Over the past several weeks, it has become evident that 1500 N. Broad St., Philadelphia was and is more than just an interesting architectural structure with some historic value. 1500 N. Broad houses a number of different memories to many different groups of people and individuals. These people include the relatives of Alfred Burk and their descendants, those involved with the Upholsterers’ Union International, the Temple Day Care, as well as a host of neighbors and passersby.
I am particularly interested in the memory of 1500 N. Broad to Alfred Burk’s family and relatives. Though Alfred Burk did not have any children, it seems as if he passed down the property to his close family members until they eventually sold it to the Upholsterers’ Union. Though we have gained wealth of information on the history of the property, the period of ownership between Alfred Burk and the union has been somewhat unclear. In an attempt to find clarity, I searched through newspaper archives and found a few clippings that seem negligible, yet are important in understanding the Burk family and ownership of 1500 N. Broad.
In my search, I found several engagement announcements. The clipping shown below is of Helen B. Mathieu, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter N. Mathieu of 1500 N. Broad. At first, I wasn’t how the Mathieu family was connected to Alfred Burk or 1500 N. Broad. In order to help myself understand the connections, I drew out a family tree starting with David and Charlotte Burk, parents of Alfred E. Burk. After a some digging and searching through various newspaper clippings, obituaries, and cemetery records, I was able to place the Mathieu’s in relation to Alfred Burk. Alfred had a sister named Wilhelmina, who married Pierre, “Peter” Mathieu. Their daughter was Helen Burk Mathieu, the woman pictured in the newspaper clipping. This makes her Alfred E. Burk’s niece.
So what does this tell us about 1500 N. Broad? Putting names to Alfred Burk’s relatives can help us understand the transfer of ownership of the property. Knowing familial relations can also be helpful in understanding the memory of the place to this particular family. I have also ran across several groups of people on the internet who are descended from this family and are interested in learning more about their family history. I wonder where 1500 N. Broad lays in their memory? Do you think these individuals have ideas or thoughts on the future use of the property?
