410 N. 33^rd Street

Originally numbered 330

The History of the Building

“Two--and-one-half story red brick Victorian double. Horizontal bands of glazed and vertical stretcher; splayed brick lintel; multi- pane upper lights. Corbelled brick cornice; chalet-style details in side projecting bays; batter and board with exterior skeletal frame and in slightly advanced attic floor which has terracotta diamond tiles and steep overhanging roof.”

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

410 & 412 N 33^rd. St. were built by Coleman Sellers (3301 Baring) as wedding presents for two of his children: Jessie Sellers and Coleman Sellers, Jr. Jessie and Coleman, Jr.’s brother, Horace, called the houses the “Love Nest,” but Jessie called them the “Dove Cote.”

Previous Residents of 410 N. 33^rd Street

Jessie Sellers married Sabin W. Colton, Jr. May 13, 1880. They moved into 410 on Oct. 1, 1880. They had a “maid-of-all-work” who was paid $3,75 a week. In August, 1881, their first child, Harold Sellers Colton, was born. They hired a nurse to care for him. They only lived in the house for a few years. In 1885, they moved to a larger house that they built at 3409 Powelton Ave.

(from: North of Market Street. Harold S. Colton. 1961. Pp 36-38.)

For an introduction to the Sellers family and bio of Coleman Sellers, see the Powelton Post, March, 2009.

The Coleman Sellers, Jr. family moved next door to 410 which had the sunny southern exposure and they kept 412.

1881 Directory: Colton, Sabin W., Jr. (E.W. Clark & Co.), h 330 N 33^rd.

1887 Directory: Sellers, Coleman, Jr., engineer, h 410 N 33rd.

1895 Directory: Sellers, Coleman, Jr., assistant manager, 1600 Hamilton, h 410 N 33rd.

1900:

Coleman Sellers 47 Mechanical engineer; owned free of a mortgage; born in Ohio, father in Pa., mother in Ohio

Helen G. Sellers 47 Married 20 years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in N.Y., parents born in N.J.

Marjorie Sellers 18

Cornelia B. Sellers 14

Helen J. Sellers 12

Coleman Sellers 7

Alice B. Jackson 51 Sister-in-law; single; born in Md., parents in N.J.

Mary J. Walsh 31 Servant; single; born in Ireland, immigrated 12 years earlier

Mary A. Skelly 26 Servant; single; born in Ireland, immigrated 4 years earlier

1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. Coleman Sellers, Jr.

The Misses Sellers

Miss A. B. Jackson

1910:

Archibald H. Eble/Ekle 30 [Occupation illegible]; born in Minn., father in Minn., mother in Vt.; renting

Helen S. Eble/Ekle 22 Married one year, no children; father born in Ohio, mother in N.Y.

Mary Kane 24 Servant; born in Mass., parents born in Ireland

1920:

Richard D. Leonard 41 Sales manager for a refining co.; parents born in Scotland

Jessie Leonard 32

Richard G. Leonard 7

Margaret P. Leonard 3 yrs., 6 mons.

Ann Ruff 33 Trained nurse; single; parents born in Germany

1949, June 2: Death of Sara Elizabeth Mountford, 65 years old, of 410 N. 33rd St. She was a graduate nurse. Cause of death was colon cancer.

1949, Nov. 26: “Mrs. Caroline H. Gilmour, who died Oct. 27 in Mountfort Convalescent Home, 410 N. 33rd st., [left] $25,321 to her daughter, Margaret D. Gilmour, 3617 Hamilton st.” (Inquirer)

<3301 Baring 412 N 33rd St. >

Revised: 12/14/2021

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