3408 Spring Garden Street

 

3406-3408: “three-story, Italianate double, stuccoed; cruciform plan; front and side Victorian wood porch; entrance in cross arm. Large bracketed overhanging roof. Paired arcuated third-floor windows. Decorative cast iron lintels over second-floor windows. Rusticated stone quoins.”

(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)

 

History

 

1858 Directory (Fall 1857): James Kirkpatrick, wines and liquor at 709 Market St.

            The 1857 directory lists James Kirkpatrick, distiller at 279 Market St., living at Bridge above 6th, i.e., the 3700 block of Spring Garden St. He apparently owned 3408 Spring Garden St. by 1857

 

1860:

James Kirkpatrick                    62        Liquor merchant; born in Ireland; real estate: $30,000, personal property: $30,000

Rebecca Kirkpatrick                52        Born in Ireland

William H. Kirkpatrick            25        Liquor merchant

Rebecca Kirkpatrick                18

John Kirkpatrick                     13

Pat Masterson                          30        Gardener; born in Ireland

Ann McDevitt                         27        Servant; born in Ireland

Sarah McFadden                      19        Servant; born in Ireland

 

1861, Aug. 9: Death of James Kirkpatrick, Sr. of 34th and Bridge Sts.

 

1870:

Everett Webster          45        Wholesale liquor; born in Mass.; no real estate [renter], personal: $40,000

Harriet [sic.] Webster   35        Born in Mass.

May Webster                 9        Born in Mass.

Ellen (Helen) Webster   5

William Webster            2

Jenny Trevis                15        Domestic servant; mulatto

Ellen Pierson               40        Seamstress

            The 1866 directory lists him living at 1819 N. 12th St. with his liquor business at 228-230 S. Front St. They moved to 3400 Baring St. about 1874. Helen Webster was still living there when she died in 1913.

 

1872 Hopkins Atlas: owner shown as Mrs. Kirkpatrick

 

1880:

A. Van Haagen            58        Soap manufacturer; born in Germany

Edmonia Van Haagen 50        Born in Va.

John C. Van Haagen    18        At school

Rebecca Van Haagen   16        At school

Henry E. Van Haagen 14        At school

Mary E. Van Haagen   10        At school

            Anthony Van Haagen was born in Hanover, Germany, April 29, 1822. For information about his soap manufacturing business, see the Powelton History Blog.

            “After the [Civil] war, when resin became plentiful there was a tendency to revert to the old methods of making soap; but late in the sixties the process of hardening resin soaps by the use of sal-soda was first introduced by A. van Haagen, at that time of Philadelphia.” (1795-1895. One hundred years of American commerce ... Mitchell Depew. 1895.)

 

1881 Directory: Anthony van Haagen, soap

 

1882: Anthony Haagen patented a design for a bar of soap.

 

1886 Smith Atlas: shows owner as William H. Kirkpatrick

            William H. Kirkpatrick died Aug. 27, 1862 in Edgewater, N.J.

 

1888, June 7: Title transferred to Katie B. Stafford by Mary A. Kirkpatrick for $7,000. (Inquirer, June 18)

 

1890 Census Veterans Schedule:

            Eli M. Bruce, Private, H Co., 44th Reg., pa. Infantry, enlistment: July, 1863 served about 3 months.

            Maurice C. Stafford, Private, H Co., 44th Reg., pa. Infantry, enlistment: July, 1863 served about 3 months.

                2nd lieutenant, B Co., 37th N.J. Infantry, June, 1864 - Oct., 1864

                Capt., D Co., 40th Reg., N.J. Infantry, Jan., 1865 - July, 1865

                        Stafford was Eli M. Bruce’s son-in-law (see below).

 

1890 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. E. M. Bruce & daughter

                           Mr. & Mrs. M. C. Stafford

                           William T. Tansley

            E. M. Bruce is listed as an officer on the Board of Trustees for the Union Home for Old Ladies (Lancaster and Girard Ave.) History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884. Vo. 2

 

1892: Captain M. C. Stafford, National Guard of PA. commanding Battery A, received the order to concentrate his command at Frazer station, PA RR and from there proceed to Mr. Gretna. (Annual Report of the First Brigade N.G.P. October 1892)

 

E. M. Bruce was a prominent figure in the music trade in Philadelphia for more than forty years. His obituary in the 2/4/1898  Vermont Phoenix, noted his philanthropic work with prisoners in PA and his enduring relationship with the Estey company. Manufacturing the muse: Estey organs and consumer culture in Victorian America. June 1903

 

1897, Nov. 10: Title transferred to William M. Bruce as of Kate B. Stafford, wife, and Maurice C. Stafford by Katie B. Stafford

            Katie Bruce Stafford

 

1899, June 12: Title transferred to Katie B. Stafford by William M. Bruce as of Kate B. Stafford, wife, and Maurice C. Stafford

 

1898 Blue Book: Mrs. E. M. Bruce & daughter

                           Capt. & Mrs. M. C. Stafford

            Mrs. Stafford was Katie Bruce Stafford (see below).

 

 

1898, Feb. 3: Death of Eli M. Bruce

“Eli M. Bruce, of the well-known piano and organ firm of Estey & Bruce, 1207 Chestnut street, died suddenly last evening at his home, 3408 Spring Garden street, West Philadelphia.

“Mr. Bruce was one of the veteran piano and organ dealers of this city, having established the present business during the winter of 1858-59. He was born in Wilmington, Vt., April 25, 1825 and was educated in the public schools of his native town. In 1857 he commenced business life by engaging with the late Deacon Estey in the sale of the Estey melodious. In the following winter he established the branch in Philadelphia, where he has since resided. Mr. Bruce enlisted and served in the 44th, or ‘Merchant's Regiment’ emergency men, about the time of the battle of Gettysburg, and all during the war be was active in the recruiting of men. Mr. Bruce bad always been a prominent member of the Baptist Church, and bad ever led an upright Christian life, spending much of his time and money in earnest efforts to persuade his fellow men to embrace Christianity.

“Mr. Bruce leaves a wife and two daughters, Mrs. Captain Stafford and Miss Helen H. Bruce. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, the 8tb, at two o'clock.” (Inquirer, Feb. 4)

 

Captain of Battery A, Pennsylvania National Guard

(Evening Star, WDC, March 4, 1893)

 

1900:

Maurice C. Stafford     56        Real estate agent; born in N.J.; owner with a mortgage

Katie B. Stafford          55        Married 20 years, 4 children, 2 surviving; born in Vt.

Richard L. Stafford      19

Maurice M. Stafford     16

Harriet M. Bruce          77        Mother-in-law; widowed, 3 children; born in Vt.

Ella H. Bruce               38        Sister-in-law; born in N.J., parents born in Vt.

William Tansley           52        Boarder; musician; single; born in England, immigrated in 1850

Emily Myers                30        Servant; apparently married in past year; born in England, immigrated in 1899

            Ella Bruce was the widow of Eli M. Bruce (see above). William Tansley was a tenor.

 

1906 Blue Book: B. F. Hawley

                          B.F. Hawley, Jr.

                          They had a summer residence at Bayhead, N.J. The directories for 1889-‘95 list them living at 417 N. 33rd St. In 1900, they lived at 3402 Baring St. (See that address for more biography.)

 

1915: Smedley Fund:

            Founded on legacy of Samuel L. Smedley.                                                                               $6000.

            Real Estate, House and Lot 3408 Spring Garden Street carried at cost under foreclosure:       $7,129.20

            Cash over-invested:                                                                                                                   1,129.20

                                                                                                                                                            $6,000.00

            (excerpt from “Report of Council,”  PA Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 40. Historical Soc. of  Pa.)

 

1927 Directory: D. S. Donnell

 

< 3406 Spring Garden                                                                                                     3410 Spring Garden >

Revised: 5/22/2022

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