Hohl House (32 North 3Rd Street)

1

(Photo by Richard F. Hope)

Hohl House (32 North 3rd Street).

Tall, 3-1/2 story “Second Empire” style[1]brownstone mansion with typical Mansard roof,[2] and decorative cornice at third floor.[3]

The property is part of original town Lot No.143, as surveyed by William Parsons when Easton was established in 1752. It was patented by the Penn Family to “John Wagle by the name of John Wagell” in 1754.[4] In around 1765, Wagle sold the property to John Leitzel, a clerk from Haycock Township, Bucks County. Before that sale was completed, Leitzel resold it to Nicholas Kooch, a weaver from Williams Township. And before that sale was completed, Kooch resold to John Rees, a “taylor” by trade. Each of these parties were included in a 1765 deed.[5] Rees also owned the adjacent Lot Nos. 141 and 142 to the South, running all the way from this property down the to the alley now called Church Street.[6]

In 1805, John Rees sold Lot No.143 with a “small Log house” on it to his son, Jacob (also a “taylor” living in Greenwich Twp., N.J.), for £350.[7] In 1823-24, he split the Lot between his son and daughter. The southern portion was sold for $300 to his son, Jacob Rees Jr., where he had “lately erected a Frame Messuage tenement” [legalese for a house!].[8] The northern portion went to his daughter, Christina Gray (wife of saddler William Gray), for the “natural Love and Affection which he bears” plus a $300 advance against her inheritance.[9]

In 1852, a “frame house” was located on the property, still “occupied by a Mrs. Reese and daughters.”[10] This may refer to the earlier log cabin, or perhaps to a better frame house that had replaced it. In 1855, the widow of Jacob Reese [Jr.] was identified as the occupant, and the house at that time had the address 18 North 3rd Street.[11]

In 1867, the estate of Jacob Reese [note the Anglicized spelling of the name] sold the property, with a stone house on it, to Samuel Drake.[12] This reference to a “stone house” (instead of a frame one) mayrefertothe “brownstone residence”noted on the property in 1885,[13]which was likely also the “Second Empire” brownstone house that stands on the property today.

Samuel Drake was the son of John Drake, the wealthy wholesale food merchant.[14] Samuel took over the principal role in the family firm after his father’s death in 1873.[15]

In the early 1870s, Drake appears to have leased this house (still bearing the address of 18 North 3rd Street) to Jeremiah Gray,[16] and under the modern numbering scheme in 1874 and 1875, when the address became 32 North 3rd Street.[17]

In 1870, Jeremiah Gray had included in his household the wealthy Edward P. Field, who had owned some $20,000 in real estate plus another $5,000 in personal property. At that time, tailor Jeremiah Gray himself owned a much smaller (but still respectable) $1,000 worth of personal property but no real estate. The family’s relationship to the wealthy Mr. Field is shown by the fact that one of Gray’s children had been named “Edward P.”, apparently after Field.[18]

Edward Field died the following year (on 22 April 1871). His will changed the financial situation of Jeremiah Gray and his wife. They inherited a property now numbered 500-04 Ferry Street.[19] The Grays proceeded (in essence) to exchange this Ferry Street inheritance, by selling it in 1873 to its occupant, grocer Abraham Meyer, who occupied it, for $6,000.[20] In exchange, in1875, Abraham Meyer sold Jeremiah Grey a building at 66 North 3rd Street,[21]where the Grey Family moved in 1876 or ’77.[22]

Meanwhile in 1872 (the year after Edward Field’s death), Samuel Drake sold his house (the Grey’s former rental) to George Hohl,[23] although the Gray Family continued in residence for a time. After the Gray Family tenants moved, Hohl moved in and made it his retirement home.[24] Hohl may have simply accommodated the Grey Family’s slow transition to their new address, as they worked through handling the inheritance from Edward Field.

George Hohl was a successful baker who had operated on Ferry Street in Easton since the time of the Civil War.[25] He had immigrated from the Grand Duchy of Baden,[26] which is now part of Germany.[27] Hohl’s financial success in Easton was cemented by an even closer relationship to Samuel Drake, the former owner of Hohl House: Hohl’s son, Stewart M. Hohl,[28] married Elizabeth Semple,[29]a granddaughter of the Drake Family’s progenitor John Drake. The bride was a daughter of Ellen Drake Semple (one of John Drake’s daughters),[30] who lived up the street at 220 North Third St.[31] The Drake Family had assorted mansions along North 3rd Street, making them (collectively) among the “millionaires” of “Millionaire’s Row”.[32]

George Hohl’s residence on North 3rd Street continued[33] until 1888, when he sold the residence to Eli M. Fox.[34] Hohl moved to Bushkill Street, where he died in 1907 at the age of 74.[35]

Owner and resident[36] Eli M. Fox was a jeweler, who in the 1870s had been in partnership with the William Bixler jewelry business on Northampton Street.[37] In 1880, Fox’s jewelry business had separated from the Bixlers, and he teamed up with Eli Fulmer to open the Fox and Fulmer “jewelry palace of Easton” a few doors away from the Bixler store on Northampton Street.[38] When he died, Fox left the house to his wife for life,[39] and she continued to live there.[40] After her death, the estate sold it (in 1919) for $20,000 to Frederick Sherrer,[41] a physician.[42] Two years later (in 1921), he entered into formal transactions to make his wife, Evie, a full joint owner.[43] Frederick Sherrer died in 1931, and his wife followed in 1942. In 1943, her estate sold the house to Mary Reiniger and Louis Freedberg for $15,000, which was the highest bid received.[44] A complicated series of family transactions followed subdividing these two half-interests even further, and adding various members of the Brodsky family to the list of partial owners.[45] Finally, in 1997, title of all these owners was intended to be transfered to a corporation,[46] which then sold the property to Leon Nigohsian Jr. for $229,000 in the following year.[47] Unfortunately, when the chain of title was reviewed for this transaction, experts discovered that a 1986 transaction by Mary Reiniger “inadvertently conveyed a one-half rather than the full three-quarters interest to Ronald Brosky”. Since Ms. Reiniger had subsequently died in 1996, leaving no will, and no estate had been opened for her, an ugly search for heirs might have ensued to clean up the transaction. Fortunately, however, one of the other participants in the property had been Milton Brodsky, who (with the formal participation of his wife, Jacqueline) had sold his interest to the corporation in 1997. It was discovered that, luckily, Mary Reiniger’s sold heir was her daughter, Jacqueline Brosky, who thus had been included in the 1997 sale, and whose participation now resolved what could otherwise have been a difficult situation.[48]

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

[2]But seeEaston Heritage Alliance, House Tour 1997: Historic Easton Homes and Gardens 37 (17 May 1997)(“Italianate brownstone”).

[3]Building pictured in Richard F. Hope, Easton PA: A History 95 (AuthorHouse 2006)(bottom photo).

This house is apparently included in the artistic rendition of Timothy George Hare, Easton Inkscapes No.15 (Easton: Inkwell Publications 1989).

[4]See Deed, John (Mary) Wagle, et al., to John Rees, B1 251 (9 Jan. 1765)(recital); Patent, Penn Family to John Wagell, Patent Book A18 245 (14 Mar. 1754), indexed online at see Northampton County Warrant W21 issued to John Wagell, Patent Book A18 245 (11 Feb. 1754, returned 8 Mar. 1754), indexed online for Northampton County Warrants p.192, Warrant No.21 at survey copied at Survey Book C209 261 (returned 8 Mar. 1754); 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).

Compare with Northampton County Tax Records map, The 55’ frontage of the original town Lots along North 3rd Street, starting with Lot No.141 at Church Street, suggests that 20 North 3rd Street (with a 33.26 frontage) and 22 North Third Street (with a 36.33’ frontage) occupy a bit more than original town Lot No.141, plus a little of Lot No.142. That means that the Davis Duplex (the next parcel, with a combined frontage of about 42’) also falls largely within Lot No.142, although it overlaps into Lot No.143. Accord, Deed, Abraham (Susannah) Horn to Jacob Arndt, C3 357 (1 Dec. 1807)(recital that Orphan’s Court on 25 April 1807 confirmed assignment to Abraham Horn by Jacob and Elizabeth Ludwig from the Estate of John Reese). This, in turn, means that the Hohl House property’s southern border starts at approximately (or a little North of) the southern boundary of original Town Lot No.143.

[5]Deed, John (Mary) Wagle, et al., to John Rees, B1 251 (9 Jan. 1765); see 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)(Lot No 143: “Patented to Jno. Waglee, now [used?] by Jno. Reese”).

[6]See Deed, John Penn the Younger and John Penn the Elder to John Rees, A3 416 (20 Nov. 1789)(Lot No.142); Patent, Penn Family to John Reese, Patent Book AA9 234 (17 Apr. 1776), indexed online at see Northampton County Warrant No. R97 issued to John Reese, Patent Book AA9 234 (16 Apr. 1776, returned 17 Apr. 1776), indexed online for Northampton County Warrants p.146, Warrant No.97, at (regarding Lot No.141). This patent was uncovered by John L. Holdos in 2010.

[7]Deed, John Rees to Jacob Rees, A3 418 (24 Oct. 1805)(sale price £350 for Lot No.143 measuring 55’ X 240’ with a “small Log house”, plus an out lot on the Palmer map).

[8]Deed, Jacob (Christina) Rees to Jacob Rees Jr., H4 39 (10 June 1823)(sale price $300 for part of Lot No.143 measuring 27’ 6” X 240’ deep).

[9]Deed, Jacob Reess to Christina Gray, C5 132 (20 July 1826)(“Northern Moiety or half part” of Lot No.143, measuring 27’ 6” X 240’, and recitals).

[10]Article, “Interesting Reminiscence, North Third Street a Third of a Century Ago”, Easton Daily Free Press, Thursday, 20 Aug. 1885, p.3 (recalled the older house of 1852 was “frame”, although not ascribing it specifically to the Rees family).

[11]C[harles] Kitchen, A General Directory of the Borough of Easton PA 47 (Cole & Eichman’s Office, 1855).

[12]Deed, Mary Reese (Executrix of Will of Jacob Reese) and Charles Reese (Trustee), to Samuel Drake, G11 133 (25 Mar. 1867)(with stone house, lengthy account of court proceedings to clear title and search for a missing heir); see Easton Heritage Alliance, House Tour 1997: Historic Easton Homes and Gardens 37 (17 May 1997).

See generally separate entry regarding 54 North Third Street for biographical data on Samuel Drake.

[13]Article, “Interesting Reminiscence, North Third Street a Third of a Century Ago”, Easton Daily Free Press, Thursday, 20 Aug. 1885, p.3.

A substantial house was almost certainly built by 1870, when long-time tenant Jeremiah Gray was listed as residing in the building. Fitzgerald & Dillon, Easton Directory for 1870-71 45 (Ringwalt & Brown 1870)(Jeremiah Gray at 18 North Third Street, under the street numbering scheme then in effect).

The “Second Empire” architectural style of the current building is consistent with construction in 1867, although that is a little early for the style. Although a heading in Nancy J. Sanquist (Office of Preservation, Easton City Hall), Easton Architectural and Historical Survey Manual unnumbered p.18 (Aug. 1978) lists 1870 as the beginning date for this style, her text description admits that it actually “became most popular in America in the late 1860’s and the early 1870’s.”

The “c.1874” dating assigned by the City of Easton, Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, Attachment: Building Description Survey Area 1 Zone D (City Council Resolution approved 12 May 1982) is probably a simple reflection of the building’s architectural style, including Ms. Sanquist’s Survey Manual heading, rather than a reliance on anything more specific.

Although the Northampton County Tax Records, indicate that the current building was built in 1920, that record probably reflects the date of a later remodeling, rather than the original building date.

[14]See, e.g., John W. Jordan, Edgar Moore Green & George T. Ettinger, II Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of the Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania 42-44 (The Lewis Publishing Co. 1905, reprint by Higginson Book Co.); William J. Heller (supervising editor), III History of Northampton County and The Grand Valley of the Lehigh 446 (The American Historical Society 1920).

[15]William J. Heller (supervising editor), III History of Northampton County and The Grand Valley of the Lehigh 446 (The American Historical Society 1920).

[16]Fitzgerald & Dillon, Easton Directory for 1870-71 45 (Ringwalt & Brown 1870)(Jeremiah Gray at 18 North Third Street). See separate entry on 66 North Third Street for biographical data on Jeremiah Gray.

[17]Article, “The New Numbers”, Easton Daily Free Press, Monday, 24 Nov. 1873, p.3 (Jeremiah Gray assigned the address of 32 North 3rd Street); Webb Bros. & Co., Webb’s Easton and Phillipsburg Directory 1875-6 55 (M.J. Riegel 1875)(“Josiah” Gray home at 32 North Third Street); but see D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874)(G. Hohl). See below for further Easton Directory citations showing George Hohl on Ferry or Northampton Street until 1876 or ’77.

[18]1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 1382, p.20A.

[19]See Deed, Jeremiah (Sarah A.) Gray to Abraham Meyer, B14 556 (12 Sept. 1873)(recitals).

[20]Compare Deed, Jeremiah (Sarah A.) Gray to Abraham Meyer, B14 556 (12 Sept. 1873)(sale price $6,000) withJeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 97 (1873)(Abram Meyer at 166 Ferry Street) and Article, “The New Numbers”, Easton Daily Free Press, Tues., 2 Dec. 1873, p.3 (Abraham Meyer assigned 500 Ferry Street for his grocery, and 504 Ferry Street for his residence).

[21]Deed, Abraham Meyer to Jeremiah Gray, H14 146 (1 Apr. 1875); see separate entry for the Jeremiah Gray Homestead at 66 North 3rd Street.

[22]They were established at the new address by 1877. J.H. Lant, Easton [Etc] Directory for 1877 80 (M.J. Riegel 1877)(Jeremiah Gray home at 66 N. Third Street). They were apparently still in residence at 32 North 3rd Street in 1875. Cf. Webb Bros. & Co., Webb’s Easton and Phillipsburg Directory 1875-6 55 (M.J. Riegel 1875)(“Josiah” Gray at 32 North Third Street, no listing for Jeremiah Gray).

In 1877, the Greys placed title to the property solely in Mrs. Grey’s name – perhaps as a device to protect the family home in case Jeremiah’s business failed. This may mark the family’s adoption of the building as their residence. See Deed, Solon C. Phillippe to Sarah A. Gray, 15E 335 (20 March 1877)(recital also shows that Solon had received the property three days before from Sarah Gray and her husband, Jeremiah Gray, suggesting that Solon simply acted as an accommodation party in the two transactions). Sarah Gray was, in fact, Jeremiah’s wife: he married to Sarah Ann Berlin on 20 Sept. 1863 in a Lutheran ceremony. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Easton, Record Book (Easton Area Public Library code B) 111.

[23]Deed, Samuel (Sarah) Drake to George Hohl, A14 332 (1 Oct. 1872).

[24]J.H. Lant, Easton Etc. Directory for 1877 89(M.J. Riegel 1877); see J.H. Lant, Easton Etc. Directory for 1879 95 (M.J. Riegel 1879). Only a residence, and not a profession, is listed for Mr. Hohl in those Directories, and the 1880 Census lists Mr. Hohl as a “Retired Baker”. 1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 1161, p.403A (spelled “Hole, George”).

The 1875-76 City Directory still lists George Hohl’s residence and bakery at 329 Ferry Street. Webb Bros. & Co.,Webb’s Easton and Phillipsburg Directory 1875-6 55 (M.J. Riegel 1875). See also Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 82 (1873)(George Hohl residence and bakery at 101 Ferry Street.

However, the Easton Atlas of 1874 already lists the house to “G. Hohl”. D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874).

[25]Webb Bros. & Co., Webb’s Easton and Phillipsburg Directory 1875-6 65 (M.J. Riegel 1875)(George Hohl, bakery and residence at 329 Ferry Street); Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 82 (1873)(George Hohl residence and bakery at 101 Ferry Street; 1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 1382, p.79B (baker age 36, plus wife Elizabeth, sons Edward, Stewart and Frank, and a daughter Annie – no address listed); Fitzgerald & Dillon (compilers), Easton Directory for 1870-71 51 (M.J. Riegel 1870)(George Hohl, baker and confectioner, store at 20 Northampton Street, residence at 101 Ferry Street); Talbot’s Lehigh Valley Gazetteer and Business Directory 1864-65 17 (Press of Wynkoop & Hallenbeck 1864)(George Hohl, baker, 101 Ferry Street). The pre-1874 street number on Ferry Street (No.101) is probably the same building as his post-1874 address (329 Ferry Street), due to the change in Easton’s street numbering scheme implemented in 1874.

[26]1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 1161, p.403A (spelled “Hole, George”)

[27]See Wikipedia, “Baden”, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden_Germany.

[28]See1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 1382, p.79B (baker age 36, plus wife Elizabeth, sons Edward, Stewart and Frank, and a daughter Annie) and1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 1161, p.403A (spelled “Hole, George”, with wife Elizabeth and sons Stewart and Frank).

[29]Marriage Notice, “Hohl – Semple”, Easton Daily Free Press, 13 March 1890, p.2 (marriage of Stewart M. Hohl and Elizabeth Semple).

[30]See Funeral Notice, “Ellen Drake Semple”, Easton Express / Easton Argus, Tuesday, 15 Aug. 1922, p.5 (grandsons of Ellen Drake Semple at the funeral were George M. Hohl and Maurice Hohl); Obituary, “Ellen Drake Semple”, Easton Express / Easton Argus, Saturday, 12 Aug. 1922, p.2. (Ellen Drake Semple was a daughter of John Drake); John W. Jordan, Edgar Moore Green & George T. Ettinger, I Historic Homes and Institutions 43 (The Lewis Publishing Co. 1905, reprint by Higginson Book Co.)(same); see also Obituary, “Miss Drake Dead, One of Easton’s Most Charitable Women Passes Away After Long Illness”, supra (obituary of John Drake’s daughter Catharine Drake, listing Mrs. Ellen Semple as a surviving sister).

[31]1910 Census, Series T624, Roll 1381, p.33B (Ellen D. Semple at 220 North Third St.); 1920 Census, Series T625, Roll 1609, p.104A (same); see Article, “Interesting Reminiscence, North Third Street a Third of a Century Ago”, The Daily Free Press, Thursday, 20 Aug. 1885, p.3 (listing Mrs. Ellen Semple).

[32]John Drake’s son, Samuel Drake, and his grandson, Major Fred Drake, both became (in turn) head of the Drake grocery firm, and lived at 54-56 North 3rd Street until the Major moved to College Hill. See entry for Seville Theatre Parking Lot at 56 North 3rd Street.