Around 1846, a trio of Greek Revival homes was erected at 45 to 49 MacDougal Street. Three stories tall, they were faced in red brick above a brownstone clad basement level. Typical of the style, their doorways were framed by severe stone pilasters that upheld a substantial entablature and dentiled cornice.
The entrance of the Wright house was originally identical to that of 49 MacDougal Street.
The southernmost house of the row, 45 MacDougal Street, became home to Dr. Lucien B. Wright and his wife, the former Anna E. Van Norte. Born in 1810 and 1817 respectively, the couple was married around 1837, the year Wright received his medical degree.
In addition to his private medical practice, Wright was the head of L. B. Wright & Co., makers of medicines at 409 Broadway. In 1855, he published a brochure titled "Treatise Upon Tubercular Diseases," advertising it in The New York Times on May 31 that year as, "The Only Remedy for Consumption and All Other Scrofulous Diseases." The ad began, "Will you give up in despair and die while there is an effectual remedy?"
It promised, "No humbug in this matter. The Doctor is a regular practitioner of eighteen years standing in this City, and can be consulted without charge upon any disease incident to man." It urged patients to visit his office on Broadway, or at the MacDougal Street house from 7 to 10 a.m.
Like their neighbors, the Wrights maintained a small domestic staff. The same year Dr. Wright advertised his consumption cure, Anna advertised for a maid. Her ad in The Sun read, "Wanted--A girl for general housework who well understands her business and can bring the best of reference--wages $6 per month." (The successful applicant would be earning the equivalent of $218 a month today.)
The Wrights' neighbor at 47 MacDougal was Aaron Haviland, a produce merchant. On the night of March 29, 1856, Haviland slit his throat with a razor. The family found him and rushed next door. The New-York Tribune reported, "Dr. Wright of No. 45 Macdougal street was called in, but his efforts in behalf of the sufferer were of no avail, death ensuing shortly after his arrival."
That summer, Dr. Wright traveled to the Midwest. At a time when long-distance business negotiations could take months by mail, the enterprising physician came up with a way to make the trip less costly. On July 19, he announced in the New-York Tribune, "A gentleman, about to visit Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, will transact business for others, if desired, at a reasonable compensation. For particulars, inquire of Dr. L. B. Wright, No. 45 Macdougal-st., N.Y."
The Wrights advertised for live-in domestic help again in 1858, but this time their ad in the New York Sun was not looking for a maid. "Wanted--In a private family, a single man, from 45 to 55 years of age, with good reference. A good home, light work, and moderate wages."
In 1864, Lucien and Anna Wright moved far north to 258 West 84th Street. The MacDougal Street house was briefly home to David J. and Sarah M. Nevin. In 1865, they had a baby girl, Agnes Thornley. She died at the age of one on November 17, 1866. Her funeral was held in the parlor three days later.
The following year, the Brooks family moved into 45 MacDougal Street. John W. Brooks was a broker. By 1870, his two sons, Charles H. and Edward H., were working--Charles was a cooper and his brother a clerk. The family remained until Henry W. Schroeder purchased the house for $9,400 in May 1873. (The price would equal about $247,000 today.)
Henry W. Schroeder was a meat merchant in the Centre Market. He and his wife, Augusta, had at least one son, Charles. A daughter, Anna C., was born in 1877. By 1882, Charles Schroeder was old enough to work. He went into the butter business, also at the Centre Market.
Anna C. Schroder died at the age of 14 on August 1, 1891. Her funeral was held here on August 6.
From 1893 to 1897, 45 MacDougal Street was home to James and Mary Kelly and their adult son, Richard, who worked as a hotel porter. James was a retired policeman and lived on a $600 pension (about $22,700 today). Boarding with the family was Dr. Albert S. Ashmead. In 1893, he published "The Introduction of Leprosy Into Japan" in the Medical Record.
On the afternoon of Sunday, May 17, 1896, Richard Kelly, now 22 years old, joined a yachting party of young men in New York Bay. A "sudden gybing of the craft's mainboom," as reported by the New-York Times, knocked Kelly and another passenger into the water. The body of one of them was recovered, but Kelly's could not be located.
Nearly a week later, on Saturday morning May 22, a man's body washed ashore in Bayonne, New Jersey. There was no identification and it was buried in the Hudson County Potters' Field on the following Tuesday. Hearing of the incident, James Kelly examined the gold watch and chain recovered from the body. He identified them as belonging to his son. The New-York Tribune reported on May 28, "The body will be removed to Calvary Cemetery, on Long Island."
The Kelly family remained at 45 MacDougal Street until 1897. That year an advertisement in the New York Herald read, "To Let--House, three story and basement and large cellar; all modern improvements; in first class order; suitable for doctor or dentist; 45 Macdougal st., New York. Inquire in drug store Macdougal and West Houston sts, New York."
The renter operated 45 MacDougal Street as a boarding house. Among the initial residents were Anne Heinevetter, who ran an "eatinghouse" at 78 Greene Street; and Edward S. Gill, a conductor for the city's New York and Brooklyn Bridge Department. Gill earned 34-1/4 cents an hour in 1899.
The mention of "suitable for doctor or dentist" in the 1897 ad foreshadowed a string of medical practitioners in the house. In 1901, Dr. P. Giliberti practiced here and would remain at least through 1908. In 1910, the National Eclectic Medical Association announced, "Dr. Attilio Favorini has removed his office from 519 Broome Street to 45 MacDougal Street." Dr. Favorini was born in 1885 and received his medical degree in 1909.
By 1914, Dr. Cataggio had his office in the house. He was called to the corner drugstore on West Houston Street on June 5 that year. That afternoon, plain-clothes detectives had made a cocaine bust at 178 West Houston Street. It did not go smoothly and one detective was shot and another's wrist slashed with a bread knife. Detective Seyler was carried to the drugstore with a bullet wound in his thigh. The New York Times reported that Dr. Cataggio treated him there.
The house continued to be operated as rented rooms through much of the 20th century. Living here in 1953 was Joseph K. Crevisky. He was accused by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy's Senate Subcommittee that year of subversion and espionage during his time with the Army Signal Corps. His testimony before the subcommittee in May was heated and contentious.
A renovation completed in 1961 resulted in a duplex apartment in the basement and parlor floor, and one apartment each on the upper floors. It may have been at this point that the Greek Revival details of the windows and entrance were removed. Interestingly, the historic doorway, with its sidelights and transom, was preserved.
A subsequent remodeling in 1970 converted the duplex to a triplex, with one apartment on the top floor.
At some point after that renovation, singer, songwriter, poet and author Patti Smith moved in. In her 2002 Bob Dylan's New York, June Skinner Sawyers writes, "she moved to 45 MacDougal Street [where] Smith hung photographs of Dylan along with Rimbaud, Piaf and Lennon over her desk, staying up late reading comic books and listening to the transplanted Minnesotan [i.e., Dylan]."
In 1985, the venerable house was returned to a single-family home.
photographs by the author
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