3500 Powelton Avenue

 

Between about 1857 and 1902, this lot held a large house and grounds.  It is shown in the 1872 Hopkins Atlas as follows:

 

 

The Hagley Museum has photos of the house as it looked in the 1880s when it was owned by the du Pont family after they had done some renovations.  They can be viewed with the following links to their website:

 

3500 Powelton Ave.               3500 Powelton Ave. 2.                       3500 Powelton Ave. 3.

Mrs. du Pont’s Room.                         Library.                                               Library 2.       

 

Previous Residents

 

1858 Directory: Directory: Henry C. Blair & Co., drugg., S. W. 8th & Walnut, h 35th & Powelton av

            1857 Directory: Henry C. Blair & Co., drugg., S. W. 8th & Walnut

 

1860:

Henry C. Blair             41        Druggist; real estate: $50,000, personal: $15,000

Eliza F. Blair               38

Andrew Blair               18        Salesman

Henry Blair                  15

Lillie Blair                    12

Sallie Blair                    1

MA McCollough          20        Servant; born in Ireland

Anne Linn                   26        Servant; born in Ireland

M A Hughes                16        Servant; born in Pa.

John Morgan                22        Hostler [a person who takes care of horses]; born in Ireland

(Ward 24, Precinct 7, 98)

Henry C. Bliar [R] and Henry C. Blair, Jr.

(American Druggist, 1893)

 

            Henry C. Blair’s & Sons “was established in 1820 in the same building now occupied [1893], though the building has of course been much enlarged and improved.

            “The first Henry C. Blair was born in Cumberland County, Penn., and went to Philadelphia when 16 years of age, served his term in the drug business and graduated in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1816. He was the first apothecary to use the title ‘pharmaceutist’ and his new sign caused considerable comment at the time.

            “He was a competent and conscientious pharmacist, and a Christian gentleman, and gained for his establishment an enviable reputation.

            “The second Henry C. Blair was born in the building now occupied by the firm, graduated in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1866, since which time he has been a member of the firm of Henry C. Blair's Sons, having had charge of the formulating and manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations introduced by the firm during the past 25 years.” (American Druggist, 1893)

 

1861 Directory: Blair, Henry C., apothecary, 35th & Powelton

            Henry C. Blair, Sr., died in 1862.  His oldest son, Andrew, is listed in the IRS records in May, 1863 as executor.  The 1866 directory (compiled in late 1865) lists Andrew living at the S. E. corner of 36th and Baring (see 3512 Baring St.).  IRS records show his mother living with him and Henry Blair, Jr. apparently lived there as well.  However, they had moved again by 1870.

 

Mrs. Blair sold the property to William T. Snodgrass sometime in 1863-’66 who then sold it to William A. Piper sometime in 1866-’69.

 

1860s: James G. Hardie married Elizabeth F. Blair, widow of Henry C. Blair

            In 1870, they were living at his house at 3200 Arch St.

 

1866 Directory: William T. Snodgrass, cloths, etc., 34 S. 2nd & 23 Strawberry, h 35th & Powelton

                        Walter C. Snodgrass, salesman, 34 S. 2nd & 23 Strawberry, h 35th & Powelton

            In 1870, William T. Snodgrass was 54 years old.  He lived with his wife, Anna (age 50), their four children and 3 domestic servants.  Walter Snodgrass was 22 years old.

 

1870:

William A. Piper          50        Physician; real estate: $55,000, personal: $10,000

William A. Piper [Jr]    24        Medical student; personal: $5,000

Margaret Piper             40

Wilmer Piper                  9        Born in Illinois

Annie Hahn                 15        ??

Anne Blair                   39        Domestic servant; born in Ireland

Johana Carroll              20        Domestic servant; born in Ireland

William Barnes            21        Coachman; black; born in Maryland

(ED77,  19)

            The 1866 Directory lists William A, Piper, M.D., S. E. 5th & Brown.

 

1880:

William A. Piper          61        Physician

Margaret Piper             50        [a McIlvain?]

Anne Mc Ilvain           25        Niece

William A. Hahn         20        Student M.D.; step-son

Mary Ely                      50        Servant; born in Ireland

James S. Davis             20        Coachman; black

(ED 487, p 13)

 

1881 Directory: William A. Piper, physician, 727 N. 5th, h 3500 Powelton Ave.

 

1881, June 28: Deed transfer registered from William A. Piper to Lammot du Pont

            At the same time, a transfer of the deed for lot to West from J. G. Hardie to Lammot du Pont was registered.

            “The two Philadelphia properties at 35th Street and Powelton Avenue [3500 Powelton and 207 N. 35th St.] were valued at $110,000, against which there were mortgages totaling $25,000....”

(Lammot du Pont and the American explosives industry, 1850-1884. Norman B. Wilkinson. 1984. P 287.)

 

1887 Directory: Mary du Pont, widow of Lammot

 

The Hagley Museam has several photos of the du Pont family at 3500 Powelton Ave. A few can be viewed at the following links:

 

Family-1.                     Family-2.                     Family-3.                     Family-4.

 

Individual portraits are also available from Hagley.org:

Lammot du Pont: Photo 1     Photo 2   

 

1890 Directory: Pierre du Pont

 

1891 Directory: Mary du Pont, widow of Lammot

 

1895: G. Martin Brill purchased the estate from Mary E. McIlvain for $21,000 plus $39,000 for the adjacent land along Powelton Ave.

 

1898 Blue Book: G. Martin Brill was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)

 

1900:

G. Martin Brill             55        Car builder; owner, free of a mortgage

Mary E. Brill                50        Married 30 years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in N.Y.

Julia A. Brill                 24

Florence Brill               22

M. Herman Brill          21

Mary Estelle Brill        17

Martha Johnson           22        Servant, waitress; black; born in Va.

Rachel Whiting            25        Servant, cook; black; born in Md.

Robert Ford                 39        Servant, coachman; black; born in Va.

(ED 543, 13B)

            In 1870-1887, they lived at 414 N. 32nd St.  In 1889-1895, they lived at 3613 Hamilton St.

            G. Martin Brill (1845-1906) was president of the J. G. Brill Co., the largest producer of street cars in North America.  He and his father, John G. Brill (1817-1888) founded the company in 1868 with their factory at 31st and Chestnut St. which eventually covered 4˝ acres.  They moved the factory to Woodland Ave. about 1890.  They eventually had five factories and manufactured cars for trolley lines as far away as South Africa.  A brief biography and description of the company was published in 1891 in Philadelphia and Popular Philadelphians.

            In 1880, John G. Brill and his family lived at 3601 Spring Garden St.  Two of his brothers, John A. and Edward lived at 3411 Baring St. in the late 1880s.

 

            For more information about G. Martin Brill and the J. G. Bill Co., see the Powelton History Blog.

 

1902, Feb. 25: George M. Brill sells mansion plus adjoining property on Powelton Ave. to F. A. Poth for $65,500.

            The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Feb. 22, 1902 that Poth planned to build an eleven-story apartment house on the property.  However, he began building houses on the lot instead.  The houses were then combined into one large apartment building.  For the history, see: Powelton Apartments.

 

< 3502 Powelton                                                                               3432 Powelton >

Back to Interactive Map

Revised 10/9/2011                                                                                                     About Powelton Village