14 Tenby Road
5 Bedrooms, 2? Bathrooms
Built between 1897 and 1903
Inhabitants
| Names | Years |
|---|---|
| Charles Collins Litzenberg & Emma Elizabeth Parker Litzenberg | 1903–at least 1912 |
| Albert Whitehead Latta & Helen Lyell Smedes Latta | c. 1920 |
| Warren Clark Edwards & Emily Bishop Willard Edwards | c. 1930 |
| Berthold Francis Hastings & Loretta M. Buckley Hastings | fl. 1939–1940 |
| Frank Martin Longstreth, Jr. & Dorothy Dunham DeHorsey Longstreth | fl. 1939–1940 |
| Robert Henry Taggart & Rachel Elizabeth Burtt Taggart | at least 1950–1984 |
History
The home is not present on the 1897 Muller Atlas, but is present on the 1908 map of Haverford. It was first owned by the Litzenberg family, who was sold a tract by Charles S. Taylor in 1903 for $1,200.
1910 census: Litzenbergs
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| C. Collins Litzenburg | 41 | Head |
| Emma E. Litzenburg | 31 | Wife |
| D. Parker Litzenburg | 0 | Son |
| Perry B. Litzenburg | 27 | Nephew |
The Litzenbergs lived in the home at least until 1912, at the time of Charles' mother, although they could've lived in the home at the time of its sale in 1915.
1920 census: North Carolinian cotton merchant Albert is living with his family and widowed Virginian maid of African-American descent.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Albert W. Latta | 35 | Head |
| Helen S. Latta | 35 | Wife |
| Helen S. Latta | 11 | Daughter |
| Mary S. Latta | 9 | Daughter |
| Albert W. Latta | 5 | Son |
| Martha Redd | 42 | Servant |
1930 census: New Englander Edwards family is living with widowed Delawarean maid of African-American descent.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Warren C. Edwards | 48 | Head |
| Emily W. Edwards | 46 | Wife |
| Mary A. Willard | 79 | Mother-in-law |
| Elizabeth Ross | 65 | Servant |
By the late 1930s, the Hastings family was living there, and their time in Llanerch was quite tragic. In 1939, their 21-year-old daughter Joan was struggling to find a job, and committed suicide by jumping off the 14th floor of a building, dying on impact.
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 20th, 1939, page 17 (click to enlarge)
1940 census: Structural engineer Berthold is living with his family.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| B.F. Hastings | 51 | Head |
| Loretta M. Hastings | 48 | Wife |
| Virginia Hastings | 24 | Daughter |
| Frank Hastings | 16 | Son |
The Longstreth family was the next to occupy the home, and theirs was not any less chaotic than that of the Hastings family. In 1941, their 14-year-old son went missing for several days. I cannot find a news article confirming he was found but other records of him exist into his adulthood.
Philadelphia Inquirer, September 5th, 1941, page 23
In January of the following year, their home caught on fire. The family survived, but the home was significantly damaged.
Philadelphia Inquirer, January 30th, 1942, page 10
Frank passed away that April.
Philadelphia Inquirer, April 23rd, 1942, page 28
1950 census: Fuel pumper Robert is living with his family.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Taggart | 62 | Head |
| Rachel E. Taggart | 36 | Wife |
| Robert B. Taggart | 11 | Son |
| George B. Taggart | 8 | Son |
| David L. Taggart | 3 | Son |
In 1959, the Taggarts' son Robert hit an adolescent boy with his car. The boy survived, and later became a judge.
Philadelphia Inquirer, October 30th, 1959, page 15
In 1972, the Taggarts were honored with an invitation to membership at the Chapel of the Four Chaplains.
Delaware County Daily Times, May 18th, 1972, page 16
They hosted an open house for the home in 1980, and sold it to the current owners in 1984 for $78,000.