Insurance Records & Ownership Data

Insurance records from Mutual Assurance and the Franklin Fire Insurance Company provide extensive, if occasionally illegible record of historic structures built in 18th and 19th Century Philadelphia. In addition, the Philadelphia Historical Commission's records for Almond / Kenilworth Street often contain record of ownership and miscellaneous notes. What follows below is an excerpt from several surveys and ownership records of Almond Street properties. Together, this information provides a view to the kinds of structures built and a sense of their age and history.

Click on a property along the south side of Almond / Kenilworth Street to view detail.

DATA SOURCE: Mutual Assurance and Franklin Fire Insurance Company records for homes along Almond / Kenilworth Street.

14 Almond - Mutual Assurance Policy #4495 (1826) Lewis Deamers "New" 2 story brick between Swanson & Front 19’6”including 3’ alley x 25’ Front building 1st level – 2 rooms - Plain mantles - Surbase - Washboards - Closets - Windows cased - Entry ½ way - Common square head front door 2nd story – 2 rooms - Plain mantles - Washboards - Closets - Windows cased Garret – 2 room - Plastered - Trap door - Broken pitch roof - 2 common square flat top dormer windows – 9 lights 8”x10” - Common winding stairs

Kitchen – 11x18, 2 Story Frame building

1st Level
- Plain mantles
- Washboards
- Windows cased
2nd Story
- Plain mantles
- Washboards
- Closet
- Windows cased
- Common winding stair
- Heart pine floor
- Glass 8”x10”
- Party wall 9”
- Board partition
- No ash hole
Part of basement under front house = small shop for eatables
Floor = heart pine boards – no part plaster
Water plenty

14? Almond - Mutual Assurance Policy #1301?
Lewis Deamer - SW Corner Almond & Swanson

Front building
15 ft on Swanson, 33 feet on Almond

Corner room = grocery store, entirely plain
West room
- Mantle
- Surbase (chair-rail)
- Washboards
Garret
- plastered & trap door
- Windows cased
2nd story East Room
- Breast
- Surbase
- Washboards
3rd story East Room
- Only washboards
3rd story West Room
- Mantle
- Surbase
- Washboards
- Garret plastered & trap door
1858 building described as rough cast

Lower story = new rope and rag and old iron store and sales shop

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26 Almond / Kenilworth Mutual Assurance Policy #1298 (June 1802, 1911) Lewis Deamers House & Kitchen - 26 Kenilworth. 1 door W of Swanson Front - 3 story, 16 x 16 with cellar Lower level dug out w/ breasts, surbase, washboards and windows cased, plastered garrets, trap door, winding stairs and old floors Kitchen – 9x12 - 2 stories Lower level - Finished as customary - Chamber plain - Roof half worn (1858) Cellar – blacksmith’s forge and shop 1911 – site remained as per survey Policy cancelled 11 January 1928

26? Almond - Mutual Assurance Policy #1300 (1802)
Lewis Deamers– South Side of Almond, West of Swanson next to Corner of Almond

Front - 3 story, 15 x 16. Otherwise as described in Mutual Assurance Policy# 1301.
Kitchen – 11x14 - 2 stories
Lower part occupied by house next door. Upper part occupied by this house.
This building entirely new
1911 – site remained as per survey

28 Almond - Mutual Assurance Policy # 1301
Lewis Deamers – South Side of Almond West of Deamers’ other buildings

Front - 3 story, 16 x 16 with cellar.
Lower level
Dug out w/ breasts
- Surbase
- Washboards
- Windows cased
Garret plastered
- Trap door
- Winding stairs and old floors.
- Roof half worn

Kitchen – 9x12, 2 stories high.
1911 – site remained as per survey
By 1918 survey = 28 Kenilworth

Lower story
- Furnished as customary, chamber plain
- Front door plain box frame
- Plain rough wood steps to 2nd story on outside
2nd Story
- 1 plain door frame and door
- 1 window
- Plank front frames, outside shutters
3rd Story
- 2 windows, lower sash = 9 lights, upper = 6 lights
- All single pane glass
- Wood box cornices
- Tin roof
- Rough brick
- Rough cast, very old, not in good condition
Occupied as a dwelling

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48 Mutual Assurance Policy #6260 Francis S Johnson house (1855) 26 then 48 SS Almond (by 1855) – between Swanson & Front Front building 3 Story Brick house, 18x32 1st level – 2 rooms - Neat mantle - Surbase - Washboards - Windows cased - Neat wood cornice - Marble to the chimney Entry - - 1 neat arch & pilasters - Surbase - Washboards - Single Neat wood cornice - Arch head front door - Neat jambs - Fan sash - Neat pitcht frontispiece - Fluted pilasters 2nd story in 2 rooms - Surbase - Washboards - Closets - Windows cased - Wood cornice 3rd story – 2 rooms - Neat mantle - Surbase - Washboards - Closets - Windows cased Garret - 2 rooms - Washboards - Plastered - Trap doors - Cedar shingle roof - Tin gutters & conductors - Neat Wood cornice – front, plain in back - 2 dormers, each 12 lights – 19x11 – 1 arch head – front Entry – - 3 flights to 2nd floor - open newell - mahogany handrail - Turned balusters - Mahogany handrails - Painted pilasters - Closet under Piazza – 6x8, 2 Stories - 2 flights common winding stairs - Large closet – 2nd Story

Kitchen – 12x20, 2 Stories

1st Level
- Plain mantle
- Surbase
- Washboards
- Closets
- Windows cased
- Cedar shingle roof
- Tin gutters & conductors
- Plain wood cornice
- 2nd Fl narrow heart pine, others narrow pine
- Glass 9x11
- Party walls 9”
- Stud & Board partition
- East – 3 story brick house
- West – 4 story brick house