3615 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 (3609-11, 3613--15 removed). 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 3615 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, August: Deed transferred from James H. Lyons to John Waddell.

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.

1877, October: Deed transferred from John Waddell to Thomas Hunter.

1877, October: Deed transferred from Thomas C. Hunter to John & Clara J. (wife) Wadell.

1880:

John Waddell 40 Linen merchant

Clara Waddell 23 Daughter

Florence Waddell 1 Grand-daughter

(ED 487, 25)

In 1900, Clara Waddell was divorced. It appears that John died, she had remarried and then divorced. She had had three more children aged 7 to 11 who had the name Clements. They were living on Oak Lane and had one servant and two boarders.

1881, March: Deed transferred from John & Clara J (wife) Wadell to Nellie Dearborn Smith.

1887 Directory: George W. Smith (George W. Smith & Co.)

George W. Smith & Co. advertised themselves as “designers and manufacturers of art furniture; office and bank work a specialty.”

In 1881, he lived at 2023 N. College Ave.

George W. Smith & Co.’s Artistic Furniture Factory, 1892

3907-3919 Powelton Ave.

from the Hexamer General Surveys, Vol. 26.

1893: Arthur D. Smith was elected to serve as a director of the Powelton Club.

1900:

Ella D. Smith 51 Widowed; born in N.H.; owner, free of a mortgage

George S. Smith 27 Compositor printer; father born in Vt., mother in N.H.

Rayburn C. Smith 22 Manufactured furniture; father born in Vt. , mother in N.H.

Emma B. Scott 34 Servant

(ED 543, 10B)

1906 Blue Book: Mrs. George W. [Ella D.] Smith

1910:

Ella D Smith 60 Widowed, 3 children; born in N.H., father in N.H., mother in Va.

Grace S Smith 37 Clerk for manufacturing co.; father born in Vt., mother in N.H.

William C Smith 62 Brother-in-law; clerk for manufacturing co.; widowed; born in Vt.

Emma B Scott 38 Servant; single

(ED 492, 2B)

In 1920, Ella (now listed as Mrs. George W.) and son George live with Uncle William Smith and Emma Scott at 4235 Walnut.

In 1930, Ella and George were living with Rayburn and his family in the Spruce Hill Apartments, 4400 Spruce St. Rayburn was a manufacturer of radio cabinets. His wife was a hostess at the Athletic Club. (George was enumerated a second time as a patient at Pennsylvania State Hospital for the Insane, 4401 Market St.)

The house was not enumerated in the 1920 census which was held in January. The house was probably empty.

1920, May: Deed transferred from Nellie Dearborn Smith to Gus A. Rohland.

1930:

Clara M. Rohland 75 Owner, house valued at $12,000; born in Va., father born in N.Y., mother in Va.

Gus A. Rohland 43 Electrician; single; born in Va.

Otto J. Rohland 41 Electrician; single; born in Va.

Ethel Hohl 21 Lodger; stenographer in a law office

Emma C. Anderson 29 Lodger; stenographer in a department store

-- 2^nd Household

Andrew McDonald 65 Woodworker in a saw mill; born in Australia, immigrated in 1882; renting for $75 per month

Agnes McDonald 65 Born in Australia, immigrated in 1883

Louise McDonald 36 Saleslady in a department store; born in Virginia

(ED 398, 5A)

In January, 1920, they were listed in the census at 1339 N. Hobart St. Clara’s husband, Otto F. Rohland, was 76. His parents were born in Bremen, Germany. When Gus Adolph Rohland registered for the WWI draft, he lived at 3600 Hamilton St. 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.

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Revised 7/25/2011