3601-05 Spring Garden Street

The Ray House

 

 

 

The original house on this lot was replaced in 1902/03 by three houses:

 

3601 Spring Garden St.                        3603 Spring Garden St.                        3605 Spring Garden St.

 

Previous Residents

 

1870:

Mary Ray                     72        Real estate: $80,000, personal property: $3,000

Henry Ray                   56        Retired merchant; personal property: $10,000

William Ray                 41        Retired merchant

Margaret Gillmer         54        Real estate: $5,000, personal property: $3,000

Clara Gillmer               30

Morris Gillmer             10        [Born in Brazil]

Catharine Kern                        19        Domestic servant; born in Ireland; unable to read or write

Annie Collier               22        Domestic servant; born in Ireland; unable to read or write

            Mary (Tremper) Ray was the widow of Moses Ray (1790-1823). She was a communicant in the Dutch Reform Church in 1837. Margaret (Ray) Gillmer was the widow of John Smith Gillmer (1802-1863). He died in Brazil where their son, Mauricio (Morris) Gilmer, was born. (Clara Gillmer was born in Philadelphia). In 1880, Margaret and Morris were living in Gwynedd, Pa.

 

Mary Truitt’s daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Charles B. Truitt who owned the large lot at the center of the block.

 

1877, Mar. 10: Death of Mary Margaretha (Tremper) Ray, 79 years old, widow of Moses Ray of 3601 Spring Garden St.

 

1877, Apr. 9: Death of Clara Gillmer, daughter of the late John S. Gillmer of Bairia, Grazil of 3601 Spring Garden St. Funeral from the residence of the uncle, Mr. C. B. Truitt, No. 3609 Spring Garden St." (Inquirer, April 11)

 

1880:

John G. Brill                63        Car builder; born in Germany

Julia A. Brill                 57        Born in Germany

Edward Brill                29        Clerk

Amelia A. Brill             22

John A. Brill                26        Salesman

(ED 490, 1)

 

1881 Dir.: Edward Brill, 3601 Spring Garden

            John A. Brill, clerk, 3601 Spring Garden

            John G. Brill (J.G.Brill & Co.), 3601 Spring Garden

            In 1882, the family purchased 3411 Baring St. and moved there.

            The J. G. Brill Co. was the largest producer of street cars in North America. John G. Brill (1817-1888) and son G. Martin Brill founded the company in 1868 with a factory at 31st and Chestnut St. which eventually covered 4½ acres. They moved the factory to Woodland Ave. about 1890. They eventually had five factories and manufactured cars for trolley lines as far away as South Africa.  A brief biography and description of the company was published in 1891 in Philadelphia and Popular Philadelphians.

 

1890: H. R. Lampen signed a petition regarding the paving of Broad St. (Phila. Inquirer, April 29)

 

1893, Feb.: Title for 3601-05 Spring Garden transferred to Elizabeth T. Truitt, et al. by Mary Ray, by will

 

1894: “Mr. and Mrs. John A. Kelly [sic.] and family, of Thirty-sixth and Spring Garden streets, have gone to their summer residence at Berwyn, where they will remain until the end of September.” (Inquirer, July 15)

 

1895 Directory: Kelley John A. of Ryan & Kelley

 

1898, May. 27: Title transferred to John A. Kelley by descendants of Elizabeth T. Truitt

            (after several changes of title within the Truitt family)

 

1900:

John A. Kelley             53        Contractor; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1852; owner

Martha A. Kelley         38        Married 13 years, 7 children, 6 surviving; born in Ireland

Agnes M. Kelley          23

Katharine F. Kelley     21

John A. Kelley Jr.         18

Charles Leo Kelley      16

Mary M. Kelley            12

Francis A. Kelley           9

Joseph Kelley                7

Helen Kelley                  4

Bridget Stanton            33        Servant; born in Ireland

Mary Smith                  38        Servant; born in Ireland

Mary McCann              25        Servant; born in Ireland

            The reports of the birthplaces of the children’s parents are confusing.

            In 1910, John A. Kelley and his family lived at 3509 Spring Garden St. (see that page for biographical information)

 

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Revised  2/16/2021

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