Joshua Bertram "Bert" Lippincott was the only son of the founder of Publisher J.B. Lippincott & Co, Joshua Ballinger Lippincott and his wife Josephine Lippincott.  ​Bert was born in Huntington Valley, Pa, and there attended the Episcopal Academy. He entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1878 but withdrew his freshman year to study the publishing business in London, England. Upon his return to Philadelphia, he joined J.B. Lippincott and Company, the family publishing business, in which he was made a full partner by 1884. Upon J. Ballinger’s death on January 5, 1886, Bert assumed the presidency of the company and served in this capacity until his retirement in 1926, at which point he became chairman of the board.  Bert married Joanna Wharton on April 22, 1885.  Joanna was the daughter of the founder of The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and Bethlehem Steel, Joseph Wharton.  ​Together they had four children who inherited the Melmar estate upon Bertram's death in 1940 when their daughter Sarah Wharton Lippincott Biddle and her husband Nicholas Biddle became the second owners of the Melmar Mansion and surrounding 47 acres.  Sons Joe and Bert inherited land which they sold to developers Kravitz Brothers and Dratch & Company. Daughter Mariana also inherited land, 26 acres of which she sold to expand the adjacent Lorimer Park. 

The Lippincott's primary Spruce St Philadelphia residence was sold to the infamous playboy Harry K. Thaw, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of the famous architect Stanford White in what was dubbed "the Trial of the Century".