tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39359283617238358952024-02-19T02:48:35.729-05:00Bob's Philadelphia HistoryBob McNultyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05798048206311576790noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-59585056744664065952013-03-06T11:23:00.005-05:002013-03-06T11:23:56.373-05:00Early History of McPherson Square (Kensington)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PEWpaKq0jHgMNm2p71z1OXNFYoTjgCPR95PLH-jv399yNJUkTOaA20QFL6KxZcJZ1WDgF4cI-6_M4YZonPR3pdn8F1pV-GMGOak7cR0B7GwARfrMvlqHTlkO372E70D5PQgfv6KrRE/s1600/528376_10200188605650970_519337584_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9PEWpaKq0jHgMNm2p71z1OXNFYoTjgCPR95PLH-jv399yNJUkTOaA20QFL6KxZcJZ1WDgF4cI-6_M4YZonPR3pdn8F1pV-GMGOak7cR0B7GwARfrMvlqHTlkO372E70D5PQgfv6KrRE/s1600/528376_10200188605650970_519337584_n.jpg" height="196" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> 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<span class="text_exposed_show">
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. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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?</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-79074427350892257262013-03-04T11:32:00.005-05:002013-08-22T18:23:09.981-04:00Tony Maddonni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijlYTIiDHA_DP11LLn9tAUZuXrAVg7qPXJoDs0TUUbIRHXM4HpGA5LEuj9bpWWlEArNVTOSu4NXmfHXpDzokOfh25ICcWhkzQ7lcY1IKQod9MWJlFPI0xzuDEvjYfdWPwURMUUhsS7M0/s1600/541632_10200210092748134_290012216_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijlYTIiDHA_DP11LLn9tAUZuXrAVg7qPXJoDs0TUUbIRHXM4HpGA5LEuj9bpWWlEArNVTOSu4NXmfHXpDzokOfh25ICcWhkzQ7lcY1IKQod9MWJlFPI0xzuDEvjYfdWPwURMUUhsS7M0/s1600/541632_10200210092748134_290012216_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br /> 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<span class="text_exposed_show">,
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. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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. <br /> </span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-11194295564776925752013-03-01T12:23:00.000-05:002013-08-22T18:23:43.328-04:00The Death Of Annie Naylor<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA42imrGoYpbJ1RjSqFhFtupkYR0O1VeBL_vfF2Upu3TcGN0_-k0S3RQCb53f8HOS5g7ADTAOMNGTSLBiTY8M_dCB6RwARZckTlmw3MyhEqioyAvZ2t1U2bFGrFKuxRQ617L7holVJkxE/s1600/61593_4535085448321_741031202_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annie Naylor: May 10, 1902 - November 10, 1912</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">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 <span class="text_exposed_show">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. </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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. </span></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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. </span></span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-34006222908208683932013-03-01T12:15:00.002-05:002013-03-01T12:15:29.545-05:00The Quigley Siblings of Draperstown, County Derry, Ireland.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5IKXWua0kdPt7pWXR0QrWQt8PQhWMPJpT4WFZKUr0KQHGs3srihcFUcs1QF5ZUQal9ryt2OGzbMnS0ZWyFcwcJDAk4qv7wbyAAx_IugN5_sJzfZDpf1Wrxnfmc9EVlbDYYNEeSaYIYo/s1600/405894_2892545185841_231589812_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5IKXWua0kdPt7pWXR0QrWQt8PQhWMPJpT4WFZKUr0KQHGs3srihcFUcs1QF5ZUQal9ryt2OGzbMnS0ZWyFcwcJDAk4qv7wbyAAx_IugN5_sJzfZDpf1Wrxnfmc9EVlbDYYNEeSaYIYo/s1600/405894_2892545185841_231589812_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br />
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). </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> 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). Mart<span class="text_exposed_show">ha
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. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> 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.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-72052104925688105762013-02-27T21:47:00.006-05:002013-02-27T21:47:57.749-05:00Four Views of the NE corner of Broad and Walnut Streets <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-x33eypretlu46CiZUzMWBWqO7xYoIMT3SgM4WyRoyHdirT8leNvQ1ICsiWNAHgve1HRtvllIwoXk-9aGdTY0AlJA0xQEenHbONNcSvA2_R0Begk9pihSZWoB_vvh7n22AbmrhkBw8Q/s1600/15785_4667312073904_1341663041_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-x33eypretlu46CiZUzMWBWqO7xYoIMT3SgM4WyRoyHdirT8leNvQ1ICsiWNAHgve1HRtvllIwoXk-9aGdTY0AlJA0xQEenHbONNcSvA2_R0Begk9pihSZWoB_vvh7n22AbmrhkBw8Q/s1600/15785_4667312073904_1341663041_n.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><b> Top Left: </b>1819 when it was known as Vauxhall Gardens and Circus Ground.
It opened in 1814 as one of Philadelphia's earliest Amusement Centers.
Besides a garden, there was a stage for all sorts of performances. There
was a huge banquet held here for Laffayette in 1824. </span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br /> <b>Top Right: </b>1890 when it was the Dundas/Lippincott Mansion aka<span class="text_exposed_show"> The Yellow Mansion.<br />
It was built by Scottish Millionaire James Dundas in 1839. In 1860 it
was left to the Lippincott Family. President McKinley reviewed the
troops from a grandstand in the garden during the 1898 Peace Jubilee
celebrating the end of the Spanish American War. The large tree to the
right dated to the 1700's and was called "Home of the Sparrows".</span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><b><br />
Bottom Left: </b>1916. The mansion was torn down in 1905 and was replaced by
small shops known as The Isman Stores. The tall building to the right
is The Witherspoon building, early home to General Electric, built in
1898.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> <b>Bottom Right:</b> 2012. The shops were torn down in the mid 1920's
and replaced with the Fidelity Trust Company Building which still
stands there today.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-3153444344829360712013-02-26T00:10:00.002-05:002013-08-22T18:20:23.001-04:003330 G Street....The O'Rourke/Campbell/Guckin Mansion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXuV-UBn_KZWigAC95NphpqR-fOxSkLl14nPM3UKZGt2_1wnXRBgRtQ3DqwQuFH_S0iRMpjyi1Wlyilp9FDgdNvUdan4cAS-dVJWOiFD1pZQUN6OR5WBRK2KgqJcJ2q2LsCcCynMdEvE/s1600/401262_2883905689859_51850005_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXuV-UBn_KZWigAC95NphpqR-fOxSkLl14nPM3UKZGt2_1wnXRBgRtQ3DqwQuFH_S0iRMpjyi1Wlyilp9FDgdNvUdan4cAS-dVJWOiFD1pZQUN6OR5WBRK2KgqJcJ2q2LsCcCynMdEvE/s1600/401262_2883905689859_51850005_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="userContent"> </span><br />
<span class="userContent"> Michael O'Rourke was an Irish immigrant who built the grandest home in Kensington.<br /> </span><br />
<span class="userContent"> He, along with his sons and nephews, worked as municipal contractors. Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, <span class="text_exposed_show">had
13 children but 9 of them died before the age of 19 (8 of them were
under age 7 and 2 of them died 3 weeks apart in Aug 1875 from scarlet
fever).<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> In 1906, Michael bought land on G Street between Cornwall
and Thayer Streets. He built houses for his sons along the east side of G
Street: 3303 (Michael jr.), 3305 (John) and 3309 (James Patrick). In
addition, he built 3311 as a Dentist Office for James Patrick and 3307
for his nephew (who was also named James Patrick). For himself, his wife
and son Francis Xavier, he built the mansion at 3330 G Street. By 1910,
their son James Patrick had also moved into the mansion. Michael died
on March 1, 1910. In 1913, the family settled Michael's estate. They put
the mansion up for sale and James Patrick, Francis and their mother,
Elizabeth moved to 816 E Allegheny Ave (the 3 story house next to
Beneficial Savings Bank). While their new house wasn't as grand as the
mansion, I think the K and A location made more sense for James
Patrick's business as an oral surgeon. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> After about a year on the market,
the mansion was sold on August 27, 1914 for $29,000. The new owner was
Conrad Campbell. Conrad's father was William Campbell, a carpet weaver.
The Campbells lived at 2949 D Street (D and Indiana) where they raised 3
sons, Conrad, James and Benjamin. All 3 sons studied music and became
music teachers. Their first music shop was at 2905 Kensington Ave (D and
Kensington) but after Benjamin left the business in 1911, Conrad and
James formed C and J Music and moved to 501 E Allegheny Ave (D and
Allegheny). Conrad also owned several rental properties in Kensington
and by 1914, he was wealthy enough to buy the O' Rourke Mansion. Besides
being the new home to C and J Music, Conrad rented out parts of the
mansion as apartments to boarders. Conrad was a lifelong bachelor.
Living in his apartment with him in 1920 was his mother and a Benjamin
Rodgers who was listed as a fellow music teacher. The 1930 census shows
Rodgers still living with Conrad, listed as "caretaker". </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> By the late
1920's, Conrad's brother James quit the music business and opened a
Radio Store. By 1950, Conrad was no longer teaching music. The mansion
is listed as C and J Furniture. I've heard from several sources that
Conrad was a mean old man who always chased the neighborhood children
off of his property. The house had gained a creepy reputation and it was
said that "Old Man" Campbell ate children and kept jars of their teeth
in the basement. It was a common dare to go run up onto the porch
without being caught. Conrad Campbell died in the 1960's. I've heard some say that he committed suicide by hanging himself in the attic. His nephew had
all of Conrad's furniture burned in a big bonfire. The mansion was donated to Ascension Church who then
sold it to the Guckin Family and it became The Guckin Funeral Mansion. I
attended Ascension School just across the street from the mansion during
the 1970's. The mansion still had a creepy reputation. I remember @1973
attending a cub scout Halloween Haunted House party at the mansion that
was a lot of fun. Just like Mr Campbell, Mr. Guckin used to chase away
kids playing "Freedom" on the property but as an altar boy at Ascension, I got to see Mr Guckin (Andrew) quite a bit and he seemed like a nice
guy. I suppose just about everyone who grew up in Kensington knows
somebody who was laid out at Guckins. My Grandmother's viewing was held
there on October 24, 1997 and they did a fine job.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-37621812289662638602013-02-20T00:19:00.001-05:002013-02-20T00:19:11.242-05:00Shackamaxon Street<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh36GuydIraf0gXtCAlfqsCX6xf9TjCss1-o0q41UyiRmVij0WbFd6E5reGMQkJ8TN7ijoEZVrBD7ETIzqlXomgZwRr7KT6fgzOkbVNpbNTqXm51iR8n5kE3w5hYBMvtr47ZddPLUC7v0/s1600/aaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh36GuydIraf0gXtCAlfqsCX6xf9TjCss1-o0q41UyiRmVij0WbFd6E5reGMQkJ8TN7ijoEZVrBD7ETIzqlXomgZwRr7KT6fgzOkbVNpbNTqXm51iR8n5kE3w5hYBMvtr47ZddPLUC7v0/s1600/aaaa.jpg" height="446" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> This
is 1133 (left) and 1131 (right) Shackamaxon Street as they appeared on
Monday, April 15, 1901. Between the years 1858 and 1940, 10 different
families lived at 1133. Between the years 1867 and 1950, 8 different
families lived at 1131. This is an account of the occupants.<br /> <br /> <b>Living at 1133 Shackamaxon:</b><span class="text_exposed_show"><b> </b><br />
William and Lizzie Lowery moved to 1133 Shackamaxon Street in 1858.
William was a 28 year old ship joiner and Lizzie was 20 years old.
Shortly after moving in, Lizzie gave birth to their second child, Willie
(their first child, Joseph Giles Lowery, died at 5 months old from
inflammation of the brain on Dec 21, 1855). They had twin daughters,
Fannie and Linda in December of 1859. Fannie died from scarlet fever on
October 11, 1861. In 1859, the rear of the house was rented out to James
McDevitt. James was 29 years old, single and worked as a drayman (he
drove a horse and wagon). McDevitt only lived there for about 1 year. In
1860 he moved back home with his parents where he died from
tuberculosis on March 21, 1861. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> The rear was then rented to Isaac and
Elizabeth Wilson. Isaac was a 37 year old ship carpenter and Elizabeth
was 39. Isaac and Elizabeth had 2 children: Harry age 9 and Lydia age 4.
Just a year after moving in, Isaac died on April 15, 1861 from an
abscess in his lungs. His obituary said that he died "after a long and
painful illness which he bore with fortitude and resignation". After
Isaac's death, the rear of the house was no longer rented out. In 1864
the Lowery's moved to 1841 Frankford Ave (where they lived the next 40
years). </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> The next 2 occupants of 1133 Shackamaxon were short timers. Ed
Shultz, a chair maker, lived there from 1864 to 1865 and Benjamin C
Mickle, a hatter, lived there from 1866 to 1867 (Mickle died on Oct 7,
1869 at age 29. He had just embarked on a new career as a railroad
conductor when he had an accident and injured his brain). In 1868,
Theresa Rambo and her 4 sons, Lewis, Theodore, Peter and Oscar moved
into the house. Theresa was the widow of Peter Rambo, the Post Master of
Kensington. Lewis was a roofer and then later a machinist. Theodore and
Peter were paint manufacturers and Oscar was a clerk. Theodore married a
girl named Kate in 1874. They had 5 children while living at 1133
Shackamaxon but only 2 of them survived childhood: Eva (b Mar 1875 - d
Dec 24, 1875 from a sinus infection), Gertrude (b 1877), Harold (b Mar
1880), Theodora Grace (b Mar 25, 1882 - d Jan 18, 1892 from scarlet
fever) and Norman (b Jan 29, 1885 - d June 4, 1885 from pneumonia). The
Rambo's belonged to Hancock ME Church. Theodora and Norman were baptized
together there on May 29, 1885, just 6 days before Norman's death. The
Rambo's moved out in 1886. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> Next to move in were Jacob and Josephine
McCleary and their son Charles. Jacob and Charles worked together as
Boilermakers. The McCleary's moved out in 1891. Charles and Carolina
File along with 5 of their children moved in to 1133 Shackamaxon in
1892. Charles sr was a sawyer, Charles jr was a knitter in a hosiery
mill, George was a machinist, Henry was a millwright, William was a
driver (but later became an electrician) and Clara was a student. The
File's lived there until 1898. In 1899 the house was very briefly
occupied by Maria Louisa Sturts who was the widow of Gustave. Late in
1899, she moved out to go live with her son, Gustave jr. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> In 1900, the
house was purchased by David Sibbit who had just received an inheritance
from his father. The Sibbit's would live in the house for more than 40
years. It was the Sibbit family who was living at the house when the
picture was taken on April 15, 1901. David's wife was named Annie and
they had 2 children, Frank and Mary (Mary's nickname was May). David was
an ice dealer until 1914 when he switched over to selling coal. On May
27, 1908 Frank suffered a heat stroke at the liquor store where he
worked. He was taken to Womens Homeopathic Hospital where he recovered.
The official high temperature that day was 88 but the humidity made it
feel much hotter. Scores of horses were reported to have fallen
exhausted by the heat. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> May married Albert E Holloway in 1915. May and
Albert had 7 children: Anna 1916, David 1920, Albert jr 1922, William
1924, Charles 1925, Viola 1928 and Frank 1930. Albert and May spent most
of the the first 10 years of their marriage living with the family of
Albert's youngest brother, Daniel. Albert and Daniel were very close.
They liked to take fishing trips together. The May 22, 1896 edition of
the Phila Inquirer reported that Albert and Daniel had a secret fishing
pond where they had just caugt 18 pickerels, one of which weighed 32 1/4
pounds. Daniel was a lawyer and I suspect that he looked out for Albert
who wandered through several blue collar jobs. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> Daniel died suddenly in
1925. Without his brothers help, Albert had trouble supporting his
family. In 1930, he was working as a bill poster. He abandoned May and
the children in the early 30's. May sent two of their sons, 9 year old
William and 8 year old Charles to be raised in a city orphanage. She
took the rest of the children and moved back in with her parents at 1133
Shackamaxon. Annie Sibbit died in 1938 at age 82 and David Sibbit was
about 90 when he died in the 1940's. May sold the house after David's
death. <br /> <br /> <br /> <b><br /> Living at 1131 Shackamaxon: </b><br /> <br /> In
1867, Ann Miller, the widow of Danish immigrant Francis Miller, moved
into the house with her daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth was 22 years old
and supported her 57 year old mother by working as a school teacher.
Elizabeth never married. Ann died at age 74 from dysentery on March 3,
1884. Elizabeth moved after her mother's death. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> The next occupant was
John Moore, a blacksmith, who lived there until 1888. Charles E Semple
moved in during 1889. Charles was single and worked as a
plumber/gasfitter. On the evening of March 28, 1891, Charles was
attending a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" at the
Chestnut Street Theatre when he collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital
but died from cerebral gummat (a form of of syphilis). Annie Seery, the
widow of John Seery, lived at 1131 Shackamaxon until 1895. Joseph W
MacGregor, a coal dealer, lived there from 1895 to 1896. He later died
at age 34 on January 6, 1900 when a cable snapped on an elevator in
which he was riding. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> John and Bertha Kowski moved in during 1896. John
and Bertha immigrated to Philadelphia from Germany during the early
1890's. They were married in 1895. John worked as a tailor. The Kowski's
were the residents of 1131 Shackamaxon when the picture was taken on
April 15, 1901. I am surprised to see the upstairs window open. It was a
chilly morning, just 38 degrees at 6am and the high temperature at 12:10 pm
was just 51. The Kowski's lived there until 1904 when Joseph Vanish
moved in. Joseph was a 47 year old widower from Bohemia. Like John
Kowski before him, Joseph Vanish was a tailor. When he first arrived in
America in 1886, Joseph spelled his last name as Wanisch. Eventually he
went with the phonetic spelling of Vanish. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> Living with Joseph were his 4
youngest children: Emma 1886, Frank 1889, William 1892 and Viola 1894.
Emma worked with her father as a tailoress until her death at age 19 on
December 2, 1905 from a brain tumor. Vanish became a naturalized US
Citizen on June 5, 1922. Joseph's son, Frank became a Philadelphia
Police Officer and lived just down the street from his father at 1115
Shackamaxon. After Joseph died during the mid 1920's, the next occupant
of 1131 Shackamaxon was Raymond Gimmi. Raymond was a technician at a
dental lab. He and his wife, Mary, raised 3 children: Raymond jr 1927,
Mary 1930 and David 1933. The Gimmi's still lived there as of 1950.
Their phone number was RE9-0497.<br /> <br /> <br /> Today, 1133
Shackamaxon still stands, though it has been altered extensively. The
original house at 1131 was torn down and replaced with a new building
within the last couple of years. </span></span></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-22726173427328663502013-02-19T22:43:00.000-05:002013-02-19T22:43:53.411-05:00Piers 78 and 80 (Columbus Blvd. and Snyder Ave)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGXrClqA_Y0n0XnDxiRdU3KffkelThutJ6cCHQjGV8p1ceFf1Z5M_tFRwm1g6F0hkLg7rVAAtez4uBH86i0W89KiJtrIep5dNqJavrICUMBy5e7gU-G5c2iLDHfr0duGD5NzHnwQrsFM/s1600/78a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGXrClqA_Y0n0XnDxiRdU3KffkelThutJ6cCHQjGV8p1ceFf1Z5M_tFRwm1g6F0hkLg7rVAAtez4uBH86i0W89KiJtrIep5dNqJavrICUMBy5e7gU-G5c2iLDHfr0duGD5NzHnwQrsFM/s640/78a.jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHbZx8zPMqNXuyg6aVUp8KvHPIaJ-gTIrD-Ox8SHJT8pjjwxZpWMZdZsIjwtC5_Lb-KlouQDSJiYiDXQCAQ0D0qydsdApLW38Q4vjdyjLgOWGc5X0l1B4UXPqiSXx9s9h7QxK-5W7a4Q/s1600/78b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHbZx8zPMqNXuyg6aVUp8KvHPIaJ-gTIrD-Ox8SHJT8pjjwxZpWMZdZsIjwtC5_Lb-KlouQDSJiYiDXQCAQ0D0qydsdApLW38Q4vjdyjLgOWGc5X0l1B4UXPqiSXx9s9h7QxK-5W7a4Q/s640/78b.jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHbZx8zPMqNXuyg6aVUp8KvHPIaJ-gTIrD-Ox8SHJT8pjjwxZpWMZdZsIjwtC5_Lb-KlouQDSJiYiDXQCAQ0D0qydsdApLW38Q4vjdyjLgOWGc5X0l1B4UXPqiSXx9s9h7QxK-5W7a4Q/s1600/78b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TUSjPTFgMKUdWMXiHlaAqhEhCpp5DLG7XawdymON2Slsv7d5Yptx6trBNihbO3GUgYJzaEdHnzNH4zKoLGVuzrnV5Kser28jkT2d8h5Gc0ByOTN3rWbwCo1yrL7cN6J6KOMBYBIeH6s/s1600/80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TUSjPTFgMKUdWMXiHlaAqhEhCpp5DLG7XawdymON2Slsv7d5Yptx6trBNihbO3GUgYJzaEdHnzNH4zKoLGVuzrnV5Kser28jkT2d8h5Gc0ByOTN3rWbwCo1yrL7cN6J6KOMBYBIeH6s/s640/80.jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-85109644797284310872013-02-19T09:51:00.000-05:002013-02-19T09:51:45.319-05:00Then and Now: 9th and Nectarine Streets<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSm8HI6vvTPYMKbDEskPyy6NEeGVL2t_UeAovRw5G62PTCIK66IHd1Jwtl69gXKxZD5gK0EjdmOF_q7sgn9xF8jlpy5yi88A5a2z4znZocjwf6qLu9gSNVZxyG0mQSQ38tos6MUSBHsw/s1600/149387_4855406296142_1694128487_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSm8HI6vvTPYMKbDEskPyy6NEeGVL2t_UeAovRw5G62PTCIK66IHd1Jwtl69gXKxZD5gK0EjdmOF_q7sgn9xF8jlpy5yi88A5a2z4znZocjwf6qLu9gSNVZxyG0mQSQ38tos6MUSBHsw/s640/149387_4855406296142_1694128487_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9th and Nectarine, which is about a block from 9th and Sping Garden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-595527255808828272013-02-18T17:15:00.000-05:002013-02-18T17:15:04.345-05:00The 400 Block of Library Street<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFA8YvPrKdWeongKPTMrvx9CAewqlOYSUQ9bHFOERkJ86f2QzD0L3B_o9n1_nQiH0SJqtM_uIY0ke6kZamdUp2ltJdNfE202c0mhniN7taqqqdxVGffDVMzpC1ayqzQLK9qreFwOxsWQ/s1600/545244_4829437686943_1336295314_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFA8YvPrKdWeongKPTMrvx9CAewqlOYSUQ9bHFOERkJ86f2QzD0L3B_o9n1_nQiH0SJqtM_uIY0ke6kZamdUp2ltJdNfE202c0mhniN7taqqqdxVGffDVMzpC1ayqzQLK9qreFwOxsWQ/s1600/545244_4829437686943_1336295314_n.jpg" height="640" width="579" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 400 block of Library Street, <span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">located between 4th and 5th Streets and Chestnut and Walnut Streets.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> This
is a brief history of the 400 block of Library Street in Philadelphia,
located between 4th and 5th Streets and Chestnut and Walnut Streets,
just 1 block east of Independence Hall. <br /> <br /> In Colonial
Philadelphia, the land that would eventually become the 400 block of
Library Street was then the rear gardens of 3 Chestnut Street
properties: <br /> <br /><span class="text_exposed_show"> 1) the
home/tavern of Benjamin Armitage "Sign of the Anvil and Double Cross
Keys" located on the SW corner of 4th and Chestnut. Armitage ran
unsuccessfully for the office of City Coroner in 1773 and 74. He died in
1789.<br /> <br /> 2) The mansion of Charles Norris. Built in 1750,
the 3-story Georgian Mansion was considered to be one of the finest
houses in Philadelphia during the 1750's, 60's and 70's. The rear garden
was noted for its lush fruit trees.<br /> <br /> The mansion and gardens
were burned by the British Army when they pulled out of Philadelphia in
June of 1778. Charles Norris' grandson, Isaac Norris rebuilt the Mansion
after the Revolutionary War but on a much smaller scale.<br /> <br />
3) the home of Dr. Peter Campbell at the SE corner of 5th and Chestnut.
Campbell owned a 25 year old Negro slave named Aaron Williams. When
Campbell died during the Summer of 1779 all of his property, including
Aaron, was confiscated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Sadly,
Aaron, a man who lived just across the street from Independence Hall,
was resold by Pennsylvania in a slave auction on May 1, 1780.<br />
Library Street was born in 1789 when Benjamin Franklin's Library Company
of Philadelphia purchased the Campbell property and a portion of the
Norris Mansion garden and erected a Library.The Library was built at the
rear of the Campbell property along 5th Street half way between
Chestnut and Walnut. A small lane was added through what was once the
Norris Mansion garden connecting 4th and 5th Street. This lane became
the 400 block of Library Street. Over the next 50 years 14 or so more
buildings were added to Library Street and was home to Bankers, Lawyers,
Soldiers, Printers, Thinkers and Drinkers.<br /> <br /> The top left photo
was taken in January of 1859. It shows the South side of Library Street
from #400 (far left) up to #416 (far right). From the 1859 City
Directory, here are the people that worked in these buildings:<br /> <br />
<b>400-404 Library: </b>was owned by Howell Evans, printer. This was a huge 4
story property on the SW corner of 4th and Library. It had an entrance
on 4th Street and 2 on Library Street. Evans was 33 when he moved his
printing business to Library Street in 1851 and he stayed there for more
than 35 years. He advertised in 1859 that he had a steam powered
fastcard press and could turn out 10,000 cards an hour for sale $1.50
per 1000. In 1859, besides his 12 employees, these people also had
offices in Evan's building: Charles D Freeman (lawyer/alderman), FE
Hayes and Samuel Salter (lawyers), Herman Roettger (optician), George
Townsend (publisher), E Headley Bailey and Maurice Alexander (insurance
brokers) and James Louderback and Gustavus Hoffman (designers and wood
engravers). Howell Evans died on February 16, 1891 of Apoplexy.<br /> <br /> <b>406 Library:</b> first floor William Keyser (barber), second floor Charles Watkins and Peter Weaver (ship brokers)<br /> <br />
<b>408 Library:</b> Isaiah Bryan's "Our House" Hotel. The Our House Hotel was
established by the 1830's. Bryan bought the Hotel at age 41 in 1858. In
May of 1861, just a month after the start of the Civil War, Bryan joined
the 18th Infantry Regiment of Pennsylvania and was appointed 1st
Lieutenant. He was sent to help protect Baltimore from the Rebels. After
his 3 month enlistment was up, he returned home. He re-enlisted on
March 20, 1862 and was appointed Captain in the 99th Infantry. He died
at age 47 on February 4, 1864 from a bleeding ulcer. He was given a
military funeral at the "Our House" Hotel.<br /> <br /> <b>410 Library:</b> William
Jack (carriage maker). William was 49 years old when he moved his
business to Library Street in 1858. In 1868, he took his 21 year old son
Robert into the business and changed the name to William Jack and Son.
William died of Liver disease on October 29, 1878. Robert kept up the
business and brought in his younger brother William in 1880. The photo
on the bottom left shows Robert (mustache) and William outside their
shop in 1880. They are facing the rear of the old Customs house. They
stayed in business until 1895. In 1902 The American Bank Note Company
built their manufacturing plant here. It was at this site in 1902 when
Tracy R Edson came up with the green dye added to bank notes to make
them harder to copy.<br /> <br /> <b>412-416 Library: </b>Military Hall. By 1810 it
was obvious that we were heading to war with England again, so the Hall
was built as an arsenal. After the War of 1812, it was turned into a
lager beer hall. It was a very popular meeting place for soldiers and
militia men. The Union Army held recruitment drives at the Hall (as well
as at the "Our House" Hotel). The Hall had several owners over the
years. At the time of the top left photo, the owner was John F Heishley.
Heishley bought the Hall in 1858. In 1861 he was appointed a Captain of
the John Hancock Guards, a private militia group that was assigned to
the 2nd Delaware Infantry Regiment. He served for the duration of the
war and received several wounds. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> After the war, he moved to Alexandria
Virginia where he opened a grocery store. The next owners, Gustavus
Bergner and Charles Engel turned the Hall into a brew pub. From 1889 -
1896 the owner was James G Gosch. Gosch was and ex deputy sheriff and
the Secretary of the Mercantile Appraisers Board. He changed the Hall
into a Chop and Oyster House. This change appealed to the growing number
of Lawyers who were taking offices on Library Street. The Oct 22, 1889
Phila Inquirer called his place a "Goldmine". In 1907, Gosch sold
Military Hall to William J VanHook. Gosch opened the Hotel Aberdeen at
Broad and Filbert in April of 1896. Sadly he died of Brights Disease on
December 2, 1896 at age 48. William J VanHook changed the name of
Military Hall to VanHook's Restaurant. VanHook went bankrupt in 1915 and
closed the restaurant in 1917. As of April 4, 1920, the building was up
for sale. I could find no further history on the building. Like the
rest of Library Street, it did not survive the 1950's creation of
Independence Mall.<br /> <br /> <b>418 Library: </b>William Quinn (Velocipede).
William Quinn was a Blacksmith. In 1858 he began to manufacture
velocipedes (early kind of bicycle). In 1864 he moved to 10th and
Sansom. Later in life he was a coach maker. He died of Apoplexy on June
28, 1899.<br /> <br /> There were 2 more buildings on the south side of Library Street not seen in the top left photo. They were:<br /> <br /> <b>420-422 Library:</b> aka Goldsmith's Hall. Built in 1851, it was a large 6 story building home to many businesses.<br />
In 1859 they were: E Tracy (watch case maker), Harvey and Ford ( Ivory
workers) along with 18 employees, Edward S Markley (printer/bookbinder)
along with 13 employees, Peysson and Shoemaker (poudrette
mfg......fertilizer made from manure and coal dust), Alexander Murphy
(notary public), John B Jones (publisher), Robert Hutchinson (real
estate), Lewis E Wells (Gold Chain mfg) and Ferdinand J Dreer and Samuel
Sears (jewelry mfg) and Lawyers Samuel Chew, A I Fish, John Flint,
William W Juvenal, Harris L Sproat, Edgar M Chipman and Charles G
Harres. Goldsmith's Hall burned down on December 20, 1882.<br /> <br /> <b>SW Corner of Library and 5th: </b>Mercantile Library Building, built in 1845.<br />
Also not seen in the top left photo is the north side of Library
Street. There were only a few buildings on the north side. They were:<br /> <br /> <b>401 Library: </b>William H Foster (Exchange Office).<br /> <br />
<b>403 Library: </b>Richard Joyce (printer's furniture mfg), W F Pullinger
(glass reflector mfg), H A Salter (scrivener) and Samuel A Salter jr
(lawyer).<br /> <br /> <b>405 Library:</b> Edward Hurst and Joseph Bradston (lawyers and notaries).<br /> <br /> <b>407 Library:</b> John Anderson (Sec and Treasurer of Little Schuylkill Navigation, Railroad and Coal Company).<br /> <br /> <b>427 Library: </b>Sharp Family Jewelers (A Sharp- diamond setter, William Sharp- jeweler, George Sharp- silversmith)<br /> <br />
No houses could be built in between 407 and 427 because the US Custom
House on Chestnut street extended back to the north side of Library
Street. The Custom House was built as the Second Bank of the United
States in 1816 where the Charles Norris Mansion once stood. The Bank
closed in 1836 when President Andrew Jackson refused to renew its
charter. The building was used as the US Custom House from 1845 to 1934.
In the bottom left photo, the Jack brothers are facing the rear portico
of the Custom House. Just behind 401 to 407 was the Philadelphia
National Bank Building which was built in 1808 replacing Benjamin
Armitage's Tavern. <br /> <br /> The first building that was built on the
block, The Library Company of Philadelphia Library on the NE Corner of
5th and Library was torn down in 1888 and was replaced with the Drexel
Building. In 1897 the name of Library Street was changed to Samson
Street. During the 1950's, Independence Mall was developed and the
entire block was razed, except for the Old Custom House. In 1958 the
American Philosophical Society built a library on the site of the
original Library Company building. As for the rest of Library Street, it
is now an 18th century style Courtyard between 4th and 5th Streets and
Chestnut and Walnut Streets.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-63284112239511219842013-02-18T02:24:00.002-05:002013-02-18T02:25:33.945-05:00SW Corner of 13th and Arch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zCwMZpjKTqwrz7twROmOjP8AJJOKnHli9g1T4Ikqrvp77Xa65hMu-Hb87cU4D3hAom_6WiZzCJxYS0LVdVyZcVLmrKtluD-IW3IWF-mf-VUOpWn6oUsupESnkMuzYuWH5NBSF96aT2s/s1600/523281_4876095293354_668746432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zCwMZpjKTqwrz7twROmOjP8AJJOKnHli9g1T4Ikqrvp77Xa65hMu-Hb87cU4D3hAom_6WiZzCJxYS0LVdVyZcVLmrKtluD-IW3IWF-mf-VUOpWn6oUsupESnkMuzYuWH5NBSF96aT2s/s640/523281_4876095293354_668746432_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> This
is a little history about the SW corner of 13th and Arch. It was a
large empty lot when it was purchased by Matthew Newkirk in 1836.
Newkirk was a veteran of the War of 1812, a Director of the Second
United States Bank and President of the Philadelphia Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad. He was close friends with Henry Clay and Nicholas
Biddle. Newkirk built a mansion at the SW corner of 13th <span class="text_exposed_show">and
Arch. The fronts along 13th and Arch Streets were made entirely of
white marble. It was the first private residence in the city to have gas
lines throughout the building. As the mansion neared completion in
December of 1836, a carpenter died when he fell from scaffolding.
Newkirk died there in 1868.<br /> <br /> The Newkirk family sold the mansion
to The Society of the Sons of St George in 1875. The Society, founded
in 1772, gave advice and assistance to Englishmen in distress. They
extended the building and added a third floor. They named the building
St George's Hall (left photo). The Hall was available to rent and these
are some of the events that were held there:<br /> <br /> <i>April 27,
1876...</i>.Dr Richard A Proctor, famed English Astronomer who produced one
of the earliest maps of Mars, gave a lecture called "The Birth and Death
of Worlds".</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>October 28, 1876....</i>Blind Tom Wiggens.
Blind Tom was born a slave. Because he was blind, when the other slaves
were out working, Tom was left behind in his owner's parlor where he
learned how to play the piano. He was so good that he was taken out on
concert tours. He played for President Buchanan at the White House in
1860. When he first came to Philadelphia in September of 1865, his 3
day engagement was extended 4 weeks. He wowed the audiences by
simultaneously playing the melodies of "Fishers Hornpipe" with his left
hand, "Yankee Doodle" with his right hand while singing "Dixie." Mark
Twain was a huge fan of Blind Tom.</span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>December 21, 1879...</i>.banquet for ex President Grant<br /> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>June 18, 1882....</i>Memorial Service for General Giuseppe Garibaldi, the "Italian George Washington".<br /> <br /> <i>June 4, 1895....</i>banquet for Archbishop Patrick Ryan<br /> <br /> <i>September 14, 1899....</i>President William McKinley and the United States Marine Band opened The National Export Exposition.<br /> <br /> <br />
The Society of the Sons of St George moved to 19th and Arch in 1902. St
George's Hall was demolished in April of 1902. The marble front of the
building was salvaged and was incorporated into the country home of
Harry Bryan Owsley jr near Princeton NJ. Today, the marble front can be
found at Princeton Battlefield State Park.</span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> <br /> Replacing
St George's Hall was a 9 story structure containing stores and offices.
At first it was The Liverwright and Greenwald Building then later it
was called the Frankel Building (middle photo). This building stood for
85 years until 1987 when it was razed to make room for the Criminal
Justice Center. Today it is a parking lot behind the Center (right
photo).</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-13166729461133177202013-02-18T00:09:00.000-05:002013-02-18T00:09:39.305-05:00Booth Saves Lincoln!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjn3ovDQaXSATa4yE2rvc1bB7Z2VwyJoRpPBLhoM48g2sR5iAIePx2YASebtGChyvQrPDvczcqLiuqUM9-4ze8GstKmJBxjoZuCeMH3RQqXmaDrk6_L1CzUqHiFq6y0k4hgKpeuyBhwM/s1600/399309_4571405236293_323408166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">I
found this article in the June 8, 1893 edition of the Philadelphia
Inquirer. Edwin Booth, John Wilkes' brother, had just died. Good story!</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjn3ovDQaXSATa4yE2rvc1bB7Z2VwyJoRpPBLhoM48g2sR5iAIePx2YASebtGChyvQrPDvczcqLiuqUM9-4ze8GstKmJBxjoZuCeMH3RQqXmaDrk6_L1CzUqHiFq6y0k4hgKpeuyBhwM/s1600/399309_4571405236293_323408166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjn3ovDQaXSATa4yE2rvc1bB7Z2VwyJoRpPBLhoM48g2sR5iAIePx2YASebtGChyvQrPDvczcqLiuqUM9-4ze8GstKmJBxjoZuCeMH3RQqXmaDrk6_L1CzUqHiFq6y0k4hgKpeuyBhwM/s1600/399309_4571405236293_323408166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvZM8pbHkZhYwCJtV8pKZ1LP7EMEZXS4t4FQwysD3ifeE1KoW05LXYFEPzr7iU2eKUKNg_ewTuKnrQHzs6L1FB9WGoDezeR9Vy7qTy6JLJ9vrszgZxF1WnnMPbs9Sy96BXAfuJ8kR50Y/s1600/399309_4571405236293_323408166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvZM8pbHkZhYwCJtV8pKZ1LP7EMEZXS4t4FQwysD3ifeE1KoW05LXYFEPzr7iU2eKUKNg_ewTuKnrQHzs6L1FB9WGoDezeR9Vy7qTy6JLJ9vrszgZxF1WnnMPbs9Sy96BXAfuJ8kR50Y/s1600/399309_4571405236293_323408166_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-30823033019276410212013-02-17T15:25:00.000-05:002013-02-17T16:52:39.083-05:00The Story of Charles Allen Smith<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2v02l7QJjosLbwQaDVeq_D7iS2iOZcRO6P46ys_sHXrgekJlV4cmc-thfLlEwtN0BR_JLeQ3yLTIHt0x3Xr7q41dsw0SFsc4IQro_-r5vsJc7n7E6erH2V9qKbVGJ9yYMUXZa3ThaZg/s1600/385898_2534676999360_857944886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2v02l7QJjosLbwQaDVeq_D7iS2iOZcRO6P46ys_sHXrgekJlV4cmc-thfLlEwtN0BR_JLeQ3yLTIHt0x3Xr7q41dsw0SFsc4IQro_-r5vsJc7n7E6erH2V9qKbVGJ9yYMUXZa3ThaZg/s640/385898_2534676999360_857944886_n.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Charles Allen Smith Statue Dedication, McPherson Square<br /> August 4, 1917</span></span> (Kensington)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0].[0]"> Charles
Allen Smith was a 20 year old Seaman from Kensington. He was killed at
Vera Cuz, Mexico on April 22, 1914. His statue has stood in McPherson
Square since June 29, 1917. His funeral on May 13, 1914 was the grandest
ever held in the city, yet tod</span></span><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]">ay
he is barely a footnote in American History. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> Charles Allen Smith was
born on January 11, 1894, the eldest child of Walter and Jennie Smith of
2535 Lawrence Street (near 4th and Huntingdon). Walter worked as a
weaver. Besides Charles, Walter and Jennie had 4 other children: James
(who died at age 4 months on Aug 27, 1895 from Capillary Bronchitis),
Edna in 1897, Esther in 1903 and a stillborn. Walter and Jennie had a
stormy marriage and Walter left Jennie and the children shortly after
Esther's birth in 1903. He made no attempt to see them for 11 years.
Jennie was so bitter that in the City Directory she always listed
herself as Jennie widow of Walter. She made it quite clear that Walter
was dead to her. She moved the family to 1925 E. Sergeant Street (near
Lehigh and Kensington Aves) and took a job at a cigar factory. By 1910,
they moved to 2170 E. Sergeant and by 1912 to 2168 E. Sergeant. By
1910, Jennie worked as a washerwoman. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> Seventeen year old Charles entered
the Navy on August 31, 1911 and was stationed aboard the USS New
Hampshire. In October, 1913, while home on leave, Charles met Miss
Elizabeth Agnes Broadbent and they were engaged to be married. They set
the date for October, 1915 when Charles' enlistment would be up. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTuWO8yqAI2wv6QuX8BqCnUgau6agtFSD-NSr5gh_RhJpLTYWUraoFycbU84QsHeE4avxtzST_-KHJAsPPFYvYEsHPHhpsWGJvYQfJxifk66eUsZloEoloSFIb2x1SsaValiRoQAicLs/s1600/377967_2547414357786_91581458_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTuWO8yqAI2wv6QuX8BqCnUgau6agtFSD-NSr5gh_RhJpLTYWUraoFycbU84QsHeE4avxtzST_-KHJAsPPFYvYEsHPHhpsWGJvYQfJxifk66eUsZloEoloSFIb2x1SsaValiRoQAicLs/s320/377967_2547414357786_91581458_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Elizabeth Agnes Broadbent, fiance of Charles Allen Smith.</span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> In
April of 1914, the Mexican civil war was raging near the oil rich town
of Tampico where many American companies held interests. To protect
their investments and American lives, the US sent a gunboat to patrol
the area. While ashore to pick up supplies, several sailors were
unlawfully taken into Mexican custody. They were released after an hour
and a half along with a written apology but that wasn't good enough for
Woodrow Wilson. He demanded that the Mexicans raise an American flag on
Mexican soil and to fire a 21 gun salute. The Mexicans did not do so by
the appointed deadline so Wilson gave the orders to capture the port of
Vera Cruz, crucial to the Mexicans for weapon shipments from the German
government. The USS New Hampshire was among the battleships sent to Vera
Cruz and Charles Allen Smith was among the sailors and soldiers sent
ashore to take the city. The landing went well but the Mexicans had
snipers hidden throughout the city on April 22, 1914. Charles was pinned
down behind some sandbags when he saw the Color Sergeant go down.
Without an instant of hesitation, Charles leaped forward to get the
flag. Before he got there he was cut down with a bullet to the lungs and
another through his head. He was the second American (of 17) killed
that day. The first sailor killed was also a Philadelphian, George D
McKenzie Poinsett.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt7UUZQsJnu8ZTDxpNx6HyNr5Lctnp0slwnhGgJcnl6VQVTEsqL5a_Q-cSckbHU17KW7YytdpRzyehco76Oy-FydXoSbfeMnyqLxFjMaD0B6m2T-G2u_QIW0kx9Dwcib1Bafp1v61fSE/s1600/393293_2534715600325_1114241351_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyt7UUZQsJnu8ZTDxpNx6HyNr5Lctnp0slwnhGgJcnl6VQVTEsqL5a_Q-cSckbHU17KW7YytdpRzyehco76Oy-FydXoSbfeMnyqLxFjMaD0B6m2T-G2u_QIW0kx9Dwcib1Bafp1v61fSE/s640/393293_2534715600325_1114241351_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br />USS New Hampshire. Charles Allen Smith served aboard her from August 31, 1911 to April 22, 1914.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Mf8JV0T5N7g_opjMywEERHCYL3r5Cgpupz0XUw8Rfb4O4I3ETC9dy0idZxES4wEvQh5w6hYJ0ObfAWroyQl576xQ_YvslzQioQomUfLc-zqQpNf5KTXo4vO37meIbU-krhsQIqYsH9U/s1600/376500_2535080729453_734826337_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Mf8JV0T5N7g_opjMywEERHCYL3r5Cgpupz0XUw8Rfb4O4I3ETC9dy0idZxES4wEvQh5w6hYJ0ObfAWroyQl576xQ_YvslzQioQomUfLc-zqQpNf5KTXo4vO37meIbU-krhsQIqYsH9U/s640/376500_2535080729453_734826337_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Charles Allen Smith's Death Certificate</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> It was decided that Poinsett and Smith would lay
together in state at Independence Hall and given the biggest funeral
known to the city. Before reaching Philadelphia, they were given a huge
memorial service at the Brooklyn Navy Yard where they were eulogized by
President Wilson. The caskets were accompanied from NYC to Philadelphia
by Poinsett's father and brothers. Jennie Smith was too poor to make the
trip to Brooklyn. After 11 years, her husband Walter came home and
offered a reconcilliation with Jennie. Jennie told him that he was
welcome to come to the funeral but she wanted nothing else from Walter.
She had raised the children without him and she would continue to do so. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdohHk_xORAWTG6SlG1Pwu4djChcMp8u1cJs7l1DcycwjP5QNxlr1w9WpRsR9J93-Zk9WdnVza61fg8xJVjNt31JCsp_NU7-4EN2Ufbfv2aTrKWy-HtZ3Zbkj1OBzwfK_0WH2koUUPtE/s1600/390518_2535092529748_791677201_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdohHk_xORAWTG6SlG1Pwu4djChcMp8u1cJs7l1DcycwjP5QNxlr1w9WpRsR9J93-Zk9WdnVza61fg8xJVjNt31JCsp_NU7-4EN2Ufbfv2aTrKWy-HtZ3Zbkj1OBzwfK_0WH2koUUPtE/s640/390518_2535092529748_791677201_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The caskets of Poinsett and Smith in state at Independence Hall. May 12, 1914</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> The funeral was held on May 13, 1914. Their caske</span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]">ts were in state at
Independence Hall from 8 am to 2pm. 500,000 people came to pay their
respects. The bell tolled from the Hall Tower from 1:45 to 2:30. The
caskets were brought from the Hall through an Honor Guard of Civil War
veterans. The procession marched to Chopin's Funeral March up Market
Street to Broad Street all the way to Berks Street. The streets were
mobbed because schools and businesses closed for the occasion...but not a
sound could be heard as the caissons rolled past. Smith's casket was
then taken to his Mother's house at 2168 E. Sergeant Street. More than
1000 people were gathered to see Charles' home. The casket could not fit
through the door so it had to go in via the front window. At this point
Mrs Smith passed out and was placed under a doctor's care. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXckuZiOCEuD7NZPzYU8JfkxNtNEQyXwQnyy5pTukTHtOh_SUijWsbxWxWH4AwZA0gRcyGU_kIpcw4rQtR-TU-pMzxXnGEZsxr8hrM0iJBZrWwQOX5n1MERQxXeXYBH5CPL39aZEi3k7Q/s1600/388890_2535100369944_1577180001_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXckuZiOCEuD7NZPzYU8JfkxNtNEQyXwQnyy5pTukTHtOh_SUijWsbxWxWH4AwZA0gRcyGU_kIpcw4rQtR-TU-pMzxXnGEZsxr8hrM0iJBZrWwQOX5n1MERQxXeXYBH5CPL39aZEi3k7Q/s640/388890_2535100369944_1577180001_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">The funeral procession filing past Civil War Vets May 13, 1914.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span class="UFICommentBody" id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3]"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0"><span id=".reactRoot[33].[1][2][1]{comment2534672439246_3041170}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[3].0.[0]"> From there, a
Navy Honor Guard escorted Charles to Fernwood Cemetery (section G crypt
613). He was laid to rest at sunset as two sets of 3 volleys rang forth
and the bugler sounded taps over his grave. On May 26, 1916 the Boy
Scouts began a collection to raise funds for a statue of Smith to be
placed in McPherson Square. In April of 1917, the Philadelphia Art Jury
rejected the statue saying that it looked more like a cemetery marker
than a heroic work of art. The defiant Kensingtonians told the Art Jury
to go to hell and they dedicated the statue on August 4, 1917. During
the ceremony, Smith's mother, Jennie, wailed uncontrolably and
collapsed. 10,000 people came to see the dedication. Spanish American
War Vets, along with Civil War Vets and Navy Veterans marched 5 miles
through Kensington along with 8 marching bands playing martial music.
Today the statue stands covered in grafitti.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRY3KVNxyjzeIRnsd9XkcrvLSI2t5K6FfeQeML5xqn-XskAykIZgvoDrOu_0rjYdxdze1h5QPEw8Sq0ZOhrTd46QuWCVyMqlGCKpvPYJIRZK49MQH5PtbYexHIbLYfQyR38ojUSB8DPI/s1600/377462_2534691559724_361897937_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRY3KVNxyjzeIRnsd9XkcrvLSI2t5K6FfeQeML5xqn-XskAykIZgvoDrOu_0rjYdxdze1h5QPEw8Sq0ZOhrTd46QuWCVyMqlGCKpvPYJIRZK49MQH5PtbYexHIbLYfQyR38ojUSB8DPI/s640/377462_2534691559724_361897937_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-62653116597876863592013-02-17T13:52:00.002-05:002013-02-17T13:53:48.901-05:00NE corner of 12th and Spruce Streets (1880 - 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOR4rAAotoWoP8IJPgI6L2IID1yHmTJz3SpjVkPqtoKO2F668YpumYYE2JPuVcCRZTZopLitdMr3FqrhHa1YVzkig394RqDp1PudcP05A3S0y0C9MCk4nnvgJM1jjsxei9nUFA0IRLoHs/s1600/23340_4707080628093_1020205522_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOR4rAAotoWoP8IJPgI6L2IID1yHmTJz3SpjVkPqtoKO2F668YpumYYE2JPuVcCRZTZopLitdMr3FqrhHa1YVzkig394RqDp1PudcP05A3S0y0C9MCk4nnvgJM1jjsxei9nUFA0IRLoHs/s640/23340_4707080628093_1020205522_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> I
found the top picture in a 1922 edition of the Philadelphia Evening
Public Ledger. At that time, readers were invited to send in old photos
of Philadelphia and they would be printed on the back page. I looked up
the history of the people who lived in the house (1137 Spruce Street)
and the one that replaced it (bottom photo) and found the story<span class="text_exposed_show"> to be of interest.<br /> <br />
In 1865, Alexander B and Sarah Ann Duncan moved into the old wooden
house shown in the top photo. Alexander was 50 years old and worked as a
cabinet maker. Sarah was 45 and opened a Toy/Variety Store in their
house. They lived there until 1886 when the property was purchased by
prominent physician, Calvin B Knerr. Knerr had the old wooden house torn
down and replaced it with a modern 4 story building. The bottom floor
storefront was Dr. Knerr's office and the top 3 floors were apartments. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> In 1899, Dr. Knerr's son, Bayard Knerr, also opened an office there
after he graduated from the University of Penn. Bayard also lived in one
of the apartments. He was married 3 times, first in 1902 to a Canadian
girl named Margaret Ross who was a cousin to England's Prime Minister
Gladstone. Margaret was an opera singer and Bayard divorced her in 1909
when she went out for a world concert tour. Bayard next married Ethel
Bransome in 1913. Ethel divorced Bayard in 1917 and he immediately
married his third wife, Caroline. After his father left the practice in
1910, Bayard began to rent out some of the apartments. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> In 1913 he rented
one to F Roe Searing and his wife Nancy. F Roe was a successful
building contractor. By 1915, Searing was unhappy with his life and
confided to his secretary, Elizabeth Rendell, that he intended to kill
himself. She persuaded him to instead run away and start a new life.
Searing and his wife spent the Summer of 1915 at Atlantic City. One day F
Roe went swimming and never came out of the water. He was presumed dead
but no body was ever recovered. Miss Rendell had met him under the
boardwalk with a clean set of clothes and drove him off to the train
station. He headed south and eventually bought a houseboat and a small
farm in Louisiana. The insurance companies were suspicious at the first.
They had discovered that Elizabeth Rendell's sister May had taken out a
policy on Searing just a week before his "drowning". Mrs Searing had to
sue the insurance companies for F Roe's life insurance money and she
won the suit in 1916. Eventually F Roe sent for Elizabeth Rendell to
join him in Louisiana where they lived as man and wife. The insurance
companies never gave up and found them in October of 1917. They were
brought back to Philadelphia where they were convicted of insurance
fraud. F Roe served 2 years and Elizabeth 1 year. Elizabeth died on
January 3, 1921. F Roe and his wife Nancy reconciled by 1924 and lived
together in Atlantic City until April 1932 when F Roe died. Nancy never
remarried and lived until 1972, age 93. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> As for Bayard Knerr, he was a
very popular physician/surgeon/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>teacher...still
residing at 1137 Spruce...when in 1923 he was sentenced to 60 days in
prison for injuring an 11 year old newsboy while drunk driving. He died
in January of 1935. Eventually the building became a Laundromat and
today is a Restaurant.</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-4553108999713300012013-02-16T15:42:00.001-05:002013-02-17T13:48:08.409-05:00The 1922 Frankford El<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">This
is a map of the Frankford El when it first opened in 1922. Originally
published by the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger on November 4,
1922, it has photos of the original stations. Click on the image for a larger view.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgP9SQ_fRUpaTyA4vYfuM9kOdMLsfZxxCRmOhkrEXQqQaX2PImbeI1hS2AS4ZhOrLZwUWqfAOlrSB2SU_iEP3udqmGCSN9REJfhjD8aU8a3nn1RGgZDnrhCnfELlExGGyxH3IZEwuU08/s1600/150635_4969823836509_1565967493_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="660" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgP9SQ_fRUpaTyA4vYfuM9kOdMLsfZxxCRmOhkrEXQqQaX2PImbeI1hS2AS4ZhOrLZwUWqfAOlrSB2SU_iEP3udqmGCSN9REJfhjD8aU8a3nn1RGgZDnrhCnfELlExGGyxH3IZEwuU08/s2000/150635_4969823836509_1565967493_n.jpg" width="574" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935928361723835895.post-34291739301581930442013-02-16T15:31:00.000-05:002013-02-16T15:31:41.446-05:00The History Behind Two Men And A Citation <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYKdKB52FH_U1YGtTA9BrYbNBWW-SmvyQEoS2h4nNHQ4t6qDoIXPLahCDTjqz_Bem-ULR78oQ553Si6z_L5fugP7BOwdPcEqgORECtyhDrNoLdhfj4z88jUuNXJz17ZfbbYeUdrtnZls/s1600/561559_10200111258397337_216691089_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYKdKB52FH_U1YGtTA9BrYbNBWW-SmvyQEoS2h4nNHQ4t6qDoIXPLahCDTjqz_Bem-ULR78oQ553Si6z_L5fugP7BOwdPcEqgORECtyhDrNoLdhfj4z88jUuNXJz17ZfbbYeUdrtnZls/s640/561559_10200111258397337_216691089_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Department of Public Works Bureau of Water citation, issued on May 16, 1894.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> This
is a Department of Public Works Bureau of Water citation that was
issued on May 16, 1894. I found it inside of an old book (<i>100th
Anniversary of the Constitution of the United States</i>, 1889). It was
evidently being used as a book marker. The serrated edge where Inspector
Henry S Flake tore the citation from his book is still crisp and there
are two strong thumbprint stains near the lower corne<span class="text_exposed_show">rs
(I checked, it was rainy that day) where the recipient, William Adair,
first held it. I decided to look up the history of these two men. Their
story follows:<br /> <br /> <b>The Flake Family:</b> Henry S Flake was
born in Philadelphia in June of 1855. He spent almost his entire life
living near the intersection of Shackamaxon and Wildey Streets (about 2
blocks north east from the intersection of Frankford and Girard Ave).
Henry's grandfather, Samuel Flake, was born in Salem, NJ in 1801 and came
to Philadelphia in 1817 to find work as a seaman. Samuel became a
Shipwright (ship carpenter). He married Sarah Ellen Rowen and they had 2
sons, Samuel jr (Henry's father) in 1833 and Christopher in 1836. In
1854, Samuel jr went to work with his father as a ships carpenter. That
didn't work out and in 1857 he went to work with his younger brother,
Christopher, as a cooper (barrel maker). That didn't work out either so
in 1861, he opened up a stall with his mother, Sarah Ellen, at the 5th
Street Market. Samuel jr sold fish and Sarah Ellen sold produce. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> On July
30, 1854, Samuel jr married Magdalena Scheowerer. They had 3 children,
Henry S Flake in June of 1855, Clara in 1858 and Samuel III in May of
1860. Samuel III died at 11 months old on April 27, 1861 of cerebritis
(brain infection). In 1862, Samuel sr and Sarah Ellen moved to 222
Wildey Street and Samuel jr and Magdalena moved to 232 Wildey Street.
On July 26, 1864, Samuel sr drowned when he fell into the Delaware River
at the foot of Shackamaxon Street. Samuel jr died of tuberculosis on
October 14, 1870. After his father died, 15 year old Henry S Flake went
to work with his grandmother, Sarah Ellen, selling fish. The family of
Thomas Louder (aka Lowder), a sail builder, moved to 252r Wildey Street
in 1868. Thomas had a daughter named Mary R Louder. Henry fell in love
with Mary and they married on November 5, 1876. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> After Henry's
grandmother died in 1879, he went into business with his brother in law,
Harry Louder selling Oysters. The business lasted just a couple of
years and by 1883, Henry was working as a roofer. Henry and Mary had 11
children but 5 of them died as young children. Their children were:
Sallie (b. July 16, 1877), Clara (b. 1878 - d. Jan 2, 1883 of Diphtheria),
Harry (b. June 1881 - d. Jan 21, 1883 of Diphtheria), Elizabeth (b. Sep
1883), Catherine (b. Sep 28, 1885), Clarence (b. Oct 20, 1887 - d. Dec 3,
1887 of convulsions), Mary (b. Oct 13, 1888), Edna (b. May 1890 - d. Sep
14, 1891 of Colitis), William (b. Dec 1891 - d. Aug 9, 1894 of
malnutrition), Charles (b. Nov 28, 1894) and Adelia (b. Feb 10, 1900).<br /> <br />
Henry became an inspector for the Water Bureau in 1887. In 1891, Henry
moved his family just around the corner to 1101 Shackamaxon Street. Mary
operated a cigar/variety store out of their home. It was on Wednesday
May 16, 1894 when Henry issued the pictured citation to 2931 Kensington
Ave. The property was part of William Adair's blacksmith shop located at
2923 to 2931 Kensington Ave. He did not have an iron cover stamped "W"
on his water box at his curb. The back of the citation states that Adair
had 5 days to fix the problem or he would be fined $5. It was rainy
that day and Adair's muddy thumbprints are still on the citation. <br /> <br />
In May of 1914, Henry's 25 year old daughter Mary (who he called Mamie)
was diagnosed as having Tuberculosis, the same disease that had claimed
Henry's father. Henry turned to God and was baptized at the Kensington
ME Church (Richmond and Marlborough) on October 2, 1914. His Mamie died
the next day. Soon after, Henry moved the family to 212 Wildey Street,
just down the street from where he first met his wife Mary in 1868.
Henry continued to work for the water Bureau right up until his death on
November 20, 1920. Mary lived with the family of their youngest
daughter Adelia until her death in the 1930's.<br /> <br /> <b>The
Adair Family:</b> William Adair was born in May of 1860. He was the son of
an Irish immigrant from County Down, Alexander Adair, and the third of
eleven children (4 of his siblings died as young children). Alexander
was a blacksmith and William also made that his profession. Alexander
and William worked at their blacksmith shop/stable at 2923 to 2931
Kensington Ave. William married a girl named Mary in 1882. William and
Mary had 7 children but 5 died as young children. Their children were:
Mary (b. Oct 1882 - d. Mar 3, 1884 of Diphtheria), Mamie (b. Sep 23, 1884 -
d. Oct 3, 1884 of a bad heart), Nelly (b July 1885), Rachel (b Jan 1888 -
d June 16, 1897 of a bad heart), William Adair jr (b. 1902) plus 2
stillborns during the 1890's. 1884 was a particularly bad year for the
Adairs. Not only did William lose his daughters Mary and Mamie that year
but he lost a 5 year old sister to Diphtheria on March 14, 1884 and a 3
year old brother to the croup on March 9, 1884. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> Alexander owned some
land on what would become th 3000 block of Rorer street. Alexander had 3
other sons who were bricklayers. They built the first 3 houses on the
block, 3028 Rorer for Alexander and his wife and 3026 and 3030 for 2 of
Alexander's daughters. Alexander and William operated a speak easy above
their blacksmith shop. They were arrested for breaking liquor laws in
March of 1890. The next month William was sentenced to 5 months and a
$500 fine. William's wife Mary died on May 22, 1905 from heart disease.
William's father, Alexander, died on October 16, 1907. William was
arrested again in 1916 for breaking liquor laws. On October 13, 1916, he
was sentenced to 7 months in jail. By 1920, he moved to Hart Lane where
he lived until he died in the 1930's. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span class="text_exposed_show"> William was an avid reader. He
stored a chest of books at his father's house at 3028 Rorer Street. The
books went untouched for over 70 years when they were given to me in
1990 by the man who was living at 3028 at the time, Bill Johnson. While
reading one of the books, I found the pictured citation.</span></span></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1