3301 Hamilton Street

 

The History of the Building

 

Original structure apparently designed by Henry E. Wrigley (see below) c1865.  The deed of July 12, 1866 refers simply to a “building” which may or may not be the building currently on the site.  The deed of January 12, 1882 refers to a “one story dwelling.”  The deed of July 14, 1883 refers to a “one story stone dwelling with mansard roof.”

 

“(original main entrance along North 33rd Street) Circa 1865 two-story rubblestone house which includes full-story slate mansard; full-height first-floor windows; dormers in mansard. Scalloped millwork under mansard and around house on noteworthy landscape.”

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

 

It was placed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places in 1963.

 

Previous Residents of 3301 Hamilton Street

 

1864, July 12: Deed transferred from Alfred B. Justice to Henry E. Wrigley

            Alfred B. Justice was a hardware merchant who lived at 319 N. 33rd St.

            Henry E. Wrigley (1840-after 1880) was a draftsman and architect.  During the Civil War, he served in the Independent Company of Acting Engineers and the Corps of Topographical Engineers.

 

1866, July 12: Deeded to Thomas C. Taylor.  It refers to a “lot or piece of ground with the building thereon Erected.”

 

1870:

Thomas C. Taylor        50        Chemical manufacturer; real estate: $15,000, personal: $20,000

Abigail                         53       

Laura                           15

(ED 77, 29)

            In the 1865 IRS records, he is list at 128 S. 2nd St.

 

1880:

Thomas C. Taylor        63        No occupation listed

Abigal C. Taylor          64

Laura V. Taylor           25

(ED 484,27)

1881, July 9: deed transferred from Henry E. Wrigley M N [?] to Thomas B. Prosser.

            The 1881 Directory lists Thomas B. Prosser as a lawyer at 514 Walnut St. who was living at 833 S. 4th St.

 

1882, January 12: deeded to William E. Littleton.  It refers to a “one-story dwelling.”

            In 1880, William E. Littleton was elected Clerk of Quarterly Sessions in Philadelphia.  The 1881 Directory also lists him as a lawyer with an office at 514 Walnut St., the same address as Thomas B. Prosser (above).  Littleton lived at 1929 Spruce St.

 

1882, May 1: deeded from William E. Littleton and Annie S., his wife, to Henry Glass.

            The 1881 Directory lists three individuals names Henry Glass.  The most likely match is “Glass, Henry, hotel, N 31st corner of Haverford.”  He may have owned the building on the neighboring lot at 33rd and Spring Garden that was listed as a hotel in the 1880 census.

 

1883, July 14: deeded to James B. Shaw with mention of a “one story dwelling with mansard roof.”

            The 1887 Directory lists James B. Shaw of the firm Richard Kershaw & Co. living at 413 N. 33rd St.   He was born Kershaw and changed it to Shaw at an early age.  The 1880 shows his parents, Richard and Martha Kershaw living at 3611 Powelton Ave.  Richard was a worsted manufacturer

 

1890 Directory: Susan Reese

                          Hallowell Elizabeth M.

 

1900:

Susan H. Reese            72        Landlord; born in Del., parents born in England; renting

Elizabeth Q.[?] Hallowell 39   Niece; artist; born in Va., father born in Tenn., mother in Md.

T Julia Carr                  22        Servant; born in Ireland

Agnes Cody                 51        Boarder; born in Ireland

(ED 540, 14B)

            Susan Reese was the widow of Charles Reese who manufactured mangles (ironing machines).  They lived in Baltimore.  He died c1898.  In 1902, Elisabeth Hallowell married Charles Francis Saunders, a fellow naturalist.  They went to California on their honeymoon and moved there in 1906 for her health.  Together they produced a book entitled With the Flowers and Trees in California (1914) which he wrote and she illustrated.  She died in 1910.

 

1910:

Leonardo List              23        Machinist; renting

Mary E List                 27        Vocalist; father born in R.I., mother in Ohio

Olia Langston              50        Mother-in-law; born in Ohio, parents in Ireland

Ida Gallagher               32        Servant; parents born in Ireland

(ED 489, 5A)

            Leonardo was born and raised at 3406 Hamilton St.  In 1920, they lived at 209 N. 35th and in 1930, they were at 3605 Hamilton.

            NYT Obituary for Mary List: “Merion, Pa., Sept 16 [1943] (AP) – Mrs. Marie Stone Langston List, former contralto soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the old Philadelphia Operatic Society, died yesterday at her home here after an illness of two years.  Her age was 59.

            “Mrs. List was the wife of Leonardo J. List, president of the Samuel M. Langston Company, machinery manufacturers, in Camden, N.J.  Her career in music began thirty-five years ago.

            “An aunt, Marie Stone, and an uncle, William McDonald, were among the founders of the Bostonians, a light opera company celebrated for its Gilbert and Sullivan productions.  Mrs. List was a student of Oscar Saenger of New York and Nicholas Douty of Philadelphia.”

 

1916, April 28, Pittsburg Dispatch: “MARIE STONE LANGSTON. Mezzo-Contralto RECITALS :: CONCERTS :: ORATORIO

"Miss Langston's voice is a  rare contralto, . . . Her voice is rich and sonorous, full of the dark color and the somber power that dwell in true contralto tones. She uses it with instinctive and practiced sense of its amplitude and its projecting quality as well as with much regard for the refinement of the art of song. Management Philadelphia Music Bureau. Res.: 3301 Hamilton Street Philadelphia. Pa."

 

1917-18 Draft Card: Leonard J. List, 3301 Hamilton St., Phila.,  b. Nov. 20, 1886, manufacturing machines, Samuel H. Langston Co., Camden, N.J.

 

1919, Nov. 17: deeded to “Harriet H. Herbert wife of Nathaniel B.” by Elizabeth B. Keen and George W. Newman, trustees for James B. Shaw.

 

1920:

Nathaniel B Herbert    72        Foreman in wool factory; father born in Scotland; owner, free of a mortgage

Harriet H Herbert        69

(ED 684, 9A)

            Nathaniel Herbert was a wholesale butcher and provisions dealer.  In 1880, they lived at 51 E. Orthodox St. and in 1900, they lived at 500 N. 32nd St.

 

1930:

Nathaniel Herbert       82        Married at age 21; owner, house valued at $5,000

Harriet Herbert            79        Married at 19

(ED 396, 5A)

1932, Dec. 26: deed to David J. and Catherine M. G. McCaughey.

 

1946, June 20: deeded to Lois R. McCuen

 

1950 Directory: Mrs. Lois McCuen

 

1955, May 2: deeded to “Michael Schneider, 6434 N. 15th St.”

 

1955, July, 13: deeded to “Joshua Williamson, 1306 Waverly St.” by Michael and Dorothy Schneider.

 

 

<3303 Hamilton                                                                                          3500, south side of Hamilton>

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