Four Views of the NE corner of Broad and Walnut Streets

 Top Left: 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. 

Top Right: 1890 when it was the Dundas/Lippincott Mansion aka The Yellow Mansion.
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".

Bottom Left: 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.

Bottom Right: 2012. The shops were torn down in the mid 1920's and replaced with the Fidelity Trust Company Building which still stands there today.

3330 G Street....The O'Rourke/Campbell/Guckin Mansion

     
     Michael O'Rourke was an Irish immigrant who built the grandest home in Kensington.
 
     He, along with his sons and nephews, worked as municipal contractors. Michael and his wife, Elizabeth, 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).
 
     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. 

     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". 

     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.

Shackamaxon Street

     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.

Living at 1133 Shackamaxon:
      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. 

     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). 

     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.    

     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. 

     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. 

     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. 

     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.



Living at 1131 Shackamaxon:

      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. 

     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. 

     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. 

     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.


      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.

Piers 78 and 80 (Columbus Blvd. and Snyder Ave)

Then and Now: 9th and Nectarine Streets

9th and Nectarine, which is about a block from 9th and Sping Garden.

The 400 Block of Library Street

The 400 block of Library Street, located between 4th and 5th Streets and Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

     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.

      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:

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.

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.

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.

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.
      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.

      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:

400-404 Library: 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.

406 Library: first floor William Keyser (barber), second floor Charles Watkins and Peter Weaver (ship brokers)

408 Library: 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.

410 Library: 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.

412-416 Library: 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. 
     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.

418 Library: 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.

There were 2 more buildings on the south side of Library Street not seen in the top left photo. They were:

420-422 Library: aka Goldsmith's Hall. Built in 1851, it was a large 6 story building home to many businesses.
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.

SW Corner of Library and 5th: Mercantile Library Building, built in 1845.
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:

401 Library: William H Foster (Exchange Office).

403 Library: Richard Joyce (printer's furniture mfg), W F Pullinger (glass reflector mfg), H A Salter (scrivener) and Samuel A Salter jr (lawyer).

405 Library: Edward Hurst and Joseph Bradston (lawyers and notaries).

407 Library: John Anderson (Sec and Treasurer of Little Schuylkill Navigation, Railroad and Coal Company).

427 Library: Sharp Family Jewelers (A Sharp- diamond setter, William Sharp- jeweler, George Sharp- silversmith)

      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.

      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.

SW Corner of 13th and Arch

     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 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.

      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:

April 27, 1876....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".

October 28, 1876....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.
 
December 21, 1879....banquet for ex President Grant

June 18, 1882....Memorial Service for General Giuseppe Garibaldi, the "Italian George Washington".

June 4, 1895....banquet for Archbishop Patrick Ryan

September 14, 1899....President William McKinley and the United States Marine Band opened The National Export Exposition.


      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.

      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).

Booth Saves Lincoln!

I found this article in the June 8, 1893 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Edwin Booth, John Wilkes' brother, had just died. Good story!

The Story of Charles Allen Smith

Charles Allen Smith Statue Dedication, McPherson Square
August 4, 1917 (Kensington)

     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 today he is barely a footnote in American History. 

     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. 

     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. 

Elizabeth Agnes Broadbent, fiance of Charles Allen Smith.

  
     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.

USS New Hampshire. Charles Allen Smith served aboard her from August 31, 1911 to April 22, 1914.

    

Charles Allen Smith's Death Certificate

     
     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. 

The caskets of Poinsett and Smith in state at Independence Hall. May 12, 1914

     The funeral was held on May 13, 1914. Their caskets 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. 

The funeral procession filing past Civil War Vets May 13, 1914.

     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.

NE corner of 12th and Spruce Streets (1880 - 2012)

     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 to be of interest.

      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.  

     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. 

     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. 

     As for Bayard Knerr, he was a very popular physician/surgeon/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.

The 1922 Frankford El

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.

The History Behind Two Men And A Citation

Department of Public Works Bureau of Water citation, issued on May 16, 1894.

     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 (100th Anniversary of the Constitution of the United States, 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 corners (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:

The Flake Family: 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. 

      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. 

      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).

      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.

      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.

The Adair Family: 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. 

     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. 

     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.