The
History of the Building
3701-19:
“two-and-one-half
story Second Empire style doubles; stone facade over brick. First-floor
Victorian porches;… four registers, slate- shingled mansard (3701, 3705-07,
3709 asphalt); slightly arched dormer windowheads.
All built by the same developer.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents of
1876, February: Deed transferred from Charles W. Apple to Mary M.
Bryan.
1880:
Edwin R. Bryan 34 Lumber dealer; born in
Mary M. Bryan 33
Jay M. Bryan 8
Madge H. Bryan 6
Emma Erickson 23 Servant;
parents born in Germany
1897, December: Deed transferred from Edward R. Bryan & Marry
Mussina (wife) to Madge Hawley Bryan.
1900:
Edwin R. Bryan 55 Lumber
merchant; born in
Mary M. Bryan 54 Married
30 years, 3 children, 1 surviving
Madge Bryan 24 Artist
Bertha Lusby 24 Servant;
black; born in Md.
1903, December: Deed transferred from Madge Hawley Bryan to J.
Wood Mussina.
1904: “Mrs. Edwin R. Bryan, who has been
spending the winter in Jamaica, has returned to her home, 3701 Hamilton street.”
(Inquirer, April 15)
1905, Apr. 9: Death of Edwin R. Bryan, 60 years
old, of 3701 Hamilton St. Burial at Williamsport, Pa. He was a cousin of
William Jennings Bryan. (Inquirer, April 11)
1906 Blue Book: Miss Madge Hawley Bryan
1908: Want ad: “Child’s Nurse- wanted, colored
girl, 18 to 19 years, for child’s nurse. Call 3701 Hamilton st.”
(Inquirer, Sept. 2)
1908: Want Ad: “Housework – Colored girl for
general housework; good laundress; reference; $4 per week. Call 3701 Hamilton st.” (Inquirer, Oct. 4)
1909 Directory: Lane Cornelius A., Jr.,
printer
The 1910 census lists him and his
wife, Reba, and their two children living with his father at 718 Spruce St. He
was 29 and working as a printer for a publishing house.
1910: Not enumerated in the census. It was
probably vacant.
1911, December: Deed transferred from J. Wood Mussina Trustee and
Executor of Madge Hawley Bryan to John A. & Annie M. Thornton.
1912 Directory: Dunn Joseph E., mechanical
engineer
1918 Draft Registration: John Aloysius Thornton, born Jan. 7,
1898, student, formerly at Fordham University.
(Phila. Inquirer, Nov. 25, 1919)
John A. Thornton
(Even. Pub. Ledger, Nov. 24, 1917)
1920:
John
Thornton 57 Postmaster; father born in
Anna Thornton 54 Father born in
Bessie
Anna Thornton 26
John Thornton, Jr. 22 Collector
Marion Thornton 19
Thomas Thornton 14
John A.
Thornton and Annie M McCosker were married in Philadelphia in 1887. In 1900 and
1910, they live at 3738 Powelton Ave. In
1910, Annie stated that she had borne 9 children, but only 6 were surviving. In 1900, John was a magistrate. He owned the house with a mortgage.
1927 Directory: J. A. Thornton
1928, April 30: The Organization of Democratic
Women of the Twenty-fourth Ward met at the home of Miss Anna M. Thornton.
1928: Marriage license issued to Marion R. Thornton and Jeremiah
Neill
1930:
John A. Thornton 67 Married at age
25; father born in
Annie M. Thornton 66 Married at age 24
Elizabeth T.
Thornton 36
Anna M. Thornton 35
Thomas Thornton 24 Salesman
John A. Thornton, Jr. 31 Salesman;
married at age 30
Amye Thornton 25 Daughter-in-law;
married at age 24
Marion T. Neill 27 Daughter;
married at age 24
1936, Feb. 26: Death of John A. Thornton, 73 years old; burial at
Holy Cross Cemetery
Annie M. Thornton died later that
year.
“John A. Thornton, Ex-Postmaster,
Dies.
“John A. Thornton, Postmaster of
Philadelphia from 1913 to 1922 and a former magistrate, died yesterday at his
home, 3701 Hamilton st. He was 73.
“Mr. Thornton retired from business
several years ago, and had been in failing health, but he took an active part
in the November election when he abandoned the Kelly-McCloskey wing of the
Democratic Party – for the first time in his life – and supported S. Davis
Wilson for Mayor.
“Mr. Thornton became a magistrate by
election in 1899 and was recommended for a second term, but
did not accept. He later became a real estate assessor, and in 1913 succeeded
the late Thomas S. Smith as Postmaster.
“While he was Postmaster the
business of the local Postoffce increased a net
profit of $5,000,000 annually to $7,500,000. He was succeeded by Colonel George
E. Kemp.
“In 1888 he was elected Democratic
committeeman from the 24th ward and in 1907 was elected city
chairman to succeed Albert H. Ladner. He was a friend of the late William
Jennings Bryan.
“His wife and several children
survive.” (Inquirer, Feb. 27)
1940:
Anna Thornton 47 Clerk
at the water bureau, earned $1,000 in 1939; single; 2 years of high school;
renting for $27 per month
Elizabeth
Thornton 46 Single; 2 years of high school
_ 2nd Hh.
Thomas Porter 68 Widowed;
8 years of schooling; born in Eire (Ireland); lived in Edwardville,
IL in 1935; renting for $32 per month
Grace Porter 21 Daughter; clerk in department store, earned $200 for 16 weeks
for in 1939; born in IL; 2 years of college; lived in Edwardville,
IL in 1935
1940, Dec.: Marriage license issued to Grace A.
Porter of 3701 Hamilton St. and Robert F. Walk of 5429 Ridge Ave.
1953, Jul. 31: Death of Harold Elmer Wittemann, husband of Mary Wittemann.
Relatives, friends, William L. Elkins Lodge No. 646 F. and A. M. and employees
of P.R.R. are invited to attend services.” Relatives, friends, William L. Elkins Lodge No. 646 F. and A.
M. and employes of P.R.R. are invited to attend
services.” (Inquirer, Aug. 1)
“Harold E. Wittemann,
an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad for 35 years, died Friday at his home,
3701 Hamilton st. He was 52.
“Mr. Wittemann
was a ticket seller at the 30th Street Station until his retirement
several years ago. His wife, Mary, survives.” (Inquirer, Aug. 2)
2006: purchased by current owners, Portia Maria Jones and Michael
Korsch
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3703 Hamilton 3631 Hamilton >