Call Number:

34

Repository:

Historical Society of Frankford

Extent:

12.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

late 19th century-early 20th century

Creator:

Hunter, T. Comly (Thomas Comly), 1848-1931

Abstract:

T. Comly Hunter (1848-1931) was a Frankford businessman and philanthropist. Hunter was one of the original members of the Historical Society of Frankford when it was established in 1905. The T. Comly Hunter photograph collection, late 19th century-early 20th century, consists of 1,094 late nineteenth to early twentieth century photographs, primarily of Frankford area buildings, landscapes, and street scenes, but also many images of other Northeast Philadelphia areas and some of the Greater Philadelphia region.

T. Comly Hunter (1848-1931) was a local businessman and philanthropist active in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was born in the Bustleton neighborhood of Philadelphia. He would later move to nearby Frankford, marrying Josephine B. Shallcross (1852-1926) in 1883. Hunter first worked in the office of Morris Tasker & Company. In 1881, he founded the firm of Hunter & Dickson with S.F. Dickson, which was incorporated in 1900. Hunter served as a director for various local businesses, including the Central Trust and Savings Company, Frankford Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and Cedar Hill Cemetery Company. He was also a trustee for local organizations including the Methodist Episcopal Orphanage, the Methodist Episcopal Hospital, and the Wright's Industrial Institute. In 1905, along with other prominent members of the Frankford community, Hunter helped establish the Historical Society of Frankford and served as its first president.

T. Comly Hunter passed away in 1931 and is interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bibliography:

Leonard, John W. Who's Who in Pennsylvania: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries. New York: L.R. Hamersly & Company, 1908.

This collection consists of 1,094 late nineteenth to early twentieth century photographs, primarily of Frankford area buildings, landscapes, and street scenes, but also many images of other Northeast Philadelphia areas and some of the Greater Philadelphia region. The photographs were taken by a number of different photographers. The photographs are indexed by subject or location in a card catalog and are numbered and arranged into seven series, as follows: Photos HO.1 to HO1.263: Boxes 1-9 Photos HO.1.1 to HO1.69: Boxes 10-12 Photos HO2.31 to HO2.101: Boxes 13-14 (Box for HO2.1. to HO2.30 is missing) Photos H1.1E to H1.37E: Box 15 (Photos of East side of Frankford Avenue) Photos H1.1W to H1.39W: Box 16 (Photos of West side of Frankford Avenue) Photos H1.49 to H1.169: Boxes 17-20 (No photos H1.1 to H1.48) Photos H1 to H 465: Boxes 21-36

Most, if not all photographs are matted, and have a description on the back. Some have been digitized onto a CD and a listing is available on-site.