1

Moser Building at Northampton Street

. . . and along Front Street

(Photos 2013 by Richard F. Hope)

Moser Building (101-03 Northampton Street, now includes Rejuveness Professional Hair Salon)

This property at the NW corner of Northampton and Front Street (now Riverside Drive) was designated Lot No.17 when William Parsons founded Easton in 1752.[1] In 1802, itand the adjacent Lot on Northampton Street werepurchased from the Penn Familyfor £ 50 “in specie” by John Green.[2] Each of the two Lots had 60’ of frontage on Northampton Street, for a total of 120’.[3] Green had occupied the Northampton Street property long before its formal acquisition. A map of Easton that records 18th Century data indicates that John Green had taken possession and built a house on original town Lot No.18 (which included this property) before it was officially sold to him by the Penn Family.[4] The federal “Window Tax” assessment of 1789 records that John Green owned in Easton Borough a 2-story stone house 24’ X 30’ in size, plus a separate brick kitchen 12/ X 18’, together worth $800.[5] It may have been located on this property.

John Green himselfwas a carpenter/cabinetmaker by trade.[6] He had been born in Greenwich Township (Warren County) NJ in about 1766. He married Rhoda Howell of Warren County. The couple would eventually have seven children.[7] According to a later notice, John Green first came to Easton at age 17 – implying his arrival in about 1783.[8] He does not appear on the 1785 or the February 1786 Easton tax rolls as either a married or single man,[9]although that might be because he had not yet become an adult. Hedoes appear on the tax list for 1788.[10] He ultimately became a substantial property owner in Easton.

  • He owned (among others) theproperty at the foot of Northampton Street, near the Delaware River bridge (now 101 Northampton Street); 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.[11] He also acquired “Mill property” in Greenwich Township, New Jersey, from his son Charles.[12]

During the course of his career, John Green became a founding director of the Easton Water Company when it was organized on 24 March 1817, as well as a founder and the President of the Fire Insurance Company of Northampton County.[13] He was also a founder and one of the original trustees of Easton’s First Presbyterian Church when it was organized in 1811-12.[14]

In 1792, John Green also operated the Easton ferry.[15] At that time, the Pennsylvania side of the ferry appears to have been owned by Samuel Moore, the neighbor across Northampton Street.[16] When the Northampton Street bridge (also known as the Palmer Bridge, after its designer[17]) was completed in 1806,[18]John Green became manager of the Delaware River Bridge Company.[19] (His son, William, and grandson, Howard, would later become toll collectors for the bridge.)[20] The year after the bridge was opened, John Green leased out a “necessary house or Privy and piece of ground nine feet Square” from his property along Front Street (now North Delaware Drive), in Lot No.17, 110’ from the corner with Northampton Street. The lessee was The Easton Delaware Bridge Company, the “company for erecting a Bridge over the river Delaware at the Borough of Easton”. The term of the lease was for 9,999 years “[i]f a Toll Bridge shall be kept up and continued”, and the rent was $5 per year.[21]

John Green made a will dated 10 October 1851, in which he left to his youngest son, William,[22] “the Lot whereon he now lives at the NorthWest corner of Northampton + Water Streets . . . with the Buildings thereon”. William’s inheritance was to have a 90’ frontage on Northampton Street.[23] At about that time (in 1850), William was engaged in the lumber business.[24] John Green also left his daughter, Lydia, “the House and Lot where I now live” on Northampton Street[25] -- apparently,with the remaining 30’ of land that he had obtained from the Penn Family, located next to William’s bequest.[26]

After John Green died on 9 March 1854, at age 88,[27]William took over possession of the corner property passed in John Green’swill, asdescribed above. In 1855 (a year after his father’s death), Easton first city directory listed William as manufacturing soap in that corner property (with an address of No.1 Northampton St.). His residencewas listed as No.7.[28]

  • William Green’s sister, Lydia, was listed as residing next door to that, at No.9.[29] That was the house where John Green had lived before his death, according to John Green’s will (see above). When the modern street numbering scheme was adopted in Easton, it was assigned the addresses of 115-19 Northampton Street.[30]

By 1860, William Green had become the toll collector for the Delaware River Bridge. His address remained 7 Northampton Street.[31] An address of No.5 Northampton Street address was listed in that same directory to James H. Bryson (a barber),[32] while Thomas Raymon (a boot and shoemaker) appeared at No.3 Northampton Street.[33] In 1864, Charles Seagroves (a butcher) was listed at No.1 Northampton Street. It is not currently known whether the addresses (i.e. doorways) at 1, 3 and 5 Northampton Street represented a single building, or several, but they appear to represent the basis for the Moser Building property. In that year, William Green was not listed in Easton;[34] he may have been in the army at that time, for the Civil War.

In 1868, William Green sold the corner part of his property (with 40’ of frontage along Northampton Street) to Peter F. Eilenberger for $6,000.[35] This is substantially the same frontage of 40.15’ on Northampton Street listed to the modern Moser Building property,[36]and accordingly John Green’s commercial building(s) may represent a basis for the modern Moser Building.[37]

  • Green retained the remainder of his Northampton Street property, and continued to reside at No.7 Northampton Street.[38] He also rented commercial space in that address to grocers Hughes & Bro.[39] When the modern street numbering scheme was adopted in Easton in 1874, this address became 109-13 Northampton Street.[40]

Peter F. Eilenberger, the property purchaser in 1868,[41] had apparently come to Easton from Upper Mt. Bethel in 1850.[42] He was a “merchant tailor and clothier”,previously located in the Sitgreaves Folly Building (whose address is now 237 Northampton Street).[43] By 1870,heapparently relocatedboth his home and store to 1 Northampton Street. He also provided commercial space at that same address to milliner Eliza Stinson.[44] A few years later, Eilenberger with two partners both named Smith were listed as purchasing the Burke’s Flour Mill along the Bushkill Creek.[45] He was an elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Easton.[46] Eilenberger has been identified as having rebuilt or extensively remodeled the building at the corner of Northampton and Front Streets,[47] presumably in preparation for his occupancy. The Mansard roof that appears on the building today[48] is a feature of “Second Empire” architecturethatin fact became popular in the late 1860s (as well as carrying forward into the early 1870s). It was the style particularly favored by General Ulysses S. Grant, who ordered it used for federal government buildings when he became President.[49] Accordingly, its use could be viewed in part as a political statement in favor of the Union (and Republican) cause. In fact, Peter F. Eilenberger had been a founding Vice President of the Easton Loyal Union League when it was organized in 1863 to support the Union cause and exhibit “determination to crush the rebellion”.[50]

Peter Eilenberger and his wife sold the Northampton Street house in 1871 to John Shouse. They obtained $20,000 price in this sale[51] – such a large increase in the $6000 property value of only 3 years before, confirming that the Eilenbergers had made extensive renovations. It also reinforces the supposition that they added the Mansard roof. Nevertheless, somecommentators have attributed the roofto Shouse himself. John Shouse used the building “solely as his home”, eliminating all commercial rentals from it during his tenure.[52] Shouse was the son of an established Easton family. He was admitted to the bar, but retired from the practice of law in 1847 due to ill health. He then was engaged in several commercial ventures in Pike County with his brother and father, but returned to Easton in 1871 (when he purchased this building). While in Easton, Shouse became the President of the Phillipsburg Savings Bank, and a director of the Farmers’ and Mechanics’ Institute of Northampton County. He also served two terms on the Easton Town Council. He died on 11 September 1879.[53]

In 1881, Shouse’s estate sold the corner propertyfor only $8,450 to Moses Hirshfield.[54] During Hirschfield’s6-year tenure in the corner building, it served as his residence. Hirschfield, an immigrant from Prussia (Germany),[55]was a “prominent ready-made clothing dealer and afterwards was engaged in the manufacture of shoes”,[56]with store addresses mostly on Northampton Street on the other side of Centre Square.[57] He was also a Trustee of the Temple Covenant of Peace synagogue from 1881-84.[58]

  • In 1887, the city directory showed a relative (Mrs. S. Hirshfield) had established at 105 Northampton Street (immediately next door) as a resident, with a millinery shop.[59]A Sanborn fire map of Easton in 1885 had showed a gap in the buildings along the North side of Northampton Street, corresponding to the addresses next door at 105-109 Northampton Street.[60] Mrs. S. Hirshfield’s listing at No.105 two years later suggests that the formal owner, or Hirshfield, had constructed at least one or more buildings to fill the gap by that time. Sure enough, the next Sanborn fire map (of 1892) showed a building filling the gap at that location,[61] and the city directory of that year showed an occupant at No.105 Northampton Street, although it was no longer Mrs. Hirshfield.[62]

When Hirschfield resold theMoser Building corner property in 1887, the deed indicated that it also included multiple buildings. These may have included buildings in the rear, along Front Street.[63]

  • Hirshfield and his family apparently moved to New York City.[64]

The purchaser in 1887 was Dr. John Detwiller[65] (also spelled Detweiler). Dr. Detwiller’s primary residence and medical practice was located in Detwiller House at 52 Centre Square.[66] He apparently used the Moser Building as a rental. In 1892, the occupants included:

  • At 101 Northampton Street, Jennie Yeager had her millinery store and residence.[67] Her millinery store had been listed at the address in 1889, but at that time the residence had been listed to widow Olivia Yeager.[68]
  • 103 Northampton Street was listed as the house of Lewis C. Seagreaves in 1892.[69]

The 1892 directory also gave a residential listing for 1 North Front Street – apparently in the other face of the Moser Building along Front Street. That address was occupied by the residence of John S. Lehn, who acted as a clerk for the Delaware Bridge.[70] John S. Lehn was a prominent member of the Lehn Family whose dwellings were located along Lehn’s Court, of Centre Square. John S. Lehn’s house was located at 8 Centre Square, and his foundation served as the basis for the former bank building that now occupies that spot. His tannery fell into financial trouble in the 1870s, and he had been forced by threat of foreclosure to give up his home to creditors.[71]

In 1894, 103 Northampton Street was listed as the clothing and gentleman’s furnishings store of Joseph Bricker.[72] Bricker’s arrival in Easton in 1889 had made the tenth man needed to make up a minyan to form the Temple B’nai Abraham congregation, that eventually established their synagogue building at 128 South 6th Street.[73]

In 1911-12, Dr. Detwiller renovated the Moser Building to add the apartment complex that now appears at the rear.[74] It was referred to as the Lenni Lenape Apartments (16 North Front Street, now Riverside Drive).[75]

Dr. John J. Detwiller was a local physician and investor. His father, Dr. Henry Detweiler (using the German spelling), had been a pioneer of homeopathic medicine and long-time physician in the Lehigh Valley, whose practice was also located in the Detwiller House. The younger Dr. Detwiller continued his father’s medical practice after his father died, and added a prominent tower feature to the family home in Centre Square, as well as apparently favoring the Anglicized spelling of the family’s name.[76] The younger Dr. Detwiller was himself a proponent of medical development, championing the use of ether as an anesthetic during surgery, and performing operations westwards to Harrisburg and Carlisle, and eastwards throughout New Jersey. He also had numerous business interests and investments, including a slate quarry in Slatington, and a founding interest in the Lehigh Portland Cement Company in Allentown.[77] In addition, he became the leader of the investors who saved the financially troubled Abel Opera House in 1878[78] – his son, William, became the theater manager.[79] He also built many residences in Easton and Phillipsburg.[80] He was “well-known in Easton for buying buildings and renovating them into Apartment Buildings.”[81]

Dr. John Detwiller died in 1916, and the property continued to be administered by his estate.[82] It was finally sold in 1970 to Raymond and Margaret Baurkot for $50,000.[83] The Baurkots subdivided the property,[84] and soldthe front half in 1983 to Russell and Margaret Moser for $40,000.[85] At that time, the building was perceived as being seriously neglected. The Mosers renovated it, and received the “top preservation award” of Historic Easton, Inc. for 1985 for their work.[86] The name Moser Building was adopted as a result of that renovation. An extensive architectural description of the property done at that time describes (among other things) the “beautiful leaded, stained glass storefront frieze” facing Northampton Street.[87] This same study includes a comprehensive survey of building occupants, including tenants, from 1855 until 1980, which was updated in a handwritten addition to 2004.[88]

One of the storefront locations in the Moser Building (at 103 Northampton Street) was used for the “Not Just Cheese Shop”[89] (managed by the Mosers’ daughter, Nancy[90]) until 1998.[91] Moser also rented out space. In 1985, retired Methodist minister Rev. Edward Hartzell proposed to use the building for a free counseling center for “marital and other domestic problems”. Three cooperating Methodist churches proposed also to use the premises “as a training ground for evangelistic work.” However, owner Russell Moser objected to the “scope of the center’s proposed operations”, and accordingly the City’s Zoning Hearing Board refused a variance needed to establish such a “community use” in a district zoned for business and trade.[92]

In February 1990, Vincent Snyder opened the Pacific Pet Shop in the building. In May, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals confiscated several on charges that they were living in “deplorable conditions”, especially when the shop was closed. As a result, the City closed the shop, and Moser notified Snyder to “remove what supplies are left in the store and to not come back.”[93]

The Mosers sold the property to the Bagnell Family in 2005 for $900,000.[94] It was transferred two years later to the current partnership owner.[95]

[1]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).

[2]Deed, John Penn and Richard Penn to John Green,F11 659 (1802)(Lot Nos.17 and 18); see Invitation to Moser Building tour (20 May 1983)(original in the possession of the Easton Heritage Alliance).

[3]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).

[4]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).

[5]Federal Tax of 1798 (“Window Tax”), Roll 361, Easton Borough listing (National Archives records, microfilm located in Easton Area Public Library).

[6]SeeArticle of Agreement, John Green and Peter Miller, A3 225 (23 Feb. 1803)(Northampton County Real Estate Archives)(carpenter); Deed, John Penn and Richard Penn to John Green,F11 659 (1802)(cabinetmaker).

[7]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 on 9 March 1854). Subtraction gives a birth date in 1766, or late 1765. Accord, Bill and Carol Weiss, The Moser Building 1 (typewritten 29 May 1984).

[8]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).

[9]Tax List for Easton (1785), transcribed in 19 Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series 82, 84; Tax List for Easton 1 (Northampton County Archives 13 Feb. 1786), transcribed in 19 Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series 184, 186.

[10]19 Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series 290 (tax 6s. 4d.); see Bill and Carol Weiss, The Moser Building 1 (typewritten 29 May 1984). Accord, 1790 Census, Series M637, Roll 8, p.266; see1800 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).

[11]See separate entries for these addresses, and the sources cited therein.

Rev. Condit’s History indicates that John Green of Northampton Street 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 Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 156-57 (George W. West 1885 / 1889) with entry for the Green Family Homestead at 83 North 4th Street.

[12]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).

[13]Bill and Carol Weiss, The Moser Building 1 (typewritten 29 May 1984); Henry F. Marx (compiler), II Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1852 – 1870 Newspaper Extracts 318 (Easton Area Public Library 1934).