“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
Henry’s grandfather was a tanner in
1910:
Henry J. Rife 41 Leather merchant; owned free of a
mortgage
Sarah G. Rife 40 Married
16 years, 4 children; born in
Henry K. Rife 14
Sarah I. Rife 12
John P. Rife 10
Clarence H.
Rife 6
Ella Reilly 30 Servant; born in
Lizzie Rochford 20 Servant;
born in
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
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
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
Lettice Winters
32 Servant; black; divorced; born in
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
<
3602 Hamilton 3606 Hamilton >
Revised
10/26/2021