USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 51
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NORTHAMPTON ST. AT THE CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR 1 2 5
3 4 6 7 1. Adam Yohe's Hotel ; 2. Paul Miller's House; 3. Nicholas Scull's Hotel, 1754, Geo. Taylor's House 1763; 4. Frederick Nungesser's Hotel; 5. John Rinker's
Hotel, 1754; 6. Louis Gordon's Home; 7. Adam Yohe's second Hotel
HESS
HAT
STORE
VIEW OF NORTHAMPTON STREET (Taken from Public Square)
JACOB BACHMAN'S HOTEL 1752 Now Corner 2nd and Northampton Streets, Easton (Photo 1911)
EASTON GREEN TREE HOTEL .
GREEN TREE INN, EASTON
397
THE CITY OF EASTON
At the establishment of the shire town of Northampton county there were twelve families in Easton, as follows: William Parsons, clerk of the courts, etc .; Louis Gordon, lawyer; Henry Allshouse, carpenter; Abraham Berlin, blacksmith; Nathaniel Vernon, ferryman and tavernkeeper; William Craig, John Anderson and Paul Miller, tavernkeepers; Ernest Becker, baker; Anthony Esser, butcher; John Finley, mason; and Meyer Hart, shopkeeper. At the end of the next decade, in 1763, there were sixty-three houses, nearly all of which were small log buildings one story high. The taxable inhabitants were: Henry Allshouse, carpenter; Jacob Andemeyer, laborer ; John Anderson; Jacob Beringer, shopkeeper; Jonathan Barker; Abraham Berlin, blacksmith; Ernest Becker, baker; George Bush, carpenter; Henry Bush, breechesmaker; Ephraim Blum, gunsmith; Jacob Bachman; Henry Barnet, tanner; George Barnet; Stephen Bittenbender; Peter Conrad, weaver; John Dengler, laborer; Widow de Lyon; Peter Eahler; Anthony Esser, butcher; Jacob Grotz, carpenter; Andrew Grotz; Louis Gordon, prothonotary ; Peter Holl, carpenter ; Meyer Hart, innkeeper; Jacob Hempt, innkeeper ; George Hcld; William Held, skinndresser; Bartholomew Hoff- man, mason ; Stephen Horn, mason; Zachariah Hogelberg; Charles Hyer ; John Jones; Henry Kepple; Peter Kichline, grist and sawmill; Ludwig Knaus, saddler; Andrew Lerch; Andrew Labar, tailor; Daniel Labar, shoe- maker; Michael Lehn, laborer ; Nicholas Loch; William Ledley, shopkeeper; John Mash, shoemaker; Isaac Menor; Frederick Nungessor, shopkeeper and innkeeper; Michael Opp, weaver; Jonathan Pettit; Adam Keisser; John Rinker, innkeeper; Edward Rinker, innkeeper; John Reiss, tailor; Badtzer Rickel; Frederich Shouse, mason; Widow Snyder; Henry Snyder, shoe- maker; John Simon, hatter; Ludwig Shaup, carpenter; Herman Snyder, tanner; George Taylor; James Taylor; Jeremiah Trexler, weaver; John Wayle; Henry Young, blacksmith; Matthias Miller; Frederich Rieger, doc- tor; Paul Reeser; Adam Shouse; John Stillwagen. The unmarried males taxed were: Andrew Ledley, Jacob Grotz, Thomas Geitler, Andrew Bach- man and Robert Traill.
From the lack of census returns it is inferred that the population of the county town was not far from two hundred and fifty. From the close of the Indian War in 1764, Easton enjoyed a decade of comparative quietude and freedom from alarms. Though not of rapid growth, there had been an increase of about six dwellings, the total being sixty-nine houses, of which eight were taverns.
In the Revolutionary days, Easton was visited by many of the chief personages of the government and of the army. Among these were John Hancock, John Adams, Count Pulaski; Generals Mifflin, Gates, Lafayette and Ethan Allen, as well as Washington himself. In July, 1779, therc marched through the town the expeditionary corps of General Sullivan, and after accomplishing the object of the campaign, the army returned, again marching through Easton. The court-house was occupied as a bar- racks, also the church on Pomfret street, and soldiers were quartered upon private families and public houses. The corps laid at Easton for several weeks; the evil behavior of the soldiers was almost past belief, and Easton never had a wilder experience than during the brief stay of the friendly
398
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
army of General Sullivan. Easton was a strategic point during the Revolu- tion. The British devoted four years in attempts to capture this base of supplies of Washington's army, the enemy attempting expeditions from New York City, up the Hudson river, to gain a foothold so as to make an attack from the north also, after their occupation of Philadelphia; other attempts were made from the south, all of which proved disastrous. There were at Easton more than a dozen colonial warehouses, of which at a late date two were still standing. These were stored with grain and the products of the surrounding country.
In the decade ending 1783, notwithstanding it had been a period of war, Easton had made a greater growth than during the previous ten years. There had been an increase of sixteen dwellings, and the population was not far from five hundred souls.
The Act of Assembly, March 1, 1780, abolished slavery in Pennsylvania, which affected the condition of only eleven persons in Easton, that being the total of slaves which had been held there. Of these bondmen, two each were held by Michael Hart, Peter Kichline and George Taylor; and one each by Levi Barnet, Meyer Hart, Widow de Lyon, Henry Barnet and Theophilus Shannon.
The Continental currency had been issued by Congress and had for a long time answered well its purpose until the amount in circulation exceeded $200,000,000, which volume was far in excess of the requirements of the people of the colonies, hence its great depreciation. A yard of calico cost ten times as much money as was required in normal times, while publicans demanded exorbitant prices for their tavern bills and toddy ; for example, we give the exact transcript of one of these bills:
Easton, March 17, 1781. $10.00
To a Nip of Toddy
2 Grogs
16,00
Washing 49.00
4 Bowls of Punch 120.00
..
21 Quarts of Oats.
62.00
¥ Hay
90.00
= 12 Meat Victuals. 260.00
Lodging
40.00
Total.
$647.00
The Assembly passed September 23, 1789, an act to incorporate the borough of Easton with the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the black oak on the west bank of the Delaware river, being a corner of land of Andrew Krouss, running thence went five hundred and sixty-three perches to a post in the line of George Messenger's land; thence by the line of land late of Barnett Walter and others, south four hundred and fifty-three perches to a birch on the northwest bank of the Lehigh river, thence down the same river, by the several courses thereof, and thence up the river Dela- ware, by the several courses thereof, crossing the mouth of Bushkill creek to the place of beginning.
At the time of the incorporation, Easton had made no great advances in its population ; it was, however, an important trading point for the sur-
Northampton
BY THE HONOURABLE
WILLIAM DENNY, EJq;
Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Penntylvania, and Counties of New-Caftles Kent and Suffex on Delaware.
HEREAS Friederich Nungroport
W hach been recommended unto Me as a "tott and fit Perlon to keep a Houfe of Entertainment, and being requelted to grant fons à Licence -for the fame, 1 do hereby licence and allow the faid Fellnich. Nung rofor 4 to keep a Public-Houle in the Jours of Proton for the felling of
Want Bom Bean Gider and others Liquore nad aud un mixed ?
until the Tenth Day of August next; PROVIDED he>> fhall not at any Time during the faid Term, fuffer any DRUNKENNESS, unlawful GAMING, or any other Diforders, nor, fell any Drink to the Indians to debauch or hurt themi - but in all Things obferve and practice all Laws and Ordinances of this Government to fi - faid Employment relating.
GIVEN under my Hand and Seal at Arms , The. Kirthe Day of august in the Thirty. the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord KING GEORGE the Second, and in the Year of bir LORD 19.59 William Denny
TAVERN LICENSE-1759
.
JOHN NICHOLAS' HOTEL Erected 1806, Second and Ferry Streets, Easton (Photo 1911)
STREET SCENE IN OLD SAN DOMINGO AND LAST LOG HOUSE ON SAN DOMINGO STREET, EASTON (Photo 1911)
399
THE CITY OF EASTON
rounding country. It was a grain market and shipping point for produce, frequently fifteen to twenty thousand bushels of grain being handled daily. The waters of Bushkill creek furnished power, and grain was ground in the mills not only from the contiguous country in New Jersey but as far west as the Wyoming Valley, thereby making the borough an important grain and flour mart. The act of incorporation infused a spirit of enterprise which was conducive to the growth of the borough, and improvements came thick and fast in the train of the charter. A pavement was laid in 1790 from Centre Square to the corner of Northampton and Hamilton streets; the bridge over the Bushkill on Hamilton street was replaced by a three- arched bridge of stone; and on March 20, 1793, the first post-office was established, though its first year's receipts were only thirty-three dollars. About this time Northampton street was opened above the present line of Fifth street, which was but only of width to admit the passage of a single vehicle. It was the principal street of the town, though Ferry street was an avenue of travel, it being the direct route from New Jersey by ferry and thence by the county road to Bethlehem and Reading. An ordinance was passed in August, 1796, establishing a public market house, which was built in the open space directly north of the court-house. This building was afterwards removed and the present system of outdoor marketing on the public square has been in force for many years.
The borough was reincorporated by an act of the Legislature, March 19, 1828; the original name and boundaries were to remain the same, but that part of the borough bounded by the river Delaware on the east, the Bushkill on the north, to a point opposite the alley running due south to the river Lehigh on the west, and by the river Lehigh on the south, was to be called the "town," and the remainder of the limits within the borough was to be called Easton township; and all assessment of taxes for lighting and watching the town were assessed exclusively upon the limits within the town.
The situation of Easton being pleasant, the Blue Mountain range shut- ting off the harsh winds, the rivers cutting through the mountain chains, giving it a scenic setting unsurpassed naturally, early attracted people of wealth seeking comfort and sanitary relaxation in summer. The introduc- tion of water through pipes from outside sources dates from 1817; previous to this, insufficient supply had been obtained by local wells. Fire and police protection was inaugurated. Goats and swine were prohibited from running at large in the public highways, which was soon afterwards ex- tended to horses, mules and jacks. A tax was imposed on dogs. Very stringent sanitary measures were ordered by the council in 1832 to prevent the introduction and spread of the Asiatic cholera.
The borough in 1833 contained five churches, an academy, a public library, two banks, five weekly newspapers, thirteen lawyers, seven physi- cians, three drug stores, thirty-three general retail stores, one wholesale store, five fire engines, three hose carriages, two volunteer infantry com- panies and one cavalry troop, three tanneries, four distilleries, one brewery, two sawmills, seven flour mills and nearly six hundred dwellings, many of these being of brick. There was at this time, without taking into considera-
400
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
tion rye and corn manufactured into whiskey, 200,000 barrels of wheat, rye-flour and cornmeal sent annually to market from Easton. Though after this the amount of grain raised in the county increased, the new routes of transportation diverted to other points that raised beyond the Blue Moun- tains and in New Jersey, and which formerly came to Easton; thus this trade gradually but steadily diminished.
Telegraphic communications between Easton and the outside world were opened in the spring of 1848. A borough ordinance, dated April 19, 1848, established a police system, also for the first lighting of the streets by means of oil lamps, which was changed to gas on Thanksgiving night in November, 1851.
The population of Easton in 1870 was 10,987, which showed an increase of more than a thousand per cent. since the commencement of the century. At the time of the great Chicago fire in 1871 the borough subscribed $2,000 to assist the sufferers, and forty of her citizens pledged themselves for a like amount. An epidemic of smallpox visited Easton in 1872 and raged with devastating results. The Legislature the following year divided the borough into seven wards. The erection of the Able Opera House was an event in the theatrical world. It was built and opened by Edward Able, a native of Northampton county. The opening night was March 3, 1873, the performance being given by E. L. Davenport and a company of actors in the Shakespeare play of "Hamlet," the title role being acted by Mr. Daven- port. The first long-distance telephone communication was established July 25, 1881, between Easton and Bethlehem.
Easton had now arrived at a period of her history when the agitation for a city charter commenced. A movement was started for a union with South Easton in 1882 for civic honors. This was, however, delayed for several years, but finally the desired end was obtained. We append a par- tial list of the chief burgesses of the borough. There seems to be some misunderstanding in regard to the person holding the office in 1789. Mr. Kichline died after holding the position two months and a half, and some parties content that during the ad interim between the date of his death and the next election Henry Barnet was chief burgess, while others state that Samuel Sitgreaves, who was clerk of the borough, exercised the duties as chief executive officer of the borough in connection with his other duties :
Burgesses-1789, Peter Kichline; 1790, Samuel Sitgreaves; 1800-0I, Daniel Wagener ; 1807-08, John Ewing; 1825, Joseph Burke ; 1829, Hopewell Hepburn; 1830-35, Jacob Weygandt; 1837-39, Jefferson Keckman; 1840-41, Melchoir Horn ; 1841-46, John Brotzman ; 1847-51, Horace E. Wolf ; 1852-53, Jacob Weygandt; 1854-55, Charles Kitchen; 1856-57, George Hess; 1858, Horace E. Wolf ; 1859, George Hess; 1860-63, Samuel Moore; 1864-68, John A. Transue ; 1869, Wilson H. Hildebond; 1870-71, Beates R. Swift; 1872-74, A. B. Howell; 1875, John Evans; 1876, William M. Shultz; 1877, George H. Young; 1878-83, William M. Shultz; 1883-85, Lawrence Titus; 1886, Robert F. McDonald.
Easton dropped its borough garments April 4, 1887, and came out wearing the clothes of a fifth-class city of Pennsylvania. The day was ob- served with appropriate ceremonies, and smiles were seen on the faces of all Republicans, who had gained control of all the departments of the new
40I
THE CITY OF EASTON
government. At a meeting held in the council chamber, the Rev. Dr. Keiffer, pastor of the Third Reformed Church, made a fervent prayer for the blessings of God on the new city government and officials. The young- est member .of the new common council, David W. Nevins, was elected president of that body. Mayor Charles Francis Chidsey was duly inaugu- rated. The total assets of the borough of Easton were $86,172.46; the total funded debt, $173,000.
Charles Francis Chidsey was born in Easton, December 25, 1843, and was a graduate of the Easton High School. He enlisted in 1862 as a private in Company D, 129th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. After a service of nine months he was discharged from the United States service as lieuten- ant of Company C, 38th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He then entered Lafayette College, graduating as president of the class of 1864; his attention was then turned to mercantile business in his native city, in which he became prominently identified.
By a law passed by the Legislature in 1887, Easton became a city of the sixth class. This act of the Legislature was, however, declared uncon- stitutional by the courts, and by reason of this decision Easton became a city of the third class. The legality of the charter of the city was unsuc- cessfully attacked by a number of the citizens in 1887, who were desirous of returning to the borough form of government.
There were several momentous events in the history of Easton in 1888. On March II occurred the great blizzard of that year; immense drifts of snow accumulated and railroad communications were cut off, telegraph lines were destroyed, and Easton was segregated from intercourse with the out- side world. The blizzard was broken on March 16, and railroad service was resumed on the Lehigh Valley and the Central of New Jersey railroads. In the summer of that year, on July 14, the mayor of Easton received a communication from an attorney in Philadelphia, representing Penn's heirs, laying claim to the central square of the city. This was a subject of litiga- tion for several years, and was finally decided in the United States Circuit Court held at Philadelphia, April 4, 1895, in favor of Easton. In memory of Governor Wolf as a founder of the public school system of Pennsylvania, the Wolf Memorial Gateway, erected on the high school grounds on Second street, was dedicated September 30, 1888. The exercises were at- tended by the pupils of the city schools and the faculty and students of Lafayette College, also the pupils of the schools of South Easton, Glendon and other neighboring towns and boroughs. A procession of 3,000 school children was reviewed by Governor James A. Beaver.
An exciting event of this year was the street railway troubles. A duly organized corporation commenced laying tracks for a street railway on Third street. This was objected to by a number of citizens on account of the use of T rails, claims being made that they injured the hoofs of the horses, and an injunction was obtained by the city from the courts forbid- ding the laying of the rails. The company paid no attention to this, and the commissioner of highways later removed the rails with a gang of laborers. The railroad company sought to get the injunction removed, but the courts refused to dissolve it. . The company then sued the city for NORTH .- 1-26.
402
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
$40,000 damages, but compromises were made on both sides, and the needed improvement was finally accomplished.
There was an important business meeting of the citizens of Easton held December 12, 1888. Addresses were made in which it was shown that Easton was at a standstill in encouraging the introduction of manufactories. The neighboring citizens of Scranton and Allentown had increased their population wonderfully in the last decade by encouraging these industries, while Easton had remained stationary. There had been organized in 1881 a board of trade, and while by its efforts a few small manufactories had located in Easton, it had become inactive, and the progress made was very unsatisfactory. At the meeting held in 1888, David W. Nevins made a motion to appoint a committee of two men from each ward to devise a plan of improvement, to report at a subsequent meeting. At the next meeting held on December 21, a constitution was adopted and the Easton Industrial Association was organized. The intention of the association was not to donate money to encourage future manufacturers to locate, but to lend them funds at a small rate of interest. Both males and females were eligible for membership if twenty-one years of age, and stock was to be issued at a par value of fifty dollars, payable in monthly instalments of two dollars. At a meeting held February 5, 1889, William Hackett was elected president of the association. This organization gave some impetus to the progress of industrial affairs of the city, but later, developments became dormant.
The street electric lighting of the city was put in operation June 26, 1889. A plant was erected with a capacity of 2,500 lights, and private in- dividuals were also supplied with the new light. The Union Soldiers' Memorial Association was organized January 24, 1894, for the purpose of erecting a suitable monument to perpetuate the memory of those citi- zens of Northampton county who had participated in the Civil War. J. Peter Correll, a prime mover in the undertaking, was elected president of the association and 5,000 shares of stock were to be issued at two dollars a share, payable in monthly installments of fifteen cents. This association, however, did not seem to accomplish the desired end. On July 10, 1897, the county commissioners voted to erect a soldiers' monument, not to exceed a cost of $10,000. This monument was erected on the Centre Square and unveiled May 11, 1898. The monument was accepted in behalf of the city by ex-Mayor Charles F. Chidsey, and the ceremonies were attended by a military parade. Island Park, a pleasure resort, was opened to the public July 18, 1894; it was originally known as Chain Dam Island, and was located about four miles from Centre Square, Easton, by which it was con- nected by the electric railroad of the Easton Traction Company. For the entertainment of visitors there were bath-houses, a bathing pool, bandstand and other attractions. The city was divided in 1898 into twelve wards. The question of the annexation of South Easton again became a vital question, and it was finally accomplished September 3, 1898.
In the decade from 1890 to 1900, Easton's increase of population was nearly twenty-one per cent. This was largely due to the annexation of South Easton, and not to the rapid progress of its manufacturing industries ;
403
THE CITY OF EASTON
the latter, however, being of a wonderfully varied character, were of great advantage to the prosperity of the city, as in times of depression every industry must be affected before any adverse disaster is felt. The products of these manufacturers were of every description, from pig iron steel cast- ings and machines to delicate silk underwear, hosiery, silks and small arti- cles of everyday use. This gave Easton a class of skilled mechanics who were fine citizens, foremost in every good work and public cause.
In the fall of 1903, on October 9, the city was visited by a heavy downpour of rain which fell incessantly for two days. The waters of the rivers raised rapidly and a most disastrous flood was experienced. The water of the rivers, rising at the rate of two feet an hour, reached a height above low water mark that had not been exceeded in one hundred and thirty-seven years. The water flooded the lower section of the city; the plant of the Easton Electric Light Company was put out of commission at two o'clock on the morning of October 10th; business was interrupted, and the trolley system suspended. The citizens of Easton contributed over $13,000 in 1906 to the earthquake and fire sufferers of San Francisco. The slogan, "City of Resources," was adopted by a committee of citizens January 14, 1909. A portion of Palmer township in I911 was annexed to the city.
Among the notable events of the present decade were the fiftieth anni- versary of the First Defenders, celebrated April 18, 1911. Nearly all the survivors of the First Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment were present. The day was observed with appropriate ceremonies, and in the afternoon there was a military parade. The next year, the fiftieth anniversary of the "Northampton Own," the 153d Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, was held on September 12, 1912. There were present about seventy-five sur- vivors, and of the one thousand men who marched out of Easton in 1862 there were only about one hundred and seventy-five living. In the summer of 1913 the citizens of Easton decided to have a reunion of her sons and daughters, invitations were sent broadcast, and every preparation was made to give the visitors a royal welcome. The Easton Home Week and Mardi Gras was officially opened June 15, 1913, and religious exercises were held in all the leading churches. The following day there was a parade of the school children. Another feature of the celebration was a historical pageant of thirty floats illustrating the history of the Nation and State. A grand military spectacle took place on June 18; the week was one to be long remembered in the minds of those that participated. The State convention of the United Spanish-American War Veterans was held at Easton, June 21, 1914, and was in session three days. As a part of the ceremonies, the Maine Memorial, which had been placed on the grounds of the court-house, was unveiled. This was the first memorial in the United States dedicated to the heroes of the battleship Maine. The concrete road between Easton and Allen- town was dedicated November 2, 1916. The material used in the construc- tion of the road was about 33,000 barrels of cement, 23,000 tons of stone, and 14,000 tons of sand.
The conception of the Easton Library dates back over a century, the moving spirit in its establishment being Samuel Sitgreaves. The foundation
404
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY
was laid by ninety-four original stockholders, at a meeting held January 16, 18II. The original housing of the library was on the west side of North Second street, where a front 20 by 25 feet was erected to an old building in 18II. The library continued in operation for a number of years, but it was not a paying investment, and the building was abandoned, became dilapidated, and the books received but little care. In this moribund condi- tion of affairs it was decided July 14, 1864, to deed it to the school board, the latter agreeing to keep the building and books in repair, and to pay annually to each stockholder a subscription of two dollars, and as there were forty stockholders, this amounted to eighty dollars; this sum was to be devoted exclusively to the purchase of books. The library at this time was composed of about 5,000 volumes, mostly historical. High school teach- ers, scholars, members of the board of control and stockholders had access to the library without fee; others were required to pay two dollars per annum. The library went through different changes. In April, 1896, a ladies' organization was formed under the name of the Easton Library Association, and efforts were made to sell shares of a capital stock. This was, however, not a success, and overtures were again made for the school board to assume the control, but a large number of the citizens favored a free library. It was in 1901 that the Easton School Board accepted Andrew Carnegie's gift, under certain conditions, of $50,000 to build a free library building. The site selected, the old burying ground on Fifth street, was donated by the citizens. Ground was broken for the erection of the building May 5, 1902, the new library building was formally opened October 28, 1903, and the books in the building on North Second street were removed to their new home. An addition to the building-54 by 40 feet-was erected in 1912 at the cost of $15,000, of which amount Mr. Carnegie contributed one- half. The library is under the care of the Easton School Board, and since its removal H. F. Marx has been librarian. At the present time there are 35,000 volumes on the library shelves, comprising many works of valuable record for historical research, largely 'due to the efforts of William J. Heller, who issued invitations to several parties interested in historical matters, to meet at Assembly Hall.
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