3604 Powelton Avenue

 

The History of the Building

 

Built by James Shedwick who lived at 3624 Baring St. in 1870. He and his father, John Shedwick, built a home for themselves at 3408 Race St. and moved there about 1872. They built many houses in Powelton.

 

3604-06: “two-and-one-half story, Queen Anne-style double composed of red brick; decorated with pressed brick belt courses and corbelled brick below gable windows. Gables are faced with red and gray slate shingles, the mansarded roof also gray slate shingles. Windows and doorways have splayed arched lintels and surrounds; the original wood porch is intact”

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

 

Previous Residents of 3604 Powelton Avenue

 

1886 Directory: Albert P. Reger, grates

 

1887 Directory: Albert P. Reger, 17 N. 7th St. manager, h 3604 Powelton

                         P. Reger

                        In 1880, Albert Reger and his wife, Emily, lived at 1922 Wallace St. with their four children.  They later had a fifth child.  He was 40 years old and working as an agent for a glass manufacturer.  Her father was born in Scotland and her mother was from South Carolina.

 

1888 Directory: Albert P. Reger, manager at 17 N. 7th St.

 Charles A. Reger, physician at 3612 Lancaster Ave.

 Albert P. Reger, manager at 17 N. 7th St.

 

1890 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. Albert P. Reger

                           Dr. & Mrs. C. Albert Reger

            The 1895 directory lists Albert P. Reger (salesman) and William Morton (clerk) Reger living at 4208 Chestnut St.  William would have been about 23 at that time.

           

1895 Directory: Isaac B. Bunting

                         Sophia A. Jones, boarding

                         John Metzger

                         Frank A. Pennington

                         W. A. Reid, agent

 

1898, June 8: Marriage of Florence May Phillips (3604 Powelton Ave.) to Thomas C. McCahan (3419 Baring St.).  The marriage was performed at 3604 Powelton Ave. (Records of the Church of the Savior (Protestant Episcopal), 38th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia).  Her parents lived at 3701 Powelton Ave.

 

1900: This address was not covered in the 1900 census.

 

1910:

Joseph McOscar          46        Runs a saloon; born in Ireland; owner with a mortgage

Mary McOscar             46        Married for second time 10 years earlier, 5 children, 2 surviving; born in Ireland

Harry J. Diamond        18        [Step] son; engineer for the electric co.

Mary J. Diamond         17        [Step] daughter

Mary Logan                 25        Servant; born in Ireland

            Joseph and McOscar and Mary E. Diamond (nee Campbell) were married in Philadelphia in October 1900.  She was married to Peter W. Diamond who was born in Philadelphia.  He died in 1896 at age 35 and was buried in Yeadon, Delaware Co., Pa.

 

1911 Directory: Joseph McOscar, liquors at 3734 Haverford Ave.

 

1917 Draft Card: Harry J. Diamond, Bell Telephone, 1230 Arch St., born Feb. [?] 20, 1892 in Phila., married with 1 child.

            He married Mabel E. Lawler about 1914.  They had a son, Joseph H. Lawler.  Harry died May 21, 1919 when he fell out of a window at 1204 Vine St.

 

1916, Feb. 23: Death of Joseph McOscar of 3604 Powelton Ave.. husband of Mary E. Oscar (nee Diamond) and brother of Rev. Peter McOscar. S. M. of Atlanta, Ga.  Solemn requiem Mass at St. Agatha's Church.

 

1920:

Charles L. Smith          65        Superintendent of a public hospital; born in Philadelphia, father born in Del.; owner with a mortgage

Florence Smith            55        born in Del.

Walter L. Smith            33        Printer

Harold Smith               31        Printer

Charles Smith              22        Automobile mechanic

Leah Truitt                  86        Mother-in-law; born in Del.

Paul Philipps                35        Lodger; publicity writer for a newspaper

Raymond Kelly            26        Lodger; born in Philadelphia

Paul Kelly                    22        Brother [of Raymond]; photographer for motion pictures; born in Philadelphia

            Charles Smith and Florence Truitt were married at the Scott Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia on September 22, 1882.  He was living at 922 Cross St. with his brother, John H. Smith.  They were the children of John H. Smith, Sr. and Charlotte Boyd.  In 1870, they lived at 3406 Hamilton St.  Charles was a compositor (1881) and printer.  Florence was living at 807 Taylor St.  In 1910, Charles and Florence lived at 3864 Girard Ave.

 

1926, Sep. 13: Death of Charles L. Smith, 72 years old, by gun shot to head (suicide)

 

1930:

Florence Smith            62        Widowed; born in Del.; owner, house valued at 180,000

Walter L. Smith            42        Painter; single

Charles Smith              30        Decorator, painting; single

Frederick Brice            28        Lodger; bond salesman, bond insurance

William Bailey             27        Lodger; bond salesman, bond insurance; single; born in Va.

Thomas Bailey             25        Lodger; bond salesman, bond insurance; single; born in Va.

Alvin Apple                 25        Lodger; bond salesman, bond insurance; single; born in Texas

 

1950 Directory: Florence S. Maitland

 

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Revised: 7/4/2022

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