17 Tenby Road
5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms
Built between 1908 and 1913 in colonial revival style
Inhabitants
| Names | Years |
|---|---|
| Michael Kelly & Kate Dowd Kelly | c. 1920 |
| Sidney Thomas Isett & Edith Boynton Waite Isett | 1920–at least 1941 |
| Edward Clare Higgins & Mildred Charlotte Crawford Higgins | at least 1950–1980 |
| Carmine DeFalcis & Alma DeFalcis | 1980–? |
| Savage Sisters Recovery | c. 2024 |
History
The home is not included on the 1908 map of Haverford, but was present by the 1913 atlas, although there isn't an owner listed.
1920 census: Irish liquor store manager Michael is living with his wife
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Kelly | 42 | Head |
| Kate Kelly | 35 | Wife |
The house was put up for sale in 1920, and was sold to the Isetts in 1921.
1930 census: Hotel proprietor Sidney is living with his family.
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney P. Isett | 63 | Head |
| Edith W. Isett | 53 | Wife |
| Muriel E. Isett | 24 | Daughter |
| Edward B. Isett | 22 | Son |
| Mary N. Isett | 20 | Daughter |
| Elizabeth B. Isett | 18 | Daughter |
1940 census: Isett family
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney T. Isett | 73 | Head |
| Edith W. Isett | 63 | Wife |
| Muriel J. Kran | 34 | Daughter |
Sidney died in 1941. The family presumably moved from the home shortly after.
1950 census: Higgins-Woodbury clan
| Name | Age | Relation to Head of Household |
|---|---|---|
| Edward C. Higgins | 53 | Head |
| Mildred C. Higgins | 53 | Wife |
| May C. Woodbury | 46 | Sister |
| Nathalie M. Woodbury | 20 | Niece |
| Nathan W. Woodbury | 18 | Nephew |
| Nancy S. Woodbury | 15 | Niece |
| Nicholas C. Woodbury | 10 | Nephew |
| Lilly M. Crawford | 76 | Mother-in-law |
Edward died in 1953, and Lily (in actuality Lillie May Crawford (née Haspel)) died in 1971. Mildred sold the home to the DeFalcis family in 1980 for $45,500.
Amid a dispute of who actually had rights to the home (I think?), Savage Sisters, a chain of recovery homes for addicts, opened up one of their recovery homes on the address. This was quickly met with overwhelming dissent by residents in Havertown. A legal battle was dragged out over months regarding zoning ordinances and many other truly invigorating disputes. In July 2024, the home ceased operations.