3408-10: “two
three-story brick Victorian rowhouses with decoratively carved soffit and
fascia. Circa 1920 Colonial . Revival porch alteration on 3408…”
(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from
the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)
History
1866, Oct. 9: Transfer of 3405-3411 Baring St. and 3404-3410
Hamilton St. from Gerardus A. Haines to Alexander J. Andrews.
Alexander Andrews lived at 3507 Baring St.
1869, Feb. 8: Title for 3409-3411 Baring St. & 3408-3410
Hamilton St. transferred to John M. Mole by Alexander J. Andrews
John M. Mole was a
carpenter who was born in England about 1841. He was probably the brother of
Thomas H., John, Walter and James Mole all of whom
were carpenters. They may have been then sons of a W. Mole who was a builder.
All of them were living near 17th St. and Ellsworth in 1866. They probably
arrived in the U.S. about 1860 and they all left Philadelphia between 1870 and
1880 except for James.
John and Elizabeth A.
Mole lived in west Philadelphia in 1870, probably west of 40th St. Elizabeth
was born in Ireland. She claimed real estate worth $15,000 and personal
property valued at $2,000. John Mole was involved in about 50 land sales in
Philadelphia between 1869 and 1873, possibly as a builder. He probably left
Philadelphia about 1874.
1870, June 3: Title transferred to Stella
M. Buist by John M. Mole
She was the widow of
John M. Buist. In 1870, she was living at 1323 S
Broad St. She was only 30 and had three children aged 3 to 8. She claimed real
estate valued at $20,000 and $2,000 in personal property. In 1880, Stella was married to James H.
Cochran. They were still living at 1323 S. Broad St. He was a dry goods
merchant.
1870: The second enumeration of the 1870 census in November lists the
family of Francis Storm living here. However, the city directories of 1871 and
1872 list him next door at 3410 Hamilton St.
1873, Nov. 14: Franklin Fire Insurance Co. policy
#48632 issued payable to Stella M. Buist.
First
Floor Layout
1873 Directory:
Franklin C. Prindle, civil engineer
The 1870 census gives
the following for 1940 Locust St.:
Frank C. Prindle 29 Engineer,
U.S.N.; born in Vermont; personal property: $2,000
Gertrude Prindle 27 Born
in Vermont
Roscoe Prindle 3 Born
in N.Y.
Charles Prindle 1 month
Emily Mattison 29 Born
in Vermont
Charles Stiple 19 Attending school; born in Vermont
Matilda Key 16 Domestic servant
1874 & 1875
Directories: Franklin C. Prindle, U.S.N.
The
1876 directory lists him at 3709 Spring Garden St.
1876 Directory: Robert Comly of Thomas
Roberts & Co.
1880:
Robert
Comly 37 Wholesale grocer
Lydia Comly 37 Born in N.J.
Helen Comly 8
George
N. Comly
5
Elizabeth Comly 2
Carrie
Comly 5
months
Emma
Wagner 20 Nurse
Robert Comly
married Lydia T. Atkinson on Oct. 28, 1869. She was the daughter of George T.
Atkinson and Elizabeth Bond. He was a partner in Comly
& Brother with his brother, Charles. In 1870, their business was at 736 N.
2nd St. and Robert and Lydia were living at 810 N. 6th
St.
Helen Comly
later married Ellis W. Bacon and they lived at 3603
Baring St. They were the parents of city planner Edmund Bacon.
1882 Directory: Robert Comly of Comly & Flannigan
By 1886, they were living at 3521 Hamilton St.
1884 & 1885 Directories: John Laverell, salesman
In 1880, he and his wife Hattie B. Laverell, lived at 1013 Arch St. He was 32 years old. The
1890 city directory lists her living at 3600
Hamilton St.
1885, July 1: Death of James Laverell
“John Laverell
died yesterday, after a brief illness, at his residence, No.
3408 Hamilton street. He was long connected with the house of Riegel,
Scott, & Co.; one of the representatives of the Twenty-four ward in the
Republican City Committee, and was president of the Firs Blaine Club.” (Phila.
Inquirer, July 2)
1889 Boyd’s Blue
Book: Mr. and Mrs. John C. Boyd
The
1887 Directory lists John C. Boyd, manager, 427 Chestnut, h 3711 Walnut. He was
the son of George J. Boyd, a banker, and Elizabeth Boyd. In 1861, they lived at
1104 Pine St. In 1885, he became Manager of the Philadelphia Clearing-House
Association which comprised almost all of the national
banks in Philadelphia. In 1900, it handled about $4.7 billion in transactions.
(History of the Philadelphia Stock
Exchange, Banks…. Andrew Wallace Barnes. 1911) In 1900, he and his wife, Caroline S. Boyd,
were ages 46 and 39 and lived with their three children and his sister. He was re-elected
as Secretary of the Association in 1910. (Bankers
Magazine, vol. 80, 1910, p 352)
1891 Directory:
John C. Boyd, manager, 427 Chestnut St., h 3408 Hamilton
In
September 1891, John C. Boyd and his wife, Caroline, purchased 3200 Hamilton St. They owned it until July 1901.
The
1895 Directory lists John C. Boyd, manager, 427 Chestnut St., h 4607
Springfield Ave.
1895 Directory:
Frank W. Dilks, manager.
1896 Directory:
Frank W. Dilks of Frank W. Dilks
& Co., pumps at 515 North
In
1900, he lived at 3413 Hamilton St. with his
wife and 3 children.
1900: This address apparently missed
in census.
1901, October: Deed
transferred from Stella M. & Isaac J. Wood & Stella B. Cochran [the
former Stella Buist] to John W. & Lillian
Ashmore.
Stella
and Isaac Wood were living in Trenton, N.J.
The
1890-94 directories list John W. Ashmore as a clerk living at 3418 Market St.
The
1900 census lists the following for 46 S. 44th St.
John
W. Ashmore 33 Hardware merchant; born in N.J., parents
born in Pa.; renting
Lillian
Ashmore 29 Married 3 years, 2 children; born in
N.J., father born in Scotland, mother in Ireland
John
W. Ashmore 2
Oliver
Ashmore 10 months
1906 Boyd’s Blue
Book: Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ashmore
1909, Jan. 14: Death
of John W. Ashmore, 44 years old,, son of the late William H. and Sarah E.
Ashmore. Relatives and friends, also Oriental Lodge, No. 382, F. and A. and M.
are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from his late residence, 3408
Hamilton St. Internment at Mt. Moriah Cemetery. (Phila. Inquirer)
He
died of asphyxiation by inhaling gas and “suicide while temporarily deranged.”
1910:
Lillian J. Ashmore 33 Widowed,
five children, four surviving; born in N.J., father in England, mother in
Illinois
J. Wilmer Ashmore 12 Son
Donald O. Ashmore 10 Son
Abrina Corino
28 Servant; black; born in Holland
James B. Lichtenberger 33 Boarder;
lawyer in general practice
Lillian Ashmore was the widow of
John W. Ashmore, a hardware merchant who was born in N.J. in 1866. In 1900,
they were renting a house at 46 S. 44th St. At that time, they had
two children: John W. and [Donald] Oliver. It is not known where her other two
children were living. In 1920, Lillian Ashmore reported her age as 50. She and
Wilmer lived at
James Buchanan Lichtenberger was the
son of Paris and Emma Lichtenberger. In 1900, they were living in Lower
Swatara, Daughin Co. The family included 9 younger
siblings. His parents had been married 26 years and his mother (who was 44
based on her age reported in 1880) reported having had 16 births with 12
surviving. In 1880,
1918 Directory: Lillian I. Ashmore, widow of John Ashmore
1920:
William M. Kelly 45 Foreman for Penna. R.R.; parents born in
Ireland; owns with a mortgage
Mary V[iola]
Kelly 39
Helen E. Kelly 14
Mary B. Kelly 10
Robert G. Kelly 8
William M. Kelly 4
Elizabeth A. Gildea 59 Mother-in-law;
parents born in Ireland
In 1910, they lived in Altoona, Blair Co., Pa. William and Mary (Viola) had been married 5 years. Elizabeth
Gildea was already widowed and listed having had 2 children.
1930:
William Kelly 55 Railroad foreman; married at age 30; parents born in N.
Ireland; owner, house valued at $10,000
Mary V. Kelly 49 Married
at age 25
Helen Kelly 24 Stenographer for a printing co.
Mary B. Kelly 24
Robert G. Kelly 19
William M. Kelly 14
Elizabeth Geldea
69 Mother-in-law;
widowed; parents born in Irish Free State
1940:
William M. Kelly 65 Railroad
foreman; owner valued at $5800. 8 years of school
Mary V. Kelly 59 Two
years of high school
Mary B. Kelly 31 Accountant
in sugar refinery; 2 years of high school
Elizabeth Gildea 79 Mother
in law; widow; 8 years of school
Elizabeth Hays Gildea died in 1945 and was buried in
Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., Pa.
1950 Directory: James Holley
1965, January Powelton Post:
“LOIS SMITH IN FIRST PLAY OF THE THEATRE OF THE LIVI NG ARTS
“Lois Smith , 3408 Hamilton St., plays Virginia in
Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Galileo’ opening January 12th at the Theatre of the Living
Arts, 334 South St.
“Lois Smith is a member of a new company of resident
professional actors formed for the first series of plays at Theatre of the
Living Arts. The Theatre has just been established as a civic, non-profit
center for the performing arts.”
2009: owner: Karen Faulkner
Revised 5/2/2023