The Greek Revival style was just beginning to nudge out the Federal style in 1838, when John Hanrahan began construction of two brick-faced homes at 56 and 58 Third Street between First and Second Avenues. (They would later renumbered 62 and 64 East Third Street) Completed the following year, they were three stories tall above brownstone-clad basements. Cast iron stoop railings wrapped the newels, which sat upon stone drums. Typical of the style, the entrances were flanked by sidelights and framed by stone pilasters and a heavy entablature.
The original owner of No. 56 was William H. Mott, who leased the house. Living here in 1840 was Kendrac W. Follet, a painter, followed by Rev. Darius Eliot Jones and his wife, the Dorcas Ann Letts.
Born on October 18, 1815 to musician Abner Cheney Jones, Darius married Dorcas around 1828. The couple would have four children, Mary, Kate Louisa, Charles B. Hatch, and Abner Campbell.
In addition to his ministry, Jones was a hymnist. He wrote "He that Goeth Forth With Weeping" and "Jesus, Lord of Life and Light," and compiled volumes like Songs for the New Life, Hallowed Songs, and National Church Harmony.
Sadly, the couple's first son, Charles, died in the house on August 27, 1843 at just one-and-a-half years old. His funeral was held in the parlor two days later.
As early as 1845, David C. and Jane Buchan occupied the house. Buchan listed his profession as "chairmaker," and advertised himself as the "manufacturer of curled, maple and fancy chairs."
A metal David C. Buchan chair tag. Chair tags were affixed to the bottom of a chair to identify (and advertise) the maker.
As was common, the Buchans took in a boarder. Living with the family in 1845 was silversmith George W. Gilchrist, and in 1851 schoolteacher Peter L. Ewell was here.
Starting around 1855, Cornelius L. Everitt and his widowed mother, Mary, occupied the house. Cornelius was born in 1808 and when he and Mary moved in he was secretary of the New-York Gaslight Company. He would eventually rise to president of the firm, as well as president of the Mercantile Literary Library, and secretary and treasurer of the Second Company, 7th Regiment, National Guard. Additionally, he would become vice-president of the Broadway Savings Bank and a director in the Stuyvesant Insurance Company.
The New-York Tribune would later describe Cornelius Everitt, saying:
He was very correct and methodical in all his habits, and his strong common sense and well known probity, caused him to be sought after as a trustee and executor of estates requiring prudent and skillful management.
Everitt moved from 62 East Third Street in 1859. He was followed in the house by John Harpell, a butcher in the Washington Market. The affluent Harpell family would remain until 1872. Harpell and his wife had two young adult children, a son and a daughter.
The Harpells also took in a boarder, who in 1859 was Thomas Hanlon. Because of the tight quarters, Hanlon shared a bedroom with the Harpells' son. The bedroom of their daughter, Henrietta, adjoined it.
According to Henrietta, on the night of May 27 that year, she had left her bedroom door ajar "on account of the warmness of the weather," as reported by the New-York Daily Tribune. At around 2:00 in the morning, Henrietta awoke to find Thomas Hanlon attacking her. She screamed, and Hanlon dived under a bed in the corner of the room. The article said, "he was captured shortly after by her father and brother." He was charged with assault and battery.
After the incident, the Harpells were, apparently, more careful in choosing their boarders. James M. MacGregor, for instance, lived with the family in 1863 through 1865. He was superintendent of buildings for the city.
The Herman Zimmer family replaced the Harpells in 1872. He and sons Alfred F. and Emil Zimmer listed their professions as clerks. The family occupied the house at least through 1880.
At the turn of the century, the East Third Street neighborhood had declined. No. 62 was operated as a rooming house and its occupants were no longer respectable. Living here in 1905, for example, was James Nixon.
On the night of October 9 that year, he and Thurston Gladheim were drinking in the Dry Dock Hotel at East Third Street and the Bowery. President Theodore Roosevelt had just mediated the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War and the two men were discussing it. The Sun reported, "Incidentally the subject of wounds was broached."
James Nixon, who apparently had psychopathic tendencies, told Gladheim, "If you were excited enough, I could stab you with this knife and you wouldn't feel it." In a flash, he thrust his pocket knife into his friend's chest. The wounded man staggered out of the saloon and "almost into the arms of Policeman Muller." Muller called an ambulance and Gladheim was transported to a hospital where his condition was deemed "very precarious." James Nixon was held without bail awaiting "the outcome of Gladheim's injuries."
In May 1907, Henry Cohen was arrested with a boy, Jacob Stein, for arresting 500 coats from the factory of Jacob Davis. The boy was let free as "only a tool." Cohen, on the other hand, was found guilty. In hopes of a lighter sentence, he told detectives about Theodore (known as Teddy) Grant, who "was not only running a fence, but a school for boy thieves," reported The Evening World.
On the night of May 17, four detectives staked out 62 East Third Street. When 19-year-old Joseph Kist and "a driver, who lives in the house," entered the basement door, the detectives followed and attempted to arrest Kist. "There was a struggle when he tried to escape," said the article. The noise was heard on the floor above, and then there came a grating sound, as if something were coming down the chimney."
Theodore Grant, thinking that police were trying to get in the front door, attempted to slip into the basement through the chimney grate. "The feet were seized and the man was drawn forth. He fought hard but was soon in handcuffs." In the parlor level, police discovered what The New York Times called, "a school of instruction in Crime." The Evening World titled its article, "$50,000 Loot Found In Alleged Fence, Run, Police Say, By A Fagin." The teenaged "pupils" were arrested and the spoils of their lessons were confiscated. "There were many pieces of lace, jewelry of value and other goods, all of which, it is declared, had been stolen from express companies in transit," said The Evening World.
.jpg)
image via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services
Louis Sockler rented a room here in 1924. Late on the night of November 30 that year, he walked into I. Silberforf's store at 359 East 10th Street. He was greeted by a man who said, "Come right in the backroom. The boss is giving a party tonight."
What Sockler could not have known was that the "clerk" was one of three gunmen who had tied Silberforf to a chair a few minutes earlier. As the crooks tethered Sockler to a chair next to Silberforf's, a second customer entered the store. The scenario was repeated and now three victims were tied and bound in the backroom. The New York Times reported, "Then the thieves took $100 from the pocket of Silberforf, $30 from Sockler, and 85 cents from Levison."
While one gunman was guarding the prisoners, the others started to rifle the cash drawer. They were interrupted by two more customers and fled. Nevertheless, Sockler and the other two victims gave detailed descriptions of the thieves.
In June 1930, Nathan Yochnowitz purchased 62 East Third Street. The house was converted to four apartments and that configuration survives. today.
many thanks to artist Carole Teller for suggesting this post
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment