3415 Baring Street

The History of the Building

1872 Hopkins Atlas shows an empty lot belonging to the Estate of Robert Steen.

1878 Scott Atlas shows an empty lot owned by Craig & Mc Cahan

3413-3415: “Circa 1875, Italianate-style, three-story double with East lake -inspired wood porch; stone facade over brick. Full-height first-floor windows; double bracketed wood cornice; flat roof. Four registers to each floor having stone segmental lintels.”

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

Previous Residents

1860, July: Deed for 3413-17 Baring St. and 3412-22 Hamilton St. transferred from Samuel Hutchinson (for Sheriff sale) to Estate of Robert Steen (deceased).

1880:

Walter Erben 25 Wool merchant

Ida Erben 24 Father born in England

Rebecca Erben 1

Rose Hill 35 Servant; black; born in Del.

Alice Smith 15 Servant; black

(1880 Census: ED 483, p 26)

Walter is the son of Peter A. Erben b. about 1790. In 1870, they lived at 206 N. 19^th St. His brother, Louis, lived next door at 3413 Baring St.

“The lauding of Tacony as the ideal manufacturing town by the report of Pennsylvania's Internal Affairs Secretary brought Erben Search Company Worsted Mill into the community in 1885. Land was purchased on the river south of the Disston works and a building constructed that resembled the textile buildings of the 1860s. The building itself, with its tower and chimney remain the best example of such manufacturing buildings still standing in the area. In 1904, the Harding Textile Company at 25th and Spring Garden Streets decided to merge their operation with that of Erben in Tacony. Thereafter the textile plant was known as Erben Harding.

“When the new plant was opened there was, for the first time, an industry in Tacony that employed large numbers of female workers. Most were Polish women from Bridesburg or Irish or Italian women from Tacony. The company closed during the depression of the 1930s. The Erben Harding complex remains deserted but in good condition.”

(Harry C. Silcox, Ed.D., Workshop of the World. Oliver Evans Press, 1990.)

A photo of the Erben-Search factory is available from the Hagley Archives.

1880, December: Deed transferred from Peter & Mary Erben to Walter Erben.

1887 & 1889 Directories: Walter Erben (Erbe, Secarch & Co., Henry Erben, Theodore C. Search, Charles H. Harding & Walter Erben), worsted yarns, 106 Chestnut & 2416 Spring Garden)

In 1900, they lived at 2021 Delancey St.

1887, May 12: Death of Elizabeth H Morris, 66 years old, of 3415 Baring St. She was widowed and worked as a housekeeper. Burial at Christ Church, Upper Merion, Pa. (Phila. Death Index)

1889 & 1890 Directories: George B. Armitage, insurance, 401 Walnut, h 3415 Baring

The 1887 Directory listed him at 809 Preston St.

1892: Walter Erben joined a law suit aimed at stopping the introduction of electric trolleys on Baring St. to replace the old horse-drawn streetcars. (See the Powelton History Blog for details.)

1894: Walter Erben elected member: Academy of Natural Sciences

1895 Directory: Walter Erben (Erben, Harding, & Co.)

1895, October: Deed transferred from Walter Erben to Abram Walker.

1896 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. A. Walker & daughters

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

1897: Laura and Rebecca M. Walker

(Good roads: devoted to the construction and maintenance of roads ..., Vol. 25. League of American Wheelmen)

1897: Death of Elizabeth Holstein Morris, widow of Charles E. Morris. Funeral from the home of her brother-in-law, Abram Walker, 3415 Baring St.

The 1895 city directory lists Elizabeth H. Morris, widow of Charles E. Morris living at 2040 Gratz Ave.

1899: Death of Abram Walker, 69 years old. The relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral service at his late residence, 3415 Baring St.

1900:

Emily Walker 63 Widowed, 2 children; owned free of a mortgage

Harvey Walker 42 Step-son; wagon builder

Rebecca M. Walker 31 Step-daughter

Maggie McCarey 28 Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated 11 years earlier

Julia McCarley 22 Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated 7 years earlier

(ED 539, 12A)

1900, Sept. 21: Death of Harvey Walker, 44 years old, of 3415 Baring St. He was a merchant. He was born in Phila. and died in Dansville, Livingston, New York. Burial at West Laurel Hill. (Phila. Death Index)

1903: 3415 Baring St. offered for sale for $16,000. (Phila. Inquirer, 9/16/1903)

1906, November: Deed transferred from William M. Hardt [3303 Powelton Ave.] and Rebecca M. Walker, executors of the will of Abram Walker, to Samuel Simpson.

1910:

Samuel Simpson 63 Real estate broker; parents born in Ireland; owned with a mortgage

Celia M. Simpson 51

Samuel R. Simpson 20

Latissure D. Simpson 13

Jane Brooks 71 Boarder; single; born in Maryland

Karoline Klecka 25 Servant; born in Austria, native language “Bohemian,” immigrated in 1899

(ED 488, 4A)

In 1900, they lived at 4185 Leidy Columbia Ave. In 1920, they lived at 810 S. 60^th St.

1914, November: Deed transferred from Samuel and Cecilia Simpson to American Baptist Publication Society of Phila. Penna..

1920:

Margaret M. Mohler 36 Clerk for welfare assistance agency; single; parents born in Germany; owned with a mortgage

Mary E. Mohler 66 Mother; born in Germany, immigrated in 1880

Rose V. Mohler 39 Sister; clerk in welfare assistance office; single

(ED 682, 2B)

1930:

Margaret Mohler 39 Manager of multigraphing co.; parents born in Germany

Mary E. Mohler 70 Widowed; born in Germany; owner, house valued at $16,000

Rose V. Mohler 42 Sister; secretary for multigraphing co.

(ED 396, 3B)

1950 Directory: Margaret M. Mohler

2009: Current owners: Michael Resnick and Frank Sarlo

purchase date: 5/2001

owner occupied

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Revised 1/15/2012