3610 Hamilton Street
The
History of the Building
1866, June 18: Title for 3600-3610
Hamilton St. transferred to Elias P. Smithers by John Magrow
Elias P. Smithers, a lawyer and
“conveyancer.” He was just an agent for builder John G. Williams who developed
much of the south side of the 3600 block of Hamilton. In the 1870 census,
Williams claimed $100,000 in real estate whereas Smithers didn’t claim any.
3608-10: “two-and-one-half
story Second Empire style brick double with side Victorian porches and
entrances; first-floor projecting bays, bracketed wood cornice and
asphalt-shingled roof with two dormers. 3610 his Victorian porch removed and
bay infilled with two-story tower above front entrance circa 1905”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the
National Register of Historic Places, 1985)
In 1905, a permit was issued for a second story rear bay window, 4x9 feet, 3610 Hamilton St. for C. F. Cadmus, cost: $200. (Inquirer, Sept. 22)
Previous Residents of
3610 Hamilton St.
1869, March 1: House is
sold to Charles J. Brickman by Elias P. Smithers, et al.
Brickman had a sign-painting
business. He also owned property at 3620 Hamilton
(where he lived in 1870) and 3606 Hamilton.
Nov.
1870:
Robert
Stevenson 28 (Renter)
Jamie
Stevenson 28
Kate
Huber 15
The house was apparently empty in June 1870. (A line was
left blank between 3608 and 3612.)
In 1880, they lived in Concord, Butler, Pa. Where he was
an “oil pumper.” He was born in
Scotland; his father was born in Ireland and his mother in Scotland. They had
two children, Elizabeth and Robert, who were 14 and 11 years old and probably
should have been enumerated here.
1872
Directory: Robert Stevenson of John B. Stevenson & Son, linseed oil at 441
York Ave.
1874
Directory: Robert Stevenson
1876
Directory (Fall, 1875): Catherine Allen, widow of John Allen
In 1880, she lived at 3623 Spring Garden St.
1876, Jan. 6: House is sold to Henry J. Gardiner by Brickman
1879, Sept. 20: House is sold to Henry Cramer
There was a Henry Cramer who was a
druggist. He lived at 615 N. 11th St. in 1880. He was a 56
years-old, born Germany, a widower who lived with his sister and his daughter.
1880:
Mahlon
Wanner 56 In the hardware business; renting
Georgietta
Wanner 51
John
Henry Wanner 26 “Cor.” clerk
Mary
Ella Wanner 21
Charles
Albert Wanner 19
In 1870, they lived at 3527 Hamilton St.
In 1887, the Public Ledger Almanac
listed him as a Nuisance Inspector for the Bureau of Health. In 1890, Mahlon is
listed in the City Directory at 62 N. 36th St. with his profession
listed as “ins.” This was probably a
business address. John was listed as a bookkeeper living at 4049 Powelton Ave. (Public Ledger Almanac, p.53)
Mahlon Wanner died Jan. 17, 1891
when they were living at 661 N. 35th St.
1881 Directory: Charles Wanner, architect at
410 Walnut St.
John H. Wanner, clerk
Mahlon Wanner, coal
1885, April 27: House is sold to Lucretia M. Baily by Cramer
1890 Directory: Ida Alves, widow of Henry (Renter)
John B. Rodgers, “packer”
In 1880, John was living at the
Educational Home for Boys, 4901 Greenway Ave. In 1900, he was listed as a 30 year-old cigar packer living at 3900 Reno St., Mantua. He
came from Cuba in 1872 as a child. His father was born in Connecticut and his
mother in Cuba. He was married and had two children. His mother, Isabel B.
Rodgers was also living with them. (She was probably the Ida Alves he was
living with in 1890.) (1880: ED 574, p 10; 1900: Ward 24, ED 555, p 15A)
1895 Directory (Fall, 1894): Samuel P. Baily
Walter C. Baily, clerk
1895, Feb. 28: Death of Samuel P. Baily, 63
years old, of 3610 Hamilton St. He was an undertaker born in Chester Co. He was
buried at Longwood Cemetery, Chester.
1895, Sept. 24: House is sold to Walter L. Baily and Irene P.
Baily (single woman) be Elwood H. Baily
Lucretia
Baily’s house passed to Elwood, Walter, and Irene. Elwood sold his interests to
Walter and Irene.
1898 Ad: “Partner wanted to buy and operate first-class
stereopticon outfit for illustrating astronomical lectures. Address 3610
Hamilton street.” (Phila. Inquirer, June 26)
1898 Ad.: “3610 Hamilton St. – Ten-room, front and side-yards and
porches; will be sold at sacrifice to quick buyer.” (Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 16)
1898 Ad: “Wanted – Space to erect grand stand
for peace jubilee; state terms and location. 3610 Hamilton street.” (Phila
Inquirer, Oct. 17)
1899 Ad: “Common branches, languages, history, mathematics. 50
cents per hour. Eugene C. Lewis, 3610 Hamilton street.” (Phila.
Inquirer, Jan. 22)
1900:
Irene
P. Baily 40 Born in April, 1860; single; owner with
a mortgage
Walter
C. Baily 30 Born Sept.
1869; manufacturer of stationery
Charles
S. Reyburn 34 Boarder; born in Wisconsin; parents born in Md.; manufacturer
of stationery
Elwyn
Reyburn 39 Boarder; born in Maryland; parents born
in Md.; salesman of stationery
Eugene
C. Lewis 39 Boarder; born in Ohio; bookkeeper
Walter C. Baily married Bertha Moore
in 1901. Irene Baily married Charles S. Reyburn in 1906. In 1910, the two
couples (and the Reyburn’s 6 year-old) lived at 2101
Venango St. They were in the rug business with Charles listed as the
manufacturer and Walter as the treasurer. The Reyburns
owned the house, but had a mortgage. The Baily’s other
brother, Elwood H. Baily, is listed in the 1910 census as a manufacturer of
stationery. The Baily family was from Salisbury, Lancaster Co. Their father was
a “dealer in mdse” (merchandise?). Elwood and Charles C. were living at home in
1880.
1901, April 19: House is sold to Charles Freeman Cadmus from the
Baileys.
1901, August 2, Inquirer:
“F. Cadmus is having a three-story front addition, 8x12 feet, a two-story metal
covered oriel window on the corner, a one-story side bay window, 4x10 feet, a
second story side addition, 6x8 feet, and a new front porch, 8x20 feet, with a
slate roof, built to his property at 3610 Hamilton street. A. H. Wescoat has the contract for the work and will start
to-day.”
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. C. Freeman
Cadmus
1910:
Charles
(Freeman) Cadmus 66 Owner with a mortgage
Margaret
Cadmus 62 Married 25 years, no children; born in
N.J.; her parents were from Scotland
Annie
Brown 35 Black; servant; born in Va.
In 1900, they were boarders at 840
N. 24th St. He was a shoe dealer.
1913, March 12: Death of C. Freeman Cadmus,
husband of Margaret S. Cadmus. Services at his last residence, 3610 Hamilton St.
Internment at Plainfield, N.J.
1919, April 22: Death of Margaret Simpson
Cadmus, widow of C. Freeman Cadmus. Services at her last residence, 3610
Hamilton St. Internment at Plainfield, N.J.
1919, July 24: Deed transferred to Sallie R. Mitchell from Cadmus
Listed
as C. W. Cadmus and the Pennsylvania Insurance Co as part of the “last will and
testament of Margaret Simpson Cadmus”.
1920:
Charles
M. Mitchell 56 Clerk for the Penna. R.R.; owner with a mortgage
Sallie
R. Mitchel 54 Born in W.D.C.
Mattie
W. M. Heinz 50 Lodger; born in N.Y.
Ella
M. Wilguns 55 Lodger; an agent for the Travelers Aid
Society
In 1910, the Mitchells lived at 3819
Hamilton St. The 1910 census states that they had been married 14 years and
this was his second marriage. [It may be that his first marriage was about
1895. See 1930 below.]
1930:
Charles
M. Mitchell 63 Married at age 45; owner, house valued at $5,500
Sally
R. Mitchell 53 Married at age 33; born in W.D.C.,
father born in Va., mother in W.D.C.
1932, Aug. 29: Death of Charles M. Mitchell, 66
years old; burial at Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
In 1940, Sally Mitchell lived at 3316 Powelton Ave.
1940, Jan. 23: House is sold to Nancy W. Widman (widow) and Joyce
Hope Widman (her daughter, single) from Mitchell
In 1920, they lived at 1637 Girard
Ave. Nancy was the wife of Frank Widman, a physician.
1940:
Nancy Widman 68 Widowed;
8 years of education; owner, house valued at $3,000
Joyce Widman 36 Single;
8 years of education
Bevan Leary 23 Nephew; 4 years of high school
None of them reports an occupation
or any income in 1939.
Nancy was the widow of Frank Widman,
a physician in general practice. In 1920, they lived at 1637 Girard Ave. Nancy’s
mother, Anna Wade, and two other daughters were living with them. Nancy died in
1952 when she was living at 3415 Race St.
1945, Jan. 11: House is sold to Cornelius Gallagher and Rose
(h/w) by the Widmans
1948, June 21: House is sold to Leonard G. Cooke from Gallagher
Cooke lived next door at 3608 Hamilton at the time.
1950 Directory: Robert C. Braybrooks
Stanley
A. Rogers
R.
K. Timmons, Jr.
1962: House is sold to Robert and Rheta A. Weidenbacher for
$6,500.
Robert
Dudley Weidenbacker and Rheta Carolyn Adams were married Nov. 29, 1958 at St.
Mary’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadelphia. He was living at 5126 Locust
St. and she was living at 4328 Osage. He was born Sept. 24, 1924 in Semarang,
Java, Indonesia, the son of Robert Weeder Weidenbacker and Evelyn Mary (Bewers)Weidenbacker. His father
was born in Philadelphia and was in Java as representative of the Baldwin
Locomotive Co. His mother was born in London where they married in 1922. In
1929, Robert (age 4), his mother and his two-year-old sister arrived in London
from Calcutta, India. His mother was only 29 and was widowed. Robert enlisted
for military service in January, 1945. He had had four
years of high school (he would have been about 18).
Rheta
was born Nov. 18, 1922 in Phillipsburg, N.J. to Martin Luther Adams and Ruth (Kuebler) Adams. In 1930, when she was 7
she was living with her mother and two older sisters in Phillipsburg. Both of
her parents were born in Pennsylvania, but Rheta’s oldest sister was born in
Utah. Her mother was listed as married and owned a boarding house. In June, 1944, Rheta enlisted in the
Women’s Army Corp. She was a graduate of Moravian College for Women, Bethlehem,
Pa. When she and Robert were married, she was divorced and had permission from
the Bishop of Pennsylvania to remarry. In 1958, she was appointed Associate in
Physical Therapy
in the School of Allied Medical Professions at the University
of Pennsylvania.
1962, February Powelton Post:
“Many Villagers also are acquainted with Bob and Rheta Weidenbacker who
purchased 3610 Hamilton Street from the Leonard Cookes. Bob is an engineer at
Westinghouse Electric. Rheta teaches at the University of Pennsylvania School
of Allied Professions. The Weidenbackers will eventually remodel and occupy the
house which is now under lease to several families, including Jim Bakeman, an
active Powelton Neighbor.”
2006, Nov. 15: “Rheta Weidenbacker, a pillar of the Philadelphia
Fellowship for many years, and a former Area Chaplain, died from a rare lung
disease on 11/15/06.” (The Franciscan
Times, newsletter of the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis.)
2008, Feb. 1: Death of Robert D. Weidenbacher
2008: House is sold to George Poulin and Keith Roeckle from the
estate of Robert Weidenbacher
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3608 Hamilton 3612
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