139 Elfreth's Alley
Isaac Zane, a house carpenter and member of the Carpenter’s Company, built House 139 during the middle of the 18th century
James Hunter’s widow, Mary, lived in the house beginning in 1789; when she died three years later, her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Matthew Cline, continued to live in the house. Matthew, a sea captain, no doubt felt right at home on the Alley, with its proximity to the waterfront and dense population of seafaring men. Though the house was rented to tenants again in the early 19th century, it remained in the Cline family until 1853.
House 139 was the home to several other schoolteachers, including Ann Curtis and Eliza Regnaud during the 1830s and 40s. At the end of the century, the Stafford family lived in the house, first renting and later purchasing it. Edward Stafford and his wife Bridget, both born in Ireland, raised five children in the house. Their second son, Michael, joined the fire department in 1892 and served for over 25 years.
Many people think House 139 is one of Philadelphia’s famous “trinity” houses – three rooms stacked on top of one another. Look closely, though, and you’ll discover that this house is only two stories plus a garret, or dormered half story. 3 Bladen’s Court is the Alley’s only example of a trinity.
