“Built
1898. Brick two-and-one-half story Georgian Revival style residence with
gambrel roof, heavy semicircular portico supported by doric
columns. Fluted doric columns and sidelights flank the
central doorway. Palladian windows appear on either side of the entrance and
above it at the second floor. This central bay has pedimented gable with
bull's-eye window be low; outer bays have pedimented dormer windows. Rusticated
limestone quoins clearly define the buildings three bays. Minimal alterations.
Architect: Sellers and Kirk.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the national register of Historic
Places, 1985)
It was
built by Jacob Myers & Sons.
The History
The 1872 Atlas
shows the north side of the 3400 block of Powelton Ave. was owned by John and
William Sellers.
1883,
January: Deeds for the western end of this block (3411-3427) transferred from
William F. & Amelia Sellers to Lewis and Elizabeth Emery Jr.
1896,
June: Deed transferred from Lewis & Elizabeth (wife) Emery to Christian C.
Febiger.
1900:
Christian Febiger 55 Publisher; born in Ohio, April, 1845,
father born in Pa., mother in Del.; owned free of mortgage
Katherine S. Febiger 47 Married
23 years; five children
Christian Febiger
22
Mary S. Febiger 20
Elizabeth S.
Febiger 18
Katherine Febiger
15
William S.
Febiger 11
Mary Ward Unk. Servant, chambermaid; single; born in Ireland
Ellen Mulreaney 23
Servant, waitress; single; born in
Ireland
Hannah Adams 40 Servant,
cook; single; born in Ireland
The 1890 Directory lists: Febiger Christian C. (Lea Bros. & Co.)
living at 3318 Arch St.
Lea Bros. &
Co. (Charles M. Lea, C. C. Febiger, Arthur H. Lea & Henry M. Barnes),
publishers, 706 Sansom
Katherine Sellers Febiger was the
daughter of William Sellers. Her father had owned this property until 1883 (see
above). Her third cousin, Jesse Sellers Coulton, the
daughter of Coleman Sellers, lived at 3409 Powelton
Ave.
1908, Oct. 8: Marriage of Katherine Febiger to Boyd Lee Spahr in
Philadelphia
He was son of Murray Saphr, president of the Mechanicsville Bank,
Mechanicsville, Pa.
“A pretty wedding took place at noon
on Thursday at the residence of Christian C. Febiger, of 3421 Powelton avenue,
Philadelphia, when Miss Katherine Febiger was married to Boyd Lee Spahr of Mechanicsburg.
The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Mary B. Febiger, as maid of honor
and the following bridesmaids: Miss Cora B. Sellers [410
N. 33rd St.], Miss Anna Sellers, Miss Phoebe Pyle, Wilmington,
Del.; Miss Sidney Lewis [212 N. 34h St.], Miss Jean
Burnham [214 N. 34th St.], Miss Nathalie
Wilson [3609 Baring St.]. Christian Febiger, Jr.
was best man….
“The bride’s gown was of heavy satin
with a tulle veil held in place by a wreath of orange blossoms and she carried
a shower bouquet of lilies of the valley.
“A breakfast followed the ceremony.
Mr. and Mrs. Saphr will reside at Ardmore.” (Patriot
[Philadelphia], Oct. 10)
Christian Febiger William
Sellers Febiger
Haverford College, 1900
Haverford College, 1908
1910:
Christian C. Febiger 65 Publisher;
born in Ohio, father born in Pa., mother in Dell.
Catharine S.
Febiger 58 Married 33 years, five children
Christian Febiger 32 Salesman; son
Mary S. Febiger 30 Daughter
William Sellers Febiger 21 Son
Mary Ward 60 Servant; born in Ireland
Nora Flaherty 62 Servant;
born in Ireland
Delia Dougherty 30 Servant;
born in Ireland
Fannie McBride 26 Servant;
born in Ireland
1911, Apr. 8: Marriage of Madeleine Seabury Houle of Wheeling, W.
Virginia to Christian Febiger. They were married at St. Andrews Episcopal
Church, Mt. Holly, N.J.
1913, Oct. 18: Marriage of Lillian Wayland Wood to William Sellers
Febiger. They were married in Bryn Mawr, Pa.
1916, Sep. 6: Marriage license issued to Mary A. Tully of 3421
Powelton Ave. and Arthur J. Mitchell of 240 Church Lane
1917, Jan. 16: Death of Katherine S. Febiger,
64 years old. The cause of death was peritonitis following acute appendicitis.
Christian Febiger
(National Library of Medicine)
1920:
Christian Febiger 74
Mary S. Febiger 39 Daughter;
born in Del.
Bridget Leonard 54 Servant;
born in
Margaret Sully 24 Servant;
born in
Grace McGinley 24 Servant;
born in
1930:
Christian C. Febiger 85
Mary Febiger 50 Daughter
Mary Sweeney 32 Servant,
waitress; born in
Sarah Sweeney 27 Servant,
maid; born in Northern Ireland, mother tongue: Gaelic
Bridget Leonard 56 Servant, cook; born in
1930,
August: Deed transferred from Sabin W. & Jessie Sellers (wife) Colton to
Mary Sellers Febiger (now Mary Febiger Fife) by will as of Christian C. Febiger (dec'd).
At the time
of the 1930 census (April) Charles A. Fife was unmarried and living with his
unmarried sister at 2104 Spruce St. He was 58 years old.
He was President of the American Paediatric
Society in 1933. He had been the first president of the Babies’ Hospital of
Philadelphia when it was founded in 1911. It merged with St. Christopher’s in
1960.
1940:
Mary Febiger Fife 60 Widow of veteran; born in DE; first
married at age 50; 4 years of high school; owner, value $2500.
Marge Brown 49 Housekeeper; waitress in private home;
earned $680 in 1939; born in Eire; 8 years of school
Catherine Gardner 32 Housekeeper; chambermaid in private
home; earned $680 in 1939; born in Eire; 7 years of school
Anastasia Byrne 58 Housekeeper; cook in private home;
earned $720 in 1939; born in Eire; 6 years of school
1950
Directory: Mrs. Charles A. Fife [the former Mary Sellers Febiger]
1952:
Became the property of Drexel University
<3427
Powelton 3411
Powelton >
Revised 7/2/2022