Kinkora, 1120-1132 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia
â–¡ 1681 42,916 acres near Bordentown, NJ
â–¡ William Biddle House, Kinkora. William Biddle, a Quaker, was born in London and had been imprisoned for his religious beliefs. In 1681, he settled along the Delaware River on a 500-acre tract he called Mount Hope plantation. He built this house around 1684, which was the site of the first Quaker meeting in Burlington County. Biddle became a prominent landowner and member of the Council of Proprietors.
Andalusia, 1120-1132 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Walnut Grove was the country seat of Joseph Wharton's paternal great grandfather Joseph Wharton (1707-1776), a successful merchant who was known as "Duke Wharton", because of his stately bearing. The house was the finest of its day in Philadelphia. Surrounded by broad lawns and lofty trees, situated at some distance west of the Delaware River, at what is now Fifth Street near Washington Avenue, Walnut Grove was then considered quite a rural residence. This house was the site of the famous Meschianza, a grand fête given during the Revolution (May, 1778) by the British officers in honor of their General, Lord Howe. The house was demolished in 1862, replaced by the "Wharton School House".
Laurento, 1120-1132 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Walnut Grove was the country seat of Joseph Wharton's paternal great grandfather Joseph Wharton (1707-1776), a successful merchant who was known as "Duke Wharton", because of his stately bearing. The house was the finest of its day in Philadelphia. Surrounded by broad lawns and lofty trees, situated at some distance west of the Delaware River, at what is now Fifth Street near Washington Avenue, Walnut Grove was then considered quite a rural residence. This house was the site of the famous Meschianza, a grand fête given during the Revolution (May, 1778) by the British officers in honor of their General, Lord Howe. The house was demolished in 1862, replaced by the "Wharton School House".
Binderton, 1120-1132 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Walnut Grove was the country seat of Joseph Wharton's paternal great grandfather Joseph Wharton (1707-1776), a successful merchant who was known as "Duke Wharton", because of his stately bearing. The house was the finest of its day in Philadelphia. Surrounded by broad lawns and lofty trees, situated at some distance west of the Delaware River, at what is now Fifth Street near Washington Avenue, Walnut Grove was then considered quite a rural residence. This house was the site of the famous Meschianza, a grand fête given during the Revolution (May, 1778) by the British officers in honor of their General, Lord Howe. The house was demolished in 1862, replaced by the "Wharton School House".
Gulls Nest 201 Beavertail Rd, Jamestown, Newport, RI
Walnut Grove was the country seat of Joseph Wharton's paternal great grandfather Joseph Wharton (1707-1776), a successful merchant who was known as "Duke Wharton", because of his stately bearing. The house was the finest of its day in Philadelphia. Surrounded by broad lawns and lofty trees, situated at some distance west of the Delaware River, at what is now Fifth Street near Washington Avenue, Walnut Grove was then considered quite a rural residence. This house was the site of the famous Meschianza, a grand fête given during the Revolution (May, 1778) by the British officers in honor of their General, Lord Howe. The house was demolished in 1862, replaced by the "Wharton School House".
Walnut Grove Mansion, 1120-1132 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Walnut Grove was the country seat of Joseph Wharton's paternal great grandfather Joseph Wharton (1707-1776), a successful merchant who was known as "Duke Wharton", because of his stately bearing. The house was the finest of its day in Philadelphia. Surrounded by broad lawns and lofty trees, situated at some distance west of the Delaware River, at what is now Fifth Street near Washington Avenue, Walnut Grove was then considered quite a rural residence. This house was the site of the famous Meschianza, a grand fête given during the Revolution (May, 1778) by the British officers in honor of their General, Lord Howe. The house was demolished in 1862, replaced by the "Wharton School House".
The Cliffs, Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia
The Cliffs was built in 1753 by the maternal great-grandfather of Joseph Wharton, Philadelphia merchant Joshua Fisher (1707–1783). Joshua's grandfather, John Fisher, came to America aboard the "Welcome" with William Penn. The house was named after his family's ancestral home in Yorkshire, England. The family often stayed at The Cliffs in the summer, enjoying the nearby river.
Wharton House 336 Spruce St, Philadelphia; now the rectory of Christ Church
Built in 1790 this was the birthplace of Joseph Wharton in 1826. Wharton's maternal grandfather, Samuel Rowland Fisher gifted this house to his daughter Deborah Fisher in 1817 as a wedding gift when she married William Wharton (1790–1856), Joseph's father. This remained Deborah Fisher Whartons home for 70 years until her death in 1888, when Joseph purchased the house, owning it until his death in 1913. The Wharton House is now the rectory of Christ Church, where the present owners of Melmar, Rod & Cathy Nadal were married in 1993.
Bellevue Mansion Near 29th St. and Allegheny Ave. Philadelphia
Built in the late 18th century as a country estate by English merchant Thomas Ketland. Purchased in 1802 by Wharton's paternal grandfather, Charles Wharton (1743–1838) for £3,500 as a summer retreat overlooking the Schuylkill River. The 106-acre working farm featured a large ballroom, orchards, barns, and gardens with willows and oaks. In 1834, Charles gifted it to his son William Wharton (1790–1856), Joseph's father, who lived there seasonally with wife Deborah Fisher Wharton, raising their 10 children, with Joseph spending the summers of his youth here. The mansion was demolished around 1880–1890.
Joseph Wharton House 119 Lombard St, Philadelphia
Originally built in 1743, this modest urban Quaker townhome was owned by Joseph Wharton's mother (Deborah Fisher Wharton). Joseph Wharton and Anna Corbit Lovering moved here when they were married in 1854 and lived here until moving to Ontalauna in 1881. This house was renovated in 2000 and sold to its current private owners in 2002.
Ontalauna Mansion Old York Rd. near Chelten Ave, Philadelphia​​
Wharton's primary residence from 1881 onward. He bought the land in the 1870s as a 63 acre summer estate, then built a grand Second Empire-style mansion (French-inspired with mansard roof, towers, and ornate interiors) around 1880–1881. Named "Ontalauna" (possibly derived from Native American words meaning "beautiful hill" or a family reference). The estate included ponds for skating, gardens, and walking paths; Joseph hosted family dinners and walks here into his 80s. It symbolized his wealth and industrial success. Wharton died here on January 11, 1909, at age 82. Passed to heirs (e.g., daughter Joanna Lippincott and sons); sold by family in the early 20th century amid suburban development. Demolished in the 1920s–1930s.​​
Marabella 240 Highland Dr. Jamestown, Newport, RI​​
​Built 1882–1884 as a Shingle-style seaside estate on land Wharton bought in the 1880s. Overlooking Narragansett Bay on a dramatic site, it featured panoramic views, verandas, and fieldstone foundations—among Rhode Island's finest Shingle-style homes. Used as a summer residence for sailing and relaxation; Wharton had Newport roots via family. Remained in Wharton family after his death in 1909​​
​William Trost Richards 1884 watercolor, "Joseph Wharton's House on Conanicut Island"​​
Beavertail Farm House 177 Beavertail Rd., Jamestown, RI
Constructed 1904 as a classical Shingle-style farmhouse (designed by Charles Bevins) on 10+ acres amid Wharton's larger Jamestown holdings. A 6,400 sq ft private estate with 6 bedrooms, rolling lawns, meadows, and ocean views; renovated to high standards post-original build. Used as a family summer retreat; exceptionally secluded. Remained in Wharton family (e.g., listed for sale in 2016 via Lila Delman Real Estate). Sold in 2016; now private. Ties to Wharton's RI roots but secondary to Marabella.
Batsto Pine Barrens, Washington Township, NJ
Batso Mansion was acquired by Joseph Wharton in 1876 as part of his vast 150-square-mile Pine Barrens holdings that he accumulated in the 1870s–1880s for water supply experiments and conservation. Bastso was purchased from the Richards family, who had expanded an 18th-century ironmaster's home (earliest section c. 1790). Wharton renovated it into a 32-room Italianate-style mansion adding a tower, elegant interiors, and verandas to be used as a "Gentleman Farm". Not a primary residence but used for family visits and agricultural trials. Unlike his Philadelphia homes, it was private and far from society.
​After Wharton's death in 1909, family retained the estate until 1954 when it was sold to the State of New Jersey for $3 million to form Wharton State Forest, and Batso Village
Oak Hill Mansion, Philadelphia
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Sarah's great grandfather Joseph Samuel Lovering died at Oak Hill Mansion in 1881
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Sarah's great grandmother Ann Corbit Lovering died at Oak Hill Mansion in 1875
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Lippincott House, 216 Highland Dr., Jamestown, RI
216 Highland Dr, Jamestown, RI 02835 | Zillow
A 1926 Colonial Revival home designed by architect Albert Harkness, potentially built for J. Bertram or his heirs. Smaller than Meeresblick but in the same area, used for summer stays. Family ownership continued post-1940.
Meeresblick (J. Bertram Lippincott House), 177 Beavertail Rd., Jamestown, RI
Jamestown summer home sells for $2.4M
Built 1892–1893 by architects Pritchett & Pritchett as a Shingle-style seaside villa overlooking Narragansett Bay. "Meeresblick" (German for "sea view") was commissioned by J. Bertram and his wife Joanna, uniting the Lippincott publishing dynasty with the Wharton industrial family. The 4,000+ sq ft home features expansive verandas, fieldstone foundations, and panoramic ocean views on 10+ acres (part of the family's larger land holdings on the peninsula). It was used as a summer retreat for fishing, sailing, and family gatherings. The property remains in Lippincott family hands (e.g., Bertram Lippincott III associated via public records), with parts sold for development in the 1980s. Listed in architectural histories
Point Breeze (Joseph Bonaparte - Napoleon's brother)
Settling on the bluffs in Bordentown, Napoleon Bonaparte’s eldest brother Joseph lived a wealthy lifestyle in the estate that was named Point Breeze.
Joseph Bonaparte was the king of Naples from 1806 to 1808 and then the king of Spain from 1808 to 1813. After Napoleon was defeated in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo and exiled to an island, Joseph fled to the United States. He lived briefly in Philadelphia, where his home was also used as a site for Bonapartist refugees and French nationals.
Joseph Bonaparte’s Point Breeze estate in Bordentown was built in 1816. It was, at that time, the largest residence in the United States. Joseph was an avid collector of fine art and had a library that contained more books than the Library of Congress. He lived there until 1838, and, during that time, he lived a luxurious lifestyle. He had envisioned transforming Point Breeze’s landscape to replicate that of his former home Château de Mortefontaine, which was north of Paris. Joseph had a lake created by damming Thorton Creek. It was a half-mile long and had beautiful swan-shaped boats on the lake during spring and summer, which the townspeople could use. During the winter months when the top of the lake was frozen, locals would gather to skate and enjoy themselves. The lake is just marshland today.