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: ÒCirca 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.Ó

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

 

 

Previous Residents

 

1880:

Walter Erben               25        Wool merchant

Ida                               24        Father born in England

Rebecca                         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. 19th St.  His brother, Louis, lived next door at 3413 Baring St.

            ÒThe 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.

            ÒWhen 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.Ó

(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.

 

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

            In 1900, they lived at 2021 Delancey St.

 

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

            The 1887 Directory listed him at 809 Preston St.

 

1894: Walter Erben elected member: Academy of Natural Sciences

 

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

 

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

 

1897: Laura and Rebecca M. Walker

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

 

1900:                                                               

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

Harvey Walker            42        Step-son; wagon builder

Rebecca M                   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)

 

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 Nd.

Karoline Klecka          25        Servant; born in Austria, native language ÒBohemian,Ó immigrated in 1899

(ED 488, 4A)

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

 

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: Mohler, Margaret M.

 

2009: Current owners: Michael Resnick and Frank Sarlo

                        purchase date: 5/2001

                        owner occupied

 

< 3417 Baring                                                                                                       3413 Baring >

 

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