan Ave. with their infant daughter, Clara R. Grossman. They had lived there
since at least 1935. Lewis had education as 5 years of college and Emma had 4
years of college.
1940:
Walter A.
Lowrie 70 Construction superintendent; 8 years of school; owner, value
$6,000
Frances Lowrie 68 Wife; 3 years high school
Grace G.
Burt 43 Lodger; [home] visitor for Dept. Public
Welfare, earned $1,360 in 1939; 3 years college
Dora
McLaughlin 43 Lodger; public school teacher, earned
$2,716 in 1939; 4 years college
— next
household
Dorothy May
Baldwin 42 Public school
coordinator, earned $3,450 in 1939; born in Mass; 5 years college; renting for
$25 per month
— next
household
Frank C.
Ferguson 48 Railroad clerk, earned $2,400 in 1939; 8 years of school;
renting for $25 per month
Earl L.
Stoltz 54 Partner; railroad clerk, earned $2,400
in 1939; 2 years high school
Elizabeth
Willis 47 lodger; public school teacher, earned $2,476 in 1939; 4 years
college
1942, Jan. 6: Title transferred to Walter A. Lowrie,
Jr. & Elsie L., his wife
1950 Directory: Elsie L. Lowrie
Revised: 5/22/2023