UNION STREET EAST OF FRONT STREET
Union Street did not extend east of Front Street in 1785; nor even by 1794, as depicted by the Scot-Allardice map of that year.
CORNER OF UNION AND FRONT
(1785) #1, Gurney, Francis, merchant (by implication of MacPherson's numbering system) Presumably Gurney was at the southwestern corner, as Union formed a T with Front Street.
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:
#1 Union, northwestern corner.
#2 Union, southwestern corner.
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, SOUTH SIDE (going west)
Because the only alignment near here is Mary McKenzie at the corner of Union and 2nd, many of these alignments in the block to her east are speculative.
(1785) #6, Plankenhorn, John (by implication of numbering; also see #1)
(1791) #8 Union St., Ashbridge, Joseph, biscuit baker
(1785) #7, Walsh, Aaron
(1785) Welsh, Aaron, captain, Union between Front and 2nd
(1791) #10 Union St., Hood, Thomas, cooper
(1785) #8, Barker, John
(1785) Barker, John, Esq., counsellor at law, Union between Front and 2nd
(1785) Barker, John, house carpenter, Union between Front and 2nd
It seems pretty certain that one of these must have been the one to live at #8; it could
even have been both, if they were related.
(1791) #14 Union St., Wright, Thomas, labourer
(1785) #9, Willet, John
(1785) Willet, John, captain, Union between Front and 2nd
(1791) #16 Union St., Tingey, Thomas, sea captain
(1785) #12, Cockran, James
(1791) #20 Union St., no listing
(1785) #14, Trueman, Evan
(1791) #24 Union St., no listing
(1785) #16, Loughton, John
(1791) #26 Union St., Morris, Hugh, taylor
(1785) #17, McCornick, John
(1785) McCormick, John, captain, Union between Front and 2nd
(1785) McCormick, Mary, milliner, Union between Front and 2nd
(1791) #30 Union St., Reside, Robert, sea captain
(1785) #18, Fox, Abraham
(1791) #32 Union St., Fineaure, George, sea captain
(1785) #20, Clymer, George (possibly on the corner)
(1791) #34 Union St., McGrigger, John, baker
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, NORTH SIDE (going east)
(1785) #117, Bordley, John Beal
(1791) #7 Union St., Mifflin, John, Esq., attorney at law
(1785) #118, Elder, Andrew
(1791) #5 Union St., Elder, Andrew, cordwainer
(1785) #123, Plumstead, Widow
(1791) #1 Union St., no listing
(1785) #271, Preston, Widow
This enormous jump in numbers has no apparent explanation. No other number on this street is
even close. If MacPherson meant to do this and followed his usual allowing of space for
future construction, #271 would be well out into the river (past, of course, the end of
Union Street at Front). Most likely this was a typesetting error-- placing the 1 at
the end of the numeral instead of the beginning, which would have resulted in a very
plausible #127.
BETWEEN FRONT AND 2ND, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Freeman, William, blacksmith, Union between Front and 2nd
(1785) Meyers, John, baker, Union between Front and 2nd
(1785) Stockton, John, captain, Union between Front and 2nd
(1785) Wayne, John, labourer, Union between Front and 2nd
CORNER OF UNION AND 2ND
(1785) #21, McKenzie, Widow
(1785) McKinsey, Mary, boardinghouse, corner of Union and 2nd
(1791) #36 Union St., McKinsey, Mary, gentlewoman
The numbering places her on one of the southern corners.
(1785) #107 Union Street, #925 2nd Street, Armstrong, John
(1785) Armstrong, John, sign Leopard, corner of Union and 2nd. There is some disagreement about
whether it was John Armstrong or John Applegate who had the boardinghouse; the Library Company
copy of White's directory says Applegate and that Armstrong was at the Sign of the Leopard,
corner of Union and 2nd Streets. This would seem to be virtually proven by the presence of one
John Armstrong at the above-numbered addresses, which are in the right place to have been at the corner of
Union and 2nd Streets. The numbering places him on the northwestern corner.
(1791) #21 Union St., Stence, Lawrence, grocer
(1785) #674 2nd Street, McCall, Archibald
(1785) McCall, Archibald, merchant, corner of Union and 2nd
The numbering places him on one of the eastern corners.
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:
#17 Union, northeastern corner.
#19 Union, northwestern corner.
#34 Union, southeastern corner.
#36 Union, southwestern corner.
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, SOUTH SIDE (going west)
(1785) #24, Emmerson, Thomas
(1785) Emmerson, Thomas, captain, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #40 Union St., Donnall, Nathaniel, gentleman
The street numbering sequence would suggest that this is modern #214 Delancey Street,
"the Trump House," which was one of those featured in Elizabeth B. McCall's Old Philadelphia
Houses on Society Hill. That work states that the house was built between 1753 and
1756, making it the earliest surviving residence on Society Hill. The latter statement is
probably not true-- a house nearby on Spruce claims to have been built in 1743-- though it's
also debatable where the boundaries of Society Hill are. In any case, #214 Delancey was
restored by Robert T. Trump in 1955-56, according to the book, which goes on to state that, "according to
early directories, it was owned and occupied by a retired ship captain from the early 1770s
until after the War of 1812, although General Howe's officers reportedly used it during the
Revolution." The actual directory entries and ownership records are not given, making this a difficult
statement to check for accuracy.
(1785) #25, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #42 Union St., Clarkson, Joseph, Reverend
(1785) #26, Simpson, George
(1785) Simpson, George, clerk to the bank, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #44 Union St., Bennett, Stephen, cordwainer
(1785) #27, Neil, John
(1785) Nail, John, cooper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #46 Union St., no listing
(1785) #28, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #48 Union St., Miller, Nicholas, sea captain
(1785) #29, Singer, Robert
(1791) #50 Union St., Fritz, Philip, porter
(1785) #30, Tims, Bartholomew
(1791) #52 Union St., no listing
(1785) #32, Harman, George
(1785) Harland, George, baker, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Harman, Ezekial, cordwainer, Union between 2nd and 3rd
Either one of these may have been the one referred to in the #32 entry, though the baker
seems the better candidate, with the cordwainer perhaps a relative.
(1791) #56 Union St., Harmer, George, baker
(1785) #33, Ashmitt, John
(1791) #58 Union St., Ashmead, John, Captain, mariner
(1785) #34, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #60 Union St., Williams, Mary, gentlewoman
(modern) #232 Delancey Street
(1785) #35, Wetherall, Joseph
(1785) Weatherill, Joseph, timber merchant, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #64 Union St., Massey, John, baker
(modern) #234 Delancey Street
(1785) #38, Forrest, Widow
(1791) #66 Union St., Willson, Ann, gentlewoman
(modern) #236 Delancey Street
(1785) #39, Worrel, Widow
(1791) #68 Union St., Rose, Ringwood, schoolmistress
(modern) #238 Delancey Street
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, NORTH SIDE (going east)
(1785) #93, Pryor, Charles
(1785) Pryor, Charles, biscuit baker, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #47 Union St., Pryor, Charles, baker
(1785) #95, Trueman, Richard
(1785) Trueman, Richard, lumber merchant, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Trueman, Charles, lumber merchant, Union between 2nd and 3rd
These two may have been relatives, and perhaps lived and/or worked together. William
Trueman, below, may also have been related, and could also have lived here. Richard and
Charles are grouped together because they shared a profession, which makes their connections
more likely.
(1791) #43 Union St., Johnson, Samuel, printer
(1785) #96, Goddard, Widow
(1791) #41 Union St., Hans, Mary, gentlewoman
(1785) #97, McCuagh, Robert
(1785) McCrea, Robert, goldsmith, Union between 2nd and 3rd
The association of these two listings is fairly speculative, though if they are the same
man and McCuagh was pronounced "Mc-kway" there would be some assonance which could explain
the two spellings. The alignment of the 1791 listing helps support this theory.
(1791) #39 Union St., McCray, Ann, gentlewoman
(1785) #98, Sommers, Andrew
(1785) Summers, Andrew, cordwainer, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #37 Union St., Egger, Thomas, sea captain
(1785) #99, Bond, Widow
(1785) Bond, Mrs., gentlewoman, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #35 Union St., Cadwallader, Mrs., gentlewoman
(1785) #100, January, Widow
(1785) January, Agnus, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #33 Union St., January, Agness, gentlewoman
(1785) #101, McQuicker, Mary
(1791) #31 Union St., Wharton, Rebecca, gentlewoman
(1785) #102, Tallman, Widow
(1791) #29 Union St., Bringhurst, James, merchant
(1785) #104, Hamilton, William
(1791) #27 Union St., McDonnell, Donnell
(1791) #27 Union St., Smith, John
(1791) #27 Union St., Williams, John
(1785) #105, Brommel, William
(1791) #25 Union St., Rook, Ternon, copperplate printer
(1791) #25 Union St., Weaver, Adam, taylor
(1785) #106, McIntire, George (by implication, but this may have been at the corner)
(1791) #23 Union St., Kemp, George, writer
Elizabeth B. McCall's Old Philadelphia Houses on Society Hill includes a two-page spread on the Barclay House at #217 Delancey, which would almost certainly be one of the above listings. The book claims that it was built between 1756 and 1758 for Alexander Barclay, Comptroller of the Port of Philadelphia under George II and George III, by Samuel Rhoads, who also built Benjamin Franklin's house and the original east wing of Pennsylvania Hospital.
BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Ackles, Charles, blacksmith, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Bisby, Jacob, baker, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Bushby, Jacob, baker, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Clampson, George, shopkeeper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Clarke, William, labourer, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Crosby, John, baker, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Green, Nehemiah, taylor, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Lind, William, shopkeeper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Lockton, John, captain, Union between 2nd and Walnut [sic]
(1785) McDaniel, William, house carpenter, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) McDunagh, Thomas, shopkeeper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) McVitrie, Mrs., gentlewoman, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Parrot, William, gentleman, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Riddle, Joseph, taylor, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Ross, John, cordwainer, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Shular, Jacob, innkeeper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Smith, Charles, shopkeeper, Union between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Trueman, William, blacksmith, Union between 2nd and 3rd
CORNER OF UNION AND 3RD
(1785) #84 Union Street, #520 3rd Street, Hall, John
(1785) Hall, John, carpenter, corner of Union and 3rd
(1791) #53 Union St., listed probably erroneously as #73, Hall, John, carpenter
On the northeastern corner. Amazingly, this handsome three-story house still exists. Two listings
next to each other near here, Edward Stretcher and William Stevenson, are between 3rd and 4th
in both 1785 directories, but are between 2nd and 3rd in the 1791, and in the same order.
This seems pretty unlikely, as does the jump in numbers in 1791 from #47 to #73, purportedly
on the same block. If Biddle actually intended to put #53 for the northeastern corner of
Union and 3rd, which is more or less correct for the continuation of both numbering systems
from the next address east (at #93, renumbered #47 in 1791) everything more or less falls
into place. The 1830 directory corner-numbering key (below) gives #53 as the northeastern
corner. However, further information will be necessary to clarify the situation.
(1785) #642 3rd Street, Adams & McGarraghar
(1785) Adams and McCallagher, blacksmiths, corner of Union and 3rd
(1785) McLaine, John, grocer, corner of Union 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:
#53 Union, northeastern corner.
#61 Union, northwestern corner.
#76 Union, southeastern corner.
#78 Union, southwestern corner.
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, SOUTH SIDE (going west)
(1785) #40, Kirby, Charles
(1785) Kirby, Charles, captain, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #70 Union St., Kirby, Charles, sea captain
Theoretically this site was where the present house at #300 Delancey now stands,
which according to Elizabeth B. McCall's Old Philadelphia
Houses on Society Hill was built in 1806 on land acquired from the University of
Pennsylvania in 1804, and restored in the early 1960s by Charles E. Peterson and others
for Mr. and Mrs. John Bracken.
(1785) #41, Sutton, Woolman
(1785) Sutton, Woolman, captain, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #72 Union St., Sutton, Woolman, sea captain
(1785) #42, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #74 Union St., Miller, William, sea captain
(1785) #43, Rogers, Widow
(1785) Rodgers, Mrs., gentlewoman, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #76 Union St., De Hart, Captain, mariner
(1785) #44, Griffiths, Widow
(1785) #46, Adams, James
(1791) #78 Union St., McCallester, Captain
(1785) #48, Kean, Charles
(1791) #80 Union St., McCarraher, Daniel, blacksmith, also at 156 S. 3rd St.
(1785) #49, Long, John
(1785) Long, John, labourer, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #82 Union St., Long, John, labourer
(1791) #84 Union St., Gordon, Henry, labourer
This is something of a mystery, with the neighbors on either side matching up and no
room in the 1785 numbering sequence for this address. John Long of #49/#82 might have
moved one door over in the six year span.
(1785) #50, Snowden, Joseph
(1785) Snowden, Joseph, merchant, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #86 Union St., Snowden, Joseph, ship chandler
(1785) #51, Young, Charles
(1785) Young, Charles, merchant, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #88 Union St., Mason, Richard, engine maker, also at 140 S. 3rd St.
(1785) #52, Rencher, Richard
(1785) Renshaw, Richard, grocer, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #90 Union St., Renshaw, Richard, grazier
(1785) #55, Mitchell, Joshua
(1785) Mitchell, Joshua, hatter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #96 Union St., McDaniel, William, carpenter
(1785) #56, Waterman, John
(1791) #98 Union St., Grimes, John, carpenter
(1785) #57, Moss, Abraham
(1791) #100 Union St., Stuber, Frederick, barber
(1785) #58, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #102 Union St., Evans, Jonathan, jun., house carpenter
(1785) #59, Evans, Evan
(1785) Evans, Evan, house carpenter, Union between 3rd and 4th
There is a paragraph on what was possibly this house (or David Evans' place at #68-70) in
Horace Lippincott's article on "Some Philadelphia Houses" in Proceedings of the
Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia, Vol. 33 (Philadelphia: published by the
Society, 1946):
At 322 DeLancey Street is the old Evans house typical of the "plain Friend's" residence of olden time. The Evans family came from Wales in 1698 to Gwynedd about 20 miles from the City, and the original farm is owned and lived upon today [1942] by Horace and Gwendalen [sic] Evans direct in descent. Jonathan Evans, a grandson of the emigrant, moved to Philadelphia and built the DeLancey Street house. He became a leader among the Quakers and was the most prominent figure in the "Separation" of 1827, which divided the Society into "Orthodox" and "Hicksite" Friends. Many of the Conferences of that bitter time were held in the old house.
The following three listings were not known to have been on the south side of the street until the 1791 listings produced a matchup in #63/#112, the widow Elizabeth Gordon, whose even 1791 number established that #63 in the 1785 numbering (and thus the preceding two) were on the south side of the street.
(1785) #61, Wilson, Widow
(1791) #108 Union St., Till, John, mariner
(1785) #62, vacant or residents would not give name
(1791) #110 Union St., Smith, Thomas, Esq., commissioner of the loan office
(1785) #63, Gordon, Widow
(1791) #112 Union St., Gordon, Elizabeth, gentlewoman
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, NORTH SIDE (going east)
(1785) #68, Evans, David, house carpenter
(1785) Evans, David, house carpenter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) #70, Evans, David
(1791) #83 Union St., Evans, David, house carpenter
(1785) #74, Atkinson, George
(1785) Aitken, George, mariner, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #75 Union St., Senneff, John, taylor
(1785) #75, Fox, Thomas
(1785) Fox, Thomas, house carpenter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #73 Union St., no listing
(1785) #76, Stephenson, William
(1785) Stevenson, William, house carpenter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1791) #71 Union St., Stevenson, William, carpenter
(1785) #77, Stretcher, Edward (by implication of jump in numbers from #78 to the corner at #84)
(1791) #69 Union St., Stretcher, Edward, carpenter
(1785) #78, vacant or residents would not give name (by implication of jump in numbers from #78 to the corner at #84)
BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Abel, Daniel, carter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Allen, Andrew, mariner, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Field, Peter, taylor, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Griffith, Samuel, physician, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) McIntire, George, gentleman, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Martin, Catharine, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Morrill, Andrew, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Moyers, James, sail maker, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Streaker, Adam, house carpenter, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Telles, John, merchant, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Wade, Hester, Union between 3rd and 4th
(1785) Wood, William, labourer, Union between 3rd and 4th
CORNER OF UNION AND 4TH
No 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:
#123 Union, northeastern corner.
#112 Union, southeastern corner.
BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, UNKNOWN SIDE
(1785) Gilmore, James, labourer, Union between 4th and 5th
(1785) Keaton, George, captain, Union between 4th and 5th
White's directory listings for Union Street end with these two listings on the block between 4th and 5th. This is most curious, as the Scot-Allardice map of 1794 shows no such block in existence. On that map, Union ends at 4th Street, with a shaded-in block (to represent it having been fairly well built up) to its immediate west. (The modern-day street still does not cut through the block between 4th and 5th, but this does not mean much; several Philadelphia streets that were historically cut through certain blocks are so no longer.) MacPherson, too, seems to think of Union as ending at 4th, as he did not create a large jump in numbers between the southern and northern parts of the block between 3rd and 4th Streets; this was his usual practice when there was a prospect of future construction to the west. It would seem, then, that Union Street then ended at 4th Street, a supposition also supported by the 1830 corner-numbering key which gives only eastern corners. White's two listings are an unexplained mystery.