photograph by Carole Teller
Builder John Hanrahan erected two identical, brick-faced homes at 56 and 58 Third Street (renumbered 62 and 64 East 3rd Street in 1867) around 1838. The 18-foot-wide residences were designed in the emerging Greek Revival style. Intricate cast iron stoop railings wrapped the newels, which sat atop stone drums. Typical of the style, the entrance was slightly recessed behind sturdy pilasters that supported a heavy stone entablature. The doorway was flanked by narrow sidelights and topped by a three-part transom. The third floor openings would have been slightly shorter than the others, and a simple wooden cornice would have completed the design.
Robert Carnley, the original owner of 58 Third Street, either quickly sold or rented the house to coal merchant Jacob Weeks. He was born on Mott Street on June 25, 1803 and The New York Times later recalled, "His parents were English Quakers, of thrifty and industrious habits, and inculcated in their son almost from the cradle those lessons of economy and attention to business that laid the foundation of a large fortune."
Weeks operated three coal yards--on the Bowery, Greene Street and Houston Street. He added another profession to his listing in the 1840 city directory: "builder." The New York Times explained, "the universal up-town movement of population decided him to embark in real estate operations. At that time, he occupied a modest mansion in Third-street."
In the rear yard, as was common at the time, was a smaller house. Such structures were often used as rental income. A Black family occupied the rear house of 58 Third Street in 1840. They were terrified that spring when their son went missing. An announcement in The Evening Post on May 20 read:
Missing--On the 5th instant, a colored boy, nine years old, named Lawrence Williams, left his home in a manner so mysterious that it thought he was kidnapped. His complexion is rather light, has an impediment in his speech, and when he went away he was poorly dressed and barefooted. Any information respecting him, left in the rear of 58 Third street, with his father Thomas Williams, would be gratefully received by his anxious parents.
Thomas M. Cornwell was a trusted clerk of Weeks and as early as 1843 he and his wife, Georgeana, boarded in the East 3rd Street house. On April 27 that year, the New-York Tribune reported a shocking incident, saying that Jacob Weeks had been arrested "and committed for stealing $19 from the drawer of Thos. Cornwell, 58 Third-street." The article prompted an immediate reaction from Jacob Weeks.
In fact, the perpetrator was David Roberts. The following day, the newspaper published an apologetic correction, "owing to the mistake of our informant," and stressed that Jacob Weeks was "a highly respectable man."
The amiable employee-employer relationship was apparently strong and 15 years later the Cornwells were still living with the Weeks. In October 1857, Georgeana gave birth to their first son, Thomas Jr. Tragically, he died eight months later on May 15, 1858.
The Cornwells moved out shortly afterward. Jacob and his wife remained until 1865. By then, his real estate development business was flourishing. For instance, he erected "a row of magnificent residences," as described by The New York Times, that engulfed the western blockfront of Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets. (They would be replaced by the sprawling Cornelius Vanderbilt II mansion.) When Jacob Weeks died on September 9, 1881 in his mansion at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, he left an estate estimated "at from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000," according to The Times. It would translate to about $95 million on the lower side in 2026.
In the meantime, the East 3rd Street house was rented to the David H. Goodman family. Goodman ran a clothing business at 116 Chambers Street. He and his wife suffered an unspeakable tragedy shortly after moving in. On August 19, 1865, The New York Times reported that their five-year-old son, "was accidentally run over, and instantly killed" by a streetcar at Third Street and Second Avenue.
The Goodmans were replaced in the house around 1867 by Edward Mehl, who operated two saloons--one at 661 Broadway and the other at 156 Fulton Street--and his family occupied 64 East 3rd Street. The Mehls remained at least through 1871.
The house was owned by William Hoertel as early as March 12, 1876 when he offered, "To Let--A second floor, furnished, suitable for a gentleman and wife; or will let separate to single gentlemen." Hoertel quickly changed his mind, however, and two months later he sold the house to Jacob and Marie A. Kessler for $12,000 (about $362,000 today).
The Kesslers operated it as a boarding house. Among the residents in 1879 were Conrad Latus, a meat dealer in the Centre Market; Michael W. Meagher, a stenographer; and Herman Wellhausen, who worked as a clerk.
After boarding here for at least four years, on July 1, 1883 Conrad and Catharine Latus purchased the house for $11,500. Their young adult daughter, Kate, taught in the Primary Department of Grammar School No. 4 on Rivington Street.
As early as 1887, Dr. John F. Sherman lived here. He operated his practice from the house, likely in the basement level. He was called to a rooming house on the Bowery in January that year to attend Alice Collins, a 19-year-old girl who had attempted a self abortion. She died on January 29 and Sherman "refused a death certificate," instead referring the case to the coroner. The coroner's inquest discovered that Redfield Clarke, an actor, "had betrayed the girl."
Dr. John F. Sherman was intimately aware of "betrayal." Five years earlier, when he was 24 years old and living with his mother and step-father on Clinton Street, he met a 15-year-old girl, Matilda L. Stowell. The New-York Tribune said "he betrayed her under promise of marriage." When Sherman's step-father, George Sherman, heard that he had "ruined" the teen, he threatened "to break every bone in his body," according to the New-York Tribune, if the young doctor did not marry her. And Matilda's family threatened "with incarceration in Ludlow Street Jail."
The wedding took place on June 3, 1882, but the couple never lived together. Now, on January 22, 1889 Sherman sought an escape from Matilda when she sued for support. He applied in court to annul the marriage "on the ground that he was intoxicated when it took place," as reported by the New-York Tribune, and that he had been under intense pressure and threats. Sherman told the court that he "is so upset by the persistent demands of his wife that he should live with her and by threats of publicity that he is unable to carry on his business as a physician." (It is unclear how the case played out.)
Real estate operator Anna Maria Fronmuller purchased the house in April 1891 for $16,250--equal to about $578,000 today. Exactly one year later, on April 2, 1892, the Record & Guide reported that she had hired architects Boekell & Son to make the equivalent of $124,000 today in renovations. The house was enlarged with a three-story extension in the rear, "interior alterations" were made, and the exterior was given a Queen Anne-style re-do.
Decorated pressed metal cornices were applied over the lintels, and an elaborate entablature and pedimented cornice was placed over the entrance. It was echoed in the corbeled terminal cornice with its triangular pediment.
The residents in the renovated home were middle-class. On May 16, 1901, for instance, the Morning Telegraph reported, "Julius Harburger pushed his little cart Tuesday from 104 Second Avenue, his old home, to 64 East Third street, where he will abide in the future." Harburger was an assemblyman, and in the cart were "the manuscripts of all the speeches" he had made "during the last thirty-one years," according to the newspaper that added, "He wouldn't let any one else touch them."
Julius Harburger was born on February 22, 1851. He was elected president of the Tenth Assembly District in 1876 and to the New York State Assembly in 1876. He would go on to become Coroner of New York City in 1905 and Sheriff of New York County in 1911.
Harburger's wife, Hattie, was also politically active. On October 6, 1901, The New York Times reported, "Mrs. Julius Harburger, wife of Assemblyman Harburger, and President of the Women's Democratic Club of the east side, presided at a meeting of the auxiliary Committee of the club" in the house.
Following the Harburgers in the house in 1902 was Dr. Solomon Goldenkranz, the city coroner. (Ironically, Harburger would replace him in that position three years later.) In 1902 Goldenkranz was disgruntled with the changes in the neighborhood. He told a reporter from the New-York Tribune in August:
There is a row of houses in the next block where the passer on the street would have no difficulty in picking out evidence of the presence of vicious people. Then in the cafes and billiard rooms there is a great deal of gambling going on. These little German cafes, as well as some of the bigger Raines law hotels, are the resorts of people of this sort.
The mention of "Raine law hotels" referred to saloons that operated rooms upstairs for prostitution.
There was at least one person who was aggravated by Goldenkranz's appointment to coroner and, according to Goldenkranz, he "was conspiring to kill him." So when two mysterious packages arrived at 64 East 3rd Street on December 6, 1901, Goldenkranz was certain they were bombs. The New York Press reported that while "picking his steps with extreme care," he took the unopened packages to the Fifth Street Police Station. He gently placed them on the desk and whispered to Acting Captain Churchill, "Infernal machines! I received them this morning in the mail."
Churchill refused to accept them and said, "We'll go right around to court." He also refused to carry them, directing Goldenkranz to do so.
In the courtroom, Magistrate Mott scoffed, "Afraid of them, are you? Pooh! I'll open them."
As the court attendants stared, Mott opened the first package. "There was revealed a piece of gaspipe, four inches long. From one end protruded matches," said the article. The mob whispered, "A bomb!"
Mott opened the second package. It contained another piece of lead pipe. But, like the first, it had no powder and no fuse. The dummy bombs were apparently sent to Goldenkranz simply to alarm him.
During the World War I years, the Hartwell family occupied 64 East 3rd Street. Early on, Albert Sydney Hartwell volunteered to fight in the war because of his family's ties to France. The New-York Tribune said, "His mother is French, and he went overseas long before the United States declared war." The young man fought on the French front and "was twice wounded in both legs when his ambulance was hit by shells and was gassed once," said the newspaper.
On June 5, 1919, The New York Times reported that 4,000 troops had arrived at Hoboken on the transport ships Patricia and St. Louis. "The most decorated man on the St. Louis was Private Albert Sydney Hartwell of 64 East Third Street, who wore on his breast the Distinguished Service Cross, the Medal Militaire, and the Croix de Guerre with four stars." The article added, "He is 21 years old."
The estate of Anna Fronmuller sold 64 East 3rd Street in January 1922 to Dr. Joseph I. Singer. The New-York Tribune noted that he "plans extensive alterations."
By the late 1968s, the house had been converted to four cooperative apartments. The Greek Revival ironwork was replaced with modern examples and the 1892 entrance decoration was removed. The 1838 interior doorway remains reasonably intact.
many thanks to artist Carole Teller for suggesting this post
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