104 East Park Road
5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms
Built around 1908
This home was also referred to as "102 East Park Road" until the mid 1930s for a reason I don't quite understand. It wasn't related to subdividing lots because its lot number was 238 in the 1910s.
Inhabitants
| Names | Years |
|---|---|
| Charles Stanley Halsall, Kate T. Walter Halsall, & Edna Adams Halsall | 1914–at least 1959 |
| Henry Stewart Hammond & Eleanor Halsall Hammond | fl. 1940–1963 |
| Vincent F. D'Angelo & Nancy E. D'Angelo | ?–2000 |
| Gary W. Stetser | 2000–2020 |
History
The earliest mention of the home is 1913, in which an advert was posted for the address looking for a girl to do housework. The date is corroborated by the 1913 atlas, which lists the address, but does not list an occupant. A map from 1908 lists a house that may match up with this one.
In 1914, Charles S. Halsall, the primary resident of the home,'s wife, Ella, died young. Two years later in 1916, Kate, the wife of Charles' father, Charles B., died as well.
1920 census: Widower department store superintendent Charles is living with his family.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Charles S. Halsall | 42 | Head |
| Edna A. Halsall | 34 | Wife |
| Eleanore Halsall | 17 | Daughter |
| Ruth Halsall | 10 | Daughter |
| Charles B. Halsall | 72 | Father |
1930 census: Halsall family
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Charles S. Halsall | 52 | Head |
| Edna A. Halsall | 44 | Wife |
| Ruth W. Halsall | 20 | Daughter |
| Charles B. Halsall | 81 | Father |
While the Halsalls still resided on the property, some sections were sublet, including one for Mrs. Phillip Hitchcock an in-law of the family, who was one of multiple vicitms of the "Llanerch dog poisoner", an unknown criminal in the 1931 who poisoned and killed multiple dogs by throwing rotten beef onto mutliple loca lawns.
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 29th, 1931, page 16
1940 census: Manager Henry is living with his family & in-laws the Hallsalls
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Hammond | 48 | Head |
| Elenore Hammond | 37 | Wife |
| George Hitchcock | 11 | Stepson |
| Richard Hitchcock | 9 | Stepson |
| Charles Halsall | 62 | Father-in-law |
| Edna Halsall | 54 | Mother-in-law |
1950 census: Hammonds & Hallsalls
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| H. Stewart Hammond | 58 | Head |
| Elenore H. Hammond | 47 | Wife |
| G. Stanley Hammond | 21 | Son |
| Charles S. Halsall | 72 | Father-in-law |
| Edna A. Halsall | 64 | Mother-in-law |
In 1953, the Hammonds' stepson, who became their full (adopted?) son, Richard, married to Ruth Smoyer of Philadelphia.
Allentown Morning Call, April 19th, 1953, page 15 (click to enlarge)
In 1959, Charles Halsall died at the age of 82. He was president of the board of trustees for St. Andrew's Methodist Chruch.
The Hammonds lived in the home as late as 1963. In 1979, it was owned by Vincent & Nancy D'Angelo. They sold the home in 2000 to the Stetser family for $260,000, and it was sold again in 2020 for $625,000.