the office the dining room - temple university
TRANSCRIPT
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Introduction
Welcome to the home of Samuel and Elizabeth Powel.
Samuel Powel was born October 28, 1738. By the time
he was eighteen years old, Powel had inherited a large
fortune from his father and grandfather. As a young man
Powel underwent the best education he could receive at
the time. He graduated from the College of Philadelphia
(University of Pennsylvania) in 1759, then spent seven
years abroad. Powel returned to the colonies as a bright
and wealthy young Philadelphian. In 1769, Samuel Pow-
el married Elizabeth Willing, and they purchased this
home. Elizabeth Willing Powel was born in Philadelphia
in 1743. The marriage was a good one as Elizabeth was
as smart as Samuel and helped him with his businesses to
a large extent. In fact Elizabeth Powel was exceptional at
running a business and after Samuel Powel died, Eliza-
beth was willed the entire Powel fortune. That was atypical
for the time as usually men did not leave their fortune to
their wives, but to male heirs, relatives, or friends. The
house was built in 1765 and renovated by Robert Smith in
1769. Robert Smith was a member of the Carpenters’
Company of Philadelphia, and designed many buildings in
Philadelphia including the home of Benjamin Franklin,
Carpenters’ Hall, and St. Peters Church. St. Peters Church
and Carpenters’ Hall still stand today. Although Powel was
politically active during the American Revolution, he did
not formally take a stance until the French aligned with
America in 1778. At that point an American victory
seemed likely because France allied with the colonies.
Powel realized it was risky to take a stance as a patriot or
loyalist, especially in Philadelphia, where neither faction
considerably outnumbered the other. Many Philadelphians,
such as Powel or Elizabeth’s brother Thomas Willing,
were faced with intense pressure to support independence.
The majority of Pennsylvania elites were separated from
the violence in Boston and believed that reconciliation with
the crown was optimal due to the economic and practical
reasons. Many believed that the British army would defeat
the rag-tag Continental army, which would result in a
worse situation for the colonies. Historians conclude that
Pennsylvania was the last colony to favor independence. In
fact, Samuel Powels friend John Dickinson, and Thomas
Willing originally voted against independence in 1776.
Regardless of the pressures to commit as a patriot or loyal-
The Office
Welcome to the office of Samuel Powel. This room
was where Powel conducted his public and private
business. Here, tenants as well as concerned citizens
would meet with and pay rent to Powel. During the
18th century, the average Philadelphian rented prop-
erty. In fact ninety percent of the land in Philadelphia
was owned by ten percent of the people. However,
Samuel Powel was not an average Philadelphian. A
tax assessment from 1774, showed that Powel
amassed more than double the amount of real-estate
than the next wealthiest Philadelphian. Similar to
today, people used vehicles as a social symbol and a
way to flaunt wealth. Out of 20,000 people living in
Philadelphia in 1772 only eighty-four had carriages.
Powel was appointed to the Common Council of
Philadelphia in 1770, mayor twice: first in Octo-
ber 1775 immediately before the war started, and
again after the war in 1789. The common council
was a non-elected council made up of prominent
Philadelphians appointed by current councilmen.
The council, mayor, and alderman were known as
the Philadelphia Corporation. Powel would have
dealt with council affairs at a desk similar to the
one in the corner. Neither the position of mayor
nor city council are comparable to the positions
today. One of Powel’s main duties as mayor was
to mandate prices and the mayor had little politi-
cal power compared to the Governor. For exam-
ple, Powel would not have had the power as a
mayor to prohibit the Continental Congress from
meeting in Philadelphia in 1775. In fact, when
some individuals were appointed mayor they fled
The Dining Room
Welcome to the Powels’ dining room. Although the dining
room may look small, it was among the largest in Philadel-
phia during the 18th century. Samuel and Elizabeth Powel
used their house to flaunt their wealth and express civility
when elite citizens of Colonial America, such as George
Washington or John Adams came to visit the city. The Pow-
els were famous for their lavish dinner parties. John Adams
wrote,
Dined at Mr. Powel's with... many others-- a most
Sinful Feast again! Everything which could delight the Eye
or allure the Taste. Curds and Creams. Jellies. Sweet meats
of various Sorts. 20 sorts of Tarts, fools, Trifles, floating
islands. Whipp'd Sillabubs &c. &c.-- Parmesan Cheese.
Pictured above Elfreth’s Alley– more common housing for
the time.
Note that John Adams was in Philadelphia for the First Con-
tinental Congress. Congressmen were meeting in defiance to
the British Crown, something Adams and Powel were well
aware of. Powel was one of the first Americans to designate
a specific room for eating. He was influenced by this inno-
vative practice while abroad in Europe. It is notable that the
Powels, unlike most Philadelphians, had enough money to
afford multiple rooms designed for a single purpose.
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On the contrary, the average Philadelphian would
live in a house with only two rooms, usually one
for business and eating, and another as the bed-
room. Also, the common Philadelphia could only
afford soup, maybe a meat and one vegetable for
dinner. The wealth of Samuel Powel was one of the
reasons he was appointed mayor twice. It was not
until 1760 that the mayor received a salary, yet he
was required to host the Corporation for a dinner at
the end of each year. The dinner was a costly ven-
ture as it was expected to be extravagant, therefore
the mayor could keep his reputation as an elite and
cultured gentleman intact. By the time Powel was
mayor many chose to donate money into the Corpo-
ration coffer instead of a dinner. However, as
mayor Powel may have hosted a Corporation dinner
in this room with upwards of thirty people. For
larger dinner parties the less prominent individuals
may have dined in the drawing room upstairs. The
quantity and cost of the silverware, porcelain and
food required for a party of that size and elegance
was extravagant. Porcelain and silverware were
expensive and often imported from China or
France. Silverware and porcelain were often used to
denote the amount of wealth in a particular house-
hold. The Powels thought about the smallest details
for a successful party, even the green wall color
was fashionable for the time and reputed to pro-
mote smooth digestion. Look through the windows
and out into the garden. When Samuel and Eliza-
beth Powel lived in the house, the garden stretched
an additional sixty feet south, and all the way west
to Fourth Street. Feel free to walk out into the gar-
den, try and find the Franklin Tree which is now
extinct in the wild, but don’t forget to check out the
rooms upstairs first.
Note the portrait on the wall directly before the
main staircase. It is Samuel Powel!
*To get to the Ballroom go up the main staircase,
turn left and up a small staircase, then go straight
ahead into the large Ballroom*
The Ballroom
As you make your way up to the ballroom do not be
This is the same bannister that George and Martha
Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin,
and Sarah Franklin Bache grasped as they retreat-
ed to the ballroom to dance. George and Martha
Washinton silhouettes pictured below, can you
find Georges’ in the Powel House?
Samuel and Elizabeth Powel were famous for
their parties, and the elegant Rococo ballroom
shows why. Although Samuel Powel was born a
Quaker, he converted to Anglican while in Lon-
don. Powel had a desire for a luxurious lifestyle
and knew that as a Quaker he would not be able
to own lavish items in good faith. Many Quakers
of the time did not share the same sentiments
and would continue to practice as a Quaker,
even though they violated some of the ideolo-
gies. In this room the Powels danced and en-
joyed music, such as a harp or piano, with guests
such as the Marquise de Lafayette or the daugh-
ter of Benjamin Franklin, Sarah Franklin Bache.
Check out the letter that Sarah Franklin Bache
wrote to her father as well as the piano and harp
in the room. Visitors to the Powel House en-
joyed the experience and often became dear
friends of the Powels.
The Washingtons were so charmed that
they developed an intimate friendship with the
Samuel and Elizabeth Powel that continued for
the rest of their lives. Letters between George
and Martha Washington and the Powels show
Letters between George and Martha Washington and the Powels
show that they revered Elizabeth’s judgement and Samuel’s knack
for business and agriculture. In fact, after the war Washington cheer-
fully agreed to be placed on the Philadelphia Society for Promoting
Agriculture where Samuel Powel was the president. George Wash-
ington wished to go back to his farm after his first term as president.
If it wasn’t for Elizabeth Powel, Washington may have retired four
years earlier. Elizabeth Powel astutely realized that the infant Colo-
nies were in a fragile state and that Washington’s leadership was
needed for another four years. In a letter to Washington she subtly
hinted that he needed to run again. It was risky for Elizabeth Powel
to express political influence on the president because at that time
women were not allowed to actively participate in politics. However,
she astutely realized she was a cherished friend of George Washing-
ton, and was therefore in a unique position to influence him. Soon
afterwards Washington decided to run for president again.
*Feel free to pass through the Drawing room on your way back down
the small stairs and straight into the Servants room. In the Drawing
room, try and locate the lock of hair that belonged to George Wash-
ington. Also note the portrait of Elizabeth Powel on top of the fire-
place, painted by Matthew Pratt after the death of the Powels infant
children. *
Head Servant’s Bedroom
Unfortunately, due to modern fire codes the third floor (where the
Powels’ original bedroom was located) is off-limits to the public,
thus this room has been designed to display what the Powels’ bed-
room may have looked like. However, it was used as the Head Serv-
ant’s Bedroom while the Powels lived in the house. Before you enter
note the low ceiling and the petite staircase off to the right. In addi-
tion to servants, Elizabeth and Samuel Powel owned slaves. The
slaves and servants were required to take the back-staircase so they
did not interrupt parties. During the occupation of Philadelphia in
1778 the British Minister the Earl of Carlisle took over the Powel
House. The Earl forced the Powels to temporarily move into the head
servant’s bedroom. After his stay in the Powel House the Earl re-
marked,
I make him and his wife a visit every day [he wrote], talking
politics with them, and we are the best friends in the world.
They are very agreeable, sensible people, and you would
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Unlike many of his patriot contemporaries, Powel remained
in Philadelphia during the occupation. By staying in Phila-
delphia, the Samuel and Elizabeth Powel risked imprison-
ment and maltreatment by the British as American sympa-
thizers, or were likely to face the same as a loyalist by the
patriots when they retook the city. However, because Samuel
Powel was not active in the military and was influential
among both patriots and loyalists, the British did not impris-
on him. During the occupation, Elizabeth Powel wrote to her
sister that “[your home has been] torn down and the Town-
side has undergone that same Fate. Mr. Powel bears it like a
Philosopher.” In Colonial America Greek and Roman philos-
ophers were widely-read and quite fashionable, therefore
comparison to one would be a sincere compliment. Acting as
a philosopher implied that he did not let his emotions cloud
his judgement. Powel often acted as a philosopher, therefore
he would not have committed to being a loyalist or patriot if
it was against the best interest of his city, family, and his
business interests. Perhaps Powel used his neutral status to
try and win favor with the occupying General William Howe
to secure more food and medical supplies for the needy.
While the country worried about the fate of the Continental
Army and America, the Powels, waiting for the war to end,
focused on poor relief, education, and religion to relieve the
distresses throughout Philadelphia. The French officer
Francois Jean Chastellux agreed that Elizabeth “only waits
for the termination of this little revolution, to effect a still
greater one in the manners of her country.” Later that year
when France joined the war as an American ally, Powel took
his oath of allegiance to the patriot cause and donated 5,000
pounds. Powel waited till the last minute to declare a faction.
A year had gone by since the Pennsylvania Assembly passed
an order that all citizens declare allegiance to the independ-
ent colonies or face imprisonment for treason. The donation
of 5,000 pounds by Powel was perhaps the largest sum do-
nated, other than a 10,000 pound donation from the friend of
Samuel Powel, Robert Morris, who is known as the financer
of the revolution. Powel was able to maintain friendly rela-
tions with the British, loyalist, and patriots because he was
wealthy, lived in a moderate colony, waited to choose a fac-
tion, and only publicly advocated the role of moderate politi-
cians. Such as John Dickinson (pictured to the right)
Outside the Powel House/ Conclusion
During his time in the city government, Powel participated in the less extravagant processes that were necessary
to govern a city. During the 18th century, Philadelphia was one of the largest English speaking cities in the world.
Within Philadelphia, Third Street was perhaps the most fashionable neighborhood because many prominent citi-
zens resided on it. Nearby, Thomas Paine printed the pamphlet Common Sense, Governor John Penn conducted
state affairs, and Peggy Shippen (cousin of Elizabeth Powel) waited to court and marry the loyalist celebrity and
turn-cloak Benedict Arnold. A few of the most frequented locations of the city were right around the corner from
Third Street and were influenced in some sense by the Powels.
North of the Powel House on High Street (Market Street) was the city market, south was St. Peters Church
(where Powel and Elizabeth got married), and northwest was Old City Hall. When Powel was elected into the
common council of Philadelphia he helped Philadelphia along the transition from a colonial town into a thriving
city. One of the biggest problems that the Philadelphia Corporation faced was a lack of funding. However, Powel
was not deterred in his effort to undertake public works and even fronted his own money. During his tenure in the
Corporation Powel served on committees designed to pave streets and plan for the construction of Old City Hall
(which still stands today next to Independence Hall). In hopes of saving money and lessening a criminal’s time in
jail, Powel minimized the holding time at the Walnut Street Jail prior to a criminal’s trial. A key role of the Phila-
delphia Corporation was to listen and attempt to solve problems that citizens voiced at common council meet-
ings. After citizens complained that city fairs congested and damaged streets and buildings while leaving litter in
their wake, Powel served on a committee to ban fairs from the city. After farmers from Maryland complained that
they received different volumes of goods from Philadelphia, Powel regulated the size of bushels (pictured below)
for transportation and storage of various goods. When citizens complained that another public scale was needed
to weigh hay, Powel funded and organized the placement of an additional scale. Powel also hired carpenters who
repaired damaged city market stalls and erected additional stalls when needed. Samuel Powel skillfully avoided
declaring a faction in the midst of an atmosphere that demanded one to identify as a patriot or loyalist, instead he
focused on making sure that his city continued to operate as smoothly as possible. Samuel Powel was neither the
“Patriot Mayor” nor was he a loyalist sym-
pathizer, he was the mayor of Philadelphia
committed to governing his city while the
rest of the nation fell into the chaos of the
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Picture Sources-
Spanish Coin- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Philip_V_Coin.jpg
Elfreth’s Alley- http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/elfreths-alley/
George and Martha silhouettes-
http://natedsanders.com/rare_1796_miniature_portraits_of_president_george_-lot13625.aspx
John Dickinson-
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/John_Dickinson_portrait.jpg
Bushel-
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Queensland_Government_Imperial_Bushel_AD1875.jpg