3606 Hamilton Street
The
History of the Building
“two-and-one-half
story Second Empire style with circa 1905 Colonial Revival porch. Slate
shingled mansard.”
(Inventory of Buildings
in Powelton from
the application submitted to the national register of Historic Places, 1985)
Previous
Resident of 3606 Hamilton Streets
1869, Mar. 1: Title transferred to Charles
T. Brickman, et al. by Elias P. Smithers, et al.
Elias
P. Smithers is listed in the 1968 directory as a conveyancer with an office at
512 Walnut St. He lived at 44 N. 9th St. He is listed in later
directories as a lawyer.
1870, Mar. 28: Title transferred to
Charles T. Brickman by Charles T. Brickman, et al.
Charles
T. Brickman was a sign painter who lived at 3620
Hamilton St.
1873
Directory: Charles Atherton, clerk
The 1871
directory lists him as a clerk at 329 Chestnut and living at 3918 Walnut St.
1880:
Charles Atherton 40 Bank clerk
Sallie C.
Atherton 37
Charles Atherton 9
Jessie
Atherton 8
Thomas H.
Atherton 6
Helen Atherton 5 months Born
in Jan., 1880
Maggie Boyle 21 Servant
Anna Campion 21 Servant
In 1870, they lived at 3918 Walnut
St.
1887-1891 Directories: Charles Atherton, Assistant
Treasurer, Financial, Insurance, Trust & Safe Deposit Co., h 3606 Hamilton
1894 Directory: Charles Atherton treasurer of Fidelity Insurance,
Trust and Safe Deposit Co.
Charles Atherton, Jr.,
clerk
In the 1895 directory, they are
listed at 3231 Race St. In 1900, they lived at 302 Pelham Rd. in West Mt. Airy.
He was Vice President of an insurance company.
1895 Directory: Ella P. Chapman
Ella Chapman lived with her parents
at 3619 Baring St. in 1880.
1896, February: Ella P. Chapman sold 3610
Baring St. to Charles Dedrickson for $10,000. (Inquirer, March 9)
1896 Directory: Rev. Robert H. Wright
1899: Permit issued, “Charles J. Sharp,
contractor, new kitchen, 12x14 feet, third story, 14x28 feet and alterations at
3606 Hamilton street.” (Inquirer, April 4)
1899: Permit issued, “Contractor Charles F.
Sharp… will also build a front porch of stone, 8x18 feet at Ella P. Chapman’s
residence, 3606 Hamilton street.” (Inquirer, July 15)
1900:
Ella P. Chapman 48 Single; owned
with a mortgage
Robert H. Wright 47 Cousin;
Clergyman; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Del.
Emma B. Wright 52 Married 15
years, no children; father born in Del.
Kate McFadden 28 Servant
Elizabeth B. Breen 26 Servant; born in
Ireland, immigrated 7 years earlier
In the 1906 Blue Book, Rev. and Mrs.
Wright were listed at 3405 Baring St.
1910:
Elias H. White 48 Tax
lawyer; born in Indiana, father in N.C., mother in Indiana; renting
Clara J. White 36 Married one year; born in Delaware
Sarah Fitzmorris 48 Servant; single;
born in Ireland
Note: Ella P. Chapman was not enumerated in 1910. She was
probably living here as she was the owner.
In 1890, Elias H. White was a
prefect at Girard College. The 1904 directory lists him as a lawyer at 700 West
End Trust Building living at 1418 N. Bouvier. Elias Henly White married Clara
B. Johnson Patterson Nov. 17, 1908. They married under the Raysville [Quaker]
Monthly Meeting, Indiana. In 1930, they lived at 1900 Green St. He was a
proprietor of a drug store.
1912 Directory: Ella P. Chapman
1916 Directory: Rev. Robert H. Wright
1918 Directory: Ella P. Chapman
Rev. George W. Hanna
1920:
Ella P. Chapman 68 Owned with a
mortgage
Robert H. Wright 67 Cousin;
clergyman, assistant; widowed; born in N.Y., father born in N.Y., mother in
Del.
Margaret P. Dixon 68 Cousin; Born in
Del., parents born in Pa.
— 2nd
household
Josephine G. Mullins 75 Born in W. D. C., father in Mass.,
mother in W. D. C.; renting
Edith P. MacKendrick 32 Lodger;
private secretary for Phila. Quartz Co.
Elizabeth D. McCarthey 21 Lodger; stenographer; born in N.H., rather
in N.H., mother in Vt.
1920, Oct. 13: Death of Rev. Robert H. Wright, assistant rector of
St. Andrew’s Protestant Episcopal Church. He was 68 years old. “He was
affiliated with the congregation for nine years. A sister is the only surviving
member of his family…. He was born in Delaware, and graduated from the
Philadelphia Divinity School. He was ordained a deacon in 1884, and became a
priest in 1885. At St. Andrew’s Dr. Wright was assistant to Rev. Dr. W. J. Cox.
[3604 Baring St.]” (Inquirer, Oct. 14, 1920)
1930:
Timothy I. Murphy
54 Machinist
for a steam railroad; married at age 26; parents born in N. Ireland; owner,
house valued at $6,000
Elizabeth Murphy 50 Married
at age 24; parents born in Irish Free State
John P.
Murphy 24 Billing clerk in telegraph office
Marie T. Murphy 23 Stenographer
William Murphy 22 Dispatcher
for steam railroad
Joseph A. Murphy 20 Hotel
clerk
Paul Murphy 17
Elizabeth Murphy 15
Timothy Murphy 13
Francis Murphy 10
In 1910 and 1920, they lived at 3516
Wallace St. which they owned with a mortgage. In 1940, Elizabeth Murphy and
five of her children were renting the house next door, 3608 Hamilton St.
1940:
John [P.] Reiff 68 Renting
Mae Reiff 66
Mary Reiff 71 Sister; single
Charles [P.]
Reiff 36 Son; single; he did not list an occupation or any income in
1939
—Next household
Andre Vauclain 31 In
school; 4 years of college
Lela Vauclain 26 In school; 4 years of college; born in Mass., lived in New
York City in 1935
—Next household
Edith Way 23 Secretary for charitable organization; 4 years of high
school; lived elsewhere in Pa. in 1935
Emma Pusey 26 “Partner;” secretary for charitable organization; one year of college; live in this house in
1935
In 1930, the Reiff family lived in
Norristown, Montgomery Co. John was a purchasing agent for a leather company.
In 1910, Andre Vauclain was an
infant living with his parents at 401 N. 33rd
St. He died at age 95 in 2003. His obituary in the Inquirer read:
“Andre Constant Vauclain, 95, a
musician who eschewed the family business - Baldwin Locomotive - for teaching
and composing, died Nov. 5 at Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton.
“Born in Wynnewood and raised in
Gladwyne, Mr. Vauclain graduated from Haverford School for Boys. His father and
uncle, who were major shareholders in Baldwin Locomotive and inventors of
railroad machinery, wanted Mr. Vauclain to pursue a business career. Mr. Vauclain
studied at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania until his
senior year, when he traveled to Italy to study composition with Rosario
Scalero.
“When Scalero came to teach at the
Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Mr. Vauclain followed him and
graduated with a degree in music composition in 1939. He earned a doctorate in
music theory from the University of Pennsylvania in 1947.
“Mr. Vauclain taught music
composition at Curtis from 1939 to 1953. He was a professor of music theory at
Penn from 1948 until 1979. Mr. Vauclain founded the theory program at the New
School of Music (now a part of Temple University's Esther Boyer College of
Music). Until retirement in 1983, he taught at Haverford College.
“While teaching, Mr. Vauclain wrote
contemporary music without regard to trends. Many of his works were performed
by major orchestras. Audiences at New York's Town Hall heard his Quartet for
Strings, and concertgoers enjoyed the Philadelphia Orchestra's performances of
two of Mr. Vauclain's symphonies.
“Penn professor of music Lawrence
Bernstein said: "Connie was a theorist and composer of the 20th-century
modern style. He developed 'syntonality,' which opened up a theoretic approach
to music."
“Bernstein said Mr. Vauclain was a
committed teacher who helped students develop internal hearing essential to
composition.
“Peter Rohr remembered a different
side of his grandfather: "He defied all conventions. He loved to wrap his
long legs into one of his seven antique Jaguars and drive around Gladwyne. He
was quite a sight with his shocking white hair blowing in the wind."
“At home, which was filled with
dozens of musical instruments, Mr. Vauclain loved working on his cars when he
was not composing. He would remove his tweed jacket, don a mechanic's jumper,
and soon be covered in grease.
“While studying in Europe in 1937, Mr.
Vauclain married fellow musician Lela Maki Dauchatele. His wife died in 1969.
“In addition to his grandson, Mr.
Vauclain is survived by a daughter, Lisa Rohr; a granddaughter, Alexandra
Renniger; six great-grandchildren; and his wife of 18 years, Sabine Vauclain.”
(Inquirer, Nov. 2003, emphasis added)
1943, Feb. 23: Death of John Pastorius Reiff,
71 years old, husband of May von Schmauss Reiff and son of Charles P. Reiff and
Deborah Yerkes. He was born in Bluebell, Montgomery Co.
“John Pastorius Reiff, former head
of the J. P. Reiff Lime Co. here, died yesterday in Presbyterian Hospital of
pneumonia. He was 71.
“Mr. Reiff was born in Norristown
[sic.], where he received his early education. He was connected with the
Reading Coal and Iron Co., the New American Bridge Co., and several other steel
concerns, before he formed his own company.
“He was an honorary member of the
Wild Life League of America, and a director of the Montgomery County Fish and
Game Association. He lived at 3606 Hamilton st.” (Inquirer, Feb. 24)
1950 Directory: Catherine M. Livingston
1950, Oct.: Marriage license issued to
Catharine Livingston of 3606 Hamilton St. and William Kearney of 409 N.
36th St.
1951, Dec. 24: Death of Mary Pastorius Reiff,
84 years old, daughter of Charles P. Reiff and Deborah Yerkes of 3606 Hamilton
1962:
Sold by Leonard G. Cooke to Gerald and Edwin Bye for $12,700. It was described
as a three-family dwelling. (Inquirer, Sept. 29)
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