3604 Hamilton Street

 

Description: Description: 3604Hamilton

 

 

 “late Queen Anne style house with Colonial Revival porch. Pompeiian brick with rusticated stone arched openings~ Second-floor projecting bay and oval windows with sculptured figurine surrounds. Elaborate patterned third-floor window surrounds and projecting basins below narrow flanking windows. Corbelled brick and small roundels below modillioned cornice.”

(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)

 

 

History

 

1867, Sep. 1: Title transferred to Martha A. Campbell by Elias P. Smither

 

1871, Dec. 16: Title transferred to William W. Allen by Martha A. Campbell

 

1874, Jan. 31: Title transferred to William W. Allen by Sheriff

 

1894, July 19: Title transferred to Emma L. Jenkins by William W. Allen

 

1895, Feb. 12: Title transferred to Samuel H. Brown by Emma L. Jenkins

 

1895, April 5: “At 3604 Hamilton street, Samuuel R. Brown will build for himself a very handsome three-story Pompeian brick dwelling, 20x70feet.” (Inquirer)

 

1895, April: Building permit issued to “Saml Brown, Bala, 1 bldg. 20 x 70 ft, 3 sty. 3604 Hamilton st.” (Builders’ Guide, April 10)

 

1897, April4: For sale: “3604 Hamilton, new, 13 rooms … 14,500” (Inquirer)

 

1898, Mar. 9: Title transferred to Georgiana Given by Samuel H. Brown

 

1898, May. 14: Title transferred to Louis Pigeon by Georgiana Given

             “Armstrong, Lamb & Co. have sold 3604 Hamilton street, lot 25x100 feet, for Georgiana Given, for $15,000.” (Phila. Inquirer, June 18, 1898)

 

1898, June 18: Title transferred to Louis E. Smith by Louis Pigeon

 

1899, Aug. 18: Title transferred to Frank W. Hoyt by Louis E. Smith

 “Frank W. Hoyt has purchased the property at 3604 Hamilton street, 25x100 feet, from Louise E. Smith, subject to a mortgage of $8000, for $7000. (Phila. Inquirer, Aug. 22, 1899)

 

1900, May 27: “FOR RENT 3604 Hamilton street … 12 rooms.” (Inquirer)

            This ad appeared frequently until November)

 

1900: Not enumerated in census

 

1901, July 9: Title transferred to Elizabeth Auch by Frank W. Hoyt

The immediately transferred to Henry J. Rife by Elizabeth Auch

 

1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. Henry J. Rife [Jr.]

            Henry J. Rife was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)

            In 1894, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “One of the most pleasant social events of the past week was the reception given by Mr. [and Mrs.] Henry J. Rife, at their residence, northeast corner of Thirty-fourth street and Lancaster avenue.  Mrs. Rife was formerly Miss [Sarah Gay] Knight, of Boston.  Of those present were Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Knight and Miss L. Armenell Ackley, of Boston, Mrs. Mary A. Rife, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob F. Rife, Miss Edith Rife and Mrs. S. K. Brady, of Middletown, Pa…..” (Phila. Inquirer, 6/3/1894)  The couple was married in April, 1894.

            The 1900 census lists them as renters at 648 N. 4th St.  The 1895 Directory gives his home address as 61 N. 34th St.  The 1891 Directory lists 506 Market St., the family leather store, for the estate of Henry J. Rife[Sr.].  His widow was Mary W. Rife whose address was 4026 Green St.  She was apparently his second wife.

            Henry’s grandfather was a tanner in Middletown, Dauphin, Pa.  His father, Henry J. Rife, Sr., was the oldest of seven children.  He moved to Philadelphia and went into the leather business. 

 

1910:

Henry J. Rife                41        Leather merchant; owned free of a mortgage

Sarah G. Rife               40        Married 16 years, 4 children; born in Mass.

Henry K. Rife              14

Sarah I. Rife                 12

John P. Rife                 10

Clarence H. Rife            6

Ella Reilly                    30        Servant; born in Ireland (English), immigrated in 1896

Lizzie Rochford           20        Servant; born in Ireland (English), immigrated in 1906

 

1911, March 11: Building permit: “J. P. Thompson, bay window, 3604 Hamilton street, for Henry J. Rife: cost $4,000.” (Inquirer)

 

1917: Draft registration: Henry Knight Rife, born Nov. 17, 1895, salesman in leather store; conditions: “affliction of the heart”

                                       John Percival Rife, born Jan 13, 1900, student at West Philadelphia High School, 48th & Walnut.

 

1920:

Henry J. Rife                51        Leather dealer, wholesale and retail; owner, free of a mortgage

Sarah G. Rife               50        Born in Mass.

Henry K. Rife              24        Salesman in leather store

S. Irene Rife                 22        College student

John P. Rife                 19        College student

Clarence H Rife           16        High school student

            In 1930, John was living with his wife and three daughters in Nether Providence, Delaware Co.  He owned his house which was valued at $30,000.  He was an executive in the leather business.  Clarence and his wife, Corrine, lived in Lower Merion.  He was a salesman in the leather business.  He owned his house which was valued at $15,000.  The 1950 Directory gives the address of the Henry J. Rife Co., leather, as 19 N. 5th St.  John P. Rife is listed at the same address.

 

1921, May 12: Death of Henry Knight Rife, 25 years old, of 3604 Hamilton St. Buried in Bala Cynwyd

 

1923: Death of Sarah Gay Rife

 

1924: Marriage of Mildred S. Alexander to John Percival Rife

 

1927: Marriage of Lydia Armenell Foster nee Ackley to Henry J. Riff. in Belmont, Mass.  She was the widow of Arthur Langham Foster who died in 1922.

 

1929: Marriage of Millicent Corrine McClelland to Clarence Howard Rife

 

1930:

Henry J. Rife                62        Leather goods; married at age 29; owner, house valued at $6,000

Lydia A. Rife                61        Married at age 28; born in Mass.

Lettice Winters            32        Servant; black; divorced; born in Va.

 

1933, June 30: Death of Henry Jacob Rife, 65 years old

            “Henry J. Rife, for 44 years head of a leather and shoe bindings business, who died on Friday at his home, 3604 Hamilton st., will be buried tomorrow at Laurel Hill Cemetery following services at his home at noon. He succeeded his father in business in 1889. The firm was established in 1839. He was a member of several industrial and Masonic organizations.” (Inquirer, July 2, 1933)

 

1933: Title transferred to John P. Rife by will of Henry J. Rife

 

1940:

Helen Runyon              60        Widow, married at age 22, one child; 8 years of school; renting for $50 per month

Helen Lawrence           36        Niece; widow; 2 years high school

Mary Runyon               24        Daughter; looking for work for 152 weeks; 4 years school

Yvonne Simms              6        Niece

 

1944, Mar. 6: Title transferred to Alice M. Mansfield, wife of Thomas J. by John P. Rife

 

1946 July: Marriage license issued to Lucretia Lockley, 46 years-old, of 1529 Thompson St. and Thomas Mansfiield, 32 years-old, of 3604 Hamilton St.

 

1947, May: Marriage license issued to Marie Mansfield, 24 years-old, of 3604 Hamilton St. and Lieut. Loring Jones, 25 years-old, of Pierpont, NY

 

1950 Directory: Dr. George A. Anderson

                         Thomas Mansfield

 

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