Queer Places:
Harvard University (Ivy League), 2 Kirkland St, Cambridge, MA 02138
345 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
283 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
287 Highland St, Milton, MA 02186
Col. Philip Leffingwell Spalding (June 27, 1871 - Decemebr 4, 1938) was a banker, collector and WWI war veteran, former president of the New England Telephone and Telegraph company, and a partner in the banking firm of Estabrook & Co. He was a member of the Horace Walpole Society, secretary from 1923 to 1938, elected in 1915.
He was born in Ithaca, NY, the son of Rev. James Field Spalding (1839-1921) and Mary Ann Harper (born 1842). After preparing for college at Mr. Noble's School, Boston, and attended Harvard from which he was graduated with the degree of A.B. in 1892, followed by the degrees of A.M. in 1893 and S.B. in 1894. He married Katharine Hobart Ames, daughter of Oakes Angier Ames and Catherine Hobart, at North Easton, Mass., October 10, 1900. They had the following children: Philip, born July 7, 1902; Oakes Ames, born July 31, 1904; Hobart Ames, born June 24, 1911.
On July 1, 1894, he became connected with the American Bell Telephone Company of Boston. On February 1, 1895, he became associated with Bell Telephone Company of Philadelphia, by whom he was employed as engineer. On March 10, 1906, he made general manager of the Bell Telephone Company of Philadelphia. On January 1, 1911, he made second vice-president and director of the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, the Delaware & Atlantic Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company, and the Diamond State Telephone Company.
In 1912 he moved to Boston to become president of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company. He retained this position for seven years, when he resigned to become a partner in the firm of Estabrook and Company, bankers, where he remained until his death.
During WWI he was commissioned lieutenant colonel Signal Corps and in 1917 he was in France, assigned to Headquarters Air Service AEF Supply Section at Paris and Tours. Detailed for special duty with British Army in France and in London, England. In 1918 he returned to United States assigned to Office of Director of Aircraft Production, Washington DC. Promoted colonel Air Service Aircraft Production, he sailed again for France, attached to Headquarters Air Service Supply Section as representative of Bureau of Aircraft Production with the AEF. He returned to United States in late 1918 and assigned to Office of Director of Aircraft Production in Washington. He was discharged in November, 1918.
He belonged to Rittenhouse Club, Philadelphia Barge Club, Merion Cricket Club, Engineers' Club, Philadelphia Club, and Harvard Club of New York. Spalding was a zealous collector, much interested in early American silver, upon which subject he was an authority. His collecting tastes caused his election to the Club of Odd Volumes in Boston, and he was a constant attendant at its meetings. He was appointed Honorary Curator of Early American Silver of the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston in 1938. He was elected to the American Antiquarian Society in 1926, and always evidenced a keen interest in the Society, making frequent gifts to its Library.
He died at his home in Milton, MA.
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