3620 Baring Street

The History of the Building

3620-22: “two-and-one-half story, Second Empire-style double house, cruciform plan, with side porches and entrances in cross
arms. First-floor projecting bays; double-bracket cornice; asphalt-shingled mansard with two dormers; stone facade over brick”

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

3620-3626 Baring were built by John Shedwick and his sons. In 1870, they lived at 3624 Baring St.

Previous Residents

1868, May 8: Title for 3620-3626 Baring St. transferred to John Shedwick by William N. West

1868, Aug. 31: Title transferred to Mary G. W. Maxwell by John Shedwick

1870:

Josiah (Rhinehart) Sypher 38 Journalist; real estate: $15,000, personal property: $500

Alice Sypher 27

John Sypher 5

Howard Sypher 1

Mary Maxwell 40 Real estate: $18,000; property: $1,500.

Rose Muntz 25 Domestic servant; born in Württemberg

The 1868 directory lists him as a news agent at 112 S. 6^th St.

Alice (Maxwell) Sypher was the younger sister of Mary G. Maxwell who owned the house.

SYPHER, Josiah Rhinehart, journalist, born in Liverpool, Perry County, Pennsylvania, 12 April, 1832. He was graduated at Union college in 1858, and, after making a tour of the United States, studied law and was admitted to the bar at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1862. While he was travelling he contributed to the Lancaster Express, and he was its associate editor while studying law. In 1862 he was engaged as war-correspondent of the New York Tribune, and he was afterward in charge of the correspondence in the Army of the Potomac. In the winter of 1865 he became associate editor of the Tribune, and in 1870 he established the Pennsylvania State Journal at Harrisburg, but at the end of six months he resumed the practice of law in Philadelphia. He has advocated public education and temperance reform, and, in addition to articles for the press and several school-books, has published History of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps (Lancaster, 1865), and School History of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1868).” (Virtual American Biographies, Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, 2001.)

Josiah Sypher is probably the man in the black hat photographed

with the Lancaster - Company B, 1st Penna. Reserves in 1863

For notes on Sypher’s reporting from Gettysburg, see the Powelton History Blog, July 1, 2013.

1871, Jan. 25: Death of John W. Sypher, 5 years and six months old, son of John R. and Alice M. Sypher (Phila. Certificates Index)

The records from Woodlands Cemetery give the year as 1872, but the age at death is consistent with 1871.

1873 Directory: Mary G. W. Maxwell

Josiah R. Sypher lawyer at 129 S. 7^th St.

1876 Directory (fall, 1875): Josiah R. Sypher, lawyer at 625 Walnut

The 1878 directory lists his home address as 425 S. 40^th St.

1875, Nov. 11: Title transferred to Hiram K. Witner by Mary G. W. Maxwell

1877, Feb. 23: Title transferred to Ellen E. Zook by Hiram K. Witner

1880:

Eleanor Zook 77

Mary E. Zook 50

Thaddius S. Zook 42 Lawyer

Ellen E. Zook 39 Physician

A. E. Stephens 69 Boarder; merchant

Lizzie Mathews 35 Servant; black; born in Del.

Eleanor “Ellen” (Stevens) Zook was the widow of David Zook (1791-1864). They had 9 children. Their daughter, Ellen E. Zook, was an obstetrician who worked at the Mission Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children- (1875), No. 612 S. 10th St. In 1870, the family lived in Upper Merion.

1884, Apr. 9: Death of Ellen E. (Zook) Schaffer, “wife of Dr. Charles Schaffer and daughter of the late Major David Zook of Montgomery County. The relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from her late residence, No. 1309 Arch street, this Monday.” (Inquirer, April 14)

The property was inherited by Eleanor S. Zook, et al.

1887 Directory: W. Piper Hahn, dentist, 3715 Lancaster Ave.

1888, Mar. 22: Title transferred to Charles Schaffer by Eleanor S. Zook, et al. and a few days later to Thaddeus S. Zook.

1890 Directory: Ellen S. Zook

Thaddeus S. Zook

1896 Directory: Mrs. David Zook

Thaddeus Zook

1900:

Elinor S. Zook 97 Widowed, 3 children [sic]; owned with a mortgage

Elizabeth M. Zook 74

Mary E. Zook 70

Thaddeus Zook 62 Lawyer

1910:

Elizabeth M. Zook 84 Single; owner with a mortgage

Mary E. Zook 80 Sister; single

Thaddeus S. Zook 72 Brother; single; lawyer

1916, Jan. 20: Death of Thaddeus S. Zook, 78 years old,, son of the late David and Eleanor Zook

1916, Feb. 5: Death of Mary Emma Zook, 86 years old,, daughter of the late David and Eleanor Zook

1919, Jun. 28: Death of Elizabeth M. Zook, daughter of the late David and Eleanor Zook of 3620 Baring St. Funeral at her late residence.

1919, Dec. 16: Title transferred to Robert J. McClenaghan by Thaddeus S. Zook

1920:

Frank Houston 37 Theater manager; father born in Scotland; owner with a mortgage

Retta Houston 38

Anna Mary Houston 14

Elizabeth Houston 8

Mary E. Hamner 28 Lodger; clerk for telephone co.; mother born in Scotland

Hannah S. Hamner 35 Lodger; clerk in a printing house

Arthur Middleton 29 Lodger; sales agent for telephone co.

May Middleton 24 Lodger; telegraph operator; born in Texas

Alice E. Rahn 50 Lodger; music teacher; father born in Russia, mother in Germany

In 1930, Frank Houston lived at 3707 Hamilton St.

Arthur Middleton was the son of Josephine Middleton. He lived with her and her aunt and uncle at 307 N. 33^rd St. In 1930, Arthur and his second wife, Olivia, lived at 5634 Angora Ave. They had been married about 3 years. In 1940, the lived back in his family home, 307 N. 33^rd St.

In 1910, Alice E. Rahn lived two doors down at 3624 Baring St.

1921, Apr. 6: Title transferred to Frank Houston & Margaret, his wife, by Robert J. McClenaghan

1923, Sep. 10: Title transferred to Frank J. Eustace by Frank & Margaret Houston and then immediately to Harry A. & Harry J. Wolfington

1926, Sep. 8: Title transferred to Earnest Cooper & Mathilde, his wife, by Harry A. & Harry J. Wolfington

They lived at 3614 Baring St.

1927 Directory: F. J. Hogan

E. M. Paye

1930:

Ella Jackson 25 Prof. nurse at hospital; renting for $45 per month

Esther Jackson 26 Sister; stenographer at hosing mill

Ruby Jackson 20 Sister

-- next household

Fred Cowan 30 Accountant, CPA; born in Irish Free State; renting for $40 per month

Gertrude Cowan 30

Frank Hogan 30 Lodger; office clerk

-- next household

Hattie Barridger 40 Saleslady at department store; widowed: renting for $40 per month

Carroll Barridger 12

-- next household

Geraldine Fallon 35 Saleslady at department store; parents born in Irish Free State; renting for $40 per month

-- next household

Edith Walther 27 Stenographer for building contractor; renting for $40 per month

-- next household

Van Buren Connell 47 [sic.] Lawyer; married at age 23; renting for $50 per month

Edith Connell 45 [sic.] Nurse at a hospital; married at age 21

-- next household

Emma Payr 74 widowed; renting for $40 per month

Frederick Van Buren Connell was born Sept. 13, 1890 in Scranton, Pa. He was a member of the Class of 1910 at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1917 when he registered for the draft he listed his occupation as mechanical engineer for N. N. Akimoff. He claimed a disability. However, in 1916, he was a Second Lieutenant in Co. B, Engineer Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard which was organized by the Engineer’s Club. It was serving on the Mexican border. In 1920, he accepted a position as sales engineer for the Automatic Fuel Saving Co. He was a member of the Colonial Society of Pennsylvania. In 1940, they lived at 443 Berkeley Rd. in Haverford, which they owned. He was a self-employed real estate broker. Edith Cinderella (Stewart) Connell was born in Florida. In 1938, she was vice chairman of the state board of nurse examiners. She was working for a private school.

1940:

Clifford Livezey 42 President of metal coating co., earned $4,800 in 1939; four years of high school; renting for $20 per month

Margaret Livezey 28 Four years of high school

1942 Draft Registration: Cooper Ernest Arthur, employed by N. W. Ayer, W. Washington Sq.

He was the son of Ernest and Mathilde Cooper, the owners. In 1920, he lived with them at 3614 Baring St. In 1930, they were living next door at 3616 Baring St. In 1950, Ernest A. Cooper and his wife and children were living at 3406 Baring St. which they purchased in 1946.

1942 Draft Registration: Haller Albert, Henry L. Rau & Co., 2018 Sansom St.

He was born in Munich, Germany in 1909.

1950 Directory: Albert Haller

He was the cousin of Selma Magaziner. Albert and his wife, Irma, lived with the Magaziners at 3504 Hamilton St. in 1940 after fleeing Germany in 1939.

Francis A. O'Hanlon

Herbert Whitehouse

1950, Jan. 12: Title transferred to J. Howard Cooper & Reland, his wife, by survivorship

1950:

1^st floor front:

Mamul Searles 60 Housekeeper of private house; widowed; born in DE

1^st floor middle:

Louise C. Koons 78 Single

1^st floor rear:

Herbert Whitehouse 73 Born in England; 2 years of college; received $720 in non-wage income in 1949

Estelle Whitehouse 50 Wife; cashier at motion picture house, earned $1,805 in 1949; born in NJ

2^nd floor front:

Mr. Lee 43

2^nd floor middle:

Andrew Baker 57 Tool maker for machine repairing co.; single; born in Latvia

2^nd floor rear:

Francis A. O’Hanlon 28 Chauffeur for cab co.

Mary O’Hanlon 25

Francis B. O’Hanlon 18 months

3^rd floor:

Albert Haller 41 Painter foreman for decorator, earned $4,750 for 52 weeks of work in 1949 plus received $148 in non-wage income; born in Germany, parents born in Poland; 12 years of schooling

Irma Haller 42 Bookkeeper for fuel oil co., earned $2,400 in 1949; born in Germany

Note: information on parents’ place of birth, education, income, and family income only available for every fifth individual.

1961: Jacob Getz

David Hays

(“New members of Powelton Neighbors” Powelton Post, Feb., 1961)

2009: owners: Bajendra and Shamsher B. Tandon, purchase date: 5/1979

< 3616 Baring 3622 Baring >

Revised 5/26/2022

Visit the Powelton Village Historical Interactive Map