3402 Baring Street

 

Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: 3402baring

 

 

3400-3402 Baring was built in 1873-’74 by Thomas D. Crespin as were 3404-06 and 3408-3410.  Crespin usually identified himself as a bricklayer, although he is listed as a builder in the 1881 city directory.  From at least 1856 until the 1870s, he lived at 116 N. 39th St. (which no longer exists) with his wife and seven children.   In the 1870 census he declared $25,000 in real estate and $1,400 in personal property.  His younger brothers, James C. Crispen and Joseph Crispen, probably worked with him.  They were also bricklayers.   In the late 1860s, Joseph lived at 34th and Filbert Sts.  He did not claim any real estate.  Thomas Crispen also apparently built 3509-11 and 3417-3421 Hamilton St.  (The name was variously spelled Crespenn or Crispenn.)

 

Second Empire-style, two-and-one-half story stone: double with original wood porch, balustrade addition. Decorative woo.& cornice; paired brackets with triglyph detail. Arcuated lights in dormer windows. Entrance to 3400 within rectangular tower; top of tower removed. Two-and-one-half story bay, projects towards North 34th Street.”

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

 

The History

 

1866, June 14: Transfer of lots 3400, 3402, 3404, 3406, 3408 and 3410 Baring from Richard Smethurst to William Sellers and John Sellers Jr.

            The 1858 Directory lists Richard Smethurst, conveyancer & accountant, 144 S 4th St.

 

1874, January: Deed transferred from Thomas D. Crispen to Charles A. Enell.

 

1874, September: Deed transferred from Charles A. Enell to Reese W.  Flower.

            “Reese Wall Flower, aged 68, died of pneumonia around 8 AM on June 27, 1875. He had inherited considerable wealth (about $80,000 [$1,270,000]) from his step-grandfather John Wall and a paternal uncle John Flower and then had prospered in the lumber business. The Philadelphia City Directories show him maintaining a downtown residence from the early 1840s to the late 1850s and describe him as a gentleman. This was a euphemism for a man of independent means who did not have to work for a living. Although he also kept a home in West Philadelphia, the U.S. Censuses for 1860 and 1870 show his residence to be in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County at the Flower farm. In fact, an 1848 map of the township shows him as the owner of the farm with two structures on it; he had retired from active business operations. As far as is known, he had joined no business associations or social clubs. No likeness of him is known to exist. Late in life he endured some reverses with investments in small, undercapitalized railroad lines but still left a considerable estate at his death, which happened at 3402 Baring Street, the West Philadelphia residence. He had moved to this address only in the year of his death.” (Observational Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania 1751 – 2007.  Robert H. Koch, 2008)

            His estate was between the West Chester Pike and Cobbs Creek in Upper Darby.

 

1876: Nellie B. Harral attended the Fourth Annual Congress of the Association for the Advancement of Women. 

 

1878, August: Deed transferred from Alfred L. Carey to Henry K. Smith.

 

1880:

Henry Smith                62        Superintendent W.C. Penna. R.R.

Elizabeth Smith           61

Mary E. Smith             20

Charles Smith              22        Telegraph operator

Florence Smith            18

Sarah Connor               26        Servant; born in Ireland

Kate Finn                    24        Servant; born in Ireland

(ED 483, 23-24)

 

1890:    Harry Keen, clerk

                        He was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Keen.  In 1880, he lived with them at 3414 Race St.  In 1895, he was listed at 3512 Hamilton St.

            James C. Smith

 

1892, February: Deed transferred from Elizabeth Stallman Smith (Trustee of Will of) Henry K. Smith to Freeman D. Somerby.

            The 1890 directory listed him at 500 N. 32nd St. and working for The Mutual Banking, Surety, Trust & Safe Deposit Co.

 

1895 Directory: Freedman H. Somerby

 

1900:

Benjamin Hawley        46        Physician; born in Ct., father born in Ct., mother in Mass.; renting

Helen E Hawley          46        Married 23 years, 5 children, 4 surviving; born in Mass.

Benjamin F Hawley     18

Joseph E Hawley         13

Harold T Hawley         11

Horace H Hawley         8

(ED 539, 11A)

            Benjamin F. Hawley was the son of the B. F. Hawley, the town clerk for Bristol, Conn.  In 1880, he was a student in Bristol. He and Helen Ely were already married.  She was born in Holyoke, Mass.  In 1887, he was a student living at 1611 Race St. and city directories for 1889-’95, list them at 417 N. 33rd St.  The 1906 Blue Book lists B. F. Hawley and B.F. Hawley, Jr. living at 3408 Spring Garden.  They had a summer residence at Bayhead, N.J.  In 1910, they lived at 3646 Chestnut St.

Source: The Washington Times, Nov. 4, 1910

 

c1903: B. F. Hawley, 3402 Baring

(List of members. Proceedings of the Philadelphia County Medical Society. ... Philadelphia County Medical Society. 1904)

 

1910:

Abbie W Somerby       44        No occupation listed; single; born in Vt., father in Mass., mother in Vt.

Elizabeth Somerby      36        Boarder; public school teacher; born in S. America; parents born in Switzerland

(ED 488, 1B)

 

c1911: “Fuller, Allen J. General Superintendent, Bureau of Water, Phila., for mail: 3402 Baring...”

(Membership Directory. The Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania. 1912)

            In 1890, Alan J. Fuller lived at 3313 Spring Garden St. and in 1900, he was at 3417 Hamilton St.

 

1920:

Abby M Somerby         51        Boarding house keeper; born in Vt.; owned with a mortgage

— next household

John G Fuller               51        Real estate broker; father barn in Conn.

Alice C Fuller              50        Father born in Va.

Sarah C Fuller              10       

John G Fuller                 6

---

Elizabeth Schaefer      38        Lodger; high school teacher; born in Brazil, father in Germany, mother in Switzerland

Grace McAlister          20        Lodger; bookkeeper for a department store; born in N.J., parents in N.Y.

Florence McAlister      19        Lodger; bookkeeper for a department store; born in N.J., parents in N.Y.

John N Faust               48        Lodger; salesman for [illegible] Scale Co.

Aubrey Faust               45        Lodger

(ED 682, 2B)

            In 1910, the Fullers lived at 3310Hamilton St. J. Culter Fuller’s mother lived at 208 N. 34th St.  His brother, J. Cutler Fuller, lived at 309 N. 34th St.

 

1950 Directory: Elsie L. Lowrie

 

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Revised 9/18/2011