3613 Hamilton Street
The
History of the Building
The northern
boundary of the houses on the northern side of
3601-03, 3605-07, 3609-11, 3613-15, and 3617: These houses appear to have been built by the same builder but may have been built for three different developers. They were all built about 1877.
“two-and-one-half story Second Empire-style doubles, stone
facade over brick. Victorian wood porches…. Slate-shingled mansards with four
dormers with decoratively carved wood gables. Ornate wood Victorian cornices.
Segmental stone lintels. 3601-03 and 3613-15 have roof cresting”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the
National Register of Historic Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1872 Atlas shows 3601-3619 owned by J. G. Hardie. In 1860, James
G. Hardie lived at 3200 Arch St. The 1861 Directory lists him as a merchant
with an office at
1878, Apr. 15: Death of George Goodwin McCalla,
5 months old, son of Stephen D. and Emily M. McCalla. of 3613 Hamilton St.
1878, Dec. 21: Title transferred to Lucas John C. by Lyons James
H.
The 1881 Directory lists James H.
Lyons, plumber,
1880, Apr. 30: Title transferred to John C. Lucas by Sheriff by
Charles L. Heming
1880, May 12: Title transferred to William W. Allen by John C.
Lucas & Margaret E. (his wife)
1880, June:
Turill Tuttle 69 Stock broker; born in
Elizabeth A. Tuttle 49 Parents
born in
Turill Tuttle, Jr. 22 Real
estate broker
Henry Drinkhouse 30 Son-in-law;
bookkeeper
Mary E. Drinkhouse 29 Daughter
Stephen D. Mc Calla 29 Son-in-law;
baggage manager for Penna. RR
Emily M. Mc Calla 24 Daughter
Margaret Mulligan 17 Servant; born
in N.Y., parents in Ireland
Tuttle
& Son real estate office was at 3838
Lancaster Ave. in 1879.
In 1860, they lived in Ward 7. In 1900, the Drinkhouse and McCalla families
lived at 428 N. 33rd St. Turill and
Elizabeth Tuttle died there in 1894 and 1895.
In 1887, Turill Tuttle, Sr. was
Accounting Warden for the Church of the Transfiguration (Episcopal)
(Journal of the ... Convention of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the ... Episcopal Church Diocese of
Pennsylvania. 1888.)
The 1887 and 1890 directories list
Henry Drinkhouse at 3217 Powelton Ave. and Stephen McCalla was listed there in
1887. In 1900, the Drinkhouse and McCalla families lived at 428 N. 33rd
St. In 1910, they lived at 3314 Arch St.
Stephen D. McCalla was the son of
Mary and Stephen D. McCalla, Sr. who died April 6, 1870. He was master-mason of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. They lived on Woodland St. below Market St.
1882, June 12: Title transferred to Christian W. Kunkel by William
W. Allen & Elizabeth (wife)
1889, March 23: Title transferred from Christian W. Kunkel. &
Louisa J. (wife) to George Martin Brill.
Brill paid $9,250 for the property.
(Phila. Inquirer, 3/29/1889)
1890 Directory: G. Martin Brill
In 1887, they lived at 414 N. 32nd St.
For information about G. Martin
Brill and the J. G. Bill Co., see the Powelton
History Blog.
1895 Directory: George Martin Brill, pres., S
62d c Woodlands Av, h 3613
In 1900, they lived at 3500 Powelton Ave. (See his biography there.) In 1895, he was a Director of the Merchants’
National Bank,
1895, June 5: Title transferred from George Martin & Mary E.
(wife) Brill to Hattie (single) McIlvaine.
Hattie McIlvain was the daughter of
Charles McIlvain. She was about 27 years old in 1895. In 1880, she lived with
her parents at 3407 Baring St.
1897, July 7: Deed transferred from Hattie McIlvaine to Adelia L.
Warg.
The 1886-1900 directories list
Adelia Warg, 1101 Arch St., widow of John Warg.
1900:
George P. Pilling 78 Instrument manufacturer; parents born in
Arabella Pilling 60 Married 31
years, 1 child; father born in
George P. Pilling 27 Student at
Savilla Butler 23 Servant;
black; born in
The 1898 directory lists them living
at 3412 Sansom St. Their shop was at 117 S. 11th St.
1904, Sept. 4: Death of Adelia L. Warg, property owner. Property
inherited by Cora L. Warg (will probate on Nov. 3)
1909 Directory: Charles P. Walnut, manufacturer's agent
Helen D. Walnut
Thomas H. Walnut, manufacturer's agent
T. Henry Walnut lawyer at 612 Mutual Life
Building and 3845 Lancaster Ave.
1910:
Catherine C. Walnut 55 Widowed with 3 children; renting
Helen D. Walnut 32
Thomas H. Walnut [Jr.] 30 Lawyer; born in N.J.
Charles C. Walnut 27 Merchant,
woolen store; born in N.J.
John D. Durnell 78 Father;
widowed
Mamie Carter 35 Servant;
black; married 8 years, 1 child; born in
In 1920, Catherine was living at the
Powelton Apartments, 3500 Powelton Ave. with Helen and Thomas.
1911 Directory: Charles P. Walnut, manufacturer's agent
Helen D. Walnut
T. Henry Walnut lawyer at 612 Mutual Life
Building and 3845 Lancaster Ave.
1911-1913: T. Henry Walnut was a member of the
Pennsylvania House of representatives.
Thomas Henry Walnut (1879-1964)
(Passport photo,
1919)
1912
Directory: Charles P. Walnut, manager
Kate P. Walnut, widow of Thomas H.
T. Henry Walnut, lawyer at 714 Franklin
Building
1914, Nov.
16: Death of John Durnell, 83 years old
1915
Directory: T. Henry Walnut of Foss, Walnut & Faught and Vice-President of
Remedial Loan Co. of Phila.
In
1918, he was an U.S. Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia.
1918, Aug.
19: Title transferred to Pennsylvania Co. for Trust for Lives and Granting
Charities, Trustee by Sheriff
1920:
G. Albert Smith 58 Sales manager [rest illegible]; born in
Ellen Truitt Smith 50 Father born in
Md., mother in
Mary T. Truitt 72 Sister-in-law;
single; father born in Md.
Matilda M Ward 80 Boarder;
single; father born in N.J.
John R. Townsend 25 Boarder; bank
clerk; single
Frances M. Grove 23 Lodger; trained
nurse; single
Elva G. Schoena 25 Lodger;
trained nurse; single
Sarah Dougherty 58 Boarder; born
in W.D.C., parents born in
George A. Smith and Ellen F. Truitt
were married in Philadelphia in 1898. Ellen and Mary were the daughters of
Charles B. Truitt. In 1880, they lived at 3609 Spring Garden St. (Ellen was
actually 58 years-old.) Their brother,
Robert, lived at 3505 Baring St. in the 1880s and
1890s. In 1900, Mary lived at 434 N. 32nd St. with another sister,
Elizabeth R. Darrow.
Matilda M. Ward was a longtime
resident of Powelton. In 1860, she lived at 317 N. 35th St.
1921, Apr. 13: Death of Mary T. Truitt, 74 years old
1928, Sep. 4: Title transferred to William R. Bock by Sheriff
1928, Sep. 18: Title transferred to Gus A. Rohland by William R.
Bock
Gus A. Rohland lived next door at 3615 Hamilton St. which he owned.
1930: No one was
enumerated at the address.
1934, April 17: Title transferred to Home Owners' Loan Corp. by
Sheriff
1940: No one was
enumerated at the address.
1941, April 28: Title transferred to Winthrop L. Biddle by Home
Owners' Loan Corp.
1944, June 19: Title transferred to Home Owners' Loan Corp. by
Sheriff
1944, June 30: Title transferred to Paul Seban by Home Owners'
Loan Corp.
1950 Directory: Paul F. Smith
Inquirer, June 12, 1973
1973: “Reinstated by City in Hair Dispute”
“A 28-year-old man, dismissed last
year from the Philadelphia Fire Department because his hair was too long, was
ordered reinstated Monday by a Federal judge who ruled that a fireman’s looks
goes not affect his ability to fight fires.
“Roman Black, of 3613 Hamilton st.,
dismissed from the department in February 1972 after seven years as a fireman
is now a college student at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield County Conn….
However, Black is uncertain if he will return because of his college studies
which he began in January….” (Inquirer, June 12)
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