3613 Hamilton Street

 

Description: Description: Description: Description: 3613hamilton

 

 

The History of the Building

 

The northern boundary of the houses on the northern side of Hamilton St. from 31st St. to 38th St. was the northern border of the Bingham-Baring estate.

 

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

 

Click for Time Line

 

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 633 Market St.

 

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, 17 N. 9th St., house 1327 Green. The 1870 census lists him as 35 years old with a wife and one child. He was born in Ireland. His real estate holdings were listed at $1,000 and his personal property at $200. He owned 3607-3617 Hamilton St. which he sold to various individuals between October, 1877 and June, 1879.

 

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 Mass.

Elizabeth A. Tuttle      49        Parents born in England

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 Hamilton

            In 1900, they lived at 3500 Powelton Ave. (See his biography there.)  In 1895, he was a Director of the Merchants’ National Bank, 324 Chestnut St.

 

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 England; renting

Arabella Pilling            60        Married 31 years, 1 child; father born in Ireland

George P. Pilling          27        Student at Jefferson [Medical] College

Savilla Butler               23        Servant; black; born in Md.

            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 Va.

            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 Md.; owner with a mortgage

Ellen Truitt Smith        50        Father born in Md., mother in Pa.

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 Ireland

            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)

 

< 3615 Hamilton                                                                                                                       3611 Hamilton >

Revised: 10/16/2022

Visit the Powelton Village Historical Interactive Map

Contact Us                                                                                                      About Powelton Village