Photo 2009 by Virginia Lawrence-Hope

1

(Photo 2009 by Virginia Lawrence-Hope)

Grotz / George LehnRow House (115 North 2nd Street, now apartments)

3-story brick, with flat roof and dental roof cornice; distinctive white keystone lintels above first story windows, and somewhat less elaborate ones above 2nd story windows. The style has been identified as “Greek Revival”.[1]

This property was taken principally from the northern half of original Easton Town Lot No.42 as surveyed by William Parsons when Easton was established in 1752.[2] Lot No.42 in its entirety was originally sold for £28 15s. by the Penn Family to Peter Frederick (a yeoman residing in LowerSmithfieldTownship) in 1802.[3] The Frederick Family sold the lot in 1805 to George Richard (an Easton mason), at which time the deed indicates that the Lot already had a house on it.[4] Richard (also spelled Reichard and Reichart) apparently also claimed title through a deed obtained from the Sheriff for land seized from the Estate of George Bender to satisfy a debt. The land seized from Bender was broader than Lot No.42 alone; it is possible that Bender had been a tenant on the Frederick Families’ property. At all events, the deed from the Sheriff also specifically mentioned a building, but did not specify where on the property it was located.[5]

A year later, George Richard sold the northern half of the Lot to carpenter Jacob Grotz Jr. for $160, and no house is specifically mentioned, so it seems likely that this portion was vacant at the time.[6] Grotz held the property until he died without a will (intestate) in 1808. His two children, Ann and Charles, then succeeded as owners. In 1828, Ann and her husband, Christian Fleming, sold their half interest to brother Charles Grotz for $400. This deed specifically indicates the presence of a house.[7] These (admittedly inconclusive) deed references, together with the increase in property value ($160 in 1806 to $400 for a half-interest in 1828), all suggest that the house was originally constructed during the time of the joint ownership by the Grotz siblings. Since Charles Grotz was ultimately the purchaser, it seems more likely that he was the builder, rather than his sister. However, a later construction date c.1851 has also been suggested for this house.[8]

• The Grotz Family was related to the Stewart Family, which held much of the property northwards along North 2nd Street. Jacob Grotz Jr. is identified as the father of Ann and Charles Grotz. Jacob Grotz and his wife Elizabeth have also been identified as the grandparents of Elizabeth Traill Green, the wife of Benjamin Green of North 4th Street. Her daughter, Elizabeth (Green) Stewart (sister of Dr. Traill Green), married John Stewart, the iron merchant and bank president[9] who owned 133 North 2nd Street.[10] Various Stewart children also lived at 123 and 119 North 2nd Street.[11]
• Ann Grotz’s husband, Christian Fleming, also held property just to the North of the Green Family’s holding on North 4th Street,[12]thus furthering the relationship between the families.

Charles Grotz held his North 2nd Street property until his death, and then willed a life estate to his widow with a remainder (after his widow’s death) to his daughter, Mary Ann Grotz Baldwin. The Baldwins held it until 1865, when they sold the property to Michael Lehn for $3,800, now apparently containing more than one building.[13] The Easton Atlas of 1874 shows two additional buildings at the rear (facing Green Alley), subdivided off from the main parcel on North 2nd Street, but all still listed to “M. Lehn”).[14] Michael Lehn was also apparently a Grotz in-law – one of his sisters was Henrietta (Mrs. Michael) Grotz.[15]

More directly, Michael Lehn was a descendant of the Lehn Family,[16] whose patriarch (Michael’s great-grandfather), also named Michael Lehn, had immigrated to America from what is now Germany in about 1754. This original Michael Lehn had first settled the property in the SE corner of Centre Square, next to what is now called Lehn’s Court.[17] The younger Michael Lehn (1809 - 1904)[18] had been born in Easton, but had left for 17 years to farm in New Jersey. In 1864, Michael Lehn returned to Easton and retired, taking up residence on North 2nd Street.[19] At that time, his house was numbered 55 North 2nd Street.[20] He was already in residence there when he purchased the Grotz property next door[21] and installed a son,[22] George D. Lehn, as the resident. Prior to his father’s return to Easton, George D. Lehn had operated a saddle and harness business on North 4th Street,[23] apparently as the successor to Christian Butz’s very successful harness store of the 1850s.[24] George Lehn’s uncle, John S. Lehn (Michael Lehn’s brother),[25] was a tanner and leather dealer, initially on Northampton Street in partnership with Jacob Fraley,[26] and later in Bank Alley at that time, and afterwards.[27] In 1870, after his father’s return to Easton, George D. Lehn was listed as a grain dealer.[28] By 1873, he became the proprietor of a large livery stable at the SW corner of Pine and Bank Streets (behind Centre Square, where the Easton Parking Garage is now located, near the Purple Cow creamery).[29] He remained in that business through the 1880s,[30] but in the 1890s became a liniment manufacturer.[31]

• Prior to 1874, George D. Lehn’s residence was listed as 57 North 2nd Street.[32]
• In 1874, with the inauguration of the modern street numbering scheme, the former Grotz property that Michael Lehn made available for his son George D. Lehn’s residence, became No.113.[33] Michael Lehn’s residence next door was renumbered 111 North 2nd Street.[34]

George D. Lehn was listed consistently at 113 North 2nd Streetuntil 1894,[35] except in the 1880 Census, when he and his family were shown as living on the other side of father Michael Lehn at 109 North 2nd Street.[36] One possible explanation (other than a typographical error) is that No.113 was being remodeled at that time, and George took up temporary quarters while this was done. In 1896, and continuing into the 20th Century, the address of George D. Lehn’s residence changed its last digit to115 North 2nd Street.[37] Both 113 and 115 are included in the property listing today.[38] The change in listing number might indicate that the property was renovated or expanded at about this time.

In 1900, George’s father Michael Lehn (then age 91) was still living next door. However, financial trouble apparently loomed after the turn of the 20th Century. Fred Nesbitt obtained both properties through a Sheriff’s sale in December 1903,[39] which was confirmed by a fiduciary for Michael Lehn (because of Michael Lehn’s illness and legal incompetence) in January 1904,[40] about two months before his death.[41] After the loss of the North 2nd Street property and his father’s death, George Lehn(by 1910) became a lodger in the West Ward; his occupation was still listed as a manufacturer of livery liniment.[42] He died in 1915.[43]

In 1909, Fred Nesbitt sold both the former Lehn houses onNorth 2nd Street for $11,000 to Solomon R. Bush[44](1845-1932), co-founder of “Bush & Bull” Dept. Store and Vice President of the First National Bank and Trust Co.[45] Mr. Bush’s residence was the FulmerMansion at 201 Spring Garden Street.[46] Bush promptly resold the two North 2nd Street properties. The buyer of No.115 in 1911 was George R. Anderson,[47] the person who probably built that Delaware Row Houses at 102-06 Spring Garden Street.[48] Anderson promptly resold a portion of his property to Israel Cohen.[49] The existing house stands on the land sold to Cohen.

Israel Cohen had been born in Lithuania in 1869, and had immigrated to Easton in the 1880s. He was a charter member of the Congregation B’nai Abraham synagogue[50] – Easton’s more orthodox congregation for “Russian” immigrants.[51] He began a clothing and millinery store when he purchased the building at 157-59 Northampton Street, apparently remodelling it (with “1902” roof cornice inscription) shortly after his purchase to make it the 1902 Building.[52] Cohen also made his residence for a time in the 1902 Building,[53] but (as noted above) in 1912 he purchased the house at 112 North 2nd Street for his residence.[54] In 1915,he purchased the Shouse House next door at 161-63 Northampton Street, and added it to hisclothing store premises in the 1902 Building.[55] These two adjacent buildings remain combined to the present day, now (in 2010) as the Phenom Restaurant. Later (in 1921) Cohen also purchased the Bachmann Publick House property at the corner,[56] although he did not combine the Bachmann into his store. He retired in 1935.[57] In 1945, Cohen’s unpaid debts caused the Sheriff to seize the Bachmann Publick House (returning it to the Fulmer Family who had sold it),[58] while the Shouse House and the 1902 Building were both sold by the Sheriff to Moe Berman and Samuel Holtz at a combined price of $35,200.[59] Israel Cohen continued to own his residence on North 2nd Streetuntil 1946, whenhe sold the property to his sister, Polly Laveton[60] and her husband Harry Laveton of Bangor, apparently merging out a mortgage that he owed them on the property.[61]

Harry Laveton died on 14 January 1960, at which point his wife inherited his interest, and continued to hold the property for another 10 years, selling it in 1970 to James and Martha Mae Quiney, Jr.[62] After a further 12 years, the Quineys sold for a substantial profit in 1982 to Om P. Sharma.[63] Sharma held the property until 1986, when it had again appreciated substantially in value. It was sold in that year to Thomas and Diane Maloney,[64] who in turn sold the property to Stephanie J. Kenney and a partner in 2001.[65] (The partner was bought out in 2004).[66] The property is now used for rental apartments.

[1]City of Easton, Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, Attachment: Building Description Survey Area 1 Zone B (City Council Resolution approved 12 May 1982).

[2]Compare 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) with Northampton County Tax Records map,

The property measurements on the block are not exact. The original Town Lots surveyed by Parsons were each 60’ in breadth, as shown in the Penn Patents map. Although many of the lot measurements in the modern Northampton County Tax Records map are illegible, the Parking Lot across the street at 201 Spring Garden Street is clearly shown with a 121’ frontage on North 2nd – or very nearly the breadth of two original Town Lots. The northern edge of this property lines up almost exactly with 115 North 2nd Street – which accordingly extends just a little bit more than 121’ feet from the corner with Spring Garden Street. Accordingly, 115 North 2nd Street apparently contains the northern portion of the 2nd original Town Lot from the corner (i.e. Lot No.42 on the Penn Patents map), plus a few feet of the continuous original Town Lot No.44.

[3]Deed, John Penn and Richard Penn to Peter Frederick, G2 414 (1 Sept. 1802)(original lot size was 60’ (on North Fourth Street) X 230’ deep); accord, 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]Deed, Peter (Margaret) Frederick to George Richard, A3 494 (25 Feb. 1805)(sale price £28 for “A certain Messuage tenement and Lot”).

[5]Deed Poll, Abraham Rinker, Sheriff, for Estate of George Bender, to George Reichard, A3 495 (16 Jan. 1805). The sale was apparently due to a debt of £ 100, plus $5.30 in damages, owed to Conrad Rhon. The Sheriff seized “a certain Messuage or tenement and Lot of Ground” measuring 70’ X 140’, which he sold for $540, to discharge the debt. The property is specifically described as being 70’ X 140’ (thus wider than the original Town Lot No.42, which was only 60’ wide), as bordering on Fermor (later North 2nd) Street, and “adjoining a lot of Samuel Sitgreaves on the south”. Lot No.40 (to the South) was, indeed, owned by Samuel Sitgreaves from 1802 until 1807. Deed, John (Margaret) Wagener to Samuel Sitgreaves, G2 379 (9 June 1802); Deed, Samuel (Mary) Sitgreaves to George Dingler, D3 200 (1 Apr. 1807); see generally separate entry for the Hackett Mansion at 165 Spring Garden Street.

[6]Deed, George (Susanna) Richard to Jacob Grotz Jr., D3 132 (20 May 1806)(sale price $160).

[7]Deed, Christian (Ann) Fleming to Charles Grotz, E5 324 (24 Mar. 1828)(sale price for half interest was $400; a “Messuage or Tenement and Lot”).

[8]City of Easton, Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, Attachment: Building Description Survey Area 1 Zone B (City Council Resolution approved 12 May 1982).

[9]Jacob Grotz Jr., father of Ann and Charles Grotz, was the owner at 115 North 2ndStreet. Jacob Grotz (presumably, Sr.) and his wife Elizabeth were the grandparents of Elizabeth Traill Green, the wife of Benjamin Green and mother of Elizabeth (Green) Stewart, wife of John Stewart (iron merchant and bank president, the owner at 133 North 2nd Street). John Stewart’s children also lived at 119 and 123 North 2nd. SeeJohn W. Jordan, Edgar Moore Green & George T. Ettinger, I Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of the Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania 35-36 (The Lewis Publishing Co. 1905, reprint by Higginson Book Co.). See generally separate entry for the Green Family Homestead at 77-83 North 4th Street.

[10]See separate entry for 133 North 2nd Street.

[11]See separate entries for the Charles Stewart Houseat 123 North 2nd Street, and the William G. Stewart Row House at 119 North 2nd Street.

[12]At 117-19 North 4th Street, next to Jane Green’s property at No.111. See separate entry for 111 North 4th Street.

[13]Deed, Joseph J. (Mary Ann) Baldwin to Michael Lehn, D11 37 (2 Oct. 1865)(“all those certain Messuages Tenement and lot of Land”; measurements 30’ on North 2nd Street X 230’ deep to Green Alley).

[14]D.G. Beers, Atlas of NorthamptonCountyPennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874).

[15]See Jane S. Moyer (compiler), XI Marriages and DeathsNorthamptonCounty 1885-1902 Newspaper Extracts 74 (Easton Area Public Library 1976)(death notice of John S. Lehn (died 27 Feb. 1895), a brother of Michael Lehn, Mrs. Henrietta Grotz, and Mrs. Margaret Wilking, based on Easton Express of 27 Feb. 1895); id. (death notice of Susan Lehn (died 25 May 1891, age 79), leaving siblings Michael Lehn, Mrs. Michael Grotz, and Mrs. Margaret Wilking, based upon Easton Daily Free Press of 25 May 1891).

[16]Michael Lehn’s grandfather was J. Adam Lehn (1759 – 1844), and his father was John Lehn Sr. (6 Feb. 1788 – 10 Aug. 1860); his mother was Susana Gangewehr Lehn (married 26 June 1808 in Easton). See and compareDale E. Berger, The Family and Descendants of John Adam and Maria Magdelena (Meixell) Lehn of Easton, PA(Lehn Family File, Marx Room, Easton Area Public Library, May 2001); Obituary, “Aged Citizen Dead – Three of the Oldest People in Easton Claimed by Death”, Easton Express, Sat., 5 Mar. 1904, p.5, col.4 (parents were John and Susan Lehn); St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Easton, PA, Parish Records of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, PA from 1769 to the Consecration of the New Church, Jan.1, 1832 (Marx Room Code Letter “G”) at 82 (Easton, PA, no date)(Michael Lehn born 21 Feb. 1809 to John and Susana Lehn); Chesser Family Tree, trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?pid=-1503634066&tid=4879995 (accessed 13 Mar. 2009)(gives birth date as 1788); John Eyerman, I The Old Grave-Yards of Northampton and Adjacent Counties in the State of Pennsylvania 49 (Easton: self-published June 1899).

• John Lehn Sr. was born 6 Feb. 1788, and died 10 Aug. 1860 of dropsy, age 72, “one of the original founders of ChristChurch”. Record Book of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, Pennsylvania (Marx Room Code Letter “B”), at 160 (copied in Easton Public Library May 1936); but seeDale E. Berger, The Family and Descendants of John Adam and Maria Magdelena (Meixell) Lehn of Easton, PA(Lehn Family File, Marx Room, Easton Area Public Library, May 2001)(gives John Lehn’s birth date as 24 Apr. 1786).
• John Lehn Sr. married Susanna Gangewehr on 26 June 1808. St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Easton, PA, Parish Records of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, PA from 1769 to the Consecration of the New Church, Jan.1, 1832 (Marx Room Code Letter “G”) at 278 (Easton, PA, no date); Record Book of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, Pennsylvania (Marx Room Code Letter “B”), at 151 (copied in Easton Public Library May 1936).

Michael Lehn’s paternal grandfather (and John Lehn Sr.’s father) was John (Johann) Adam Lehn (1759 – 1844), and mother was Mary Magdalena Meixell/Mixsell (1760-1851), daughter of Philip Meixell. Compare Berger, The Family and Descendants of John Adam . . . Lehn, suprawithChesser Family Tree, trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.aspx?tid=4879995&pid=-1503640218 (accessed 13 Mar. 2009).

[17]See separate entry for 8 Centre Square, and sources cited therein.

[18]Dale E. Berger, The Family and Descendants of John Adam and Maria Magdelena (Meixell) Lehn of Easton, PA(Lehn Family File, Marx Room, Easton Area Public Library, May 2001); Obituary, “Aged Citizen Dead – Three of the Oldest People in Easton Claimed by Death”, Easton Express, Sat., 5 Mar. 1904, p.5, col.4. See separate entry for 111 North 2nd Street.

[19]Michael Lehn is not listed in Easton in the City Directory of 1864-65. Talbot’s LehighValley Gazetteer and Business Directory 1864-65 21 (Press of Wynkoop & Hallenbeck 1864). Accordingly, he probably had not yet returned to Easton in late 1863, when that Directory was probably compiled.

He had returned, however, prior to October of 1865. At that time, he purchased the Grotz property next door – now No.115 No.2nd St. where he installed his son George D. Lehn – and that deed recites that Michael Lehn already occupied the land to the South (i.e., this property, which would later become 111 North 2nd Street). Deed, Joseph J. (Mary Ann) Baldwin to Michael Lehn, D11 37 (2 Oct. 1865).

[20]Fitzgerald & Dillon, Easton Directory for 1870-71 59 (Ringwalt & Brown 1870)(Michael Lehn residence at 55 North 2nd Street); Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 92 (1873)(same); see generally1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 1382, p.5B (Michael Lehn listing in Easton, although no addresses was specified in this Census); D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874)(M. L., with M. Lehn listed on the property next door).

[21]Deed, Joseph J. (Mary Ann) Baldwin to Michael Lehn, D11 37 (2 Oct. 1865).