Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan designed the Italianate Villa now standing at 503 Bank Avenue for Caleb Clothier, one of Riverton’s original founders. Later, Edward H. Ogden and Sarah Morris Perot Ogden owned the home. Both the Clothiers and the Ogdens had a transformative effect on the development of early Riverton.
On Sunday, July 30, 2017, Mary Louise and Ken Smith hosted a reunion at their historic Bank Avenue home for Ogden descendants.
This video documents the event and serves to illustrate much of the Riverton history witnessed by the home.
Mrs. Mary Louise Bianco-Smith narrates this informative video production that Colin Cattell, our youngest Society member, created.
See our 2011 post that describes a Clothier family reunion held at the Smith home.
In the March 2009 Gaslight News Mrs. Pat Brunker outlined Mrs. Ogden’s many accomplishments as a tireless leader of many Philadelphia social, civic, and philanthropic organizations and as the second president of Riverton’s Porch Club.
The May 2009 Gaslight News Mrs. Pat Brunker traced the life of Edward H. Ogden, the prominent Philadelphia businessman who was elected as Riverton’s first mayor and played key roles in the establishment of several local institutions, including the Riverton Yacht Club and Riverton Golf Club.
View the report by Nora Muchanic, NJ home of Strawbridge & Clothier co-founder spotlights Underground Railroad broadcast on Action News Aug 3, 2017.
– JMc
