3509 Spring Garden Street
(Formerly Bridge St.)
The
History of the Building
“
“Archbishop Ryan Memorial
Institute. Circa 1955 orange brick limestone trim Catholic Church institute.
Two story.
“Rear of 3509: circa 1890,
imposing two-story service building or perhaps school; at rear remains part of
estate; paired, headed windows in German style; with raised gable”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
[Note: the Inventory identifies this
as the “Robert Steer [sic.]
house.” The Robert Steen house was on
the north side of the 3300 block of
The
history of this property and it occupants has been
carefully document by Mark Frazier Lloyd.
Previous Residents
1839: Two lots sold by Julia Ann Britton to
Charles Dull.
1850:
Charles Dull 51 Paper dealer; he did not declare any real estate
Martha M. Dull 35
Mary C. Dull 18
Martha Dull 16
Anna Crise 27
Mary A. Gleason 26
Margaret Vanoler 29
Sara Janvier 30
Isabella Janvier 17
John Read 30
Sarah Read 32
The
1861 directory lists Miss Janviers, Mantua Seminary
at Bridge (Spring Garden) above 35th. The 1865 directory lists the
seminary at 3412
Baring St. The 1867 directory lists Sara N. Janvier, seminary at 3508
Bridge (Spring Garden). The 1885 directory lists her at 3105
Baring St.. Sarah died there in 1889. In 1885, Sarah N., Caroline A. and Isabella G. Janvier transferred the deed to 3412 Hamilton St. to Louisa S. Janvier. They had
apparently inherited it from Francis De Haes Janvier (see
his biography there).
1851: Sold to Joseph Dubs, “of the District of
Spring Garden in the County of Philadelphia aforesaid, merchant, sole executor
of the last will and testament of William J. Dubs, late of the City of
Maracaibo of the Republic of Venezuela, deceased, bearing date the second day
of May Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and forty nine and filed in the
Register of Wills office at Philadelphia, [and] trustee for Susan M. Dubs,
under the said will” for $6,000…”
1856: Sold to Albert S. Ashmead for $8,000. In
1857, it was transferred to his wife, Elizabeth Graham Ashmead.
In 1860, the Ashmead family lived at
3500
Hamilton St.
1856-1859 Directories: Ashmead Albert S., business
address: 14 S Delaware Ave.
1859, Sept. The property was insured by the
Franklin Fire Insurance Co. payable to Elizabeth G. Ashmead.
From the survey for the Franklin Fire
Insurance Co., Sept. 1859.
1859: One of the two lots sold to Henry K. Harnish
for $13,000.
1860 &
1861: Both lots purchased
by James P. Bruner for a total of $11,800.
1860:
James P. Bruner 45 Manufacturer
of woolen goods
Margaret Bruner 40 Real estate:
$75,000; personal: $4,000
Henry N. Bruner 20
James Bruner 17
Frank Bruner 14
Willard Bruner 12
Lewis Bruner 9
Margaret Bruner 7
Ellen Goulay 28 Domestic servant; born in
Sarah Foster 23 Domestic
servant; born in
Mary McBride 19 Domestic
servant; born in
For
a brief biography of James Bruner, see the Powelton
Post, April, 2009.
1861 Directory: James P. Bruner, manufacturer, Bridge
below 36th
1862 Directory: H. Naglee
Bruner, Bridge below 36th
James P. Bruner, Bridge below 36th
J. P. Bruner, Bridge above 35th
J. S. Bruner, Bridge above 35th
They
were all listed as cotton & woolen goods at the southwest corner of 23rd
& Hamilton St. J. P. and J. S. Bruner lived in a separate house near 35th
St.
The
1871 city directory list Henry Naglee Bruner living
at 1518 Arch St.
1866, May 7: Death of Margaret C. Naglee Bruner, 50 years old. Burial at Laurel Hill.
1867: Francis Herbert Bruner and Willard Naglee Bruner graduated from the University of
Pennsylvania. Francis received an A.M. in 1871 and Willard received the same
degree in 1874.
1870:
James Bruner 54 Manuf. of Cotton goods; real estate:
$1,000,000, personal: $100,000
Annie Bruner 25
James Bruner 26 Manuf.
of Cotton goods; Personal: $100,000
Frank Bruner 24 Manuf.
of Cotton goods; Personal: $50,000
Willard Bruner 22 Manuf. of
Cotton goods; Personal: $50,000
Louis Bruner 18
Annie Bruner 1
William Holland 23 Coachman;
black
From: University
Record, University of Pennsylvania, 1(6), June 29, 1871.
1871: Louis N. Bruner received the A.B. degree
in 1871 and an A.M. in 1874. One of his classmates was Frederick H. Andrews (3507 Baring St.)
1874, Sept. 6, Birth of Emilie Bruner, daughter
of James P. Bruner and Annie Forepaugh
1877: Birth of Norman C. Bruner, son of James
P. Bruner and Annie Forepaugh
He
died in April, 1883.
1878 Scott Atlas: lists E. Browning as owner
1878 Directory: F. Herbert Bruner
Henry
Bruner
Herbert
Bruner
James
P. Bruner, office at 417 Walnut
He died Aug. 4, 1897
while living at 1733 Huntington St. He had previously lived at 3617 Locust St.
J.
Stanley Bruner
Louis
N. Bruner of Bruner & Atwood (Louis N. Bruner & John M. Atwood), maps
at 402 Locust
In 1877, Bruner & Atwood published Williams' New Copper-plate Map of the United
States.
1881, June 28: Title transferred to Julia K. Verner by American
Life Insurance Co. as of John P. Bruner by sheriff
1881 Directory: William Verner (O. S. Janney & Co.)
H 2029
In
1880, the Verners lived at
“William
Vermes (1888 to "90, '92 to '94) was born near
(Directors of the Girard Bank - The history of the Girard National Bank of
“O.
S. JANNEY & CO. IMPORTERS AND DEALERS IN DIGO, CHEMICALS, DYE-STUFFS,
ANILINE COLORS, ETC w
1882, June 15: Death of John Verner, 14 years
old
1886 Baist
Map: lists owner as Julia K
Verner
1887 Directory: William Verner (O. S. Janney & Co.)
William R. Verner, Clerk
1890 Directory: William Verner (O. S. Janney & Co.) & pres
United Security Life Insurance & Trust Co. of Pa.
O. S. Janney & Co. (Spencer M. &
Joseph A. Janney, William & William R. Verner), dye stuffs, 8 Letitia
William
R. Verner also of O. S. Janney & Co., lived at 3203 Mantua Ave.
1897: The United Security Life Insurance &
Trust Co. of Pa., William Verner, president, reported assets of four million
dollars.
1900:
William Verner 69 President;
born in
Julia K. Verner 62 Born in
Mass.
Julia E. Verner 30
Minnie McLalvskey
21 Servant;
born in
Ellen McLalvskey 18 Servant;
born in Ireland
1901: May 13: Death of William Verner, 72 years
old
1901, June 14: Julia Verner’s passport gives
her place of birth as
She
died in 1907 while living in Wayne, Pa.
1901, June 26: Title transferred to John A. Kelley by Julia K.
Verner
1910:
John A. Kelley 62 Contractor
for railroads and public works; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1852; owner,
free of a mortgage
Martha A. Kelley 47 Married 23
years, 7 children, 5 surviving; parents born in Ireland
John A. Kelley, Jr. 28 Contractor for
railroads and public works
Charles L. Kelley 26 Theater actor
Joseph F. Kelley 17
Edwin J. Kelley 12
Mary M. Kelley 22
Helen Kelley 14
Margaret Kelley 11
Bridget Staunton 49 Servant,
waitress; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1880
Catherine Loftus 24 Servant,
waitress; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1900
Mary Florin 23 Servant,
cook; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1909
John
A. Kelley was born in Donegal, Ireland, April 29, 1847. In 1880, he lived in
East Cain, Chester Co. with his first wife, Kate Sweazey,
their two daughters, Agnes (age 3) and Katie (11 months), and Kate’s sister
Maggie Sweazey. Kate was the mother of John A., Jr. and Charles Leo Keeley. The other five children listed
above were born to John’s second wife, Martha Ambrosia McGeveran.
Kelley was a partner in Ryan & Kelley
which was “perhaps the largest firm of general contractors in the city. In the
past fifteen years since they have been in business Ryan & Kelley have done
$60,000,000 worth of work, principally for the railroads.” The partnership was
dissolved in 1906 following delays in the funding for the Belmont filtration
plant. (Inquirer, Feb. 13, 1906)
He developed several lots in the
3600 black of Spring Garden including 3601
Spring Garden St., 3603
Spring Garden St., and 3605
Spring Garden St. in 1902.
The
1915 city directory lists John A. Kelley, Jr. living at 733 N. 63td St.
Charles
L. Kelley appeared in two musical comedies on Broadway: “Over the River,”
Jan.-Aug., 1912 (a Ziegfeld production with Eddie Foy) and “Watch Your Step,”
(music and lyrics by Irving Berlin with Vernon & Irene Castle) Dec. 1914 – May, 1915.
1914: The Kelley family spent the summer at
their summer house in Berwyn. (Evening
Public Ledger, Oct. 19)
1915 Directory: John A. Kelley, president John
A. Kelley Co. , contactors at
512 Pennsylvania Blvd. (John A. Kelley president, John A. Kelley, Jr., vice
president, Horace B. Nepps secretary & treasurer)
1919:
“Auto
Saved at Garage Fire. Patrolman and Owner Promptly Act – Loss, $2,500. “Prompt
action by Patrolmen Jason and Emerson saved several automobiles from
destruction by fire in the garage of John Kelley, 3509 Spring
Garden street, early today. The damage to the property is estimated at
$2,500.” (Evening Public Ledger, Jan. 10)
1919, May 30: Death of John A. Kelley
“husband of Martha McGeveran
Kelley. Relatives and friends invited to funeral…. from his late residence,
3509 Spring Garden st. Solemn mass of requiem, Church
of St. Agatha… Int. Old Cathedral Cem.” (Inquirer,
June 1, 1919)
“Obituary.
John A. Keeley [sic.].
“Was
Widely Known Railroad Contractor and Veteran of Civil War.
“One
of the most widely known railroad contractors in the East, John A. Keeley, of
3509 Spring Garden street, died yesterday. He was a
member of the former firm of Ryan and Kelley. Under his direction many
important works were built for the Pennsylvania Railroad, among them being a
portion of the Schuylkill Valley Railroad, including the Phoenixville tunnel.
“Born
in Ireland in 1847, Mr. Keeley came to America at an early age. When only 15,
in December, 1861, he enlisted in the Union Army, in
the 103d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. His war record was notable. In 1864,
with a number of his regiment, he was captured in
Plymouth, N. C., and for many months confined in Andersonville prison. After
the war, he engaged in the contracting business, in 1882, opening offices for
himself.
“Mr.
Keeley was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Catholic Club of
Philadelphia and the American Catholic Historical Association. The funeral will
be held Tuesday at 10 A. M. from the Church of St. Agatha. Interment will be in
Old Catholic Cemetery.” (Inquirer, June 1, 1919)
1920:
Martha Kelley 57 Widowed;
parents born in Ireland
Mary M. Kelley 32 Secretary for social service; father
born in Ireland
Joseph F. Kelley 26 Purchasing
agent for construction company; father born in Ireland
Helen M. Kelley 24 Stenographer;
father born in Ireland
Edwin J. Kelley 22 Inspection
engineer; father born in Ireland
Margaret M. Kelley 20 Father born in
Ireland
Kathryn McGeveran 60 Sister;
single; parents born in Ireland
Bridget Stanton 60 Servant;
born in Ireland, immigrated in 1877
Catherine Fleming 47 Servant; born
in Ireland, immigrated in 1896
In
1921, Edwin J. Kelley married Mary Beatrice Logue. In 1930, they had three
children and were living at 6072 Drexel Rd. He was a salesman for an
advertising company.
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