1

(Photo by Richard F. Hope)

Express Building (30-56 North Fourth Street)

Opened in 1923 as the headquarters of the Easton Express (now the Express-Times), Easton’s oldest successful daily newspaper, which has absorbed its principal predecessors over the years. The Express was first published in 1855, at another location (see below). The property today includes a large parking lot on the North side, with frontage of 210’ on North 4th Street and 220’ on Church Street.[1]

The Early Lots

The original town Lots, as surveyed for the founding of Easton by William Parsons in 1752, each contained a 60’ frontage on Hamilton (now called North 4th) Street. Accordingly, this property today contains the 4th Street frontage of three and a half of those original Lots, or Lot Nos. 225, 227, 229, and half of 331.[2] As discussed below, the first two of these Lots came to be owned by Daniel Wagener and his family, while the last two were owned by George Frederick Wagener.

A schematic diagram of these Lots is as follows:

North 4th St.

Lot No.231
George Frederick Wagner
Lot No.229
George Frederick Wagner
Lot No.227
Andrew Eichelmeyer - Daniel Wagener
Lot No.225
Michael Yohe --- Daniel Wagener

Church Street (Alley)

The Daniel Wagener Lots (Nos.225 and 227)

Lot No.225, at the NW corner with Church Street, was identified by Easton Historian Rev. Uzal Condit as the location of former residence of the legendary Easton “flirt” in Colonial times.[3] This story, published in 1851 and then said to have actually occurred “[s]ome eighty years ago”, recounts with considerable charm and length the rustic virtues and manners of the wives of Easton’s largely German-speaking community. Into this community, a Colonial legislator brought his wife and small child on summer holiday. She moved into town with fancy furniture, cosmopolitan attire and social graces that were not common in rustic Easton. She also scandalized the local dames by not attending church. She was very bold with the local men, and utterly contemptuous of their wives. Her visit to town extended through the winter and into the following Spring, while her husband returned to the legislature in Philadelphia. She allowed the local men to visit her home frequently, and walked or rode with them in the woods (even after dark!). The wives at length gathered to mete out the punishment that such witchcraft deserved: a dunking in the town pond. Sadly, the plan got out of hand, and the flirt’s drowned body was left on the pond bank. The town fathers had little incentive to establish with certainty who had committed the crime, and the deed went unpunished, according to the story.[4] There has been much speculation as to whether this story is factual (as was claimed), or merely a legend.

Old records show that Lot No.225 was occupied by Michael Yohe in a house built before 1779.[5] It was formally sold by the Penn Family to “Cordwainer” (shoemaker) Michael Yohe in 1789 for £25,[6] of which the Penns loaned Yohe £16 13s. 4d. and took back a mortgage on the land, which was paid by early 1792.[7] Michael Yohe married Mary Shouse, the daughter of Easton stone mason Frederick Shouse.[8]

The name “Yohe” was apparently often pronounced in English as one syllable. The name originates from the original German name “Joh”, which would have been pronounced the same way.[9] Nevertheless, there is some evidence that having achieved an Anglicized spelling of “Yohe” (or “Johe”), the German pronunciation in two syllables was also sometimes used.[10] Johan Michel Joh, along with two first cousins (who were brothers) named Johann Adam Joh and Johann Jacob Joh, arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship Albany and took an oath of allegiance to the Pennsylvania government on 2 September 1749. They had immigrated from Erpacht (i.e. Erbache), Würtemberg (later part of Germany), via Rotterdam (Holland) and Cowes (England).[11]

  • They were apparently from a French Hugeunot family named Joe (French for Joseph, presumably pronounced with a soft “j”: i.e. “zho”) who fled from religious persecution in France in 1668.[12]

Michael Joh was naturalized as a citizen of Pennsylvania on 16 August 1761, as a resident of the County of Philadelphia, after having resided there for more than seven years.[13] Michael Yohe was not listed for tax purposes in Easton in the tax assessment of 1763,[14] but nine years later (in 1772) he was taxed in Easton £ 1 as a cordwainer (shoemaker) and an addition £ 2 and 14 shilling “For the house he lives in”. [15] He was also listed on the Easton tax rolls in the following year, 1773.[16]

  • Meanwhile, Michael Yohe’s cousin, Adam Yohe, had been in Easton earlier, before September 1757, running the Red Lion Tavern/Inn (at the NE corner of Northampton and what is now 4th Street – forerunner of the Hotel Lafayette).[17] Adam sold that tavern in about 1760. In 1765 (four years after his cousin Michael was naturalized in Philadelphia) Adam Yohe formally purchased a property Lot in Easton, at the NE corner of Northampton and what later came to be called Sitgreaves Streets.[18] Adam’s formal 1765 land purchase in Easton might indicate the approximate time that Michael Yohe left Philadelphia County to join his cousin Adam in Easton (see above). In 1772, Adam appears to have still be living in Northampton Township[19] (now called Allentown[20]), when he purchased another property in Easton, this one the hotel at the SW corner of Northampton and Hamilton (now 4th) Street.[21] In 1776, 1786 and 1788, Adam Yohe was listed as a tavern or inn keeper[22] – although in 1780, he was unaccountably listed as a shoemaker like his cousin Michael.[23] Adam and his brother, Jacob Yohe, both married Easton girls – daughters of Henry Barnet, a tanner with a house at the SW corner of Bushkill and Hamilton (now called 4th) Streets.[24]

Michael Yohe was subsequently known as a shoemaker or “cordwainer” in Easton.[25] As we have seen above, he formally purchased his property at the NW corner of Hamilton and what is now called Church Streets from the Penn Family in 1789,[26] and paid off his mortgage in 1792.[27] Three years later, in 1795, Yohe sold his corner property to Michael Traxel (a house carpenter – referred to as Troxell in other places) for £300 in colonial money,[28] and moved 300 miles away from Easton[29] – probably following his son (a Revolutionary War veteran[30]) to western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh.[31]

Michael Traxel immediately resold the property to cordwainer (shoemaker) John Leidich in 1795, for £ 320.[32] Nine years later, in 1806, Leidich sold it to Daniel Wagener for $2,000.[33] Judge Daniel Wagner was the son of the redoubtable Wagener Family of Easton. In 1824, Wagener and his wife conveyed it to their daughter, Mary Mixsell,[34] the wife of merchant Philip Mixsell.[35] The same deed also conveyed other properties, including Lot No.226 and most of Lot No.228 lying in the rear, fronting on Juliana (now called 5th) Street. Phillip Mixsell operated a “general supply store” at this location.

  • Phillip Mixsell was a brother of Jacob Mixsell,[36] the Easton merchant who first built the Mixsell House at 4th and Ferry Street. Mixsell House has long served as one of the museums operated by the Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society.[37]

Lot No.227 was apparently granted for life and occupied by Andrew Eichelmeyer (also spelled Ackelmire), in a house built before 1779.[38] In 1794, Absolom Reeder, the father of later Governor Andrew Reeder,[39] purchased formal title to the property from the Penn Family, although the deed was subject to Eichelmeyer’s prior rights. In May of 1802, Reeder obtained a release from Eichelmeyer (now living out-of-town), subject to a lease to Daniel Reichert that would expire on 1 April 1803.[40] Reeder promptly resold the property to Daniel Wagener.[41]

In 1824, Daniel Wagener gave Lot No.227 to his daughter, Susanna Burke – on the same day that Daniel Wagener conveyed Lot No.225 to his other daughter, Mary Mixsell (see above). As he had done with his other daughter, Daniel Wagener also gave Susanna the land on Juliana (now called 5th) Street behind her 4th Street property.[42] Susanna Burke was the wife of merchant Joseph Burke.[43] Joseph Burke’s general merchandize store on Hamilton (now called North 4th) Street was the “most extensive establishment” in Easton at the time.[44] Joseph Burke himself became Chief Burgess of Easton in 1825.[45]

The George Frederick Wagener Lots (Nos.229 and 231)

Lot Nos.229 and 231 each had a house built on them before 1779, and were informally occupied by George Frederick Wagener (also spelled Wagner).[46] He formally bought both of these Lots from the Penn Family in 1789.[47]

George Frederick Wagener (also spelled Wagner) is said to have been born on 19 December 1752, and emigrated to America from Strassbourg[48] (in Alsace, a region which has been hotly disputed between France and Germany over the years).

  • Daniel Wagener’s family is said to have come from Silesia,[49] which was a Prussian/Polish province at the opposite corner of Germany.

In America, he became a “soldier of the Revolution, and enthusiastically devoted to the cause of freedom.” Taken prisoner at the fall of Fort Washington (New York) in 1776, he had petitioned the Hessian commander Count Donop for better treatment for American prisoners of war. When no improvement was afforded in response to the petition, he escaped.[50]

When Wagener died in 1827,[51] he left a wife (Margaret) and twelve children,[52] as well as extensive property in Easton and the surrounding area.[53] The two Lots on Hamilton (4th) Street were each cut in half (“partitioned”), forming four strips of property, each with a 30’ frontage on Hamilton (now called 4th) Street. Each of these properties, as well as Wagener’s other extensive real estate interests, were packaged into a series of “Purparts” which were offered to the heirs at stated valuations. Otherwise, the various real estate parcels were sold off to separate buyers. Of Wagener’s Hamilton (4th) Street property, the first three strips – which were later incorporated into the parking lot for the Express Building – were sold by the Wagener estate as follows:

Lot No.229, southern half: for $700 to Joseph Burke[54] – the husband of the owner of Lot No.227 (see above). When Joseph Burke died in 1841,[55] his will gave this property to his widow, Susanna Wagener Burke.[56] In 1858 – shortly before she herself died at age 70[57] – Mrs. Burke gave this property plus an additional tract in the rear extending to what is now 5th Street to John J. Burke,[58] her son.[59] A map of 1850 shows J.J. Burke’s building along North 4th Street, and his extensive “LumberYard” on the far side of the alley behind (then named “Lumber Alley”, now known as West Street). That property stretched all the way back to buildings standing along North 5th Street in the rear.[60] By 1850, John J. Burke was specifically known as a lumber merchant, when he declared ownership of real estate worth some $62,300.[61]

Lot No.229, northern half: including a small stone house, to Jacob P. Meixsell for $890,[62] who sold it several months later to Joseph Burke for only $182.08.[63] After Joseph Burke died at age 67 in 1841,[64] his son, John J. Burke,[65] inherited the property.[66]

Lot No.231, southern half: including a house, was accepted by Elizabeth Tilton, the eldest daughter, as part of Purpart No.5.[67] She died in 1829, and her son, Peter Tilton, accepted the Hamilton Street property (including a house) as part of his inheritance from her, at an appraised value of $1,000.[68] Within less than a year’s time, he resold it to John W. Bell for $700.[69]

The northernmost strip (i.e. Lot No.231, northern half) was sold to William Down in 1831.[70] That property has remained separate from the Express Building property, and became instead the Michael Butz Mansion at 60 North 4th Street.[71] Michael Butz was also related to the Wagener Family -- in fact, he was Daniel Wagener’s nephew.[72]

The Fire of April, 1831

In April 1831, a fire broke out in the stable around the corner on Church Alley “belonging to Mrs. Margaretta Wagener”, that spread to this corner at Hamilton (North Fourth) Street.[73]

  • “Mrs. Margaretta Wagener” appears to have been Margaret Wagener, the widow of George Frederick Wagener.[74] In the partition of her former husband’s estate, she received a stone house and property on Northampton Street that extended back to the South side of Church Alley, which was presumably the location of the stable where the fire started. This property was located on the western part of original town Lot No.219,[75] which now has the address of 425 Northampton Street.[76] Mrs. Wagener was actually referred to by the name “Margaretta” in a recital in a deed dated 1858,[77] even though the original deed being cited had actually called her “Margaret”.[78]

“The wind being south-westwardly, it carried the flames across the alley and there entirely destroyed a store-house, kitchen, ice-house, and some other buildings belonging to Mr. Philip Mixsell, and greatly injured his front store-house occupied as a wholesale and retail store by Messrs. Philip Mixsell & Sons, and dwelling house occupied by Mr. Philip Mixsell. The slate roofs of this store and dwelling-house, with the extraordinary exertions and activity of our fire companies, prevented the further extension of the flames, which, but for those roofs seemed to threaten destruction to the whole of that quarter of the town.”

Next door, in the “adjoining” property, the residence and store of Joseph Burke was evacuated, but that building did not in fact burn.[79]

The Rest of the 19th Century

The Mixsell Property (Lot No.225): In 1824, Mary (neé Wagener) Mixsell and her husband, Philip Mixsell, transferred the corner property and the two parcels on 5th (then called Juliana) Street to their son, Theodore Mixsell.[80] In 1855 (the same year that The Express was first published), the corner location (listed at 18 North 4th Street under the street numbering scheme then in effect) was listed to merchant Philip Mixsell.. His residence was listed next door at No.20.[81] Joseph Mixsell, a “gentleman”, lived in No.18, while Theodore Mixsell had his store in No.20. Theodore Mixsell’s residence was located down the street at No.54.[82] The three Mixsells (Philip, Joseph and Theodore) were apparently brothers, all sons of John Philip Mixsell.[83] Meanwhile, 22 North 4th Street had become the office of brothers Thomas T. and Depue Miller’s wholesale hardware business,[84] which was first established at about this time.[85] This location, adjoining the Mixsells, appears to have been the location of Joseph Burke’s store in 1831 (see above).

It appears that a financial crisis ensured for the Mixsell clan. In 1859, Theodore Mixsell was sued by his brother,[86] Joseph J. Mixsell, for a debt of $2,216 plus $4.12 ½ in costs and charges. As a result of the lawsuit, this 4th Street property (together with another on 5th Street) was seized by the Sheriff and sold at auction; creditor Joseph Mixsell purchased both of the Mixsell parcels for $6,000. At that time, the property at the corner of what are now called 4th and Church Streets had “a large two Story Stone house” measuring 33’6” X 36’ deep, as well as a pair of “two Story Brick Buildings and a two Story fire proof house”.[87] The fire proofing was, no doubt, constructed in the aftermath of the 1831 fire. Three years later, on 29 April 1862, the Sheriff again seized the property – this time in two pieces.

  • The piece at the corner with Church Street was again seized from Theodore Mixsell – suggesting that the 1859 lawsuit was a “friendly” action designed to forestall creditors, and that Joseph Mixsell had promptly turned around and returned the property at No.18 to Theodore. The building on the property was described as a “large two story Stone House” measuring 32’ 6” X 36’ deep, with “two Brick back buildings two stories large with a two Story fire proof Brick Stone house” – in other words, the same as Joseph had had the Sheriff seize from Theodore three years before. The sale was described as being caused by a lawsuit brought by Joseph P. Hettrich, Trustee for Theodore Mixsell himself.[88]
  • Also seized was the parcel next door, from Joseph J. Mixsell, upon a lawsuit by Mary Hummel. The buildings on that property (presumably No.20 North 4th Street) were described as a “two story Stone dwelling House” measuring 27’ 9” X 36’, “with a small one story stone kitchen attached together with other outbuilding”. The sum of $3,200 was realized on this sale.[89]
  • Theodore Mixsell’s family ultimately sorted out its financial issues. His son, Dr. Joseph Mixsell, became President of the Northampton County Medical Society. His grandson, Austin Davis Mixsell (1873- 1916), became a Vice President of the Bethlehem Steel Company. Upon his death, the Bethlehem Steel plant was stopped for 10 minutes to commemorate his achievements for the company.[90]

In 1862, both of the Mixsell parcels making up original town Lot No.225 were sold to John O. Wagener, grandson of Judge Daniel Wagener who had owned the property earlier (see above).[91] In 1867, Wagener sold the parcels to Thomas T. Miller for a total 4th Street frontage of 60’.[92] By 1873, Thomas T. Miller’s wholesale hardware store had moved over from Joseph Burke’s old store location to occupy Mixsell’s previous corner address, and Miller had also moved his residence into the corner property.[93] In 1874, when the new street numbering scheme was introduced, Thomas Miller’s hardware store was renumbered 30 North 4th Street, while his residence received No.34.[94]