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William H. Carpenter photographs, 1948-1996 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.75 linear feet ((15 photograph albums, 1 yearbook, 1 plaque, 2 spiral-bound documents))

Abstract:

William H. Carpenter, Jr. was a resident of the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia, who joined the military during the Vietnam War and died in Vietnam in 1967. The William H. Carpenter photographs, 1948-1996, is primarily made up of photograph albums of William H. "Billy" Carpenter and family events. The collection also includes a yearbook, several clippings and pamphlets, and a plaque.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Thomas W. South papers, 1861-1919 (inclusive)

Extent:

16.0 linear feet

Abstract:

Thomas Winfield South (1847-1922) moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1872 to work for the Disston & Sons Saw Works as manager and land-agent for the Disston-owned properties in the Tacony section of the city. Heavily involved in real estate, transportation, and local politics and government, South became a prominent figure in Tacony and the city at large. Like his cousins Hamilton Disston (1844-1896) - the largest single investor in Florida's history - and Jacob Disston (1862-1938), South was involved with the development of central Florida. The Thomas W. South papers, 1861-1919, primarily consist of correspondence and legal papers that document South's various political and business engagements in Philadelphia. The collection also contains correspondence of the St. Petersburg Investment Company, 1905-1919 (bulk 1911-1912), an organization founded by Jacob Disston and fellow Philadelphian investors to finance development projects in and around Disston lands in Florida. Court...(see more)

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Tacony photograph negatives collection, 1974-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.0 linear feet ((1 cabinet))

Abstract:

Tacony is a historic neighborhood located in Northeast Philadelphia. In 1872, Henry Disston bought a large tract of land in the area to which he moved his saw mill, which became the world's largest saw manufacturer. The Historical Society of Tacony photograph negatives collection, 1974-2011, documents architecture, landscapes, and local activities and events centered around Tacony in the northeast section of Philadelphia.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Tacony local history collection, 1920-2011 (bulk) 1861-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:

15.0 linear feet ((11 document boxes, 2 flat archival boxes, 1 plastic box, 7 cardboard boxes, numerous loose framed and rolled items))

Abstract:

Tacony is a historic neighborhood located in Northeast Philadelphia. In 1872, Henry Disston bought a large tract of land in the area to which he moved his saw mill, which became the world's largest saw manufacturer. The Historical Society of Tacony local history collection contains subject files on a wide range of topics such as local buildings, events, and people. The files contain newspaper clippings, photographs, and ephemera. Of special interest in this collection are about 50 employment cards from the Dodge Steel Company, dating from 1924-1964, which contain detailed information on individual employees.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Hadley and Waters family school records, 1915-1924 (bulk) 1896-1924 (inclusive)

Extent:

2.0 linear feet ((1 box))

Abstract:

The Hadley and Waters family school records, 1896-1924, consists of homework and class work of Tacony residents J. Rae Waters, Mabel Hadley (later Waters), and Richard Hadley Waters. The bulk of the collection was created by Richard Hadley Waters--only two volumes were created by J. Rae Waters and six were created by Mabel Hadley. Richard Hadley Waters was probably the son of J. Rae Waters and Mabel Hadley. Richard was born circa 1907-1908 and attended Mary Disston School in Tacony before graduating from Frankford High School.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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6610 Marsden Street deeds, 1890-1926 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.1 linear feet ((5 items))

Abstract:

The property at 6610 Marsden Street in Tacony, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was sold by Mary Disston to George H. Sister in 1890. It was purchased by James Monroe Eastwood in 1903, and ownership transferred several times in the ensuing decades before it was purchased back by James Monroe Eastwood in 1926. 6610 Marsden Street deeds, 1890-1926, consists of 5 original deeds.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Dorothea Disston James papers, circa 1842-1978

Extent:

1.0 linear feet ((1 box, including several framed, oversize, and rolled items))

Abstract:

Dorothea Dundas Disston was born in 1912 to Dorothea D. Pratt and William D. Disston. She belonged to the "Disston Steel Family," owners of the Disston Saw Works. The Dorothea Disston James papers, circa 1842-1978, includes family photographs, scrapbooks, family trees, a small amount of correspondence, and a small amount of legal records.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Edward Darreff estate records, 1904-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.1 linear feet

Abstract:

When grocer Edward Darreff opened a store at 6823-6825 Torresdale Avenue in 1906, he became the first shopkeeper to follow the trolley line to Torresdale Avenue in Tacony, Philadelphia. The Edward Darreff estate records, 1904-1962, consists of wills, deeds, and other records from estate settlement proceedings following the death of Edward Darreff.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Tacony Frank Shuman collection, 1912-2011 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.5 linear feet ((1 document box, 1 folder of photographs, 1 small framed item, 1 oversize framed item))

Abstract:

Frank Shuman (1862-1918) was a resident of Tacony, Philadelphia, and an inventor. He built the world's first solar thermal power station in Maadi, Egypt from 1912-1913: it was used to irrigate the desert near the Nile River. The bulk of the Historical Society of Tacony Frank Shuman collection, 1912-2011, consists of secondary materials, but there is also an original plan for the Maadi solar plant, and about two dozen original photographs of Shuman and his team building it.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]

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Historical Society of Tacony Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. collection, 1876-1920 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.3 linear feet ((1 box))

Abstract:

Henry Disston, 1819-1878, started a successful saw works in 1849, and began to move his company to Tacony, a neighborhood in Northeastern Philadelphia, in 1871. He sought to develop an utopian, family-centered community in Tacony for his workers with affordable housing and abundant schools, churches, and a library. His company became one of the leading suppliers of saws and files in the United States and continues today to produce these same items as Disston Precision. Historical Society of Tacony Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. collection, 1876-1920, includes reprints and originals of Disston company catalogs and newsletters, and historical and modern photographs. The highlights of this collection are the first real estate sales book belonging to Henry Disston, 1873-1894, and an original "Plan of Building Lots Belonging to Henry Disston and Sons at Tacony, June 1882" by George Webster.

Held at: Historical Society of Tacony [Contact Us]