3609 Hamilton Street

The History of the Building

The northern boundary of the houses on the northern side of Hamilton St. from 31^st St. to 38^th St. was the northern border of the Bingham-Baring estate.

3601-03, 3605-07, 3609-11, 3613-15, and 3617: These house appear to have been built by the same builder but may have been built for three different developers. They were all built about 1877-’78.

“Circa 1880, two-and-one-half story Second Empire-style doubles, stone facade over brick. Victorian wood porches…. Slate-shingled mansards with four dormers with decoratively carved wood gables. Ornate wood Victorian cornices. Segmental stone lintels. 3601-03 and 3613-15 have roof cresting”

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

Previous Residents of 3609 Hamilton Street

1872 Atlas shows 3601-3619 owned by J. G. Hardie. In 1860., James G. Hardie lived at 3200 Arch St. The 1861 Directory lists him as a merchant with an office at 633 Market St.

1877, October: Deed transferred from James H. Lyons to Leopold A. & Jennnie (wife) Weste.

The 1881 Directory lists James H. Lyons, plumber, 17 N. 9^th St., house 1327 Green. The 1870 census lists him as 35 years old with a wife and one child. He was born in Ireland. His real estate holdings were listed at $1,000 and his personal property at $200. He owned 3607-3617 Hamilton St. which he sold to various individuals between October, 1877 and June, 1879.

1880:

Chauncy Giles 67 Clergyman; born in Mass.

Eunice Giles 58 Born in N.Y.; parents in Mass.

Charles H. Giles 22 Medical student; born in Ohio

John W. Giles 18 At school

Eliza Poulson 27 Servant; black; born in Va.

Rachael Branch 22 Servant; black; born in Va.

(ED 487, 21)

Chauncey Giles became pastor of the First New Jerusalem Church (Swedenbourgian) in January, 1878. In the 1890 Directory, he is listed at 3502 Hamilton St. For information about other Poweltonians who were members of this church, see the Powelton History Blog.

Rev. Giles’s obituary in the New York Times (Nov. 7, 1893) provides the following biographical information: "The reputation of Dr. Giles as a writer on religious topics was world-wide. He was born in Charlemont, Mass., in 1813. Early in life he was a teacher. In 1853 he became a clergyman of the Church of the New Jerusalem. For ten years he preached in Cincinnati, then for fifteen years in New York, after which he became pastor of the First New Jerusalem Society of Philadelphia. In 1875 he was elected President of the General Convention of the Church of the New Jerusalem in the United States, and this office he continued to hold up to the time of his death.”

When Rev. Giles moved to Philadelphia, the Inquirer printed the following: “Rev. Chauncey Giles, long known as one of the ablest ministers of the New Jerusalem Church in the United States, has received a call from the New Church Society, worshiping at the corner of Broad and Brandywine streets, in this city, and will enter on his pastoral duties next Sunday morning. Mr. Giles who is president of the General Convention, of the receivers of the Swedenborg's doctrines in the United States, has been pastor of the New York Society for over fourteen years, and also for several years past editor of the New Jerusalem Messenger, and his severance from long standing and most cordial relations with the society in New York has been a severe trial both to himself and the people to whom he has so long ministered with the highest acceptance. But indications of failing health warned him that he must have lighter duties than were possible under existing relations, and so we accepted the call which was promptly made by the Philadelphia Society when it became aware that he had a change in view. The society in this city is to be congratulated on having secured for pastor so able and distinguished an expounder of its particular faith and doctrines."

(Phila. Inquirer, Jan. 4, 1878)

1882, March: Deed transferred from Leopold A. & Matilda (wife) Weste to Christian W. Kunkel.

The 1881 Directory lists Christian W. Kunkel at 925 Arch St.

1884, October: Deed transferred from Christian W. & Louisa J (wife) Kunkel to Myert M Armstrong.

1885, June: Deed transferred from Myert M. Armstrong to J. Harry Osmond.

1885, June: Deed transferred from J. Harry Osmond to Lillie G. Armstrong.

1887 Directory: Meylert M. Armstrong (Armstrong Craig & Co.)

The 1881 Directory listed him at 1712 Columbia Ave. At that time, his company name was Armstrong & Co.

1900:

Meylert M. Armstrong 48 Paper manufacturer; owned with a mortgage

Lillie G. Armstrong 43 Married 23 years, 6 children, 3 surviving; born in N.Y., father in Ohio, mother in New York

Leroy Armstrong 15 At military school

Earl Armstrong 13

Lionel Armstrong 10

Mary Van Ornan 82 Aunt; widowed, no children; born in N.Y., parents in Wisconsin

Bessie Osmond 27 Niece; single; father born in Del., mother in N.Y.

Katie Malone 30 Servant, cook; single, born in Ireland, immigrated 16 years earlier

Katie Madden 25 Servant; single, born in Ireland, immigrated 5 years earlier

(ED 543, 10B)

1901, February: Deed transferred from Mybert M. & Lillie G. (wife) Armstrong to Charles J. & Carrie B. (wife) Rice.

In 1900, Charles and Carrie Rice lived across the street at 3612 Hamilton St. where they were renting In 1910, they lived at 3318 Spring Garden St. They had a son, John, age 3. In 1920, Charles was widowed and living with his son and mother-in-law.

1910:

Augusta Warfield 29 Divorced, one child; born in Kansas, parents in Mass.; renting

Mildred J. Warfield 12 Daughter; born in Del., father in Del., mother in Kansas

Mary Fritz 29 Servant; widowed, two children; parents born in Ireland

(ED 492, 2B)

1911, Sept. 11: Marriage license issued to Mary Christensen of 3609 Hamilton St. and Peter Anderson of 3854 Parrish St.

1920:

Jennie E. Cahill 58 Widowed; born in Conn., father born in Ireland, mother in Conn.; renting

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Revised 1/22/2012