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
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)
Revised 2/16/2021