426N. 34th Street
The
History of the Building
424-438 N. 34th was previously occupied by
a large house owned by James B. Ferree, numbered 3404
Spring Garden St.
1892 Bromley Atlas shows 424-438 N. 34th St. as a single lot owned by William Bliss.
424-438:
“three-story
Pompeiian brick late Queen Anne block. Porch-fronted, some altered. Brick
pilasters separating each unit. Elaborate pressed metal cornice and slate upper
story with projecting plinths between alternate forms of pedimented windowheads.”
(Inventory of
Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic
Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1894, Aug. 13: Death of Nicholas Rossi Mersereau
of 426 N. 34th St.; internment at Greenwood Cemetery, New York
1895 Directory: Stephen H. Mersereau
Amelia P. Dolman, widow of James P.
They were the children of Nicholas
R. and Mary T. Mersereau. In 1880, the family lived
in Westfield, Staten Island, N.Y. Mersereau was an
old Staten Island family name. In 1880, Nicholas was a 42-year-old retired
merchant. The 1891 Philadelphia city directory lists James P. Dolman as a
lawyer with an office at 727 Walnut St. The Mersereau
and Dolman families all lived at 757 N. 40th St. in 1890.
Amanda Mersereau
and James Perkins Dolman were married at St James Church (Lutheran),
Kingsessing, Philadelphia n Sept. 23, 1890. He died Dec. 22, 1891
at age 33.
1898 Blue Book: Mrs. Nicholas Rossi Mersereau
Stephen H. Mersereau
Mrs. James P. Dolman
1900:
Mary T. Mersereau
63 Widowed,
1 child; born in N.Y.; owner with a mortgage
Amelia Dolman 34 Daughter;
widowed, no children; born in N.Y.
Anna White 22 Servant; black; born in
Mary Mersereau’s
maiden name was Holt.
1906 Blue Book: Mrs. James P. Dolman
Mrs. Nicholas Rossi Mersereau
1910:
Mary T. Mersereau 73 Widowed, 2 children, 1 surviving; born
in N.Y.; owner with a mortgage
Amelia P. Dolman 44 Daughter;
widowed; born in N.Y.
Mary Taylor (Holt) Mersereau died of lung cancer July 14, 1916
in Ambler, Montgomery Co., Pa.
1940:
Dennis J. Lyons 50 Park
guard for the city, earned $2,100 in 1939; renting for $28 a month; 8 yrs. of
school
Mary
Coughlin 61 Sister;
married; 8 yrs. of school
In 1900, Dennis J. and Mary E. Lyons
were living with their parents, Patrick and Mary A.
(Fitzgerald) Lyons at 653 N. 38th St. Their mother reported having
six children, but the other four had died. Patrick, a laborer, died before 1910.
Mary married Frank J. Coughlin in Philadelphia in 1905. In 1910, she was back
living with her mother and Dennis, at 3852 Race St. She was still married but
reported no children. She was working as a nurse for a private family. Dennis
was working as a switchman for the railroad. In 1942, Dennis registered for
draft when they lived at 3329 Spring Garden St. He died in 1954 when he lived
at 3613 Spring Garden St. Mary (Lyons) Coughlin died in 1960 when she was
living at 3637
Spring Garden St.
Revised
3/27/2015