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.