401 North 33rd
Street
Numbered 323 before about
1880
401 N. 33rd
St., 1962
The
History of the Building
This was built as a double with 403 in 1859. It may have been remodeled following
its sale in 1866. There was a small addition added in 1901.
401-403: “three-story,
Italianate style double with, one entrance on
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents of
1860:
John Shedwick 44 Builder;
born in England; real estate: $15,000, personal property: $500
Margaret Shedwick 41 Born
in England
James C. Shedwick 21 Car
builder; born in England
Joseph C. Shedwick 16 Apprentice
stone cutter; born in England
Mary Shedwick 13
Willie Shedwick 9
George W. Shedwick 5
Henry C. Shedwick 5
Rose O’Neil 40 Servant; born in Ireland
1861 Directory: John Shedwick,
N 33rd above Baring.
The 1857 Directory listed him as a [wall paper] pattern maker living at 8th &
Story (37th &
1863: “FOR SALE – HOUSE AT N. E. CORNER OF
THIRTY-THIRD AND BARING Streets (Mantua.) Price $5,000. Apply to H. MCILVAIN,
THIRTY-FOURTH and MARKET Sts.” (Inquirer, Oct.
13, 1863)
1866, May IRS Records: listed John Shedwick at the NE corner of 33rd and Baring.
However, the 1866 Directory listed him at the S.E. corner of 32nd
and Baring.
1866, Mar.
15: Title transferred
to Abigail Irwin by Hugh McIlvaine
1870:
Abigail Irwin 68 Born in
Rev. Samuel
Fulton 55 Doctor of divinity; born in
Sarah Fulton 49
Elizabeth Fulton 29
Emilie Dougherty 32
The IRS records for May 1865 show an
Abigail Irwin in Norristown with an income if $411 and owning a piano, a carriage, a grandfather
clock, and 72 oz. of silver plate.
1872: The Hopkins Atlas shows the owner as Mrs. Irwin.
1879, July 4: Abigail Irwin died. This house
was willed to her niece, Ann Elizabeth Fulton, who had married John G. Steen
about a year earlier. Steen was the son of Robert Steen. In 1860 and 1870, he
lived with his parents at their home which occupied the whole north side of the
3300 block of Bridge (
1880:
Charles Crandall 32 Physician; born in N.Y., father in R.I.,
mother in N.Y.
Jeannette Crandall 29 Born in
Julia Crandall 39 Sister;
born in N.Y., father in N.Y. [?]., mother in N.Y.
Mary Mc Keever 13 Servant;
parents born in
1881, May 13: Death of Julia L. Crandall, 41
years old, of 323 N. 33rd. She was single and was born in Newport, N.Y.
1887: John G. Steen, superintendent, 613
Chestnut, 401 N 33rd
1895 Directory: John G.
Steen, superintendent of vaults, 715 Chestnut, 401
N 33rd
1900:
John G. Steen 60 Superintendent
of trust company; born in Pa, parents in Ireland; owner, free of a mortgage
A. Elisabeth Steen 60 Her mother was
born in
Margaret S. Steen 21
Bridget Maddon 28 Servant;
born in
Mary Wiggleworths
30 Servant;
born in
Emma Wiggleworths
4 Born
in
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. John G. Steen
1910:
John G. Steen 70
Elizabeth
Steen 70 Married 32 years, 1 child
Andrew C. Vauclain 36 Son-in-law; foreman in locomotive works
Margarett S. Vauclain 31 Married
4 years, 1 child
Andre C. Vauclain 1
Mitty Hasty 26 Servant; black; born in N.C.
Nora Hasty 22 Servant; black; born in N.C.
Elizabeth Steen died May 6, 1917.
They were living at 2416 N. 54 St. (Phila.
Inquirer, May 7, 1917).
John
G. Steen died one month after the census, February 1920.
In
1920 and 1930, the Vauclains lived at 2416 N 54th St. Andrew Vauclain
worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works of which his father and uncle were
major shareholders. His son, Andre Vauclain graduated
from Haverford School for Boys. He studied business at the Wharton school, but left before his senior year to study music. He
taught music composition at the Curtis School from 1939 to 1953 and was a
professor at the University of Pennsylvania from 1948 to 1979. In 1940, he
lived at 3606 Hamilton St. (More information
about him and the family is available there.)
1920:
Jacob Langsdorf 32 Cigar manufacturer; mother born in
Dorothy Langsdorf
26 Wife;
mother born in N.Y.
Jack Langsdorf 8
Robert Langsdorf
5
Elizbeth Langsdorf
2 yrs. & 3 mons.
Rita Ward 22 Servant; born in N.Y.
Mary Mason 23 Servant,
waitress; born in
Jacob Morris Langsdorf
(1888–1957) married Dorothy May Kirschbaum
(1894–1956) April 10, 1912. He was the son of Morris Kossuth Langsdorf (1851–1936) and Minna Levy (1855–1929). In 1930
and 1940, they lived at 6807 N. 10th St.
1921, Jun. 15: Title
transferred to George B. and Bella L. Milne by Margaret S. VanClain
1926, Mar. 4: Title
transferred to Abraham Lundy by George B. and Bella L. Milne
1926, Mar. 29: Title
transferred to Lundy Realty Co. by Abraham Lundy
1927, Nor. 14: Title
transferred to Samuel Uram by Lundy Realty Co.
1929, Mar. 30: Title
transferred to Henry Lundy by Samuel Uram
1930, Sept. 22: Title
transferred to United Surety Title Insurance Co. by sheriff sale by Henry Lundy
1931, Apr. 25: Title
transferred to Albert Gearhart by United Surety Title Insurance Co. by sheriff
sale
1931, Apr. 25: Title
transferred to John J. Collmer by Albert Gearhart
1932, Dec. 28: Title
transferred to United Surety Title Insurance Co. by sheriff sale by John J. Collmer
1933, May 8: Title
transferred to William D. Gordon, Secretary of Banking by United Surety Title
Insurance Co. by sheriff sale
1944, May 22: Title
transferred to Samuel A. Cohen by William D. Gordon, Secretary of Banking
1946, Feb. 6: Title
transferred to Rebecca Fishell by Samuel A. Cohen and
then to Samuel A. Cohen by Rebecca Fishell
1950, Mar. 14: Title transferred
to William Glenn Bedford by Samuel A. Cohen
1951, Jan. 4: Title
transferred to Harry Friedman by William Glenn Bedford
1951, Sep. 19: Title
transferred to Harold Yusem by Harry Friedman
1952, Jul. 22: Title
transferred to Ellwood D. Tunnell and Sarah B., his
wife by Harold Yusem
2009 owner: Sandra R. Weitzman, purchased July 1980
Revised 7/31/2022