South Street, or Cedar Street as it was originally known, formed the southern boundary of the old city; hence the name. For no known reason Vine Street, which formed the northern boundary, was not dubbed North Street, though one reason might have been that a North Street and a South Street already formally existed by 1776; they both cut east-west through the block bounded by Market, Arch, Fifth and Sixth Streets. They were, it should be noted, sometimes called North and South Alley. This kind of casualness with names was typical of early Philadelphia; if "Church Alley" was mentioned back then it would not have been immediately clear to a listener whether the minor street in question ran beside Christ Church on Second Street between Market and Arch, or beside Gloria Dei Church (even then called "Old Swede's") in Southwark. Both were called Church Alley, though John MacPherson solved the problem by specifying "Christ Church Alley."
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties, which for reference purposes are given, but it only contained the northern corners of South Street, as the southern corners were not in Philadelphia, but in Southwark.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND WATER STREETS
No one is known to have been occupying this corner, though MacPherson's numbering system strongly implies that Samuel Church of #1 South Street was at that corner. Others at this corner, if any, may be listed in the Water Street listings.
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
No # ("Store"), northeastern corner.
#7 Cedar, northwestern corner.
BETWEEN WATER AND FRONT, SOUTH SIDE
(1785) #1 Church, Samuel
(1785) #6 Ogden, Charles
(1785) #7 Peterikin, John Possibly at the corner of South & Front, by the number
BETWEEN WATER AND FRONT, NORTH SIDE
The directories are of little immediately apparent use for this block, because the highest-numbered address in MacPherson's directory whose specific location is pinned down by a match in White's, is #372, where Michael Roche or Roach lived. This address was located between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Numbering in MacPherson continued up to #381. Remember that MacPherson assigned numbers to all addresses, but reported only those where there seemed to be, or have been, a business or residence.
According to the 1909 "Publication No. 5" of the City Historical Society of Philadelphia, when Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon arrived in Philadelphia in 1763 to survey their famous line between Pennsylvania and Maryland, they first had to determine the most southern part of Philadelphia, and they concluded that it was the "north wall of a house occupied by Thomas Plumsted and Joseph Huddle." They then built an observatory nearby to calculate the exact latitude of that spot. M. Antonia Lynch, the author of Publication No. 5, said that this house was then still standing, at #30 (modern numbering) South Street.
BETWEEN WATER AND FRONT, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Betta, Amos, taylor, South between Water & Front
(1785) Holtan, Mrs., shopkeeper South between Water & Front
(1785) Murray, Alexander, blacksmith, South between Water & Front
(1785) Philips, Alexander, taylor, South between Water & Front
(1785) Tattem, George, keeps a livery stable, South between Water & Front
CORNER OF SOUTH AND PENN
Penn Street was a short north-south street which intersected with South between Water and Front Streets.
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#11 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#66 Penn, northwestern corner.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND FRONT
(1785) #8 Johnson, William
(1785) Johnson, William, bricklayer, corner of South and Front
(1785) #8 Morris, F. Anderson, glazier & painter
(1791) #2 Cedar St., no listing (a speculative alignment)
(1785) Mease, John, auctioneer, corner of South and Front
(1785) Quail, Thomas, shopkeeper, corner of South and Front
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#23 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#25 Cedar, northwestern corner
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, SOUTH SIDE
The following alignments are quite speculative, based on a lack of matchups:
(1785) #9 Raywith, John (possibly at the corner of South & Front)
(1791) #4 Cedar St., no listing
(1785) #10 Connor, James
(1791) #10 Cedar St., Smith, Joseph, mariner
(1785) #11 Butler, Joseph
(1791) #12 Cedar St., Lawrence, Andrew, tavernkeeper
(1785) #12 Graham, George
(1791) #14 Cedar St., Dawkins, John, mariner
(1785) #14 Barry, Widow
(1791) #16 Cedar St., Hulsecamp, Garrett, pilot
(1785) #15, Stoker, Hugh, merchant
(1791) #18 Cedar St., Martin, Mary, seamstress
(1785) #16, no listing
(1791) #22 Cedar St., Johnston, William, grocer
(1785) #17, no listing
(1791) #30 Cedar St., McDaniel, George, blacksmith
(1785) #18 Soanse, Jacob
(1785) Morrison, Alexander, shopkeeper, South between Front and 2nd
(1791) #32 Cedar St., Morrison, Alexander, taylor
The addition of White's listing for Alexander Morrison assumes that he did not move between
1785 and 1791. But almost all these alignments are otherwise speculative, so the situation
is not firm enough for the assumption to matter, yet.
(1785) #25 Clemmens, David
(1785) Clemens, David, labourer, South between Front and 2nd
(1791) #38 Cedar St., Barood, Thomas, mariner
(1785) #26 Long, James
(1785) Long, James, boardinghouse, South between Front and 2nd
(1791) #40 Cedar St., Tear, Philip, boardinghouse
(1785) #27 Scantlon, Michael
(1791) #42 Cedar St., McMurphy, John, blacksmith
(1785) #30 Murray, Neal
(1785) Murray, Neal, blacksmith, South between Front and 2nd
(1791) #50 Cedar St., Pilkington, Thomas, nailor
This is a guess based on numbering continuity, which is somewhat slender logic.
This block was the site of the first theater in the modern-day city of Philadelphia, built in 1759, though being on the south side of Cedar (South) Street it was outside the then city limits-- which was the idea. On such a site they could avoid the anti-theater laws in the city, and they built one here, a small frame building on the southwest corner of Vernon and South Streets. This theater was only used for one season, according to the 1909 "Publication No. 5" of the City Historical Society of Philadelphia, during which four of Shakespeare's dramas were performed, including Hamlet, perhaps for the first time in America. In November of 1766 another was built on South between 4th and 5th Street. (q.v.)
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, NORTH SIDE
See notes under "Between Water and Front, north side"
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Lyndall, Benjamin, cabinetmaker, South between Front and 2nd
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 2ND
(1785) #31 Cornish, John
(1785) Cornish, John, grocer, corner of South and 2nd
(1791) #56 Cedar St., Mincks, Catharine, seamstress (a speculative alignment)
(1785) #32 Holton, Widow
(1785) Holton, Wilton, shopkeeper, corner of South and 2nd
(1791) #62 Cedar St., Connelly, Jacob, blacksmith (a speculative alignment)
(1785) Connelly, George, ship chandler, corner of South and 2nd
(1785) Keer, William, shopkeeper, corner of South and 2nd
(1785) Palmer, John and James, grocers, corner of South and 2nd
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#253 S. 2nd, northeastern corner.
#255, northwestern corner
The latter number is almost certainly a mistake, as an odd number is wrong for the western
side of a north-south street. Probably someone saw #253 and assumed it was for South Street,
and #255 would be the correct next number in line westward. Or perhaps not; but #253 and #255
are what the key gives for this corner. Note that the southern corners are not given for
South Street, as that street was then the southern boundary of the city.
According to the 1909 "Publication No. 5" of the City Historical Society of Philadelphia, when the Presbyterian congregation in Philadelphia outgrew their church on Market Street, a small house at the corner of South and 2nd Streets was procured by the Presbyterians for their members living in Southwark to worship in as a temporary measure, until that building was sold to help pay the expenses of the Third Presbyterian Church on Pine Street.
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, SOUTH SIDE
(1785) #41, no listing
(1791) #70 Cedar St., Walton, Michael, porter
(1785) #42 Chapman, George
(1791) #72 Cedar St., Parker, William, house carpenter
(1785) #44 O'Neil, John
(1791) #74 Cedar St., O'Neall, John, house carpenter
(1785) #45 Douglass, John
(1791) #76 Cedar St., Douglass, John, cabinet maker, also at 12 George St. Southwark
(1785) #46, no listing
(1791) #78 Cedar St., Wright, Andrew, cordwainer
(1785) #47, no listing
(1791) #80 Cedar St., Miller, James, biscuit baker
(1785) #48 McPherson, John
(1791) #82 Cedar St., Hays, James, house carpenter
(1785) #50 Tempest, Robert
(1791) #86 Cedar St., Tempest, Robert, house carpenter
(1785) #51 McDonald, Daniel
(1791) #88 Cedar St., Dixon, Thomas, labourer
(1785) #52 Hunter, John
(1791) #92 Cedar St., Long, Moses, labourer
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, NORTH SIDE
(1785) #331 Campbell, John (by implication; proximity of number)
(1785) #332 Rigley, Francis
(1785) Wrigley, Francis, printer, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #43 Cedar St., Lewis, John, barber
This, of course, is a blind guess at best.
(1785) #371 Allison, David (by implication)
(1791) #25 Cedar St., no listing
(1785) #372 Roche, Michael
(1785) Roach, Michael, shopkeeper, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #23 Cedar St., Barnett, John, carpenter
The following seven are close in number to Michael Roche, and are certainly on the north side of South Street, but may actually have been located between Front and 2nd Streets:
(1785) #373 Baxter, Widow
(1791) #21 Cedar St., Agee, Elizabeth, gentlewoman
(1785) #374 Bailey, William
(1791) #19 Cedar St., no listing
(1785) #375 Gilmer, John
(1791) #17 Cedar St., Kelley, Patrick, mill-stone maker
(1785) #377 Jones, Benjamin
(1791) #13 Cedar St., Jones, Benjamin, hatter
(1785) #379 Parker, Widow
(1791) #11 Cedar St., no listing
(1785) #381 Evans, Edward
(1791) #9 Cedar St., Evans, Edward, grocer
(1791) #3 Cedar St., Lyons, Elizabeth, boardinghouse
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Douglass, John, cabinetmaker, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Hunter, John, blacksmith, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) McCleaster, Francis, house carpenter, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) McPherson, John, labourer, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Marshall, John, mariner, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Matford, Mrs., gentlewoman, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Neal, John, house carpenter, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Orrackle, John, rigger, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Schryder, Frederick, gentleman, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Smith, Alexander, bricklayer, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Telfast, Robert, house carpenter, South between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Turner, William, captain, South between 2nd and 3rd
CORNER OF SOUTH AND GEORGE
George Street, known later as Baron Street and today as part of American Street, intersected with South Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets.
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#73, northeastern corner.
#75, northwestern corner.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 3RD
(1785) #53 South St., Rogers, James (at the corner by implication; by no means certain)
(1791) #94 Cedar St., Austin, James, labourer
(1785) Bardon, Stephen, jeweller, corner of South and 3rd
(1785) Coxe, Charles, painter, corner of South and 3rd
(1785) Downs, Robert, blockmaker, corner of South and 3rd
(1785) Wademan, Peace, shopkeeper, corner of South and 3rd
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#93 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#95 Cedar, northwestern corner.
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, SOUTH SIDE
(1785) #54 Andrews, Widow
(1785) Andrews, Esther, South between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #96 Cedar St., Forsyth, Thomas, mill-stone maker
(1785) #55 Carner, Anthony
(1785) #56 vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #98 Cedar St., Young, James, taylor
(1785) #59 Denny, David
(1791) #104 Cedar St., Gilbert, Ruth, spinster
(1785) #62 Mosely, Richard
(1785) Moslin, Richard, carpenter, South between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #106 Cedar St., Mosely, Richard, house carpenter
(1785) #63 Brown, Thomas
(1785) Brown, Thomas, cordwainer, South between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #108 Cedar St., Broom, Thomas, cordwainer
(1785) #64, no listing
(1791) #110 Cedar St., Bates, George, taylor
(1785) #65 Ryan, Nathan
(1785) Raine, Nathaniel, carter, South between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #112 Cedar St., Ray, Nathaniel, labourer
(1785) #66, no listing
(1791) #114 Cedar St., Pickle, Nicholas, blacksmith, also at 196 S. 3rd St.
(1785) #68 Philips, John
(1785) Philips, John, hair dresser, South between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #118 Cedar St., Stretch, James, labourer
(1785) #69 Dickson, Thomas
(1791) #120 Cedar St., Wymer, Andrew, labourer
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, NORTH SIDE
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Lace and Bourke, blacksmiths, South between 3rd and 4th
(1785) North, Joseph, carpenter, South between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Sinckle, Philip, labourer, South between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Smith, Thomas, plasterer, South between 3rd and 4th
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 4TH
(1785) #91 North, John
(1785) North, John, house carpenter, corner of South and 4th
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#141 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#224 S. 4th, northwestern corner.
BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, SOUTH SIDE
The old Southwark Theater, built in 1766, stood here, on the southwest corner of South and Apollo (now Leithgow) Streets. It burned in 1821, and a brewery built on its site, according to Watson's Annals of Philadelphia. The latter street appears as "Crab Street" in the 1794 map, and was still called that in 1823 when a list of streets appeared in that year's directory. According to the 1909 "Publication No. 5" of the City Historical Society of Philadelphia, the north wall was then still standing, though the rest of the site was occupied by the Alexander Young Distillery which had evidently taken over the old brewery site. According to the diary (cited in Publication No. 5) of Robert Morton, the son of a city merchant, some of the wounded from the Battle of Germantown were cared for at the playhouse. During the British occupation of Philadelphia that followed, some of the young British officers took over the theater and used it for theatrical purposes for four months. "Tradition says," repeats Publication No. 5, "that the accomplished and unfortunate Major Andre took part in these amateur performances. Nothing exists to confirm this report, though it is well known he and Captain De Lancey helped prepare the scenery, one drop curtain bearing Andre's name, being in use until the fire of 1821." (Note that the same publication adds that a small house on Apollo Street-- then Crab Street-- between South and Shippen (Bainbridge) was fitted up as a theater in 1811, but soon failed.)
(1785) #92 Gillis, James (by implication; may be at corner of South & 4th)
(1785) #93 Cross, Widow
(1785) #93 vacant or residents would not give name
(1785) #94 Henderson, Alexander
(1791) Henry, John, comedian, next to the theatre [in] Cedar St.
BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, NORTH SIDE
The following unmatched 1791 listings are placed here as a guess:
(1791) #67 Cedar St., Reed, James, dyer
(1791) #69 Cedar St., Phillips, Alexander, taylor
(1791) #71 Cedar St., McPhail, John, grocer
The Publication No. 5 referred to above tells of a tavern which stood opposite the theater on South Street, called "The Federal Convention of 1787." It went on: "The sign, one of Matthew Pratt's best efforts, represented the convention in Independence Hall, and it is said the likeness of the members was excellent. Mrs. Hallam [the onetime leading lady at the theater] stopped at the tavern (then bearing another name) during her engagements, and died there in 1774."
BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Miller, John Philip, sign Rose, South between 4th and 5th
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 5TH
(1785) #283 Hust, Charles (by the number, almost certainly on the NE or NW corner)
(1785) Hurst, Charles, gentleman, corner of South and 5th
(1791) #79 Cedar St., Durang, John, barber
(1791) #81 Cedar St., Durang, Jacob, barber
This alignment is a complete guess.
(1785) Lowens, William, shopkeeper, corner of South and 5th
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#169, northeastern corner.
#180, northwestern corner.
BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH, SOUTH SIDE
BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH, NORTH SIDE
The following unmatched 1791 listings are placed here as a guess:
(1791) #87 Cedar St., Cammell, Alexander, labourer
(1791) #89 Cedar St., Dunlap, Robert, labourer
(1791) #91 Cedar St., Gebb, John, grocer
BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH, UNKNOWN SIDE
The following five numbered sites are in a gray area caused by the uncertainty as to where MacPherson crossed to the north side of the street and began numbering back toward the Delaware River. Based on the number jump from #94 to #169 (and based on the entry for #283), it's pretty safe to assume that they were on South to the west of 5th Street, but they might have been west of 6th Street, too.
(1785) #169 Young, Charles
(1785) #181 Leshler, John
(1785) #184 McGorey, John
(1785) #187 vacant or residents would not give name
(1785) #272 vacant or residents would not give name
(1785) Liebart, George, shopkeeper, South between 5th and 6th
(1785) Peters, Abraham, sign Lewis the 16th, South between 5th and 6th
White's directory listings for South Street end with the block between 5th and 6th Streets.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND HURST
Hurst Street, which intersects South between 5th and 6th Streets, did exist in the 18th century, according to the 1794 map, but may have been called something else at that time. It is probably the street known as Reese Street today. The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#191 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#193 Cedar, northwestern corner.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 6TH
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#213 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#215 Cedar, northwestern corner.
CORNER OF SOUTH AND 7TH
The 1830 directory, in which the same numbering system theoretically was in place, contained a key to the numbering of corner properties and gives the following numbers for this corner:
#253 Cedar, northeastern corner.
#255 Cedar, northwestern corner.
NOTES:
According to the 1909 "Publication No. 5" of the City Historical Society of Philadelphia, the Library Company of Southwark, which was inaugurated in 1822, was the only serious library in Southwark, but had declined since free libraries came into existence, and its original building at #765-767 S. 2nd Street was (in 1907 when the Publication was built) up for sale. "In the rear stands an old house, popularly called 'The Farm.' This is supposed to have been the home of the original owners of the ground.
#769 S. 2nd Street was the site of the parsonage of the Third Baptist Church in Southwark, established in 1809. The Publication adds, "The old church still stands just south of the parsonage, but is now a Jewish synagogue. When the graveyard connected with the Third Baptist Church was cleaned out many of the tombstones were cracked up and used to pave one of the streets in the vicinity."
"No. 747 South Second Street was built in 1745 and until fifteen years ago [before 1907 or so, when the Publication was written] was in possession of the original owners, the Gardiners. During the British occupation of Philadelphia the house was used as a barracks and it is said the floors of the second story still show traces of where the soldiers hacked them for kindling wood."
(same) Commissioners' Hall, a plain, two-story building, was built in 1810 on 2nd Street north of Christian Street, on a lot bought from Paul Beck which included the ground upon which the house of Jonathan Penrose once stood. It was converted to a police station after Consolidation (1854) and demolished in 1882, "when it was replaced by the present [1907] structure."
(same) "the Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church [was] on Second Street, above Queen, built in 1790. The Ebenezer Church was the outcome of meetings held in the house of Robert Fitzgerald at South and Penn Streets. It was a plain building, described as having a 'quaint little box pulpit high in the air on the north side, and on either side, as well as in front, was a gallery.' As it was only thirty feet square the accomodations were soon insufficient, and a larger church was erected in 1819 upon a lot on the north side of Christian Street, west of Third Street, which had been purchased in 1810 for a burying ground."