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.”  An addition was constructed in 1891 (see below).

 

“(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 Taylor              53       

Laura Taylor                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

Abigail 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

                         Elizabeth M. Hallowell

 

1891: A building permit was issued to Garden & Warner for an addition to 3301 Hamilton St. (Phila. Inquirer, July, 1, 1891)

 

1897, June: “For Rent – Furnished, during July and August, cottage with 8 rooms and bathroom, in one of pleasantest parts of West Philadelphia.  Apply 3301 Hamilton street; from 10 to 1; references given and requested.” (Phila. Inquirer, June 15, 1897)

 

1897: “Woman, white, competent, general housework in family of two; Swedish or German preferred… 3301 Hamilton St.” (Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 5, 1897)

 

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.

 

1907: “For Rent, Furnished, 3301 Hamilton st., 10 rooms and bath all conveniences, fine location, can be seen only after 5 P. M. or by appointment.  J. Pemberton Ellis, 323 Walnut st.” (Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 27, 1907)

 

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.”

 

(Evening Public Ledger, April 17, 1916)

 

Marie Stone Langston List was prominently featured as a soloist in numerous concerts in the Philadelphia and New York.  Below are listed a variety of announcements in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

 

1915: “At the second of the free public concerts given in the auditorium of the Drexel Institute and under its auspices an interesting programme will be rendered by Ralph Kinder, organist, and Marie Stone Langston, contralto.” (Phila. Inquirer, Dec. 5, 1915)

 

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: “The annual Independence celebration at North Branch Y. M. C. A. will take place on Friday evening, when a programme of unusual merit will be presented.  Dr. T. Asher Hess, the drummer boy of ’61, and Marie Stone Langston, who will sing the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ and impersonate the ‘Goddess of Liberty’ will feature on the programme.” (Phila. Inquirer, June 23, 1917)

 

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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Revised 12/22/2011