317 North 35^th Street

The History of the Building

315-317: “three-story Italianate double, stuccoed with rusticated quoins. Original Victorian wood porch, full-height windows, paired ornate brackets below flat overhang.”

(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, 1985)

Previous Residents of 317 North 35^th Street

1855, Sept: Baring “by indenture estate” (Book NDW 64, p. 427)

1856, July 17: transferred from Charles Ingersoll & John Craig Miller, trustees of Harry Bingham Baring to Richard Smethurst (RD 88 149)

The 1858 Directory lists Richard Smethurst, conveyancer & accountant, 144 S 4^th St.

1859, June 4: transferred from Smethurst to Robert Steen (76, 142)

1860:

Malcolm Campbell 33 Stock broker; personal property: $9,000

Mar A Campbell 30

Mary S Campbell 6

John A Campbell 5

Kate A Campbell 4

Alex Campbell 2

Mal Campbell 1

Sar P McMullin 45

Anna McMullin 37

Mad McMullin 21

Mary A Ward 43

Mary McKinney 50 Servant; born in Ireland

Han Ore 37 Servant; born in Ireland

Ann Martin 35 Servant; born in Ireland

(Ward 24, ED 7, p 100, image 14)

In the 1858 Directory, he was listed as an exchange broker working at 38 S. 3^rd with his home at 710 S. 10^th St.

1861 Directory: Malcolm Campbell, stockbroker, 35^th below Baring.

1866 Directory lists him as working for the Adams’ Express Co. which was at 320 Chestnut St. He was living at “Hamilton below 33^rd, Mantua.” In 1870, they lived at 3602 Hamilton St.

1866, Feb. 22: Robert Steen died and the house passed into an estate which held it until 1920.

1870: apparently not enumerated

1880:

Samuel J. Cresswell 40 Iron worker

Emma L. Cresswell 40

George W. Cresswell 10

C.J. Dougherty 68 Mother

Jos(ephine) Dreher 18 Servant; parents were born in Germany

(ED 483, 4)

Samuel J. Cresswell provided the iron work for Horticultural Hall for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Fairmont Park.

The 1861 Directory list S. J. Cresswell, brass and iron founder & stove maker, 814, 816, & 818 Race, h 243 N 9^th. The 1866 Directory lists Samuel J. T. Cresswell, iron foundry, 816 Race St.

1881 Directory: Samuel J. Cresswell

The 1887 Directory lists them they living at 202 S. 39^th St. His business was then at the corner of Cherry and N. 23^rd St.

In 1887, his brother, David S. Cresswell, lived at 3300 Baring St., apparently for only a few years.

1900:

Benjamin Sharp 41 Professor of Zoology, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences

Virginia Sharp 42

Dorothy Sharp 17 Born in Germany

Karl B. Sharp 15 [In 1910 his is listed as Benjamin C.]

Harold Sharp 13

Delia Sullivan 28 Servant; born in Ireland

Nora Sullivan 35 Servant; born in Ireland

(ED 539, 10B)

In 1910, they were living in Brookline, Mass. Benjamin was the state Representative for Nantucket.

“Dr. Benjamin Sharp, formerly corresponding secretary of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, died yesterday at Morehead, N.C., aged 56 years. He was with Commander Peary’s first expedition to the arctic in 1891. Dr. Sharp was a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania, which conferred the degree of Ph. D. on him in 1880, and during his scientific studies abroad, the same degree was given to him by the University of Wurzburg, Bavaria, for his thesis on ‘The Eyes of Molluscs.’ He continued his studies at the Universities of Berlin and Leipsic and the Zoological Station at Naples.

“On his return he was appointed Professor of Invertebrate Zoology at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and from 1884 to 1896, he held the same position at the University of Pennsylvania. He passed the Winter of 1888-1889 on the Caribbee Islands collecting specimens for the academy, and in 1893 he went to the Hawaiian Islands, and in 1895 he made his second trip to the arctic.” (NYT, Jan. 26, 1915)

Of his dedication to Nantucket, it was said that "No 'off islander' I have ever known has absorbed so much of the spirit of all that was best in old Nantucket as he." and “Though not a Nantucketer, he was perhaps the best Nantucketer of us all.”

1902: S. Presser, 317 N. 35^th St., member of the Jewish Publications Society, 1902-‘03.

1910: apparently not enumerated

1920:

Thomas M. Simpson 65 President, wholesale paper; mother born in N.Y.; renting

Helen K. Simpson 55 Mother born in Louisiana

Helen T. Simpson 29 Elementary school teacher

David A. Simpson 25 Clerk in paper business

Mildred A. Simpson 19

Thomas M. Simpson 16

(ED 682, 3A)

In 1880, Thomas was 25 years old, living with his parents at 1114 Diamond St. He and his father, James Simpson, were “fancy car dealers.” The 1895 Directory lists him living in Ardmore running a paper company at 11 S. 7^th St. under the name “T. M. Simpson.” In 1910, Thomas and Helen lived in Lower Merion. He listed his occupation was clerk in a paper manufacturing company.

1920, Feb. 7: Marriage license issued to Edith L. Wymer of 317 N 35th St. and David A. Simpson of 317 N 35th St. They were married the same year. (Phila. Inquirer and Phila. Marriage Index)

1930:

Helen K Simpson 65 Widowed; mother born in N.Y.; owner, house valued at $9,000

Helen T Simpson 39 Manager of a dress shop

– 2^nd household

Gordon Willms (?) 25 Advertising agent; born in N.Y., father born in S.C., mother in N.Y.

Mary Willms 24 Born in N.Y., father born in N.Y., mother in Conn.

Mary A Apple 67 Lodger; widowed

Catherine Gravell 31 Lodger; clerk in insurance firm; born in W.D., parents born in Va.

Annie E MacLaughlin 50 Lodger; single

Ethel Coene 44 Lodger; collect, electric [rest illegible]; single; father born in Ken., mother in Ind.

(ED 395, 22B)

< 3418 Baring 315 N 35th >

Back to Interactive Map

Revised 1/15/2012 About Powelton Village