Feature 25 – 2910 Melvale

This Shaft Feature Snapshot summarizes excavation details, property history and recovered artifacts. Excavation details include measurements, photographs, and a profile illustrating stratigraphy and related contexts. The property history table outlines land ownership, residents and their occupations. The artifact assemblage is illustrated utilizing a series of tables quantifying types and providing date ranges of identifiable ceramics and glass with photographs of representative artifacts.

Site Name: Conrail-Ann

Street Address: 2910 Melvale Street

Date Identified: 6/11/2010

Feature #: 25

Feature Type: Privy Shaft

Feature Detail: Brick

Feature Shape: Circular

2910 Melvale Report Tables

Date	Grantor(s)	Occupation(s)	Residence(s)	Grantee(s)	Occupation(s)	Residence(s)
12/30/1843	Eli. K & Anna Price	attorney at law	Philadelphia	Charles Smith	contractor	Philadelphia Co.
3/5/1849	Henry Letar, sheriff	Sheriff	Philadelphia Co.	Amos Phillips	grocer	Philadelphia
12/17/1849	Amos & Rachel Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA	Jacob F. Heermann	tailor	Philadelphia
9/7/1850	Jacob F. & Eliza Heermann	tailor	Philadelphia	Amos Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA
9/9/1850	Amos & Rachel Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA	Thomas McConnell	laborer	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA
9/8/1855	Thomas & Ann McConnell	laborer	Philadelphia	Charles Burroughs	mariner	Philadelphia
3/9/1872	Charles & Mary E. Burroughs	dealer	Boston, MA	William Chard Sr.	real estate agent	Philadelphia
				William A. Peall	shipwright	Philadelphia
				William Finley Newell	clerk	Philadelphia
2/14/1876	William & Hannah Maria Peall	shipwright	Philadelphia	William Chard Sr.	real estate agent	Philadelphia
	William Finley & Edith Newell	clerk	Philadelphia
12/17/1888	Death of William Chard Sr.			Estate of William Chard Sr.
2/20/1905	Eugene Ziegler	Executor of William Chard Sr.		John McAteer	grocer	Philadelphia
9/17/1920	John & Emily McAteer		Philadelphia	Patrick J. Reilly		Philadelphia
9/17/1920	Patrick J. Reilly		Philadelphia	Active Democratic Association		Philadelphia
10/25/1933	Active Democratic Associtation		Pennsylvania	Charles J. Fenningham		Pennsylvania
11/14/1938	William J. Hamilton, sheriff	sheriff	Philadelphia	Commonwealth Mutual Building & Loan Association		Pennsylvania
12/16/1943	Commonwealth Mutual Building & Loan Association		Pennsylvania	Thomas & Michalina Bojanowski
9/22/1950	Thomas & Michalina Bojanowski		Philadelphia	Stanley Jage		Philadelphia
5/23/1963	Stanley Jage		Philadelphia	Mary Mamie Minner	widow	Philadelphia
1/10/1966	Mary Mamie Minner		Philadelphia	Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia		211 S Broad St., Philadelphia

2912 Melvale Report Tables

2912 Melvale Chain of Title
Date	Grantor(s)	Occupation(s)	Residence(s)	Grantee(s)	Occupation(s)	Residence(s)
12/30/1843	Eli. K & Anna Price	attorney at law	Philadelphia	Charles Smith	contractor	Philadelphia Co.
3/5/1849	Henry Letar, sheriff	Sheriff	Philadelphia Co.	Amos Phillips	grocer	Philadelphia
12/17/1849	Amos & Rachel Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA	Jacob F. Heermann	tailor	Philadelphia
9/7/1850	Jacob F. & Eliza Heermann	tailor	Philadelphia	Amos Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA
12/31/1850	Amos & Rachel Phillips	gentleman	Spring Garden, Philadelphia Co., PA	Edward C. Graeff	attorney at law	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA
4/30/1853	Edward C. Graeff	attorney at law	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA	Charles McCoy	clerk	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA
11/1/1853	Charles & Isabella McCoy	clerk	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA	William Wilkins	laborer	Richmond, Philadelphia Co., PA
2/20/1876	Death of William Wilkins, property to wife and daughters.			Jane Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Anne Wilkins Neely		Philadelphia
				C. Lavinia Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Sarah Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Mary Wilkins		Philadelphia
1/27/1877	Death of Sarah Wilkins, share to mother and sisters.			Jane Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Anne Wilkins Neely		Philadelphia
				C. Lavinia Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Mary Wilkins		Philadelphia
11/5/1905	Death of Jane Wilkins, share to daughters.			Anne Wilkins Neely		Philadelphia
				C. Lavinia Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Mary Wilkins		Philadelphia
10/3/1909	Death of Anna Wilkins Neely, share to husband and children.			William Neely Sr.		Philadelphia
				William Neely Jr.		Philadelphia
				Harry D. Neely		Philadelphia
				Jane Neely (I)		Philadelphia
				Lavinia Neely		Philadelphia
8/2/1915	Death of William Neely Sr., share to children.			William Neely Jr.		Philadelphia
				Harry D. Neely		Philadelphia
				Jane Neely (I)		Philadelphia
				Lavinia Neely		Philadelphia
2/22/1920	Death of William Neely Jr., share to daughter.			Anna Neely Griner
3/27/1926	Death of C. Lavinia Wilkins, share to heirs.			Mary Wilkins		Philadelphia
				Harry D. Neely		Philadelphia
				Jane Neely (I)		Philadelphia
				Lavinia Neely		Philadelphia
				Anna Neely Griner
6/18/1927	Death of Lavinia Neely, share to sister.			Jane Neely (I)		Philadelphia
9/22/1933	Death of Mary Wilkins, share to niece.			Jane Neely (I)		Philadelphia
1/29/1941	Death of Harry D. Neely, share to wife and children			Mary Neely		Philadelphia
				Harry Neely		Philadelphia
				Julia Neely Glass		Philadelphia
				Jane Neely (II)		Philadelphia
				Elizabeth Neely		Philadelphia
4/30/1942	Jane Neely (I)			Adam Bartolewicz		Philadelphia
	Mary Neely
	Harry & Dorothy Neely
	James E. & Julia Glass
	Jane Neely (II)
	Elizabeth Neely
	William & Anna Griner
1/10/1950	Death of Adam Bartolewicz, property to mother.			Sabina Murzyn		Philadelphia
2/10/1950	Sabina Murzyn	widow	Philadelphia	Sabina Murzyn	trustee for Mary Murzyn	Philadelphia
8/30/1962	Death of Sabina Murzyn, property to daughter.			Mary Murzyn		Philadelphia
1/10/1966	Mary Murzyn		Philadelphia	Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia		211 S Broad St., Philadelphia

White granite molded panel pitcher, white granite panel cup, blue printed bowl and bone china tea cup with blue Chelsea sprig motif.

Undecorated whiteware basin and undecorated whiteware pitcher.

Flow blue printed plate (marked “Japan” T F & Co), flow blue printed ladle fragment, blue printed whiteware oval platter.

Pattern and maker’s mark from flow blue plate.

London shaped whiteware cup with wide light blue dipped band.

Parian ware pitcher with molded lily pad base missing, attributed to Bennington pottery in Vermont.

Assorted medicine and utility bottles, including a Turlington’s Balsam bottle (G-1256), a Liquid Opodeldoc bottle (G-0528), a Dr. D. Jayne’s Carminative bottle (G-0529), a McCormick & Co. “Manufacturing Chemists” bottle (G-0552), and an amber Hance Brothers & White bottle (G-0523).

Assorted wide mouth food bottles, including a Mellin’s Food Co. bottle (G-0516).

Sampling of mineral water/soda bottles including bottles made for, from left to right: Francis McKinney, George S. Twitchell, Eugene Roussel, and Johnston & Co.

Base, body and finish fragments from a large demijohn.

Example of pressed glass tumblers in variety of patterns.

Mending sections of opaque white glass lamp shade with faded painted blue, green and brown floral motif atop and overall peach or tan paint.

Sampling of buttons including copper alloy, bone, and pressed porcelain Prosser type buttons.

Assorted small finds (top): bone tooth brush, (middle left): unidentified hand carved bone implement possibly for sewing, (bottom left to right): unidentified copper alloy lever-like fragment, and stamped white metal lid to cosmetic container.

Provenience Soil Descriptions - Feature 25

FS#	Provenience	Munsell	Soil Type	Soil Note
238	Feature 25, Strat I E Half	10YR4/2	Sandy Loam	m/w 10YR4/6 SaLo w/ brick and ash inclusions
246	Feature 25, Strat I W Half	10YR4/2	Sandy Loam	m/w 10YR4/6 SaLo w/ brick and ash inclusions
239	Feature 25, Strat II E Half	2.5Y5/6	Sandy Silt	m/w 10YR5/6
248	Feature 25, Strat II W Half	2.5Y5/6	Sandy Silt	m/w 10YR5/6
240	Feature 25, Strat III E Half	10YR3/2	Silt Loam	m/w 10YR4/4 SiLo
250	Feature 25, Strat III W Half	10YR3/2	Silt Loam	m/w 10YR4/4 SiLo
242	Feature 25, Strat IV E Half	10YR2/2	Silt Loam	w/ plaster fragments & line remnants
252	Feature 25, Strat IV W Half	10YR2/2	Silt Loam	w/ plaster fragments & line remnants
243	Feature 25, Strat V E Half	10YR5/4	Loam
253	Feature 25, Strat V W Half	10YR5/4	Loam

Provenience Total Artifacts - Feature 25

FS#	Provenience	Artifact Count
238	Feature 25, Strat I E Half	0
246	Feature 25, Strat I W Half	772
239	Feature 25, Strat II E Half	188
248	Feature 25, Strat II W Half	629
240	Feature 25, Strat III E Half	416
250	Feature 25, Strat III W Half	100
242	Feature 25, Strat IV E Half	300
252	Feature 25, Strat IV W Half	807
243	Feature 25, Strat V E Half	49
253	Feature 25, Strat V W Half	27
	Feature 25 Total Artifact Count	3288

Use Group Percentages - Feature 25

Group	Artifact Count	Percentage
Activities	38	1.16%
Architectural	1019	30.98%
Electrical	3	0.09%
Food Related	29	0.88%
Fuel	38	1.16%
Furniture	13	0.40%
Hardware	137	4.17%
Household	1852	56.31%
Indeterminate	50	1.52%
Lighting	29	0.88%
Medical	8	0.24%
Ornament	11	0.33%
Personal	20	0.61%
Sanitary	35	1.06%
Tool	1	0.03%
Toy/Recreation	6	0.18%
Total Artifact Count	3289

Material Type Percentages - Feature 25

Class	Artifact Count	Percentage
Ceramic	483	14.69%
Fauna	38	1.16%
Flora	1	0.03%
Glass	2398	72.91%
Lithic	43	1.31%
Metal	294	8.94%
Other	28	0.85%
Synthetic	4	0.12%
Total Artifact Count	3289

Ceramic Type Totals - Feature 25

Material	Ware	Total
Coarse Earthenware	Redware	11
Porcelain	Bone China	14
Porcelain	Porcelain, Hard Paste	10
Porcelain	Porcelain, Parian	8
Porcelain	Porcelain, Soft Paste	2
Porcelain	Semi-Porcelain	2
Refined Earthenware	Creamware	15
Refined Earthenware	Ironstone/Stone China	21
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware	7
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware/Whiteware	28
Refined Earthenware	Rockingham	2
Refined Earthenware	Victorian Majolica	2
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	158
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	61
Refined Earthenware	Yellowware	18
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Buff Bodied	6
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Gray/Buff Bodied	32
Total Ceramic Count		397

Ceramic Dates - Feature 25

FS#	Provenience	# Sherds	Mean Ceramic Begin	Mean Ceramic End
238	Feature 25, Strat I E Half
246	Feature 25, Strat I W Half	35	1864	1925
245	Feature 25, Strat I W Half (Soil)	6	1813	1965
239	Feature 25, Strat II E Half	44	1837	1934
248	Feature 25, Strat II W Half	44	1852	1925
240	Feature 25, Strat III E Half	40	1827	1932
250	Feature 25, Strat III W Half
242	Feature 25, Strat IV E Half	43	1828	1908
252	Feature 25, Strat IV W Half	120	1833	1905
243	Feature 25, Strat V E Half	20	1783	1863
253	Feature 25, Strat V W Half	4	1834	1930
	Overall Date Range	356	1834	1917

Ceramic Vessels Types - Feature 25

Material	Ware	Object	# of Vessels
Coarse Earthenware	Redware	Pan/Dish	1
Porcelain	Bone China	Tea Cup	1
Porcelain	Porcelain, Hard Paste	Tea Cup	1
Porcelain	Porcelain, Hard Paste	Tea Cup/Mug, Toy	1
Porcelain	Porcelain, Parian	Pitcher	1
Porcelain	Semi-Porcelain	Flatware	2
Refined Earthenware	Creamware	Pitcher	1
Refined Earthenware	Ironstone/Stone China	Breakfast Cup	1
Refined Earthenware	Ironstone/Stone China	Ladle	1
Refined Earthenware	Ironstone/Stone China	Plate, 10.5"	1
Refined Earthenware	Ironstone/Stone China	Plate, 7"	1
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware	Platter/Dish	1
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware/Whiteware	Basin	1
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware/Whiteware	Breakfast Cup	2
Refined Earthenware	Pearlware/Whiteware	Hollowware	1
Refined Earthenware	Rockingham	Hollowware	1
Refined Earthenware	Unidentified Refined Earthenware	Saucer, Toy	1
Refined Earthenware	Victorian Majolica	Hollowware	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Creamer	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Cup Plate	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Egg Cup	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Hollowware	2
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Ointment Pot	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Pitcher	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Plate, 5"	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Plate, 7"	2
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Plate, 9"	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Saucer	2
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Tableware, General	1
Refined Earthenware	White Granite	Tea Cup	3
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	Flatware	4
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	Hollowware	1
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	Plate, 8"	1
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	Saucer	1
Refined Earthenware	Whiteware	Tea Cup	1
Refined Earthenware	Yellowware	Hollowware	2
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Gray/Buff Bodied	Bottle	1
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Gray/Buff Bodied	Bottle/Jug	1
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Gray/Buff Bodied	Hollowware	1
Stoneware	Salt Glazed, Gray/Buff Bodied	Jar	2
Total Ceramic Vessels			52

Glass Vessel Types - Feature 25

Object	# of Vessels
Bottle	24
Bottle, Beer	2
Bottle, Beer/Soda	6
Bottle, Condiment	1
Bottle, Liquor	4
Bottle, Medicine	14
Bottle, Mineral Water	2
Bottle, Panel	7
Bottle, Perfume	2
Bottle, Pharmacy Oval	2
Bottle, Soda/Mineral Water	11
Bottle, Wide-Mouth Preserve	3
Caster	1
Caster/Cruet	1
Container Glass	2
Demijohn	1
Dish	1
Flask	4
Glass Fragment	4
Hollowware	2
Indeterminate	1
Insulator	1
Lamp Shade	1
Lamp, Chimney	1
Parlor Dome	1
Stemware	1
Tumbler	13
Tumbler, Jelly	1
Vial	9
Total Glass Vessels	123

Glass Dates - Feature 25

FS#	Provenience	# Sherds	Mean Glass Begin	Mean Glass End
238	Feature 25, Strat I E Half
246	Feature 25, Strat I W Half	76	1868	1913
239	Feature 25, Strat II E Half	30	1869	1920
248	Feature 25, Strat II W Half	54	1863	1914
240	Feature 25, Strat III E Half	59	1857	1893
250	Feature 25, Strat III W Half	1	1880	1920
242	Feature 25, Strat IV E Half	45	1849	1876
252	Feature 25, Strat IV W Half	88	1835	1886
243	Feature 25, Strat V E Half	7	1860	1876
253	Feature 25, Strat V W Half
	Overall Date Range	360	1854	1898