3600 Hamilton Street

The History of the Building

Circa 1870, three-story Italianate double with Victorian porch, bracketed flat overhanging roof, full-height first floor windows. Stucco over brick.

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

Previous Residents of 3600 Hamilton St.

1870:

Charles Tete 40 Whole lumber manufacturer; real estate: $50,000; property: $25,000

Emma Tete 37

Leo F[rederick] Tete 8

Mary Tete 6

Charles F. Tete 2

James E. Tete 3 mons. Born in March, 1869

Ann McElhone 23 Domestic servant; born in Ireland; she could neither read nor write

Maria Torbert 33 Domestic servant

(1870: 1st enumeration: p 16; 2nd enumeration: p 29)

IRS record for 1866 show him at 33rd above Powelton, west side.

In 1880, they lived in Darby, Delaware Co., Pa. Charles was retired. His father was born in France.

1880:

James Christy 40 Cattle dealer; born in Ireland

Ellen Christy 32

Carrie Christy 5 mons.

Ellen Wright 40 Servant; parents born in Ireland

(ED 487, 23)

In 1890, James Christy of A. & J. Christy lived at 2121 Spring Garden St.

1887 Directory: Levick Anna E., wid. Samuel J., Jr., 3600 Hamilton

In 1881, they lived at 405 N. 33^rd St.

1894, Philadelphia Inquirer: “Mrs. A. W. Borst and Miss Borst, of 3600 Hamilton street, have gone to England for the summer.” (July, 1, 1894)

1894: Marriage of Emma May Borst, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Borst, 3600 Hamilton St., to Arthur Hunter. They were married by Dr. Robert H. Fulton at the Northminster Presbyterian Church. “The bride’s gown was of white silk and she also had a long veil, orange blossoms and carried bride roses.

“The maid of honor was Miss Fanny Fischer and the bridesmaids Miss Louise B. Borst and Miss Beatrice H. Borst, sisters of the bride. They were gowned in white silk and carried red roses. The ushers were Harry H. Fouse, Charles H. Fisher, Thomas C. Martindale [413 N. 33^rd St.], Charles H. Le Maistre, H. List [William H. List? 3406 Hamilton St.] and Albert F. Borst.” (Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 21, 1894)

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

1900:

Albert W. and Emma Borst (59 and 52). They lived with 5 of their children ages 11 to 29, one daughter-in-law, and 2 grand-daughters ages 2 and 4 months. (A sixth child lived elsewhere.) They were originally from Liverpool. Where he was a musician (piano and organ) and composer. Albert visited the U.S. in December, 1885 then returned with Emma and four oldest children in September, 1886. One son, Albert E. (29), an insurance agent, lived here with his wife and two children. One daughter, Louise B., (28) was a music teacher and another, Beatrice (26) was a school teacher. A third daughter, Hilda (17), was a Amanual training teacher. The oldest daughter, Mary, lived elsewhere.

He returned to Liverpool in 1904, and 1909

1910:

The Borsts lived here with two unmarried daughters, Louise and Beatrice (36 and 33) and a son, George H (21), who was a building contractor. They also had a boarder Oliver W Perrin (a clerk age 31) and a servant, Julia Meade (20).

In the 1890 City Directory, Albert W. is listed as a music teacher at 3602 Hamilton St. Albert W. was also a composer. In Dec. 1870 (when he was 30), The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular included a review of two pieces for piano that he had written: The Promise for the Pianoforte.

“Holidays; Ditto.

“Composed by Albert W. Borst.

“Without stopping to determine whether, if the titles of these were reversed, anybody but the composer would discover it, we may say that Mr. Borst has written some music which may fairly pass muster amongst the better class of compositions, especially intended for those amateurs who are always on the look out for something "pretty." There is character in the first piece, which is well preserved throughout, the melody flowing with much effect, in spite of the constant crossing of the hands. This little sketch will be found useful for the cultivation of touch. "Holidays" is based on an unpretentious theme, carefully accompanied with placid arpeggios. The phrase in the subdominant, after the double bar, is somewhat common, and there is a feebleness in the treatment of the left hand part; but the conclusion of the piece is effective; and as "all's well that ends well," Mr. Borst has a right to our good word.”

In 1872, they reported a performance in Liverpool of Amoscheles' fine duet for two pianofortes, Hommage à Handel, which was admirably played in its original form by Messrs. Horsley and A. W. Borst.

Fifteen years later (March, 1885), the same publication included a comment from their correspondent in Liverpool about a performance of an operetta he had written. "A new operetta, entitled Mrs. Speaker; or, the Lady Legislators, by Mr. A.W. Borst, to the libretto of Mr. Henry Workman, and evidencing considerable tact and the amusing development of the plot and ability in the sparkling character of the music, was produced at the lecture hall, Waterloo, on the 16th ult., and the performance reflected general credit on those concerned." When it was published in 1886, it was described as a A dramatic cantata.

In July of 1886, their correspondent reported from Liverpool that Mr. A. W. Borst, who has done good service in the cause of art for nearly twenty years in Liverpool, being about to depart for Philadelphia, a complimentary illuminated address, admirably executed in album form by Messrs Yates and Hess, was presented to him by the Liverpool Musical Club at the meeting on the 19th ult. A thoroughly representative gathering of the Club, of which the majority of the leading local professors are members, was presided over by Mr. J. J. Monk, and the presentation was made in an appropriate speech by Mr. Carl Heinecke.

In 1888 his organ arrangement of the Overture to Der Freischütz was published in Philadelphia.

He was one of the founding members of the Manuscript Music Society about 1892 in Philadelphia.

He was head of the Organ Department at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music (PCM) at 822 N. Broad St. (Daily Gazette and Bulletin, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Aug. 23, 1905) The PCM was joined with the Philadelphia Music Academy which later became part of today's University of the Arts.

1917: Gus Adolph Rohland registered for the WWI draft from this address. He was born July 29, 1886 in Richmond, Va. He worked for the Royal Electrotype Co. As a contact, he listed, Clarence B. Rohland, was living at the Hotel Ocean Plaza in Ocean Grove, N.J. In January, 1920, they were listed in the census at 1339 N. Hobart St. His father, Otto F. Rohland, was 76. His parents were born in Bremen, Germany. In 1930, they lived at 3615 Hamilton St. which he purchased in May, 1920.

1920:

Albert W. Borst 75 Music teacher; born in England, immigrated in 1886, naturalized 1893; owned with a mortgage

Anna Borst 70 Born in England, immigrated in 1886, naturalized 1893

Louise Borst 48 Music teacher; single; born in England, immigrated in 1886, naturalized 1893

Beatrice Borst 46 Public school teacher; single; born in England, immigrated in 1886, naturalized 1893

George L. Phillips 36 Lodger; sales manager; born in N.Y., father born in Vt., mother in Conn.

Edna B. Phillips 24 Lodger; stenographer

(ED 686, 4A)

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Revised 10/20/2011