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The Life and Influence of Thomas South
By Louis M. Iatarola
With good reason, the Disston Family has been credited with
the creation of Tacony as we know it - a working class community
featuring a diverse blend of Victorian architecture with a
higher than typical share of churches and public buildings.
Henry Disston's vision of a "Utopian Victorian Village"
was left to his wife Mary and four sons to carry out upon
his death in 1878, six short years after his land purchase
of 390 acres which make up what is considered "Old Tacony."
With the diverse interests of the Disston family and the responsibilities
associated with overseeing the day-to-day activities at the
world's leading saw manufacturing operation, it would require
a business-savvy person of keen intellect and progressive
temperament to lay out the town that would eventually become
Tacony.
Our fifth profile of a significant person
or place in Tacony's history focuses on Thomas W. South, a
man who more than any other single person was credited with
overseeing the actual improvements which led to the creation
of Tacony. Not only did Thomas South act as the exclusive
Real Estate agent of Henry Disston & Sons, Inc. overseeing
construction and renting and selling homes primarily to workers
in their factory, but served over a quarter century as committing
Magistrate at the Central Police Station, 5th and Chestnut
Streets, and later, City Hall. Thomas South would spend nearly
fifty years in Tacony, enjoying the community at its most
prosperous and attractive, directly involved in its improvement
and personally influencing the city's political climate which
would see Tacony as a major Republican stronghold in the 1930's.
Thomas Winfield South was born on October
1, 1847 in Laurel, Ohio to Dr. Stephen B. South and Abigail
Steelman South. Dr. Stephen South was raised in Bethel, Ohio
where he lived on a farm and was employed by Jesse R. Grant,
father of General Ulysses S. Grant. Ulysses Grant and Stephen
South were close childhood friends in Bethel. Although both
were appointed to West Point for military development, Stephen
South opted to study medicine at the urging of his mother
and became a successful physician and surgeon for over forty
years. Abigail Steelman Higbee was the daughter of Absalom
Higbee of Leeds Point, New Jersey, whose maternal grandfather,
John Steelman, had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Abigail Steelman Higbee was the cousin of Mary Steelman, who
married Henry Disston in 1843 and helped to realize his concept
of an orderly industrial community at Tacony into the 1890's.
Thomas South was educated in the Laurel
public school system and later sent to Clermont Academy in
New Richmond, Ohio. At the age of fifteen, he applied for
admission to West Point through Ohio Congressman R.W. Clark.
Although his application was not accepted, he was offered
a cadetship at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
A disgruntled South rejected this offer; however, his patriotic
and energetic spirit swiftly led him to join the Union Army
with the 153rd Ohio Volunteers in 1863. Doing so against the
wishes of his father, Thomas South marched from Camp Dennison,
near Cincinnati, to Harper's Ferry, where he expected to begin
to fulfill his passion for warfare and defense of the Union.
Much to South's dismay, he was summarily discharged at Harper's
Ferry by Ohio Governor Dennison at the urgent request of his
father.
Upon satisfying his regular course of
studies, Thomas South entered the livestock business in in
1868 for the purpose of sharpening his business skills and
strengthening his physical condition. It was his success at
this venture which ultimately led to a calling in Philadelphia
in 1872 from Henry Disston. Having just purchased the tract
of land extending from Salter's Lane (roughly Magee Avenue)
to what is now Princeton Avenue and west to nearly Cottage
Street from the Delaware Rive, Disston was in need of a responsible,
trustworthy individual with a unique blend of business acumen
and open-mindedness to oversee the construction of his "Utopian
Victorian Village." Disston felt that Thomas South possessed
all these qualities and, being a cousin of his wife, Mary,
made him a logical choice for this position.
When Henry Disston purchased his tract
of land, Tacony was basically a village of farmers, fisherman,
railroad and steamship workers with a tavern, a few residences
and cottages of wealthy Philadelphians scattered along the
waterfront. He reserved approximately 40 acres along the waterfront
for his industrial operations and swiftly laid out carefully
designed streets with ample lots to allow for light and air,
a far cry from his cramped Kensington factory on Laurel Street,
from which it would take nearly 28 years to move the entire
facility. He donated land charitably for the erection of churches
and public buildings. Disston enacted deed restrictions prohibiting
offensive uses such as livery stables, slaughter houses, glue
boiling establishments or operations for the sale or manufacture
of alcoholic beverages. He laid out a park to separate the
residences from the industry in order to reinforce the culture
and values so important to a stable family life. Disston's
attention to workers' needs and commitment to constructing
a community based around his thriving factory had its roots
in the patriarchal principles of Victorian England. This "paternalistic"
school of thought eschewed the concept that a commercial enterprise
was for no purpose but the maximization of profit and favored
the humane and respectful treatment of all employees, regardless
of position. This approach would ultimately lead to a pride
of workmanship resulting in the highest quality of product.
Shortly after his arrival at Tacony,
Thomas South became very good friends with his cousin Hamilton
Disston. Hamilton Disston was an energetic, ambitious person
who, against the wishes of his father Henry, was an active
participant in what was known as the Northern Liberties Volunteer
Hose Company. Many a day, Hamilton Disston would leave his
job at the Disston Saw Works to fight local blazes. He also
enlisted twice in the army during the Civil War but was summoned
back to Philadelphia by his father. Hamilton did successfully
engage nearly a hundred fellow laborers to form the Disston
Volunteers, which Henry reluctantly supported and helped equip
for war. Thomas South and Henry Disston found in one another
a kindred spirit with shared passions for excitement and desires
to make a difference whose deeds would ultimately be realized
outside the confines of their respective families. South and
Disston would forge a friendship and close union that would
last nearly 25 years, until Hamilton Disston's untimely death
in 1896.
By 1876, construction had begun on the
residences upon the lots laid out by Henry Disston. Refusing
to use city water, he built a water pumping station on the
Pennypack Creek which was fed to water tanks near what is
now Disston Recreation Center to ensure a healthy drinking
supply. It was evident early on that reliance on the Disston
family would go hand-in-hand with being a Tacony resident.
Thomas South swiftly joined Hamilton and Jacob Disston as
the major power brokers of the area. Doubling as the Disston's
exclusive real estate agent, Judge South handled all referrals
of Disston employees in search of a resident to rent or purchase.
Financing for these homes was almost always arranged by company
secretary Jacob Disston, who doubled as President of Tacony
Trust Company at Tulip Street and Longshore Avenue, which
was co-founded by Thomas South in 1873. South held the position
as treasurer of the company for nearly forty years.
Upon Henry Disston's death in 1878, Hamilton
Disston became President of Henry Disston & Sons. By this
time, the city had eliminated the need for volunteer fire
companies. Given his important position at the helm of the
largest saw manufacturer in the world, he wanted little for
himself but eagerly found good places in politics for his
social comrades. Hamilton Disston virtually controlled Republican
nominations in Philadelphia during the 1870s. He served in
the capacity of Fairmount Park Commissioner and aligned himself
with the most powerful Republicans in the city, including
William R. Leeds and James McManes.
Thomas South's organizational skills,
prowess as real estate agent for the company, and his close
friendship with Hamilton Disston led to his appointment as
local district judge in 1875 and ultimate election as Magistrate
at the Central Police Court in 1880. South was delegated to
the Republican National Convention which elected Rutherford
B. Hayes president in 1876. In 1878, Thomas South married
Ida N. Corbly, with whom he lived in a handsome residence
erected at the northwest corner of Disston and Keystone Streets.
They would have three children - Blanche L. South, born in
1880, Effie L. South, born in 1882, and Hamilton Disston South,
born in 1884 and namesake of South's closest friend.
The Disston land purchase would eventually
yield some six hundred residences, many of which were sold
or rented through Thomas South. With builder and fellow Republican
politician Peter Costello, South eventually oversaw the improvement
of streets west of Torresdale Avenue. By the 1890's a 5-bedroom
house would rent for $15.00 per month while a 2-bedroom house
would rend for $8.00 per month. Terms to rent or buy homes
were always flexible, based upon what the worker could afford
to pay. These fair dealings reinforced the community's admiration
of Thomas South as an honest and forthright man. Aside from
a few political foes, he was universally respected and was
held in the highest regard by not only Tacony, but the city
at large.
In addition to founding the Tacony Trust
Company, Thomas South was an originator of the Suburban Electric
Company and was an ardent promoter of the Holmesburg, Frankford,
and Tacony electric railway. He contributed charitably to
patriotic-themed events in Tacony including the annual Decoration
Day and 4th of July exercises. His influence and charismatic
presence as one of Tacony's most prominent citizens was documented
eloquently by Rev. S. F. Hotchkins in 1893's The Bristol Pike:
Thomas W. South, police court magistrate,
is an old resident, and a public-spirited citizen. His fine
house near the station is noticeable. I was struck with its
corner miniature tower, and a rustic child's playhouse in
the rear yard, where pigeons occupy an upper story. Mr. South
has done much to improve Tacony and his battery commands the
park on the glorious Fourth of July.
Thomas South's record as Magistrate was
virtually unmatched. He possessed the ability to sift out
cases which could be readily disposed of without being sent
to the Grand Jury. During his nearly thirty year tenure as
Magistrate, he heard over 100,000 police cases and was described
by The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin as having "proven
himself a most efficient aid in the administration of the
criminal law." Furthermore, the newspaper reported that
"he soon displayed a capacity for dealing with these
gentry (criminals) which has seldom been equaled. He accelerated
procedure and speedily got to the heart of the case, stripping
away verbiage and irrelevancies, and puncturing attempted
explanations by prisoners that were without merit."
Thomas South's reputation was described
as follows in the June 17, 1899 issue of The Philadelphian
- A Weekly Journal for the Homes of the People:
Magistrate Thomas W. South, a man of
wonderful force and persistence, and his political access
has been as continuous as remarkable. He is an uncompromising
Republican, standing high among the party leaders in this
city, many of whom are putting forth telling efforts in behalf
of his nomination for the Sheriff's office. He is a man of
fine education, of agreeable and persuasive manners, of wide
learning of the law, and his bearing upon the minor judicial
bench has always been marked by wisdom and uprightness. For
many years, a potent influence in the development of Tacony,
the section in which he resides, he has won, because he deserved
it, not only the respect, but the affection of his fellow
citizens ...From 1872 Thomas W. South has been identified
with the development of Tacony. ...In spite of the fact that
business throughout the country was generally depressed more
than tree million dollars were expended in making Tacony what
it is today. Mr. South is probably more than any one person
responsible for the remarkable growth of this beautiful suburb.
...Few members of the minor judiciary have a better record
to point to than Magistrate Thomas W. South. The interests
of his district, the advancement of his city at large and
the honorable conduct of his office have ever been his chief
considerations, and it is but a natural result that he is
ranked today among the most successful of our Magistrates.
Upon his retirement as Magistrate in
1904, Thomas South became Assistant Director of Public Safety
under Mayor Weaver. He was constantly supporting development
and progress in and near Tacony. He was in frequent correspondence
with contacts in government offices, defending Tacony's viability
and it's land values, promoting its development and looking
out for the betterment of the community. After serving at
the Public Safety post he spent fourteen years as Chief Clerk
of the Board of Mercantile Appraisers. He spent parts of many
winters enjoying hunting and fishing excursions in undeveloped
parts of Florida, most likely on land owned by the Disston
Family as a result of Hamilton Disston's massive purchase
of 4,000,000 acres encompassing what is now Kissiminee and
Tarpon Springs.
On or about February 1, 1922, Thomas
South was taken ill at his desk at City Hall due to what the
Evening Bulletin referred to as "heart trouble and nervous
breakdown." He died at Lankenau Hospital on February
19, 1922 at the age of seventy-four. The Bulletin also noted
that South was "for half a century a notable figure in
Philadelphia politics, referred to as the "Father of
Tacony," and was a pioneer in, "building and loan
association work."
Furthermore, Thomas South was memorialized
by the Evening Bulletin on February 22, 1922 as follows: "Withal
he was witty and his trenchant sayings, never ill-natured,
were eagerly noted to the reporters, so that day after day
the citizens were reading about Magistrate South. He was a
man of middle size, light haired in those days, with an alert
manner and giving the appearance of mental activity. ...All
who had acquaintance with his work in the office of mercantile
appraisers in the past fourteen years testify to his conscientious
application to his duties and his close attendance at his
office."
Thomas South's funeral was held on February
22, 1922 whose procession commenced at the home of his son-in-law,
William Roney, who resided next door to the South residence
at 6940 Keystone Street. Services were conducted by the Reverend
J. Marshall Linton, Pastor of the Disston Memorial Presbyterian
Church at Tyson and Glenlock Street. A private interment was
held at Magnolia Cemetery. His estate, valued at some $30,000
was bequeathed to his widow, Ida. Hamilton Disston South was
presented with a gold watch and chain given to Thomas South
over forty years prior to his death by Hamilton Disston.
Ida Corby South lived to the age of 80
and died on January 6, 1930. By this time, Thomas South's
widow was residing at 231 Essex Avenue in Narberth, Pennsylvania.
She was survived by her two daughters, Blanche and Effie.
In the January 7, 1939 issue of the Evening Bulletin, a brief
article stated that "her husband, who died in 1922, was
known as the 'Father of Tacony'."
Ask anyone today who the "Father
of Tacony" is and they would likely respond, "Henry
Disston." It certainly was Disston's ideals, foresight,
and, most importantly, working capital which resulted in the
creation of Tacony. But the physical manifestation of Disston's
concept was largely left to Thomas Winfield South to fulfill.
So the next time someone asks who the "Father of Tacony"
is, one may respond that Tacony has two "Fathers."
It was Henry Disston who made possible the creation of an
ideal working class community within the city limits, but
it was Thomas Winfield South who possessed the wisdom and
skills to make Disston's dream a reality.
Over 125 years later, Tacony still stands
as a shining example of the dedication and foresight of Thomas
South and the Disston Family. The neighborhood's diverse Victorian
architecture, multitude of active church congregation, strong
Civic Association and Historical Society (ever-inspired by
Henry Disston's ideals) and dozens of smaller organized Advisory
Councils and Friends groups are constant reminders of the
truly special place that Tacony is, was and will forever be.
Special Thanks to Jenny Burkhart
and the Temple University Urban Archives for their valuable
contributions.
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