3629 Powelton Avenue

The lot was original part of a parcel that included 303, 305, 307, and 309 N. 37th St. as well as 3627 and 3629 Powelton Ave. The history of that parcel is as follows:

 

1867, May 17: Deeded to John Magraw by Louisa E. Baring, et al.

            John Magraw is listed in the 1867 city directory as a clerk at 4131 Chestnut St. That was the home of real estate agent Enoch G. Hopkins whose office was on 41st St. near Haverford Ave.

 

1867, June 28: Deeded to Joseph Dallas Hall by John Magraw

 

1867, Sept. 21: Deeded to John K. McCurdy by Joseph Dallas Hall

 

1869, April 1: Deeded to Thomas Foster by John K. McCurdy

 

1869, April 2: Deeded to John M. Mole by Thomas Foster

            John M. Mole almost certainly built 3627-29 Powelton and 303-309 N. 37th St. He was a carpenter who was born in England about 1841. He was probably the brother of Thomas H., John, Walter and James Mole all of whom were carpenters. They may have been the sons of a W. Mole who was a builder. In 1866, all of them were living near 17th St. and Ellsworth. They probably arrived in the U.S. about 1860 and they all left Philadelphia between 1870 and 1880 except for James.

            In 1870, John and Elizabeth A. Mole lived in West Philadelphia, probably west of 40th St. Elizabeth was born in Ireland. She claimed real estate worth $15,000 and personal property valued at $2,000. John Mole was involved in about 50 land sales in Philadelphia between 1869 and 1873, possibly as a builder. He probably left Philadelphia about 1874.

 

3627-3629: “three-story, brick double; same original cornice treatment as 3623; 3627 has a one-story brick addition to its front; 3629 has retained its original wood porch detail and corner two-story turret.”

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

History

1869, Dec. 7: Deeded to Charles H. McKeever by John M. Mole

            McKeever was partner in Ward & McKeever, paper hangings at 1400 Chestnut St. He and his wife, Sarah, lived at 1112 S. 2nd St. He was 34 years old. The 1870 census lists him with $6,000 in real estate and $3,000 in personal property. He was 34 years old.

 

1870 (?). Oct. 14: Deeded to Robert Martin by Sheriff sale as an asset of Thomas Foster

            Robert R. Martin, Sr., age 65, was an umbrella maker at 246 S. 6th St. with his son, Robert, Jr. He lived next door at 248 S. 6th St. They may have moved here sometime after Nov. 1870.

 

1874, Oct. 29: Death of Robert B Martin, Jr., 39 years old, of 3629 Powelton Ave. He was single. Burial at Woodlands Cemetery.

 

1876, Oct. 30: Deeded to James F. Elder and wife by Robert Martin

 

1880:

James F. Elder                         43        Cabinet maker

Margaret J. Elder                     45

Frank H. Elder                        20        Medical student

Lizzie F. Elder                         17

Mildred A. Hammer                 21        Niece

Sarah Jacobs                            45        Servant

            The city directories for 1875-1877 list him at 104 N. 35th St. In 1900, James and Margaret lived at 916 S. 48th St. He was the Chief Inspector at [Westinghouse] Air Brake. Margaret Jane Hammer Elder was the daughter of F4rancis Hammer and Margaret Griffin. She died in Philadelphia on Dec, 27, 1907 and was buried in Blairsville, Indiana Co., PA.

            The 1906 Blue Book lists Dr. & Mrs. Frank H. Elder living at 1523 Arch St. Francis Hammer Edwards received an M.D. in 1881 and a Ph.D. in 1882 from the University of Pennsylvania. He wrote his essay for the M.D. degree on infanticide.

 

1890 Directories: James F. Elder, inspector

 

1894, June 11: Deeded to Margaret C. Henderson by James F. Elder

 

1895 Directory: William Henderson (Henderson & Stewart)

                          Henderson & Stewart, printers, 1211 Filbert

           

1900:

Margaret Henderson               45        Married 18 years, 4 children; parents born in Ireland; owner, free of a mortgage

William L. Henderson              17        Father born in N.Y.

Vincent D. P. Henderson         15        Father born in N.Y.

Allan J. Henderson                  14        Father born in N.Y.

Clement Henderson                 11        Father born in N.Y.

Annie Ireland                          26        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1894

            Margaret C. Henderson was the daughter of John Ahern, a cleric, and Margaret Shinn. She was born march 12, 1855 in Philadelphia.  In 1930, Margaret and Clement lived at 4314 Chestnut St. He was a real estate dealer.

 

1906 Blue Book: Mrs. Margaret Henderson

                           William L. Henderson

 

1910:

Margaret C. Henderson            50        Divorced, 4 children; parents born in Ireland; owner, free of a mortgage

William L. Henderson              27        Contractor; father born in N.Y.

Vincent D. C. Henderson        26        Real estate; father born in N.Y.

Allen J. Henderson                  24        Draftsman for the city; father born in N.Y.

Clement Henderson                 21        Bank clerk; father born in N.Y.

Lillian S. Emden                      32        Niece; single; born in N.Y.

 

1917 WWI Draft Registration: Clement Henderson, born July 1888 in Philadelphia, real estate agent with Charles J Miller at 1201 Chestnut

 

1918: Marriage of Catherine Washington to William J Henderson

 

1920:

Margret C. Henderson             59

Vincent De Paul Henderson    35        Plumbing business

Clement Henderson                 31        Real estate

William L. Henderson              37        Married; contractor

Cecilia Henderson                   35        Daughter-in-law

Cecilia M. Henderson              1 yr, 10 months    Grandson

 

1923, March 15: Deeded to Rose Ashdown, wife of William Ashdown by Margaret C. Henderson

 

1926, Aug. 12: Deeded to Marie Meyer by Rose Ashdown, wife of William

            Immediately deeded to William I. Stanton and Anthony J. Zeits by Marie Meyer

 

1930: Not enumerated in the census

 

1930, Sept. 18: Deeded (half interest) to Lanewood Corp., half interest of Anthony J. Zeits by Anthony J. Zeits

 

1932, Dec. 31: Deeded (half interest) to Harry T. H. Robinson by William I. Stanton and wife

 

1940:

William Westly            71        2 years of high school; renting for $60 per month

Calsa Westly                75        Born in England; 8 years of schooling

 

1940, Dec. 31: Deeded (half interest) to Nellie G. Kelly by Lanewood Corp.

 

1948, Oct. 11: Deeded to Fridolin Morganthaler by Nellie G. Kelly

 

1949, Mar. 23: Deeded to Anna Jenkins by Fridolin Morganthaler

 

1949, May 19: Deeded to William D. Martin by Anna Jenkins

            William D. Martin was a real estate broker. He died in 1953 at age 58. He lived at 3812 Lancaster Ave.

 

1950 Directory: Chambers James W.

 Erne Margaret B.

            In 1940, Margaret Erne and her son, Emil, lived at 20 E. Athens Ave., Lower Merion. She was 53 and Emil was 31. They both had eight years of schooling.

 

1950: “A Cop for Two Nights a Week”

            “’Erne’ is Emil A. Erne, whose sandy-complexioned slenderness belies some five feet seven and 160 pounds of co-ordinated muscle.

            “For more than 20 years he was a hotel clerk in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood where he greeted the world’s great and run-of-the-mill travelers with his smile and his special blend of friendliness….

            “A few years ago, when ‘Erne’ was approaching 40, he retired to the comparative quiet of the room clerk’s desk in the St. James Annex, a residential hotel at 1216 Walnut st….

            “Two nights weekly, in police uniform, ‘Erne’ puts in volunteer service patrolling in the 42d Police District in his own car….

            “’Erne’ lives with his mother, now a widow, at 3629 Powelton ave. He spends some of his leisure time dancing and skating. He never has married.”

            (Inquirer, March 19) For the full story and a photo, see the link above.

 

1955, Dec. 6: Deeded to David J. Martin, by William D. Martin by will of 1953.

 

1956, Feb. 6: Death of Margaret (Bogan) Erne, 64 years old, the widow of John Erne of 3629 Powelton Ave. She was born in Darby and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Delaware Co.

 

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Revised: 12/10/2021

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