06/12/2026
The longest one yet! 579 Church Street, Royersford Borough.
On Church Street, known as "the Boulevard" in the early 1900s, sits 579. It is a home lovingly owned by Keith Kemper and Dr. Janet Brown. They are only the third caretakers of this remarkable property, and their love for the home resonates throughout.
I have driven past this property for more than 20 years. Every Halloween, we would trick or treat there, always hoping for an invitation inside what had to be an extraordinary home. The property is expansive, stretching from Church Street to Chestnut Street. Mature trees frame the home, while stained glass windows catch your eye as you pass by. The exterior is impressive, but the interior is what truly leaves a lasting impression.
Before getting into the history, let's first explore the home.
Upon entering, your attention is immediately drawn to the grand staircase and the home's beautifully preserved stained glass windows. I cannot adequately put into words how stunning they are. The woodwork throughout features diamond shaped motifs, paying homage to the home's first owner. More on him later.
As we moved through the house, it was impossible not to notice how much love and care had been invested in preserving it. The main floor consists of a front parlor and a back parlor, the latter showcasing two wonderful built-in library cabinets. Continuing into the dining room through the largest pocket doors I have encountered locally, you are greeted by a stunning coffered ceiling and a massive fireplace. Rich dark wood trim ties these spaces together beautifully.
The kitchen has been thoughtfully updated while remaining in harmony with the home's character. Off the kitchen is what was once the butler's pantry, complete with another beautiful built in cabinet. This space has since been converted into a bathroom, and the transition feels seamless.
Throughout the home, additional stained glass windows appear in unexpected places, including the stair landings and side hallway. Remarkably, they have all survived intact after more than a century.
Upstairs, the original primary bedroom connects to a dressing room that still contains a massive built-in wardrobe. Additional bedrooms retain original features, including built in window seating. A bedroom has been converted into a sitting room with another beautiful fireplace. The spacious hall bathroom has been updated while preserving its vintage charm.
The third floor has been transformed into a primary suite. A small sitting room greets you at the top of the stairs, while the bedroom and bath occupy the remainder of the floor. This section of the home features a more modern design while still complementing the historic character of the house.
The basement spans the entire footprint of the home. With nine foot ceilings and multiple rooms for recreation, storage, and laundry, it feels like an entire additional living space. Off the rear of the house is a garage that I was told originally served as a carport.
My photographs do not do this home the justice it deserves. Did I mention the enormous windows? They made for some difficulty grabbing a good shot with my trusty phone camera.
We then walked around the property. Even the side hidden from street view is a masterpiece, from the chimney to the half moon windows. The front porch was the perfect place to conclude the tour. The diamond shaped designs found throughout the home continue onto the porch columns and can even be seen in the porch ceiling.
I am grateful that this home has remained a single family residence. It could easily have been converted into apartments over the years. While some of the borough's large historic homes that became apartments have retained portions of their original charm, others have been significantly altered and are now only shells of what they once were.
This home, however, remains remarkably intact after more than a century. When you step through its 124 year old entryway, you experience much of what visitors would have seen more than a century ago. In many converted homes, the grand staircase becomes little more than a shared passageway. The original character remains, but the sense of grandeur is often lost.
This home was fortunate to avoid such alterations. I was honored and absolutely thrilled that Keith was gracious enough to allow me and Emily to finally see the magnificent home I had admired for so many years. It was everything I had hoped it would be.
Now for the history, which takes us to Cape May and back again. Much of the following information was compiled through Ancestry records and with assistance from the Greater Cape May Historical Society.
579 Church Street was built in 1902 for Isaac Merritt Schellinger and Jane Farrow Schellinger. The home was reportedly designed by Gladstone Holmes, who had also designed the Royersford Methodist Church located just a few blocks away. The Bush Brothers, a lumber business and millwork company at that time, carved the woodwork over a two year period. It is noted that I.M. Schellinger used Victorian inspired architecture elements found in Cape May.
One of the few Mayflower descendants in the Schuylkill Valley, Isaac, also known as I.M., was born on December 9, 1863, and came to Royersford in 1884 from Cape May, New Jersey. He was a graduate of Bellefonte Academy and attended Princeton College for one year before pursuing business interests. He married Jane Farrow on May 7, 1887. Jane was born February 28, 1868. The couple built their first home at 2nd Avenue and Washington Street in 1888. By 1902/03 they had completed construction of their residence at 6th Avenue and Church Street.
I.M. Schellinger was elected president of Diamond Glass. His connection to the company is reflected throughout the home in the many diamond shaped decorative details. When the Home National Bank was organized, he was selected as vice president. The Home National Bank would eventually become the Royersford Trust Company. He was also one of the organizers of the Keystone Building and Loan Association and was elected its president in 1899. In addition, I.M. served as Junior Warden of Royersford Lodge No. 585 F. & A.M. and was elected to town council in 1922.
Isaac Merritt Schellinger passed away on December 12, 1922 from metastatic adenocarcinoma of both lungs at the age of 59. Jane, born in 1867, passed in 1938 at the age of 71. The couple had no children that I could find in the records. Both are buried in Fernwood Cemetery.
Before moving on to the next family associated with 579 Church Street, I wanted to explore Isaac's family history, specifically that of his father.
The Schellinger name sounded familiar to me. I knew it was associated with the Jersey Shore. That realization led me to Cape May, where I discovered a possible connection between Isaac's family and one of Cape May's most historically significant residences, the Octagon House.
At this point in my research, I believe the Jeremiah Bennett Schellinger connected to Isaac's family is the same Jeremiah Schellinger associated with Cape May's historic Octagon House. Census records, family relationships, dates, and other historical documents strongly support that conclusion. However, as with much genealogical research, some discrepancies exist among historical records. While the evidence strongly suggests this connection, I cannot state it with complete certainty and welcome additional documentation that may further confirm or clarify the relationship.
Jeremiah Bennett Schellinger was born in Cape May County in 1827 and belonged to one of the area's earliest and most prominent families. In 1861, he married Louisa Bennett Merritt, who was born in Philadelphia in 1845. Together they had three children: Isaac Merritt, Ella (1869-1869), and Joseph Merritt Schellinger. Jeremiah was listed as a lumber merchant in early census records and later as a capitalist in the 1905 census. Joseph Schellinger and his wife, Electa Hand Edmunds, would also relocate to Royersford. The 1910 census shows them living at 131 Third Avenue.
Louisa died in 1871 at the age of 26, leaving Jeremiah to raise their two surviving sons. Jeremiah passed away on August 16,1905, at the age of 78.
The Jeremiah Schellinger House, commonly known as the Octagon House, was built in 1860 and is located at 138 Lafayette Street in Cape May. It carries a high historic designation.
An interesting side note: in 1920, Joseph Schellinger applied for membership in the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Pennsylvania through his mother Louisa's bloodline. Research determined that Joseph, as well as Isaac, were ninth generation descendants of Pilgrim John Howland, a passenger aboard the Mayflower, whose voyage ended at Plymouth in December 1620.
Returning to Royersford, the next known caretakers of 579 Church Street were Raymond Eisenberg Latshaw and Elma Julia Dubson Latshaw. According to the 1940 census records, they rented the home. By 1950, that notation no longer appeared.
Raymond was born in 1900 to Benjamin Irwin and Ida Emma Eisenberg Latshaw. His family lived at 323 Church Street, another grand Royersford home. Elma was born in 1904 to Isaac Franklin Dubson and Mary Ella Ottinger Dubson of Spring City. Raymond and Elma married in July 1926. Ray worked as an insurance advisor, a coal dealer, and also served as secretary treasurer of the Middle Atlantic Lumberman's Association. Elma was a teacher.
Ray passed away at Spring-Ford Nursing Manor in August of 1960 from pneumonia and complications related to Parkinson's disease. Elma passed away in 1995. The couple had two children, Joan and Elma Dian.
At some point in the history of the home, it sat vacant for a period of time. Stories circulated that local kids would wander inside, particularly to the third floor, where there was a pool table. For some, it became a favorite hangout. The house also developed a reputation of being haunted, mostly because of the flickering lights from the candles used while vacant.
In 1996, the home was purchased by Keith Kemper and Dr. Janet Brown. Considerable work was required, as the interior needed restoration and repair. Fortunately, the beautiful original woodwork survived intact.
Today, thanks to their dedication, this remarkable home remains one of Royersford's finest architectural treasures.
A Note on Research:
This history was pieced together using a variety of sources, including census records, newspaper articles, Ancestry research, local histories, and information shared by historical organizations. As with any historical or genealogical research, discrepancies between records can and do occur. In fact, during the course of researching this property, I encountered conflicting information among several sources and worked to present the most accurate account possible based on the evidence available.
While I have done my best to verify the information presented here, some details may ultimately prove incomplete or inaccurate as additional records come to light. I always welcome information that may help confirm, correct, or expand upon this history. I am not a professional researcher, I just love piecing together the history of our local homes. (Amy Demchik)
