Early History of McPherson Square (Kensington)

     McPherson Square was the country estate of William MacPherson, an officer in the Continental Army. He often entertained George Washington there. In 1805 it passed into the hands of the Webster family where they operated a farm until 1891. The property was sold to the city of Philadelphia in 1893 for $74, 546. It was then developed into a public park named McPherson Square in 1895. As it was a predominately Irish Catholic neighborhood, they dropped the "a" from MacPherson's Scottish/Protestant last name. 

     The old mansion was opened as a library on July 1, 1898. On the first day more than 1000 children came to look at the 4000 books held there. The mansion was torn down in 1915 to make way for a new library that was donated by Andrew Carnegie and opened in 1917. On September 17, 1904 an organization of Civil War Veterans, The US Grant Circle #75 Brotherhood of the Union, held a parade and memorial flag raising at the Square. On August 4, 1917 the citizens of Kensington erected a statue of Charles Allen Smith in the Square. Smith lived at 2168 Sergeant Street and was the second American killed at Vera Cruz in 1914. The statue was rejected by The City of Philadelphia Art Jury on the grounds that it looked more mortuary than heroic but the defiant Kensingtonians erected the statue anyway. The Art Jury cried foul claiming that the Kensingtonians were "taking advantage of the patriotic emotion of the time" (we had just entered WWI). Ten thousand people filled the park to see the unveiling. Seaman Allen's mother broke down in tears and wailed all during the ceremony. The trees in the Square were planted in the Summer of 1919 as "Tribute Trees" in memory of fallen WW 1 soldiers. The city used to have an official municipal concert band who performed in the park every summer from 1897 until the 1930's. 

     In 1922 an "Underground Public Comfort Station" was built at McPherson Squares front entrance, where F st and E st meet ant Kensington Ave. It was filled in sometime after WWII but a cave-in during the late 70's allowed me a peek of this underground bathroom. I recall the walls were ceramic tile. It looked a lot like the old Broad Street subway stations. I wonder how many people know that there is an old bathroom under McPherson Square?

Tony Maddonni

     Antonio Maddonni was born in San'Agapito, Italy in 1865. He married his wife Isabella in 1881 and they had their first child, Sabatino in January, 1882. In 1886 they immigrated to Philadelphia where they moved in with the family of Antonio's older brother, Agapito (named for their home town in Italy) who had come to Philadelphia in 1879. Antonio and Agapito worked together as ragmen. They lived 3394 Agate Street (near Tulip and Ontario Streets). Antonio and Isabella had 2 more children besides Sabatino. They were Mary (born Aug 18, 1889....married Alfredo Renzi in 1908) and Raffaello (born Nov, 1891). Agapito and his wife, Rose, had 17 children (only 10 would survive to adulthood). Agapito became a US citizen in 1892 and Antonio in 1896. 

     In 1900 Antonio moved his family to 4540 Ditman Street in Frankford and opened a junk business next door at 4542. In 1910, he opened a second location just around the corner at 2023 to 2027 Orthodox Street. In 1918 they called the Orthodox Street business "Northeastern Auto Parts". The phone number there was Frankford 1595. Antonio's son, Sabatino lived at the Orthodox location. Antonio's wife Isabella and his brother Agapito both died in 1919. Antonio died in 1925.

The Death Of Annie Naylor

Annie Naylor: May 10, 1902 - November 10, 1912

     Annie's parents were Joseph and Anna Cahill Naylor of Runcorn, Chester, England. They married there in 1891 and came to Philadelphia to raise a family in 1892. They first lived at 3128 Rorer Street (currently Lewis Elkin Elementary School is on that site). Joseph worked as a foreman at the cotton mill at B and Tioga. They had 4 children: Andrew on April 10, 1893, Leo in 1894, Mary in 1896 and Annie on May 10, 1902. Mary died at age 3 on Christmas Day, 1899 of convulsions. Andrew died on May 24, 1911 at age 18 from Enteritis and gangerous colitis. 

     The family then moved to 3233 Rorer Street (between Allegheny and Westmoreland). Annie was a sickly 4th grader at Ascension on October 28, 1912. Nearby Sheridan Public School was off that day and some of the older students had built a bonfire in front of Ascension School. As the students were let out that afternoon, Annie's line passed by the bonfire. An ember blew onto her jumper and she went ablaze. The nuns and some of the students tried to put out the fire but it took a passing truck driver who heard Annie's screams to put the fire out with his coat. Some students ran to Annie's house at Rorer and Westmoreland to let her mother know what was going on. She ran to the school only to arrive just as the ambulence pulled away. She collapsed at the scene and was taken to the same hospital as Annie, Episcopal Hospital. 

     The October 29, 1912 Phila Inquirer reported the story and mentioned that little Annie was not expected to live......and she did not. After suffering for 13 days, Annie died on November 10, 1912. Her official cause of death was Toxemia and General Burns. Joseph and Anna's last remaining child, Leo, died in 1916. Joseph and Anna both died in the late 1930's, leaving no family to remember them or to pray for them. Please, if you have a moment remember the Naylor family with an Ave.

The Quigley Siblings of Draperstown, County Derry, Ireland.

      Frank and Anne Quigley of Draperstown, Derry, Ireland had 5 children between 1862 and 1870: James (March 1862), Mary (1865), Martha (Mar 1866), Annie (Sep 1867) and Rose (1870). 

     James came to Philadelphia on May 11, 1886 and found work as a cook. He married Annie Sullivan in 1889 and they moved to 605 Winton Street (6th and Snyder). Martha came to Philadelphia on Sep 13 1891. After their parents died, the other 3 girls, Mary, Annie and Rose came to Philadelphia on April 18, 1893. The 4 girls never married. Rose, age 23, died of TB just 4 months after arriving. Mary took a job working as a nurse for a rich family in Birdsboro, Berks County until 1904 when she too contracted TB. She moved in with Martha and Annie who owned a sewing notions shop (M & A Quigley) at 1601 S 21st Street (21st and Tasker) where she died at age 40 on Oct 14, 1905. Martha took a trip home in 1910. 

     James' wife died at age 39 of valvular heart disease on Mar 22, 1912 and James died at age 54 on Oct 24, 1916. They had no children. Martha and Annie continued to operate their store until 1920 when they retired to 1641 N 60th Street (60th and Lansdowne). Martha workd as a typist until May 20, 1921 when she died suddenly at the age of 55. This left Annie with no family and since she had just recently moved from South Philly to West Philly probably no friends. She died on Sep 20, 1934 at age 67 joining her brother and sisters at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon. They left no one behind to pray for them so if you can, please take a moment to remember them with a Hail Mary.