3424 Powelton Avenue
The
History of the Building
3420-3432 were built by James
& Charles A. Maguire along with five houses around the corner on 35th
St. They were predicted to cost $100,000. (Phila. Builders Guide, Mar.
20, 1895) They were purchased by Frederick A. Poth (216 N.
33rd St.) in February 1896 (Phila. Builders’ Guide, Feb.
15, 1896) “Messrs. Maguire recently completed a large block of handsome houses
at Thirty-fifth Street and Powelton Avenue, all of which were sold to F. A.
Poth, the sale representing an investment of over $300,000.” (Phila.
Builders’ Guide, Feb. 26, 1896)
3420-3432: “three-story rowhouses, built as a single
row; rusticated stone basements; Pompeiian brick facades. Single porch
supported by wood Tuscan columns extends across front of all seven houses. Each
house has paired windows, repetition interrupted at second floor by alternating
projecting bays and tripartite windows topped by terra cotta panels; most have
tall gables with cast terra cotta ornament; 3422 and 3430 have Dutch gables; a mansarded roof with red pantiles extends between each gable.”
(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1898 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. Balfour
James Balfour
Miss C. Balfour
In
1895, they lived at 3316 Arch St. (See that address
for biographical information.)
1900:
John M. Wesley 38 Flour
merchant
Florence B. Wesley 38 Married 12
years, 1 child
Lovina B Wesley 9
Lovina B. Billington 79 Mother-in-law;
widowed, 3 children, 2 surviving; born in N.Y.
James H. Billington 42 Brother-in-law;
works in manufacturing
Sarah Baldwin 40 Nurse;
single
Ella Snowden 25 Servant;
black; born in Va.
Lavinia Briggs 29 Servant;
black; born in Va.
1900, Oct. 31: Death of Lavina P Billington, 79 years
old, of 3424 Powelton Ave., widow of James H. Billington;
she was born in Philadelphia; burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery.
1910:
Thomas H. Ashton 54 President of a trust co.; renting
Katharine Ashton 48 Married 16 years; born in MD, father in
MD, mother in Ireland
Katharine Ashton 14
Mary A. Monihan 45 Servant,
cook; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1883
Thomas H. Ashton and Katharine Maxwell
Hogg were married in 1894. The 1895 Directory lists Thomas H. Ashton,
treasurer, 4340 Main, Manayunk. And living at 506 N. 34th. In 1900,
they lived at 438 N.
34th St. In 1920, Kate and Katherine lived in the apartment
building at 3830 Chestnut St. Kate is still listed as married. She died in
April 1921 there. In 1930, Thomas is listed as a lodger at the Union League
Club. He died in January 1931.
1920:
Sarah E. Joyce 63 Married;
dormitory matron
She may have been living in Chicago
in 1910.
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Revised 8/13/2022