3415 Baring Street
The
History of the Building
1872 Hopkins Atlas shows an empty lot belonging to the Estate of Robert Steen.
1878 Scott Atlas shows an empty lot owned by Craig & Mc
Cahan
3413-3415: “Italianate-style,
three-story double with East lake-inspired wood porch; stone facade over brick.
Full-height first-floor windows; double bracketed wood cornice; flat roof. Four
registers to each floor having stone segmental lintels.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the national register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1860, July: Deed for 3413-17 Baring St. and 3412-22 Hamilton St.
transferred from Samuel Hutchinson (for Sheriff sale) to Estate of Robert Steen.
1877, Jan. 2: Title for 3413-3419 Baring St. transferred to John
F. Craig and William J. McCahan by Estate of Robert Steen
1879, May 7: Title for 3413-3415 Baring St. transferred to Peter
C. Erben by John F. Craig and William J. McCahan
1880:
Walter Erben 25 Wool merchant
Emma Erben 28
Helen Erben 1
Agnes Erben 5 months
M. Cumberlich 22 Servant;
born in England, father born in Ireland, mother in England
Bridgett Mughme 19 Servant;
born in Ireland
Walter Erben
was not listed in the 1880 directory. The 1879 directory lists him as a
bookkeeper living at 118 S. 33rd. He was the son of Peter A. Erben
b. about 1790. In 1870, they lived at 206 N. 19th St. His brother,
Louis, lived next door at 3413 Baring St.
Erben, Search & Co. factory c1888
“The lauding of Tacony as the ideal manufacturing town by the
report of Pennsylvania's Internal Affairs Secretary brought Erben Search
Company Worsted Mill into the community in 1885. Land was purchased on the
river south of the Disston works and a building constructed that resembled the
textile buildings of the 1860s. The building itself, with its tower and chimney
remain the best example of such manufacturing buildings still standing in the
area. In 1904, the Harding Textile Company at 25th and Spring Garden Streets
decided to merge their operation with that of Erben in Tacony. Thereafter the
textile plant was known as Erben Harding.
“When the new plant was opened there
was, for the first time, an industry in Tacony that employed large numbers of
female workers. Most were Polish women from Bridesburg or Irish or Italian
women from Tacony. The company closed during the depression of the 1930s. The
Erben Harding complex remains deserted but in good condition.”
(Harry C. Silcox, Workshop of the World. Oliver Evans
Press, 1990.)
1880, Dec. 11: Title transferred to Walter Erben by Peter C. and
Mary Erben
1881 Directory: Walter Erben, wool
1887 & 1889 Directories: Walter Erben (Erbe, Secarch
& Co., Henry Erben, Theodore C. Search, Charles H. Harding & Walter
Erben), worsted yarns, 106 Chestnut & 2416 Spring Garden)
In 1900, they lived at
1887, May 12: Death of Elizabeth H Morris, 66 years old, of 3415
Baring St. She was widowed and worked as a housekeeper. Burial at Christ
Church, Upper Merion, Pa.
1889 & 1890 Directories: George B. Armitage, insurance,
401 Walnut, h 3415 Baring
The 1887 Directory listed him at
1892: Walter Erben joined a lawsuit
aimed at stopping the introduction of electric trolleys on Baring St. to
replace the old horse-drawn streetcars. (See the Powelton
History Blog for details.)
1894: Walter Erben
elected member:
1895 Directory: Walter Erben (Erben, Harding, & Co.)
1895, Oct. 1: Deed transferred from Walter Erben
to Abram Walker.
It was sold for $5,500 plus a
mortgage of $8,000. (Inquirer)
1895, Oct. Permit issued to J. Wesley Arthur,
contractor, to add a bay window to 3415 Baring St. (Inquirer)
1896 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. A. Walker &
daughters
1898 Blue Book: Abram Walker was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)
1897: Laura and Rebecca M. Walker
(Good roads:
devoted to the construction and maintenance of roads ..., Vol. 25. League
of American Wheelmen)
1897: Death of Elizabeth Holstein Morris. 66 years old, widow of
Charles E. Morris. Funeral from the home of her brother-in-law, Abram Walker,
3415 Baring St.
The 1895 city directory lists
Elizabeth H. Morris, widow of Charles E. Morris living at 2040 Gratz Ave.
1899, Sept. 21: Death of Abram Walker, 69 years old. The relatives
and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral service at his late
residence, 3415 Baring St.
In the 1870s, they lived at 403 (aka 325) N. 33rd St. and then moved to 3316 Race St.
1900:
Emily Walker 63 Widowed,
2 children; owned free of a mortgage
Harvey Walker 42 Step-son; wagon builder
Rebecca M. Walker 31 Step-daughter
Maggie McCarey 28 Servant;
born in
Julia McCarley 22 Servant;
born in
In 1910, Emily Walker was living at 3629
Spring Garden St. with her niece.
1900, Sept. 21: Death of Harvey Walker, 44 years old, of 3415
Baring St. He was a merchant. He was born in Phila. and died in Dansville,
Livingston, New York. Burial at West Laurel Hill.
1903: 3415 Baring St. offered for sale for $16,000. (Inquirer, Sept. 16)
1906, November: Deed transferred from William M. Hardt [3303
Powelton Ave.] and Rebecca M. Walker, executors of the will of Abram Walker, to
Samuel Simpson.
1910:
Samuel Simpson 63 Real estate broker; parents born in
Celia M. Simpson 51
Samuel R. Simpson
20
Latissure D.
Simpson 13 Daughter
Jane Brooks 71 Boarder;
single; born in Maryland
Karoline Klecka 25 Servant;
born in
In 1900, they lived at 4185 Leidy
Columbia Ave. In 1920, they lived at
1912, Feb. 13: Death of Madge C. Reed, 58 years
old, of 3415 Baring St.
1914, November: Deed transferred from Samuel and Cecilia Simpson
to American Baptist Publication Society of Phila. Penna.
The property was acquired for a
nominal consideration. It was assessed at $9,000. (Inquirer, Nov. 29)
1915, Nov. 6: Deed transferred to Margaret M.
Mohler by American Baptist Publication Society of Phila. Penna.
1920:
Margaret M. Mohler 37 Clerk for welfare
assistance agency; single; parents born in Germany; owned with a mortgage
Mary E. Mohler 66 Mother;
born in
Rose V. Mohler 39 Sister;
clerk in welfare assistance office; single
Mary Mohler was the widow of John W.
Mohler, a laborer. In 1900, they lived at 2121 S. Hancock St. That census
states that Rose was born in German but arrived here as an infant. The two
sisters gave wildly varying ages at the censuses of 1920 to 1940. According to
the 1900 census, Rose was born in October 1880 and Margaret was born in
November 1882. [I have entered corrected ages based on those dates.]
1930:
Margaret Mohler 47 Manager of
multigraphing co.; parents born in
Mary E. Mohler 70 Widowed;
born in
Rose V. Mohler 49 Sister;
secretary for multigraphing co.
1940:
Margaret Mohler 57 Bank
office manager, she worked 38 hours in the previous week, but did not have any
income in 1939; owner, value $7,100; 4 years college
Rose V. Mohler 59 Sister;
she had been unemployed for 84 weeks, previously she had been a stenographer at
an insurance company; 2 years high school
1950 Directory: Margaret M. Mohler
1965, Nov. 14: Death of Rose V. Mohler, 79
years old, of 3415 Baring St.
1966, Dec. 3: Death of Margaret M. Mohler,
sister of the late Rose Mohler of 3415 Baring St. Friends and employees of the
Philadelphia National Bank invited to the funeral. Solemn Requiem Mass at St.
James Church, 38th & Chestnut Sts. Internment at
Holy Cross Cemetery.
1968 Directory: Prokopoff
S.
2001: Purchased by Michael Resnick and Frank Sarlo
Revised 3/15/2022