(Photo by Richard F. Hope)

Kurlansik Building (118 Northampton Street)

4-story brick building, with 7 window bays on upper floors, and picture windows (now boarded up) at the ground level. Dental roof cornice moulding with end brackets. Roof façade reads “Kurlansik 1920”. The modern property has a frontage of 25 feet on Northampton Street (and is 120 feet deep, to an alley in the rear). It comprises the western portion of original town Lot No.16,1 as surveyed for the founding of Easton by William Parsons in 1752.2

Samuel Moore

1 The property next door (at 118 Northampton Street) has been identified consistently as being the eastern part of original town Lot No.15. See, e.g., Deed, Cihangir Ugucu (by Eminent Domain) to Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania, 2012-1-094905 (20 Apr. 1012). That makes the adjacent 120 Northampton Street property the western portion of Lot No.16. See A.D. Chidsey, Jr., The Penn Patents in the Forks of the Delaware Plan of Easton, Map 2 (Vol. II of Publications of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society 1937). Indeed, early deeds for Lot No.15 did expressly identify the adjacent Lot to the East as No.16. See, e.g., Deed, John Abel and Jack Abel, Executors of the Will of Jacob Abel, to John Stewart and Joseph Howell, H4 1 (1 Apr. 1823).

2 See A.D. Chidsey, Jr., The Penn Patents in the Forks of the Delaware Plan of Easton, Map 2 (Vol. II of Publications of the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society 1937). See generally Richard F. Hope, Easton PA: A History 12-13 (AuthorHouse 2006).

According to notations by Penn Family clerks, the original town Lot No.16 was “Taken in Possession by John Green”.3 Green eventually owned several properties in the area, including Lot No.14 (located to the rear),4 and property on the North side of Northampton Street at the corner with Front Street (including what is now 101 Northampton Street).5 Green had come to Easton in approximately 1784 or ’85 at age 17.6 Like many others in Easton, Green had occupied property in town long before he formally acquired it from the Penn Family. For example, the Penn Family’s clerks specifically describe the property on the NW corner of Northampton and Front Streets as “Vacant – but fenced by John Green”.7

Green also owned a hotel on Northampton Street (now probably 137-39 Northampton Street); property at the SW corner of Centre Square and Northampton Street (now 30 Centre Square); and the land that later became the Easton Bank at 316 Northampton Street.8 Green also acquired “Mill property” in Greenwich Township, New Jersey, from his son Charles.9

John Green also operated the Easton ferry in 1792.10 When the Northampton Street bridge (also known as the Palmer Bridge, after its designer11) was completed in 1806,12 John Green became manager of the Delaware River Bridge Co. He also managed the

3 Charles de Krafft, Map of Easton Original Town Lots (from the collection of Luigi “Lou” Ferone (“Mr. Easton”) auctioned 27 Feb. 2010, said to have been used by the Penn clerks for notations to keep track of the town lots c.1779-1801)(original town Lot No.16).

4 See Deed, Deed, John Abel and Jack Abel, Executors of the Will of Jacob Abel, to John Stewart and Joseph Howell, H4 1 (1 Apr. 1823)(recital regarding the same of the eastern portion of Lot No.15, identifying John Green as the owner of Lot No.14 behind).

5 Deed, John Penn and Richard Penn to John Green, F11 659 (1802)(Lot Nos.17 and 18). 6 See Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 156-57 (George W. West 1885 /

1889)(one of the “first settlers” of Easton, died at age 88); Henry F. Marx (compiler), II Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1852 – 1870 Newspaper Extracts 318 (Easton Area Public Library 1934)(had been in Easton since age 17 – implying that he came to town in 1784 or ’85); accord, 1790 Census, Series M637, Roll 8, p.266; see 1800 Census, Series M32, Roll 37, p.536; 1810 Census, Series M252, Roll 51, p.165; 1820 Census, Series M33, Roll 104, p.250. See also William J. Heller, Historic Easton From the Window of a Trolley-Car 151 (The Express Printing Co., Inc., 1912, reprinted by Genealogical Researchers, 1984).

Condit’s History (at 157) indicates that John Green of Northampton Street (the early Easton settler who died in 1854) had a brother named Benjamin Green (both from the same father, Richard Green). Benjamin Green owned property at what became 83 North Fourth Street. Benjamin also had a son named John Green (hence a nephew of the Northampton Street John Green). The John Green of North 4th Street died in 1870. Compare separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the Green Family Homestead at 83 North 4th Street.

7 Charles de Krafft, Map of Easton Original Town Lots (from the collection of Luigi “Lou” Ferone (“Mr. Easton”) auctioned 27 Feb. 2010, said to have been used by the Penn clerks for notations to keep track of the town lots c.1779-1801). That map also indicates that John Green had taken possession and built a house on original town Lot No.18 before it was officially sold to him by the Penn Family.

8 See separate www.WalkingEaston.com entries for these addresses, and the sources cited therein.

9 Will of John Green, Northampton County File No.6245, WB 7 86, RW-29 Frame 1556 et seq., ¶ First (filed for probate 24 March 1854)(this property was to be sold by the executors to pay off the debts of the estate).

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Easton Water Co., and was a founder and the President of the Fire Insurance Company of Northampton County.13

The Penn Family clerks’s notation, despite noting Green’s possession, also states that “Saml. Moore to be ejeuect” [ejected?] from Lot No.16. Their similar notation on the adjacent land at the corner of Northampton and Front Streets states that land was “Left for room for the Ferry Road but taken in Possn by Saml Moore. Ejectent”14 Samuel Moore and John Green were in fact connected, both as a matter of business (Moore owned the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River ferry operated by Green in 1792),15 and by family relationship (John Green was a cousin to both Samuel Moore and to his wife, Sarah Green Moore).16 Thus, John Green’s illicit occupation of the land was directly related to the Penn Family’s clerks noting their intention to evict both Green and (next door) Samuel Moore from the land.

A Moore Family history shows a (largely unclear) picture of the “Old Moore House” on East Northampton Street, which it says was built by Samuel Moore in 1782.17

14 Charles de Krafft, Map of Easton Original Town Lots (from the collection of Luigi “Lou” Ferone (“Mr. Easton”) auctioned 27 Feb. 2010, said to have been used by the Penn clerks for notations to keep track of the town lots c.1779-1801).

15 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 245-46 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903). The property rights in New Jersey, as well as rights there to operate the ferry, appear to have passed by deeds there to others. See A.D. Chidsey, Jr., A Frontier Village: Pre-Revolutionary Easton 52-53 & nn.50-54 (Vol. III of Publications of The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society 1940).

16 Mrs. Samuel Moore, Sarah Green, was a cousin to John Green. See Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 156-57 (George W. West 1885 / 1889). Since Sarah Green was also Samuel Green’s first cousin (a fact remarked upon in connection with their wedding on 27 September 1781, the year before they had moved to Pennsylvania), that makes John Green also a cousin of Samuel Moore’s by blood as well as marriage. See James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 247-48 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903)(based upon Samuel Moore’s copy of John Wesley’s Christian Library containing family notations).

Their daughter, Rebecca, appears to have noted in her copy of John Wesley’s Christian Library given to her by her father when she was 12 years old, that

“Sammuel Moore and Sarah green was mar’d September the 27 1781.” Id. 10 Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 47 (George W. West 1885 / 1889). 11 Frank T. Dale, Bridges Over the Delaware River: A History of Crossings 70-71 (Rutgers

University Press 2003); Frank Talbot Dale, Our Delaware River Ferries 10 (County Chronicles Book #16, June 2002).

12 A.D. Chidsey, Jr., A Frontier Village: Pre-Revolutionary Easton 53 (Vol. III of Publications of The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society 1940); Frank T. Dale, Bridges Over the Delaware River: A History of Crossings 69-70 (Rutgers University Press 2003); William W. Carling, Northampton County Studies in Our Community 16 (Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society, sponsor; Easton Area Public Library accession stamp 8 April 1940). See generally separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the “Free Bridge” at the bottom of Northampton Street.

13 Henry F. Marx (compiler), II Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1852 – 1870 Newspaper Extracts 318 (Easton Area Public Library 1934).

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Samuel Moore came from New Jersey, where he was “left an orphan at the age of fourteen.” His father had been called out seventeen times as a Minute Man during the Revolution. Nonetheless, Moore does not appear to have been left without financial resources. Moore’s “New Mansion” in Easton became “the occasion of much delight and surprise to the neighboring housewives” when he laid a “rag carpet” on his floor, supposedly the first in Easton. Normally, “floors were covered with clean white sand in which various designs were worked with a stick.” In addition, Moore passed down to his descendants items of “cut glass, silverware and mahogany furniture” showing that his life style was more elegant than many of his neighbors – “Samuel Moore was evidently a man of means.”18 In Easton, part of Moore’s well-being derived from his purchase of the Easton Ferry, as well as David Martin’s old Ferry Hotel.19 As owner, he did not actually act as ferryman – as we have seen, John Green (his relative and neighbor across Northampton Street20) operated the ferry in 1792.21 Samuel Moore “also did an extensive business in building and cabinet-making and had many men on his pay-roll.”22 His shop business was noted in a Shop Blotter containing entries from 1759-99, and some transferred account entries from an earlier Blotter dating back to Doctor Ledlie’s first charge on 10 May 1787. Among others, Easton businessmen John Innes and John Titus worked at one time in Samuel Moore’s store.23 Samuel Moore also had land interests throughout Northampton County, and purchased land in western Pennsylvania, in part as shown by documents that were later recovered from his old clock, year later.24

The Penn Family ultimately found a way to break the ejectment deadlock with Moore and Green: they sold Lot No.16 to somebody else: John Gordon, according to their clerks’s map notation.25 Although a search of the Courthouse deeds index failed to locate any recorded deed to Gordon, nevertheless a subsequent deed by Gordon indicates that the date of the sale was 5 July 1793.26 Other authority confirms that Gordon was the original formal owner of that Lot.27 John Gordon was apparently the oldest son of Lewis

17 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 246 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

18 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 245-46 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

19 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 245-46 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

20 See separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 101 Northampton Street. 21 Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 47 (George W. West 1885 / 1889). 22 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his

Descendants 246 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903). 23 Id. at 247. 24 Id. at 246. 25 Charles de Krafft, Map of Easton Original Town Lots (from the collection of Luigi “Lou”

Ferone (“Mr. Easton”) auctioned 27 Feb. 2010, said to have been used by the Penn clerks for notations to keep track of the town lots c.1779-1801).

26 A reference to a deed by John Penn the Elder and John Penn the Younger to John Gordon dated 5 July 1793 appears in Deed, John Gordon (by attorney) to John Green, F2 546 (22 Jan. 1801).

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Gordon,28 who had been Easton’s first resident lawyer.29 In 1801 John Gordon was identified as a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, and the property sale in Easton was done through an attorney.30 There is no indication that John Gordon actively occupied the Northampton Street property in Easton. In fact, John’s brother Alexander became a citizen of Alexandria, Virginia, and the father of a prominent family there.31 Indeed, when another Gordon brother, William, got into trouble for an act of rowdyism in Easton and had to flee town, he escaped to Alexandria to avoid prosecution,32 emphasizing how remote the two communities were from each other legally at this time.

In 1795 -- two years after Lot No.16 was sold to John Gordon – the Penn Family apparently followed up their gambit by obtaining an agreement from Samuel Moore to buy the property at the corner of Northampton and Front Streets. However, there is no indication that this agreement was ever recorded or consummated during Moore’s lifetime. His descendants ultimately settled the matter with the Penn Family.33

In 1799, Moore visited the opening frontier land near Lake Erie. “Upon his return he announced that he had purchased land enough to make his whole family very wealthy. He walked up Northampton Street, and in a few minutes was stricken with apoplexy, and died at the southeast corner of Centre Square. This land was said to be at Painted Post, N.Y., but after a thorough examination, no deed has been found.”34 Sarah Moore noted her husband’s death date as 9 March 1799 in a copy of John Wesley’s Christian Library that had been given to their daughter, Rebecca, when Rebecca was 12 years old.35

After Samuel Moore death, he was buried in the Lutheran churchyard at 4th and Ferry Streets.36 Moore’s estate was worth £600, and there was no will. As noted above, the real estate was divided among his heirs in Orphans Court in 1816.37

30 Deed, John Gordon (by attorney) to John Green, F2 546 (22 Jan. 1801). 31 Armistead C. Gordon, Gordons in Virginia 109-10 (William M. Clemens 1918). 32 Lewis Gordon had been ostracized and placed under arrest during the revolution by

Easton politician Robert Levers. In 1785, a small mob of them, including a son and grandson of Easton’s first lawyer Lewis Gordon, broke down the door of Levers’s house one night armed with “stones, tomahawks and axes”, terrified his family, and allegedly assaulted Levers himself such that his health declined and he died three years later, in 1788. Four of the five men accused of the riot escaped punishment by fleeing to Virginia. See George E. McCracken, “Col. Robert Levers of Pennsylvania”, 55 The American Genealogist 129, 141 (July 1979)(William Gordon, son and Alexander Gordon, grandson, together with James Taylor, Lewis Gordon’s son-in-law but son of Declaration signer George Taylor, as well as James Pettigrew, collector of excise, and Michael Shall, Bethlehem constable); William J. Heller, Historic Easton From the Window of a Trolley-Car 149-50 (The Express Printing Co., Inc., 1912, reprinted by Genealogical Researchers, 1984).

33 Formal title to portions of that Lot were purchased by Samuel Moore’s heirs in 1818, long after Samuel Moore’s death in 1799. The 1818 deed make reference to the earlier (apparently unconsummated) land sale agreement. See Deed, John Penn the Younger and William (Juliana Catherine) Penn to Martha Moore and Sarah G. Moore, F5 17 (3 Dec. 1818); John Penn the Younger and William (Juliana Catherine) Penn to Edmund (Mary) Porter, F5 17 (3 Dec. 1818).

34 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 246 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

35 Id. at 247.

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The Moore Estate

The longstanding dispute over Green’s and Moore’s occupancy of Lot No.16 was finally resolved in 1801, after John Moore’s death. In that year, the Penn Family’s alternate purchaser, John Gordon, sold his title to that Lot to John Green, acting as the administrator for Samuel Moore’s estate. That deed described the land to the East of it (i.e. the land supposedly left for the ferry road) as ground in the tenure of Samuel Moore, deceased,38 without reference to the lack of formal consummation of the agreement there.

A painting of Easton apparently done shortly after 1810 show a jumble of seven buildings on the South side of Northampton Street just past the end of the new bridge. The grouping includes one 2-story house roughly in the middle of the group, with gray walls (which could indicate it was built of stone).39 These seven buildings would likely have belonged to the Moore property. They may reflect multiple members of the family utilizing the land with different structures.

In 1815, one of Samuel Moore’s nine children – Elizabeth, represented by her husband, William B. Mott – petitioned to have John Moore’s real estate divided up, rather than continuing it as part of a unified estate.40 Accordingly, the Sheriff (then hotelkeeper William “Chippy” White) assembled a “inquisition” of prominent Easton property owners, who advised that the land could not be divided into 9 pieces to accommodate everyone, but could be divided into six portions without impairing the overall value. This was done; the particular children accepting each of these six “Portions” are summarized in the following table:41

1 Elizabeth Sarah (William A.) Mott 24’ 5” (at SE corner with Water Street, 108’ deep)

$ 2,250

2 Mary Moore 24’ 5” 1,350

3 Martha Moore 24’ 7” (with “stone messuage”) 2,550

4 Samuel Moore (Jr.) 24’ 5” 1,650

5 Phoebe (William) Kelly Not specified by Orphan’s Court. Also 24’ 5”, as calculated from other sources.42

1,250

36 James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 248 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

37 See Deed, Martha Moore to Sarah Moore, F5 16 (18 Aug. 1818)(half interest in “Stone Messuage and Lot”, located beginning 48’ 10” from “Water” street, which was Portion No.3 in the 19 Jan. 1816 partition of the Estate of Samuel Moore).

42 The six Moore Estate “Portions” had a total frontage on Northampton Street of 146’ 8”. This can be calculated from the 1861 partition deed between Benjamin Ihrie and Jacob H. Wilking, which specified that the land partitioned had a frontage of 97’ 10”, starting 48’ 10” from Water Street. The sum of those two measurements is 146’ 8”.

The sum of the frontages of Portions 1 through 4 plus “Portion No.6”, as shown in the table above, is 122’ 3”. Subtracting this from the total frontage of 146’ 8”, gives a frontage of 24’ 5” for “Portion No.5” alone.

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6 Rebecca Kelly 24’ 5” (120’ deep) 1,350

At the same time, a 12’ alley was established in the rear of the first five “Portions”, apparently to allow rear access to each of the interior properties.43

“Portion No.6” was the most westerly of the portions established when Samuel Moore’s estate was “partitioned” (i.e., split up). It was valued at $1,350, and accepted by Rebecca Kelly,44 the second-oldest daughter, who married Samuel Kelly.

Two other Moore sisters also married Kelly men – the older sister Phebe Moore, who married William Kelly, and a younger sister Nancy Moore, who married Thomas Kelly.45

This calculation is confirmed by later deeds. Deed, George (Sarah) Vogel to Martha Moore, G5 735 (25 Oct. 1831)(lot with frontage of 24’ 5” on Northampton Street X 108’ deep).

27 C.G. Beitel, Original Plan of Easton (1859)(map hanging in Marx Room, Easton Area Public Library).

28 Armistead C. Gordon, Gordons in Virginia 109 (William M. Clemens 1918)(available on Heritage Quest)(oldest son of Lewis Gordon was John Gordon, born in Easton in 1755).

See also Will of Lewis Gordon, Northampton County Orphans Court, File No. 853 (will proved 22 Sept. 1778). The Orphans Court microfilm record is largely obstructed and illegible, but the operative text of the will was transcribed and included as a recital in the Indenture Tripartite, Isaac (Mary) Willis, Thomas (Margaret) Newman, and Ann Affleck; and George Taylor and Jacob Arndt Jr., C2 536 (28 Apr. 1796). It identifies John Gordon (a co-executor of Lewis Gordon’s estate) as being his oldest son.

29 E.g., A.D. Chidsey, Jr., A Frontier Village: Pre-Revolutionary Easton 234-35, 242-43 (Vol. III of Publications of the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society 1940)(Buildings Nos. 11 and 15).

38 Deed, John Gordon (by attorney) to John Green, Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Moore, F2 546 (22 Jan. 1801).

39 The painting was donated by the H.P. Kinsey Company to the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society, and currently hangs in the Sigal Museum. A black-and-white rendering of the painting appeared in H.P. Kinsey Company, 1813-1963 Our One Hundred fifty Years unnumbered pages 13-14 (Easton: 5 Nov. 1963), under the caption “EASTON IN 1810, FROM THE OLDEST PAINTING OF THE TOWN IN EXISTENCE”.

40 Estate of Samuel Moore, 8 Orphan’s Court 628 (11 Sept. 1815). The nine children were:

1. Phebe (also spelled Phoebe), who married William Kelly 2. Rebecca, who married Samuel Kelly 3. Mary 4. Elizabeth, who married William B. Mott 5. Nancy, who married Thomas Kelly 6. Martha 7. Sarah 8. Samuel (the only son); and 9. Abigail.

William B. Mott (married to Elizabeth) was the one who petitioned to have the property divided. 41 Estate of Samuel Moore, 9 Orphan’s Court 5 (Northampton County 24 Nov. 1815)(six

“Portions” established, described and valued); 9 Orphan’s Court 19 (Northampton County 19 Jan. 1816)(acceptances of Portion Nos.1 through 5); 9 Orphan’s Court 77 (Northampton County 27 Nov. 1816)(acceptance of Portion No.6).

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Rebecca and Samuel Kelly (then residents of Philadelphia) sold their “Portion No.6” immediately to Joseph Morgan, a cabinet maker, for $1,402.46 Morgan resold it for $1,600 to gunsmith Peter Young just over a year later (in 1817). That deed indicated that a frame building was then on the property.47 In 1828, Young sold it back to the Moore Family, when Martha Moore purchased it for $1,344.39.48 Martha was a “spinster” daughter of Samuel and Sarah Moore, who had been born on 3 October 1789,49 the sixth-oldest of the children.50 Over the years, Martha Moore re-acquired title to all but one of the “Portions” of her father’s land.51 In addition, Martha purchased other properties in Easton, doing real estate deals with Euphemia Wall.52

In 1844 Martha Moore sold an eastern strip of her land to “Victualler” (butcher) John Bornmann,53 but retained the rest of her property. However, in 1851 her remaining

43 A later deed confirmed that the alley at the rear of the properties had been “laid out for the mutual use of all the Lots belonging to the Estate of the late Samuel Moore”. Deed, Martha Moore to John Bornmann, B7 223 (1 Jan. 1844)(recitals); see also Deed, Samuel Moore to Martha Moore, F5 15 (11 Nov. 1817)(“alley which has been laid out and devoted to the use of this and other contiguous Lots”).

The modern Northampton County Tax Records map shows this alley extending today all along the back of the Sherer Building property. See www.ncpub.org.

44 Estate of Samuel Moore, 9 Orphan’s Court 77 (Northampton County 27 Nov. 1816)(acceptance of Portion No.6).

45 Estate of Samuel Moore, 8 Orphan’s Court 628 (11 Sept. 1815).46 Deed, Rebecca Kelly (by her Attorney, Samuel Moore) to Joseph Morgan, C4 199 (5

Apr. 1868)(sale price $1,402 for property measuring 24’ 5” on Northampton Street X 120’ deep, “Portion No.6” in Samuel Moore’s Estate, formerly part of original town Lot No.16); see also Release (Deed Poll), John Green to Joseph Morgan, C4 200 (5 Apr. 1817)(confirming that his purchase of formal title from John Gordon had been solely as a fiduciary for the estate).

47 Deed, Joseph Morgan to Peter Young, C4 398 (30 Dec. 1817)(sale price $1,600 for “Frame Tenement and Lot” measuring 24’ 5” X 120’).

48 Deed, George ( ) Vogel to Martha Moore, G5 735 (25 Oct. 1831). 49 Her birth was noted in handwriting, in Rebecca Moore’s copy of John Wesley’s Christian

Library. James W. Moore, Rev. John Moore of Newtown, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants 247 (Lafayette College, printed by The Chemical Publishing Company 1903).

50 Estate of Samuel Moore, 8 Orphan’s Court 628 (11 Sept. 1815). 51 Deed, Mary Porter to Martha Moore, F5 19 (10 June 1829)(Portion No.2); Estate of

Samuel Moore, 9 Orphan’s Court 5 (Northampton County 24 Nov. 1815)(Portion No.3); Deed, Samuel Moore [Jr.] to Martha Moore, F5 15 (11 Nov. 1817)(Portion No.4); Deed, George ( ) Vogel to Martha Moore, G5 735 (25 Oct. 1831)(Portion No.5); Deed, Peter (Ann) Young to Martha Moore, F5 18 (16 May 1828)(Portion No.6).

52 Deed, Jacob (Elizabeth) Mixsell to Martha Moore, F5 20 (12 June 1829)(sale price $765 for “Messuage or Tenement” at the NW corner of Jackson Street and a public alley (identified in later deeds as Church Alley, measuring 134’ 6” on Jackson Street X 100’ on Church Alley, part of original town Lot Nos.25, 27 and 29); Deed, Martha Moore to Euphemia Wall, F5 21 (15 June 1829)(sale price $177.50 for parcel at the NW corner of Jackson Street and an alley measuring 53’ 6” on Jackson Street X 100’ on the alley, part of original town Lot Nos.27 and 29); Deed, Martha Moore to Euphemia Wall, A6 135 (26 Jan. 1835)(sale price $900 for parcel at the NW corner of Jackson Street and Church Alley, part of original town Lot Nos.25 and 27, measuring 81’ on Jackson Street X 100’ on Church Alley).

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property (then with over 97’ of frontage on Northampton Street) was seized by the Sheriff, and sold to Benjamin Ihrie and Jacob H. Wilking. The seizure was required to pay a debt of $184.20 (plus $4.12 ½ ) owned to “Leland & Guion”. The seized property contained three buildings, described by the Sheriff as:

“a double Stone dwelling House 40 feet by 30 and two Stories High”;

“a Frame dwelling House 20 ft by 25 ft and two Stories high”; and

“a frame dwelling House 18 ft. by 22 ft 3 inches and one Story high”.54

Unfortunately, the Sheriff did not specify on which part of the Moore property these buildings stood. However, since only one of these building is described as being built of stone, that one must have been the stone house that had been built by Samuel Moore in 1782.

One of the two joint purchasers from the Sheriff was Jacob H. Wilking, a “Merchant Tailor”,55 who was apparently the owner of the Wilking Building at 208-10 Northampton Street.56 In 1855, his shop was advertised as “The Oldest, Safest, and Surest Tailoring Establishment in Easton”.57 The other purchaser was Benjamin Ihrie, probably the owner of the Benjamin Ihrie Building at 100 South 3rd Street, and a product of the Ihrie Family dynasty in Easton. They descended from Col. Peter Kichline of Revolutionary War fame, and also included descendants of the Bixler Family as well.58

The Ihrie-Wilking property was apparently leased out. In 1860, Dennis Collins conducted an oyster restaurant at 12 Northampton Street (under the street numbering plan then in effect), and resided in the building.59 By 1864, this “restaurant and saloon” was listed to E. Collins.60

See also Deed, John Ludwig, Administrator of Estate of George Dingler, to Martha Moore, A6 134 (10 Feb. 1831)(described as a “Messuage Tenement and Lot”, part of Lot No. 40, sale price $900); Deed, Martha Moore to Euphemia Wall, A6 134 (26 Jan. 1835)(sale price $900 for parcel at NE corner of Spring Garden and Fermor (later called 2nd) Streets, measuring 95’ on Spring Garden Street X 29’ on Fermor Street).

See also Deed, George Ihrie to Martha Moore, C5 384 (2 Apr. 1827); Deed, Martha Moore and Euphemia Wall to Frederick Wagner, H8 431 (10 May 1827)(sale price $300 for parcel of land measuring 90’ X 115’ on an alley running between Northampton Street and Ferry Street [probably now called Green Street] located between Front and Fermor Streets, bordering John Nicholas’s Lot No.6 on the South).

53 Deed, Martha Moore to John Bornmann, B7 223 (1 Jan. 1844)(sale price $1,000 for parcel beginning 24’ 5” from Water Street, with 24’ 5” frontage along Northampton Street X 108’ deep to a private alley “laid out for the mutual use of the Lots belonging to the Estate of the late Samuel Moore”, with “Frame tenement, Brick Dwelling house”).

54 Deed Poll, John Bachman, Sheriff, for Martha Moore, to Benjamin Ihrie and Jacob H. Wilking, D8 480 and Sheriff 2 124 (29 Apr. 1851)(sale price $5,560 for “A Certain Messuage Lot” measuring 97’ 10” on Northampton Street X 120’ deep). Compare with Partition Deed between Benjamin (Mary H.) Ihrie and Jacob H. (Margaret) Wilking), C10 466 (4 Mar. 1861)(identifies the land to be partitioned as having a frontage of 97’ 10” on Northampton Street, beginning 48’ 10” from Water Street, with the land to the East identified as having formerly been occupied by Martha Moore). The combination of the property frontage and the distance from Water Street is 146’ 8”.

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In 1861, Benjamin Ihrie and Jacob H. Wilking split up (partitioned) their Moore land holdings. Benjamin Ihrie took the western section, beginning 4 ½ inches from the “Easternmost gable end wall of the Brick Building . . . Erected by . . . Frederick Wagner on his . . . adjoining Lot”. Ihrie’s portion extended 52 feet down Northampton Street. Wilking got the residue eastern portion of the property, extending 45 feet and 10” on Northampton Street.61

In 1865, Benjamin Ihrie (then a resident of Jersey City, N.J.) split up his parcel by selling the eastern part (including a building) to James Lewis, for $1,500.62 He then sold the western piece (located next to Frederick Wagner, also with a building) in 1866 for $1,500. The purchasers of this western parcel were Benjamin Hiveley and George Schooley. This western piece, which had a 25’ frontage on Northampton Street, thus appears to be the property that later became the Kurlansik Building.63 Hiveley sold his half interest to George Schooley in 1870, for $1,50064 – implying that the value of the property had doubled since 1865. At that time, George Schooley was keeping the saloon

61 Partition Deed between Benjamin (Mary H.) Ihrie and Jacob H. (Margaret) Wilking), C10 466 (4 Mar. 1861)(Benjamin Ihrie’s portion to start 4 ½” in the “Easternmost gable End wall of the Brick Building or tenement, Erected by said Frederick Wagner on his Said adjoining Lot then Eastwardly along the South Side of Northampton Street”).

55 See Partition Deed between Benjamin (Mary H.) Ihrie and Jacob H. (Margaret) Wilking), C10 466 (4 Mar. 1861)(recitals).

56 See C[harles] Kitchen, A General Directory of the Borough of Easton PA 59 (Cole & Eichman’s Office, 1855)(then numbered 52 Northampton Street). See generally www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the Wilking Building at 208-10 Northampton Street.

57 Advertisement for J.H. Wilking, EASTON ARGUS, Thurs., 5 July 1855, p.4, col. 6-7 (“next door to R.S. Chidsey’s Large Iron Store” – see separate entry for Parking Lot at 212-18 Northampton Street).

58 See www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the Benjamin Ihrie Building at 100 South 3rd Street, and authorities cited therein.

59 William H. Boyd, Boyd’s Directory of Reading, Easton, [Etc.] 119 and business listing (William H. Boyd 1860)(business listing ). The next higher listing found during that time period was for the National Hotel at No.18, more familiar today as the half of the Gerver House that still remains at 128 Northampton Street. (See entry for this location.)

60 Talbot’s Lehigh Valley Gazetteer and Business Directory 1864-65 7 (Press of Wynkoop & Hallenbeck 1864).

62 Deed, Benjamin (Mary H.) Ihrie to James Lewis, E11 359 (30 Oct. 1865)(sale price $1,500 for “Messuage or Tenement” measuring 27’ on Northampton Street X 108’ deep, located next to Jacob H. Wilking’s property). 63 Deed, Benjamin (Mary H.) Ihrie to Benjamin Heireley and George Schooley, G11 58 (10

May 1866)(sale price $1,500 for “messuage or tenement” and property measuring 25’ on Northampton Street X 120’ deep, between other property that had belonged to Benajamin Ihrie on the East, and property occupied by Frederick Wagner on the West).

64 Deed, Benjamin Hiveley to George Schooley, G12 475 (1 Apr. 1870).

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on the property, then with the address of 12 Northampton Street65 -- evidently a successor to the Collins oyster restaurant of 1860 (see above).

Fields’s Saloon

In 1873, George Schooley sold the Northampton Street saloon property to Daniel S. Fields (also spelled Field).66 Schooley thereafter became a teamster.67 Field also owned a half-interest in the National Hotel located a few doors up Northampton Street.68

In 1874, when Easton’s modern street numbering scheme was inaugurated, D. Schenck Fields’s Saloon was located at 118 Northampton Street,.69 Based upon the evolution of the surrounding addresses, the Kurlansik Building property is the likely successor to Schooley’s saloon at 12 Northampton Street in the prior years.70 Field – known alternatively as D.S. Field and Daniel S. Field – continued to run the saloon/restaurant until 1877. In that year, he also included a “sale stables” at the same location.71 However, he appears to have retired from the saloon by 1879, and become simply a boarder in the National Hotel.72

Daniel Field’s partner in the National Hotel, William Hartpence, died in 1881,73 and Fields briefly took over operation of the hotel74 before turning it over to Robert Gerver75 (who renamed it the Gerver House76).

By 1883, he appears to have focussed on his “sale stable” business, and lived at 234 Ferry Street.77

The Garniers

In 1885, Jonas Levy, clothier, is listed as occupying commercial space in the building.78 Two years later (in 1887), building owner Field sold the saloon property to Adrian Garnier in 1887, for $6,000.79 Garnier used it for his store selling “house furnishings” (later characterized as “stoves and hardware”), with his son Lafayette acting as his clerk. By the early 20th Century, Lafayette had become a partner in the business.80

65 Fitzgerald & Dillon, Easton Directory for 1870-71 74 (Ringwalt & Brown 1870); 1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 1382, p.3 (front)(George Schooley, age 36, Saloon Keeper, with Elizabeth Schooley (age 35, Keeping House) and another Elizabeth Schooley (age 77), plus 5 children with ages between 3 and 18); Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 149-50 (1873).

66 Deed, George Schooley to Daniel S. Fields, D14 60 (1 Apr. 1873)(sale price $4,800 for “Messuage Tenement” on property measuring 25’ on Northampton Street X 120 deep).

Schooley apparently continued in the saloon business elsewhere in town. He was still listed as a saloon keeper in Easton’s Bushkill Ward in the 1880 Census.

67 1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 1161, p.376D (Geo. Schooley (age 43), teamster, with Wife Elizabeth (age 43) and 5 children with ages between 4 and 21, two of whom apparently overlap the 1870 Census results).

68 Deed, Joseph Howell to William F. Hartpence and Daniel S. Field, A12 317 (1 Apr. 1867); see www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 128 Northampton Street.

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A picture dated to 1905 appears to show an extremely short building, perhaps only two stories high, at this location (between the Sherer Building and the Bricker Apartment Building). Although the photograph is not clear, the gable of the building that then stood next door (at 120 Northampton) is clearly visible towering over this location.81

This short building of 1905 was clearly different from the Kurlansik Building of today.

Adrian Garnier died in 1910.82 His will required $4,000 of the value of the Northampton Street property to be left to his daughter Pauline, but the rest was left to his son Lafayette Garnier (provided he continued a “Building Loan” until the mortgage was “liquidated”). Lafayette also got the goods in the store kept on the premises, and the

81 See Ronald W. Wynkoop, Sr., The Golden Years 177 (self published 1970)(1905 photograph of “Shere Brothers Clothing Store” in substantially the building of today. ); Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 2008 Calendar unnumbered p.77 (Buscemi Enterprises 2007)(same 1905 photograph).

69 Article, “The New Numbers”, EASTON DAILY FREE PRESS, Friday, 21 Nov. 1873, p.3 (to be assigned No.118); see also. D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874)(D.S. Fields).

70 In 1873, the numbers on either side of the at 12 Northampton Street were 10 Northampton Street, listed to Wilson H. Hildebrand, and 14 Northampton Street, listed to Charles Dawes. See Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 81, 63 (1873).

With the inauguration of the modern street numbering scheme in 1874, these two addresses evolved to addresses on either side of 118 Northampton Street. Specifically, the residences of W.H. Hildebrand and Charles Dawes were assigned the numbers 114 and 122 Northampton Street, respectively. The saloon of D. Schenck Fields at 118 Northampton lies directly between those two numbers, and is thus the likely successor to the Schooley restaurant/saloon. [No.120 was not assigned, while No.116 was the fancy goods store of J.E. Morton.] See Article, “The New Numbers”, EASTON DAILY FREE PRESS, Friday, 21 Nov. 1873, p.3.

118 Northampton Street is the modern address of the Kurlansik Building. See Northampton County Tax Records map, www.ncpub.org.

71 Webb Bros. & Co., Webb’s Easton and Phillipsburg Directory 1875-76 48 (M.J. Riegel 1875)(Daniel S. Field, saloon at 118 Northampton Street, boards at 130 Northampton Street [i.e. at the National Hotel]); J.H. Lant, Easton [Etc.] Directory for 1877 73 (M.J. Riegel 1877)(D.S. Field, restaurant and sale stables at 118 Northampton Street). Accord, D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874)(“National Hotel” at the corner of Northampton and Green Streets, with “D.S. Fields” two buildings to the East).

72 J.H. Lant, Easton, [Etc,] Directory for 1879 78, 123 (M.J. Riegel 1879)(no occupation listed).

73 Henry F. Marx (compiler), III Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1871 – 1884 Newspaper Extracts 685 (Easton Area Public Library 1935)(William S. Hartpence died 23 Dec. 1881, age 73).

74 See J.H. Lant & Son, Easton [Etc.] Directory 1881-2 40 (1881)(D.S. Fields). One source claims that it was Mr. Fields who, in 1883, sold the National Hotel to Robert Gerver, who renamed it the Gerver House. Leonard S. Buscemi Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 1999 Calendar unnumbered p.18 (Buscemi Enterprises 1998).

75 Leonard S. Buscemi Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 1999 Calendar unnumbered p.18 (Buscemi Enterprises 1998); accord, Obituary, “Robert Gerver, Hotel Man, Dead – Aged Proprietor Was a Familiar Figure About the City”, EASTON EXPRESS, Sat., 23 Aug. 1913, p.5, col.2.

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horse and wagon that had been used in connection with that business.83 Lafayette himself died shortly thereafter, leaving the Northampton Street property (subject to an $8,100 mortgage) to Tunis S. Garnier, his son,84 who continued the hardware business under the name of “A.B. Garnier’s Son”.85 It was Tunis Garnier who sold the property to Frank Kurlansik in 1920.86

The Kurlansik Building

Frank Kurlansik had immigrated from Russia at age 11 in 1886. His wife, Hilda, also immigrated from Russia two years later. Both spoke Hebrew as their mother

76 Floyd S. Bixler, The History with Reminiscences of the Early Taverns and Inns of Easton, Paper read before the Northampton County Historical Society on 25 Oct. 1930, at 9 (Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society 1931); accord, William J. Heller, Historic Easton From the Window of a Trolley-Car 151-52 (The Express Printing Co., Inc., 1912, reprinted by Genealogical Researchers, 1984). See generally www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 128 Northampton Street.

77 J.H. Lant, Easton [Etc.] Directory for 1883-4 46 (J.H. Lant 1883). 78 W.M.R. Williamson (Manager), Ferris Bros. Northampton County Directory 1885 83,

186 (Wilmington DE: Ferris Bros. 1885). 79 Deed, Daniel S. Field to Adrian Garnier, D19 537 (1 Apr. 1887). 80 See George W. West (compiler), Directory of Easton [Etc.] 102 (George W. West 1894)

(A.B. Garnier, house furnishing, at 118 Northampton Street, house at 119 South 3rd Street with Lafayette S. Garnier, a “clerk”); George W. West (compiler), Directory of Easton [Etc.] 84 (George W. West 1896)(A.B. Garnier, merchant, at 118 Northampton Street, house at 119 South 3rd); George W. West (compiler), Directory of Easton City 93 (George W. West 1906)(Garnier & Son, stoves and hardware, at 118 Northampton Street, operared by Lafayette S. (Kate) Garnier and A.B. Garnier, merchants, residents at 119 South 3rd Street); George W. West (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton 118 (West Job Printing House 1908)(same but L.S. Garnier again characterized as a “clerk” rather than as a “merchant”).

82 Estate of Adrian B. Garnier, File No.18693 (Orphan’s Court Index entry lists date of death as 11 Sept. 1910).

83 Will of Adrian B. Garnier, in Orphan’s Court Estate File No.18693, Will Book 18 at 314 (proved 1910), paragraphs “First” and “Third”. In the “Second” paragraph, Lafayette also inherited his father’s partial interest in a store on Green Street.

84 Will of Lafayette S. Garnier, Orphan’s Court Estate File No.23662, 22 Will Book 571 (25 June 1918)(property 25’ on Northampton Street X 120’, next to land occupied by W.E. (Sallie M.R.) Howell, subject to to an $8,100 mortgage to Mrs. Georgianna C. Quiri). The will facts are recited in Deed, Tunis S. Garnier to Frank Kurlansik, G47 2 (26 June 1920). See also 1910 Census, Series T624, Roll 1381, p.9A (Tunis Garnier, age 17, grandson in the home of retail hardware merchant Adrian B. Garnier, age 80, and his son (presumably Tunis’s father) retail hardware merchant Lafayette Garnier, age 50).

85 See Charles M. Barnard (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton 252 (Charles M. Barnard 1920)(A.B. Barnier’s Son (Tunis Garnier), hardware at 118 Northampton Street).

86 Deed, Tunis S. Garnier to Frank Kurlansik, G47 2 (26 June 1920)(20’ front on Northampton Street, property between Sherer Bros on the East and W.R. Bricker on the West). Despite this 20’ frontage recital in the deed, it would appear that a 25’ frontage was probably meant (consistent with past deeds and the present property measurements), consistent with the modern value, in order to stretch between the two adjacent buildings.

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tongue.87 After working as a beer bottler in Paterson, New Jersey and later living in New York,88 Kurlansik moved to Easton in 191589 and opened a liquor store.90 As Prohibition was introduced in 1919-20, he “went into private banking and real estate business”91 with no fewer than 8 real estate purchases in Easton in 1919 and 1920,92 including the Kurlansik Building property itself in 1920.93 As noted above, the modern building has a roof façade inscription that reads “Kurlansik 1920” which, in conjunction with the significant changes in the modern building from the one pictured in 1905 (as noted above), suggest that Frank Kurlansik either replaced the prior building, or made major building alterations. Frank Kurlansik’s own office was located in the Kurlansik Building in the mid-1920s.94

In 1925, apparently at the height of his fortune, Frank Kurlansik purchased Floyd Bixler’s mansion at 206 Spring Garden Street,95 and lived in that house for a time.96

87 1900 Census, Series T623, Roll 993, p.265A (Frank Kurlansik, age 25, living in Paterson City, NJ); but see 1920 Census, Series T625, Roll 1609, p.68B (Frank Kurlansik, and wife Hilda were born in Russia, and their mother tongue was Hebrew, but lists 1888 as the year that both immigrated); see generally Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, EASTON EXPRESS, Wednesday, 26 Sept. 1934, p.5, col.5 (member of the Temple Covenant of Peace in Easton).

88 1900 Census, Series T623, Roll 993, p.265A (Frank Kurlansik, beer bottler, living in Paterson City, NJ, daughter Avis age 1); 1920 Census, Series T625, Roll 1609, p.68B (Frank Kurlansik, daughter Avis age 20 born in New Jersey, son Lewis age 10 born in New York). See also Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, EASTON EXPRESS, Wednesday, 26 Sept. 1934, p.5, col.5 for a legible rendering of the children’s names.

89 Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, EASTON EXPRESS, Wednesday, 26 Sept. 1934, p.5, col.5.

90 Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, supra; see Charles M. Barnard (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton, Pennsylvania 327 (Union Publishing Co. 1918)(wholesale liquors at 127 Northampton Street); Charles M. Barnard (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton 343 (Charles M. Barnard 1920)(beverages at 127 Northampton Street). See separate entry for 121-27 Northampton Street.

91 Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, supra. 92 See Deed, Charles F. (Emma) Daub to Frank Kurlansik and Victor Silver, A46 648 (2

June 1919)(109-11-13 Northampton Street); Deed, Stephen (Mary) Villocchi to Frank Kurlansik, D46 545 (30 Sept. 1919)(property on East side of South Front Street); Deed, Davies-Strauss-Stauffer Co. to Frank Kurlansik, D46 613 (7 Oct. 1919)(NW corner of Third and Lehigh Streets); Deed, Vandeveer Real Estate Association to Frank Kurlansik, H46 387 (2 Feb. 1920)(property at 9th and Lehigh Streets); Deed, Chester B. (Alice J.) Fulmer to Frank Kurlansik, B47 46 (1 March 1920)(East Front Street property); Deed, Emma M. (Thomas) Murtaugh to Frank Kurlansik, B47 49 (10 March 1920)(146 Northampton Street, strip with frontage of only 13’ 10-1/2”); Deed, Matilda Taylor to Frank Kurlansik, H47 204 (31 Aug. 1920)(property on 9th Street).

93 Deed, Tunis S. Garnier to Frank Kurlansik, G47 2 (26 June 1920). 94 H.P. Delano (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton Pennsylvania 393 (Union

Publishing Co. Inc. 1925).

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However, he sold it back to Floyd Bixler’s daughter in 1931,97 perhaps as a result of financial difficulties accumulating during the Great Depression. In addition to investments, Mr. Kurlansik tried a number of other professions during the Prohibition Era, including coal dealer,98 banker and steamship agent,99 Third Street Garage,100 and Manager of Consumers Oil & Fuel Co. Inc.101 After Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Kurlansik returned to the liquor business as a beer distributor with a wine and liquor import license, but he died in the following year (1934).102 In 1934, the Kurlansik Building was sold by the Sheriff for debt to The Prudential Insurance Company of America.103

Prudential was able to sell the building in 1966 for $22,000 to Max and Claire Horn, while loaning the Horns 17,500 of the purchase price in a mortgage transaction.104 Mrs. Horn was the co-owner (with her son, Richard Horn) of the “Horn’s” women’s apparel shop, located in the Young Gun Shop Building at 349-51 Northampton Street beginning in 1961.105 Max Horn died on 4 August 1952, leaving title to his wife, who remarried Harry B. Kohler. In 1969, Claire Horn Kohler and her new husband sold the Kurlansik Building to Dorothy Karam Mawad.106

104 Deed, The Prudential Insurance Company of America to Max (Claire) Horn, G75 567 (6 Oct. 1966)(sale price $22,000, of which $17,500 was a mortgage).

105 See separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the Young Gun Shop Building at 349-51 Northampton Street, and sources cited therein.

106 Deed, Claire Horn (Harry B.) Kohler to Dorothy Karam Mawad, 359 592 (13 Nov. 1969).

95 Deed, Floyd S. Bixler to Frank Kurlansik, B54 252 (3 Feb. 1925). Kurlansik evidently gave a mortgage on the property back to Floyd Bixler. See Deed, Frank (Hilda) Kurlansik to Esther D. Bixler, D63 186 (22 June 1931)(recital).

96 See H.P. Delano (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton Pennsylvania 393 (Union Publishing Co. Inc. 1925); West’s Easton, Pa and Phillipsburg, NJ Directory 349 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1930).

97 Deed, Frank (Hilda) Kurlansik to Esther D. Bixler, D63 186 (22 June 1931). This 1931 Deed recites that Kurlansik’s purchase was subject to a mortgage given by Kurlansik to Floyd Bixler – who was Esther’s father. The existence of this mortgage, and the date, give rise to a speculation that Mr. Kurlansik may have been encouraged by the Great Depression to return the property to Miss Bixler instead of continuing to make mortage payments.

98 1920 Census, Series T625, Roll 1609, p.68B. 99 H.P. Delano (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton Pennsylvania 393 (Union

Publishing Co. Inc. 1925).100 West’s Easton, Pa and Phillipsburg, NJ Directory 349 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1930).101 West’s Easton, Pa and Phillipsburg, NJ Directory 159, 326 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1932)

(Consumers Oil & Fuel Co. Inc. located at 134 Canal Street, West Easton). 102 Obituary, “Frank Kurlansik Dies in Somerville”, EASTON EXPRESS, Wednesday, 26 Sept.

1934, p.5, col.5; accord, Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1935 281 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1935)(Hilda Kurlansik, widow of Frank Kurlansik, resident at 12 South Front Street).

103 Deed poll, Charles H. unangst, Seriff, for Frank Kurlansik, to The Prudential Insurance Company of America, E65 601 (12 Oct. 1934)(based upon a lawsuit by Prudential against Frank Kurlansik, mortagor, and Sadie F.A. (Joseph) Youngkin, “real owners”).

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By 1971, Dorothy Karam Mawad established her restaurant “Karam’s” at this address.107 This was the fourth iteration of “Karam’s Café”, which in the prior year had been run by Badway John Karam (her father) on South 3rd Street.108 Karam’s specialized in Lebanese food,109 and appears to have been a center of Easton’s Lebanese community.

The first Karam’s Café had opened in the 1930s at 315 Lehigh Street.

The second was on Northampton Street “near” 4th Street in the 1940s.

The third was at 147 South 3rd Street beginning in the late 1940s.110

Dorothy Karam Mawad was born in 1925 in Easton. In 1946, she was the Homecoming Queen at her college, the American University in Washington, D.C. She started work as a research chemist at Johns Hopkins University. In 1948, she married Emil Rachid Mawad,111 who had immigrated to America from Lebanon the year before. “Sheikh Emil”, as he was known in the Lebanese community after applying the appropriate Arabic honorific to his name, worked from 1951 until 1968 as a chief purser for the American Export Isbrandtsen Lines of New York.112 That was the “leading US-flag shipping company between the U.S. east coast and the Mediterranean” at that time, offering both cargo and passenger shipping.113 “Sheikh Emil” worked aboard some of the company’s best known passenger liners, including the SS Constitution and the SS Independence.114 Beginning in approximately 1963, the couple had made their residence back in Easton, in the rear of 311 Lehigh Street. While Emil (also sometimes spelled Emile) continued to work with the shipping line,115 Dorothy worked at “Barbara’s Wonder Bar”,116 located in the same building as their residence. This bar was owned and operated for 34 years by Mrs. Barbara Karam,117 Dorothy’s mother.118 Meanwhile, Dorothy’s father, Badway Karam,119 ran Karam’s Café at 147 South 3rd Street.120

107 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1971 250, 317 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1971). 108 Compare Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1970 240 (R.L. Polk & Co.

1970)(Karam’s Café at 147 South 3rd Street, proprietor listed as J. Karam Badway) with Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4 (daughter of Badway John Karam).

109 Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 2003 Calendar unnumbered pp. 14, 90 (2002).

110 Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 2003 Calendar unnumbered pp. 14, 32, 47, 90 (2002).

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Dorothy Karam Mawad’s “Karam’s” restaurant in the Kurlansik Building appears to have been a direct substitute for both her father’s “Karam’s Café” on South 3rd Street and “Dorothy’s Wonder Bar” on South 3rd and Lehigh Streets.121 Both of these establishments in Easton’s “Lebanese” district were apparently victims of the governmental “Urban Renewal” projects of that era.122 Along with the opening of the new restaurant in the Kurlansik Building, Mrs. Mawad became the resident in Apartment 1 in that building, while Mrs. Barbara M. Karam became the occupant of Apartment 2.123

“Karam’s” continued in the Kurlansik Building for ten years, until some point during 1981, when operation was taken over by Touma and Dorothea Toumeh under the name “Touma’s Cedar Restaurant”.124 Mrs. Mawad continued to own the building, and to

121 The 1971 City Directory no longer carried Karam’s Café or Barbara’s Wonder Bar, but instead substituted “Karam’s” restaurant at 118 Northampton Street (i.e. in the Kurlansik Building), with Mrs. Dorothy Karam Mawad as proprietor. Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1971 250, 317 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1971); accord, Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1972 250 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1972). See also Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4 (retired in 1970 after 34 years of operating Barbara’s Wonder Bar).

122 See Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 2003 Calendar unnumbered pp. 14, 32, 47, 90 (2002)(Karam’s Café removed by “Redevelopment” in the 1970s). By implication, Barbara’s Wonder Bar at Lehigh and South 3rd Street suffered the same fate.

123 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1971 250, 317 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1971); accord, Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1972 250 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1972).

111 See Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4 (married to Emile Mawad for 59 years until her death).

112 Obituary, “Emil Rachid Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Sun., 3 June 2007, p.B-4. 113 See Wikipedia, “American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines”,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Export-Isbrandtsen_Lines (accessed 20 Feb. 2015). 114 Compare Obituary, “Emil Rachid Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Sun., 3 June 2007, p.B-4

with Wikipedia, “American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Export-Isbrandtsen_Lines (accessed 20 Feb. 2015).

115 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1963 222 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1963)(Emile and Dorothy K. Mawad residents in the rear of 311 Lehigh Street, he a seaman with the American Export Line); see Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1969 338 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1969)(same); Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1970 304 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1970)(same).

116 See Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4. 117 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1963 17, 175 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1963)

(Barbara’s Wonder Bar at 311 Lehigh Street, proprietor Mrs. Barbara Karam resident at same address); see Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1969 24, 266, 338 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1969)(same).

118 Obituary, “Barbara N. Karam, 91, Ex-Owner of Easton Bar”, MORNING CALL, Wed., 6 Sept. 1989, p.B-10 (mother of Dorothy Mawad, widow of Badway Karam). She operated Barbara’s Wonder Bar for 34 years, before retiring in 1970.

119 Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4. 120 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1969 267 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1969)

( Karam’s Café, proprietor J. Karam Badway [sic], at 147 S. 3rd St.); Polk’s Easton and

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reside there, although she and her husband also had another retirement residence at 2 Second Terrace.125 On early Sunday morning, 21 March 1982, about 90 minutes after the restaurant’s closing time, a fire broke out in the building. Despite fire trucks arriving within 2 minutes of the alarm (apparently they were under the impression that the Hotel Easton was on fire, which for some reason caused them to arrive faster), the entire middle of the Kurlansik Building was gutted, and the 9 residents left homeless. Barbara Karam was admitted to Easton hospital, while Dorothy Mawad was treated there but released. The furniture store in 108 Northampton Street next door (the Sherer Building) escaped with only minor smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and a newspaper account indicated hat the Easton Fire Department began a “full-scale investigation”.126 In subsequent years, Mrs. Mawad took a job as a hostess at the Hotel Bethlehem.127 She was also later the President of the Easton and Phillipsburg Lebanese-American Women’s Association.128

A few months after the fire, Mrs. Mawad sold the Kurlansik Building for only $2,500 to Anthony and Yvette Jabbour,129 the owners of the Hotel Lafayette.130 Both of the Jabbours had both been born in Kfarsghab, Lebanon, and immigrated to Easton to join the congregation of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church. Anthony Jabbour died in 1985,131 leaving his property to his wife, who arranged for her children to become co-owners.132 The family owners were rearranged on this and other properties in 1992.133 One son, Jabbour A. Jabbour, died in 1995, and his property interests were inherited by his mother. Yvette Jabbour herself died on 15 March 2004 at age 76,134 leaving her property to her sons Michael and Anthony.135

The City of Easton’s file on this building indicates that the Jabbour Family attempted to rehabilitate it sufficiently for the restaurant,136 but were not ultimately successful in reopening.137 In 2005, the Easton Redevelopment Authority negotiated with the Jabbour Family to take over ownership of the Kurlansik Building in exchange for liens the City had taken out on the Jabbour’s property. The Authority claimed that the Jabbours “owed the city $76,000 for the cost to demolish a building that had collapsed in another part of town.” The Authority’s attorney asserted that it would “be able to better control redevelopment on Northampton Street if it owns” the Kurlansik Building. The Head of the Authority asserted that “it also would be useful to own the building at 120 Northampton St.”.138 These negotiations resulted in the City formally obtaining title to the Kurlansik Building in June 2005.139

Under City control, several redevelopment efforts failed, including plans to convert it into retail space and residential apartments as part of the “Twin Rivers

Phillipsburg City Directory 1970 240 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1970)(same); accord, Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The Easton-Phillipsburg 2003 Calendar unnumbered p.90 (2002); see Obituary, “Dorothy Karam Mawad”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Wed., 10 Jan. 2007, p.B-4 (Badway Karam was Dorothy Karam Mawad’s father); Obituary, “Karam”, EASTON EXPRESS, Mon., 8 Nov. 1976, p.6, col.1 (Badway Karam, aged 80).

124 Compare Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1981 301, 627, Street & Avenue Guide 241 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1981)(Karam’s listed at 118 Northampton Street, Touma’s Cedar Restaurant listed without address) with Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1982 315, 656 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1982)(Touma’s Cedar Restaurant at 118 Northampton Street; no listing for Karam’s).

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Commons”.140 In 2010, the Kurlansik Building was sold for $10,000 to a limited liability company,141 but two years later it was returned to the Redevelopment Authority for the same amount.142 In December 2012, the Easton City Council was informed of the City’s plans to apply for $500,000 in state government funding to combine the two properties at 120 and 118 Northampton Street “for rehabilitation”, to re-establish retail space on the ground floors and build 12 small residential apartments (or fewer, larger ones) on the upper floors.143 In January of 2013 Easton’s Redevelopment Authority received a state grant of $356,250, which was used for “environmental remediation (removal of lead and asbestos) at 118-120 Northampton Street.”144 In mid-2013, the developer (Borko Milosev’s “Post Road Management” firm) obtained Zoning Board approval to combine these buildings.145 “In May of 2014, the Redevelopment Authority was awarded an Anchor Building Grant” of $500,000, which will be loaned to the developer “once his bank financing is in place, and repayment of this loan will be used as a revolving loan fund for other rehabilitation projects.” The environmental remediation work under the earlier grant money was completed in August, 2014.146 By February 2015, the City’s Redevelopment Authority had met with the developer and expected that final plans (including financing) would shortly allow transfer of the property. Documents in the

125 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1982 403 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1982). 126 David Goldstein, “Easton restaurant destroyed in a fire Sunday”, EASTON EXPRESS,

Mon., 22 March 1982, p.B-1, cols.3-6 (refers to Louis W. Ralph & Sons furniture business next door); see generally www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 108 Northampton Street (Louis W. Ralph & Sons). Harry Ralph also owned 120 Northampton Street at this point. See www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 120 Northampton Street.

127 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1983 356 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1983); Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1984 372 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1984).

128 Phyllis Guth, “Spices and Herbs Dress Up Lebanese Cookbook”, MORNING CALL, Thurs., 18 June 1992, p.N-14.

129 Deed, Dorothy Karam (Emil) Mawad to Anthony (Yvette) Jabbour, 637 1075 (24 May 1982)(sale price $2,500 for building and property measuring 25’ X 120’).

130 Deed, Henry F. (Eleanor I.) Steckel II to Anthony M. (Yvette M.) Jabbour, 534 175 (14 Jan. 1976); Melanie Novak, “Lafayette Hotel Is Rich with History”, MORNING CALL, Tues., 13 May 1997, p.B-1. See generally separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for the Hotel Lafayette at 11 North 4th Street.

131 Obituary, “Anthony Jabbour, owned Lafayette Hotel complex”, EASTON EXPRESS, Fri., 18 Jan. 1985, p.C-5, col.4 (with picture); see also Obituary, “Yvette Mikhail Jabbour”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Tues., 16 Mar. 2004, p.B-4, col.5.

132 Deed, Yvette M. Jabbour, a/k/a Ivette Jabbour, etc., to Yvette Mikhail Jabbour, George M. Jabbour, Michael M. Jabbour, and Anthony M. Jabbour, 699 88 (15 Apr. 1986)(Tract No.5).

133 Deed, Yvette Mikhail Jabbour, Michael M. (Marijo) Jabbour, Jabbour A. Jabbour, Anthony M. Jabbour, and George M. Jabbour, to Yvette Mikhail Jabbour, Michael M. Jabbour, Jabbour A. Jabbour, and Anthony M. Jabbour, 864 509 (28 May 1992)(Tract No.4)(presumably in settlement of a lawsuit by George over an accounting – see Article, “Partner in Easton’s Hotel Lafayette Sues Relatives for Financial Records”, MORNING CALL, Fri., 27 Apr. 1990, p.B-6).

134 Obituary, “Yvette Mikhail Jabbour”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Tues., 16 Mar. 2004, p.B-4, col.5 (with picture); accord, Deed, Michael M. Jabbour and Anthony M. Jabbour to the Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania, 2005-1-233217 (22 June 2005)(recitals).

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City’s file indicate that an additional two apartments (total of 14) may now be planned.147 The City planners believed that uniting the property with 120 Northampton Street (Bricker Apartment Building, acquired by contested eminent domain proceedings completed in 2012), as well as with a parking lot across the street (in the former Hoff German Pharmacy Parking Lot), had been instrumental in allowing development plans to proceed.148

135 Deed, Michael M. Jabbour and Anthony M. Jabbour to the Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania, 2005-1-233217 (22 June 2005)(recitals).

136 Compare Letter, George A. Winter (Building Inspector) to Dorothy Mawad (20 Apr. 1982)(finding building “unfit for human habitation”) with Certificate of Occupancy (Application 82-306) for 1st floor eating and drinking establishment issued to George Jabbour on 16 August 1982.

137 See, e.g., Letter, Robert A. O’Neil (Deputy Zoning Administrator) to George M. Jabbour (25 Nov. 1988), indicating that the building had not been used for an eating and drinking establishment since 1982 (not just since 1984, and Mr. Jabbour had indicated). This letter stated that further actions would be required. See also Kevin Kunzmann, “Long vacancy hits homestretch apartments, commerce planned at city building that has sat empty for as long as quarter century”, EXPRESS-TIMES, 21 July 2013, p.A-11(building vacant since a fire “about 25 years ago”).

A number of complaints, and several code citations, appeared in the City’s file, although investigation of the complaints sometimes indicated that the conditions claimed (e.g., rodents) were not in fact present.

An engineering study in 1991 indicated that the interior wooden floors of the building had not been replaced by that time, although the “masonry and steel superstructure” of the exterior walls was “structurally stable”. Louis A. Ferrone (Consulting Engineer), Structural Report for George Jabbour, et al at 118 Northampton Street (7 May 1991)(in response to City citation 5 Feb. 1991).

138 Tracy Jordan, “Easton Authority wants city to forgive lien on property ** In exchange, the agency would take it to control street redevelopment,” MORNING CALL, Thurs., 17 Mar. 2005, p.B-3 (negotiated with Yvette Mikhail Jabbour); see Tracy Jordan, “Ashley Development, Spirk Brothers vie for Easton project – Northampton Street building could become stores, apartments”, MORNING CALL, Thurs., 19 July 2007, p.B-4 (collapsed building was in the 600 block of Walnut Avenue).

Apparently, the Press was under the mistaken impression that the negotiations were with Yvette Jabbour herself, notwithstanding her death the prior year.

139 Deed, Michael M. Jabbour and Anthony M. Jabbour to the Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania, 2005-1-233217 (22 June 2005).

140 Edward Sieger, “Easton building project details pushed back”, THE EXPRESS-TIMES, Thursday, 30 Aug. 2007, p.B6; see also Tracy Jordan, “Riverfront site could become 52-unit apartment complex ** City agency picks Spirk Bros. Inc. of Easton to head project”, MORNING CALL, Thurs., 26 July 2007, p.B-3.

141 Deed, The Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania to 118 Northampton Street LLC, 2010-1-214263 (29 Sept. 2010)(sale price $10,000).

142 Deed, 118 Northampton Street LLC to The Redevelopment Authority of Easton, Pennsylvania, 2012-1-151182 (28 June 2012)(sale price $10,000).

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143 Zach Lindsey, “Easton lots target of grant plans – Two properties on Northampton could become one with apartments and retail space”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Tues., 18 Dec. 2012, p.B-1, cols.2-4.

144 Email, Easton Community & Economic Development Coordinator (Tina Woolverton) to Richard Faull Hope (2 Mar. 2015).

145 Kevin Kunzmann, “Long vacancy hits homestretch apartments, commerce planned at city building that has sat empty for as long as quarter century”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Sun., 21 July 2013, p.A-11.

146 Email, Easton Community & Economic Development Coordinator (Tina Woolverton) to Richard Faull Hope (2 Mar. 2015).

147 See, e.g. Conversation with Ms. Tina Woolverton of the Easton Redevelopment Authority (27 Feb. 2015); accord, typed Timeline (unsigned, but apparently prepared by Ms. Woolverton) and handwritten notes of meeting with developer Post Road Management on 13 Nov. 2014, both appearing in the City’s file on the building.

148 Conversation with Ms. Tina Woolverton of the Easton Redevelopment Authority (27 Feb. 2015); see www.WalkingEaston.com entry for Bricker Apartment Building at 120 Northampton Street.

The parking across the street refers to the Former Hoff German Pharmacy Parking Lot at 129-31 Northampton Street, which is also owned by the Redevelopment Authority of Easton. See www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 129-31 Northampton Street; Kevin Kunzmann, “Long vacancy hits homestretch apartments, commerce planned at city building that has sat empty for as long as quarter century”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Sun., 21 July 2013, p.A-11.

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