In 1826, David Baldwin--quite literally--built a new home for his family on land leased from Trinity Church. A mason by trade, his two-and-a-half story house at 31 Charlton Street was faced in Flemish bond brick above a brownstone basement level. The attic floor under the peaked roof held two prim dormers. While some of the more upscale houses in the neighborhood boasted elaborate entrances with fluted columns and sidelights, the humbler single-doored entrance of the Baldwin residence was trimmed in simple rope carving. The large and handsome leaded transom was an added expense.
The Baldwin family remained at 31 Charlton Street through about 1840, taking in one boarder at a time. In 1827, John J. V. Westervelt, a grocer, lived with the family, for instance, and in 1836 the Baldwins' boarder was Richard H. Tittle, a shipmaster.
The late 1840s saw the family of William J. Ryckman occupying the house. They had a serious scare around midnight on March 6, 1850. The New York Morning Courier reported, "A black fellow who says his name is Dan Tucker, was found on Wednesday night by Mr. Wm. J. Ryckman, of No. 31 Charlton street, in his cellar, which he had broken into for the purpose of gaining admission to the house." The Evening Post explained that Ryckman, "was disturbed by the noise. He arose from his bed and went into the room where the thief was, when he was dangerously wounded by a dirk, by the rascal."
Tucker did not get far. Ryckman's cries alerted the policeman on the block, Officer Sturges, who quickly arrested the would-be burglar. As it turned out, Ryckman was fortunate in having sustained only a single stab wound, despite its seriousness. What no one realized at the time, was that Tucker was not alone. The New York Morning Courier said, "There were two accomplices with him, who succeeded in making their escape."
Twelve days after the break-in, an auction advertisement appeared in the newspapers. Among the properties being sold was, "The two story and attic brick house, and lease of lot known as No. 31 Charlton street."
The house was purchased by James Fowler. The 65-year-old did not list a profession in city directories, suggesting he was retired. Like the Baldwins, Fowler took in boarders. Living with him from 1850 through 1855 were Mary Bogert, a widow, and her son, Henry, who was a bookkeeper. The Bogerts moved to West 26th Street by 1856 when John Langdon moved into the house.
James Fowler was no doubt unaware that he had opened his home to a 21-year-old psychopath. Langdon worked in the shoemaking shop of a Mr. McCoombs on Sixth Avenue. A customer entered the shop on the evening of December 27, 1856 while McCoombs and Langdon were at work in the rear room. After McCoombs responded to the front area, Langdon slipped his employer's pocketbook, which was laying on the work counter, into his pocket. It contained $26 (about $1,000 in 2025 terms). It was not, he later confessed, his first robbery.
That night, Langdon went to Brooklyn and bought a pistol for $6. He explained later, "He determined to kill somebody and get some money." Just after dawn the next morning, Peter Keegan, who ran a restaurant, the Railroad House near 36th Street in Brooklyn, left his residence. Langdon considered murdering him, then, "after looking at him awhile thought he had but little money, and moreover thought it not a safe place." Keegan unknowingly had narrowly escaped a violent death.
Langdon continued walking until he encountered Cornelius Cannon, a gardener, in front of a church on Third Avenue around 11:30 a.m. Without speaking a word, Langdon shot him dead and took his wallet. He was quickly arrested.
At the stationhouse, a reporter asked his motive. The Albany, New York Morning Times reported, "he replied promptly, 'I never saw the man before, but I felt as though I could not stand much longer, and wanted money. I shot the man for his money, and nothing else.'" He added that he, "bought the pistol for the very purpose I used it for." The reporter said, "These statements were made in such as manner as to lead me to suppose that he was the one least affected by the transaction."
Fowler's subsequent boarders were, expectedly, more upstanding. They included Thomas C. Pollard, a strawgoods merchant in 1856 and 1857; and Dr. Thomas Sinclaire in 1863.
James Fowler died in the Charlton Street house on March 18, 1863 at the age of 78. The house had several occupants through the 1860s, and then was purchased by builder Nicholas Connor and his wife, Elizabeth, around 1870.
Elizabeth Connor died on January 4, 1874 at the age of 35. Her funeral was held in the parlor two days later.
On July 4 that year, the Real Estate Record & Guide reported that Nicholas Connor had filed plans to raise the attic to a full floor. Listing him as "owner, architect and builder," the journal said the renovations would cost $700, or about $19,300 today.
Connor's upper floor addition was faced in running bond brick which remarkably matched the original color. In updating the house, he installed pressed metal cornices over all the brownstone lintels and extended the parlor floor windows. Somewhat surprisingly, he did not add an up-to-date Italianate cornice with prominent brackets. The simple, dentiled fascia board, more expected in an earlier structure, suggests he may have repurposed the original cornice.
Once again, boarders were taken in. Sharing the house with Nicholas Connor in 1876 and 1877, for instance, were the Donohue family and Albert How. Both Patrick and Francis Donohue were clerks, and Albert How was a "driver."
By the turn of the century, 31 Charlton Street was operated as a boarding house. In 1917, when Trinity Church began liquidating much of its property in Greenwich Village, William Sloane Coffin purchased numerous properties in the neighborhood, including 31 Charlton Street.
Among Coffin's tenants in 1918 was Italian-born John Donodero. The 31-year-old had just obtained his American citizenship on March 23, 1918, when he got into a serious argument with a German immigrant in Greeley Square.
The newspaper firms on Greeley Square published breaking news on bulletin boards. With America involved in World War I, the boards attracted throngs when new articles were posted. That afternoon, Ewald Rempke "made a remark that indicated total disbelief in the ability of the allies to win the war," reported The Sun. The German's opinion did not sit well with the newly minted citizen. "Right there Donodero started in," said the article. He was backed up by "about 100 persons" in the square.
"Donodero had affixed himself to Rempke's ear and claimed credit for Rempke's black eye when the police finally managed to clear a way through the crowd," said the article, which added, "Rempke was saved by being arrested." Both parties were taken to the West 13th Street police station. Donodero was released, while Rempke was "locked up for investigation."
image via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services
William S. Coffin sold 31 Charlton Street to Alice P. Todd in 1919. Never converted to apartments, it was home to builder and civic reformer I. D. Robbins and his wife, the former Carolyn Marx, by the 1950s. On March 10, 1960, The Villager reported that Robbins, "a Village resident for 27 years, tossed his hat in the ring for Congress here last week." His bid was unsuccessful.
Born in Pittsburgh on December 1, 1910, Robbins had moved to New York City in 1933. With his cousin, Lester Robbins, he built major projects like the Big Six Towers in Woodside, Queens, which provided housing for 1,000 families and a shopping center. While living here he was president of the City Club and also sought nomination for Mayor.
The nearly 200-year-old house is still a single family home.
photograph by the author
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