(Photo by Richard F. Hope)

Carryl Building (425-29 Northampton Street, now Viet-Hoa Grocery (No.429) and recently Le’s Nail Salon (No.425))

4-story brown brick, with elaborate white, buttressed roof cornice, in “Victorian/Commercial” style.1 No.429 was called the “Carryl Building” in the early 20th

Century.2 The modern tax records show the parcel numbered 425-29 Northampton Street, with a frontage of 39.5 feet on the North side of Northampton Street.3

This appears to be the western part of Original Town Lot No.219, as Easton was laid out by William Parsons for its founding in 1752.4 A warrant was issued to Frederick Shouse for a survey on the property in 1776, in which he “engaged to build a Stone Dwelling House thereon agreeable to the rules & regulations of the said Town within the Limited time.”5 Frederick Shouse was a Moravian mason, who had accompanied his innkeeper father (Adam Schaus) to Easton by 1760.6 Shouse did in fact “improve” the property, because a later map indicates a house was built on it “before 1779”,7 and a later deed duly recites that Frederick Shouse “in his lifetime improved” the Lot “by erecting thereon certain Buildings”.8 After Frederick Shouse’s death, his heirs apparently occupied the property.9 Shouse wrote a will in 1789, but apparently died shortly thereafter. In that year, Shouse’s son-in-law, Michael Yohe (acting as the executor of the Shouse estate), cleaned up the title to this property by formally purchasing it from the Penn Family for £25 “in Specie”, plus a ground rent of “one Barley Corn” to be paid each

year.10 In the following year, Yohe sold the Lot to shopkeeper Christopher Meixsell for £250, in order to split the inheritance between his wife, Mary Shouse Yohe, and her four brothers (Christian, Henry, Jacob, and John Shouse).11

Christopher Meixsell (also spelled Christopher Mixsell) also acquired the property next door (Lot No.220) in 1796 for another £56012 (much of it loaned13). Meixsell appears to have gotten himself over-stretched financially. In 1797, Lot No.219 was mortgaged to Philadelphia merchants as collateral on two loans, one for £ 1758s. 6d. (borrowed from William Chancellor and John Davis) and the other for £555 16s. (borrowed from two other merchants).14 In 1800, the Sheriff seized Lot No.220, the

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

2 See Charles M. Barnard (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton 21 (The Union Publishing Co. 1914)(“Blocks, Buildings, Halls”); H.P. Delano (compiler), West’s Directory for City of Easton Pennsylvania 25 (Union Publishing Co. Inc. 1925)(“Halls, Blocks, Buildings” entry for “Carryl Building, 429 Northampton”); accord, Ronald Wynkoop, Sr., The Golden Years 133 (self published 1970)(picture dated 1910).

The Northampton County Tax Records, www.ncpub.org, show 425-29 all combined in this property today. But see City of Easton, Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form, Attachment: Building Description Survey Area 1 Zone C (City Council Resolution approved 12 May 1982)(combined Nos.425 and 427, but not No.429 – however, did not assign No.429 to any building).

3 See Northampton County Tax Records map, www.ncpub.org (Parcel ID L9SE2A 9 9 0310).

4 Compare 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) with Northampton County Tax Records map, www.ncpub.org.

Chidsey’s chart associated with the map maintains that Lot No.219 was originally sold to Jeremiah Traxler, but Chidsey appears to have been mistaken. Deed, John Penn and Richard Penn to Jeremiah Traxler, H4 353 (12 Mar. 1754).

5 Northampton County Warrant S259 (29 May 1776), indexed online for Northampton County p.162 Warrant No.259 at www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r17-88WarrantRegisters/NorthamptonPages/Northampton162.pdf, survey copied at Survey Book C183 275 (6 Apr. 1776, returned 31 May 1776).

6 A.D. Chidsey, A Frontier Village: Pre-Revolutionary Easton 234-35, 252 (Vol. III of Publications of The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society 1940)(Building No.34). See also Deed, John Penn the Younger and John Penn the Elder to Michael Yohe, Executor of the Will of Frederick Shouse, D9 380 (19 Oct. 1789)(identifies Shouse as a “Mason” by trade).

7 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), which shows Lot No.219 to be “Occupied by the Heirs of Fred Shouse. House built before 1779.”

8 See Deed, John Penn the Younger and John Penn the Elder to Michael Yohe, Executor of the Will of Frederick Shouse, D9 380 (19 Oct. 1789).

9 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

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unemcumbered Lot next door, and sold it for $265 and 2/3 dollar to pay some of Meixsell’s debts.15 In 1801, Meixsell’s debts were still unpaid, and his creditors apparently foreclosed: the Sheriff seized Lot No.219 as well, and sold it (with a building on it) for $2,600 to William Chancellor.16 This sum is just slightly less than the number of pounds sterling of “penal sum” that Meixsell had owed on the two mortgage loans,17 although it is not generally thought that the two currencies were in fact equal in value. Perhaps the loans were simply forgiven (in round numbers), the scrivener transposed the currency, and the creditors basically composed the matter amongst themselves.

After the transaction, Christopher Mixsell lived on in Easton until 1844, when he died aged “upwards of seventy years”.18

notations to keep track of the town lots c.1779-1801), which shows Lot No.219 to be “Occupied by the Heirs of Fred Shouse. House built before 1779.” In lighter ink, there is a notation: “Sold by A.B. to Michl. Yohe Considn. £[illegible].

10 Deed, John Penn the Younger and John Penn the Elder to Michael Yohe, Executor of the Will of Frederick Shouse, D9 380 (19 Oct. 1789). This transaction is apparently the one reflected in lighter ink on the Penn clerks’ map (see above).

11 Deed, Michael Yohe, Executor of the Will of Frederick Shouse, to Christian Meixsell, E1 676 (19 May 1790); see A.D. Chidsey, A Frontier Village: Pre-Revolutionary Easton 234-35, 252 (Vol. III of Publications of The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society 1940)(Building No.34 – sale on 18 May 1790).

12 Deed, Jacob Arndt Jr., Executor of the Estate of Leonard Leidy, to Christopher Mixsell, C2 461 (7 Oct. 1796)(sale price £560); Mortgage, Christopher Mixsell to Jacob Arndt Junior, Executor of the Estate of Leonard Leidy, C2 460 (7 Oct. 1796).

13 Mortgage, Christopher Mixsell to Jacob Arndt Junior, Executor of the Estate of Leonard Leidy, C2 460 (7 Oct. 1796).

14 Mortgage, Christopher Mixsell to William Chancellor & John Davis, and Thomas wistar & John Cook, D2 195 (13 Apr. 1797). As was customary, the “penal sum” due on these loans was about twice the loan value. Thus, the penal sum owed to Chancellor and Davis was £1758 17s., while the penal sum owed to Wistar and Cook was £879 8s. 6d.

No discharge is noted on this mortgage. 15 Deed Poll, Nicholas Kern, Sheriff, for Christopher Mixell, to Jacob Arndt Jr., Sheriff 2A

74 (15 Apr. 1800). 16 Deed Poll, Nicholas Kern, Sheriff, for Christopher Mixsell, to William Chancellor [and

John Davis?], Sheriff 2A 94 (16 Apr. 1801)(sale price $2,600 for “Messuage or Tenement” and Lot No. 219 measuring 60’ X 220’, lying between Lot Nos.218 and 220). Apparently Chancellor alone paid over the money (or foregiven loan amounts?) to purchase this deed.

17 £1758 17s (owed to Chancellor and Davis) plus £879 8s. 6d. (owed to Wistar and Cook) – see above – gives a total of £2638 5s. 6d., remembering that there were 20 shillings to the pound sterling.

18 Henry F. Marx (compiler), II Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1799 – 1851 Newspaper Extracts 639 (Easton Area Public Library 1929)(Christopher Mixsell died 7 Oct. 1844, aged “upwards of seventy years”, based on WHIG AND JOURNAL of 16 Oct. 1844); accord, Sandra S. Froberg (transcriber), II Cemetery Record Books of the Easton Cemetery Company 382 (Easton Area Public Library, Easton Cemetery Corporation, and Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society Jan. 1993)(Christopher C. Mixsell, age 72, buried 20 June 1902 in Plot G-11 – doubtless moved there when the German Reformed Church’s cemetery was taken over to build the new public library).

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In 1802, merchant Chancellor resold Lot No.219 for $3,000 to George Frederick Wagner (also spelled Wagener).19 When Wagner died in 1827,20 he left a wife (Margaret) and twelve children,21 to be supported by extensive property in Easton and the surrounding area.22 His estate split up his various real estate interests, including a division of Lot No.219. However Wagner’s widow, Margaret, refused to accept as her inheritance any of the the real estate parcels in the estate, as the estate had packaged and valued them.23

On 25 January 1828, Orphan’s Court approved the estate’s sale of a stone house on the eastern portion of Lot No.219 (now the site of the Kutz Building) to John Kutz, for 2,000.24 This sale may have forced the widow’s hand. At the same session, Orphan’s Court also approved the sale of the western portion of Lot No.219 to the widow, also with a stone house on it – likely her residence – for a negotiated price of $3,000 (presumably applied against her inheritance). The parcel accepted by Mrs. Wagner had the same 33’ 6” frontage on Northampton Street25 that the modern property at 325-29 Northampton Street has today.26

In 1831, a serious fire broke out in the frame stable belonging to “Mrs. Margaretta Wagner” fronting on Church Alley – apparently the property next door (now 425 Northampton Street). The fire spread, destroying the adjoining “cabinet and furniture

19 Deed, William (Hannah) Chancellor to George Frederick Wagner, H2 203 (15 Nov. 1802)(sale price $3,000 for “Messuage or tenement and Lot” measuring 60’ X 220’ lying next to Lot No.220 once occupied by Leonerd Leidig, and since by Jacob Arndt).

20 Henry F. Marx (compiler), I Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1799 – 1851 Newspaper Extracts 207 (Easton Area Public Library 1929)(George Frederick Wagner died 15 February 1827); accord, Deed, Frederick Wagner, Administrator of the Estate of George Frederick Wagner, to Jacob P. Meixsell, E5 389 (1 Jan. 1829) (recitals)(George Frederick Wagner died in 1827); John T. Humphrey, Pennsylvania Grave Stones Northampton County 402 (Washington (D.C.): Larjon & Company, Inc. 2000)(died 10 Feb. 1827 age 71).

Although probably originally buried in St. John’s Lutheran Church’s graveyard, his body is said by two sources to rest in Easton Cemetery, despite an absence of any listing for him in the Easton Cemetery Index listing in the Marx Room. See John T. Humphrey, Pennsylvania Grave Stones Northampton County 402 (Washington (D.C.): Larjon & Company, Inc. 2000); Patricia Law Hatcher, Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots (online Ancestry.com databse from 4 volume edition printed by Pioneer Heritage Press 1987).

21 Henry F. Marx (ed.), XV Abstracts of Wills Northampton County 1752 – 1840 17 (Easton Public Library 1935); accord, Henry F. Marx (compiler), I Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1799 – 1851 Newspaper Extracts 207 (Easton Area Public Library 1929).

Margaret (King) was George Frederick Wagener’s second wife, married on 19 May 1806. Henry F. Marx (compiler), I Marriages and Deaths Northampton County 1799 – 1851 Newspaper Extracts 26 (Easton Area Public Library 1929).

His first wife, Catherine Wagner, had died on 2 December 1805 (just a few months earlier), at age 56. John H. Kressman (compiler), Burials in Churchyard of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church Easton, Pennsylvania 1772 – 1890 1 (Dec. 1992).

22 The Northampton County Deeds Index contains 30 property sale listings from his Estate from Easton alone, as well as other listings from other parts of the County.

23 Estate of George Frederick Wagner/Wagener, 10 Orphan’s Court Docket 353, at 359 (Northampton County 24 Aug. 1827).

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shop of Mr. John Kutz” also on Church Alley, where it destroyed Kutz’s stock of seasoned timber, and a steam engine he had built on the premises. The fire then spread to Hamilton (now called 4th) Street, but Kutz’s business suffered the most damage amounting to some $5,000, all uninsured.27

Margaret Wagner continued to own the property until her death on 25 April 1856.28 One modern source has suggested that the brick building currently standing on this property was constructed at some point c.1851-57.29 In 1855, the J.C. Conklin grocery was located at 163 Northampton Street (under the street numbering scheme in effect at that time), which seems to have been in this building.30 It thus appears that Mrs. Wagner may have constructed the building for commercial rental purposes, during her tenure on the property.

Shortly after her death, Mrs. Wagner’s estate sold the property for $5,000 to Charles Wood.31 Beginning in the Spring of 1862, the Daily Easton Express newspaper moved to the “Express Building” (opposite the Franklin House),32 at the address of 165 Northampton Street under the street numbering scheme in effect at that time.33 That would appear to have been in this building.

In 1863, Dr. C.C. Field purchased the property for $6,400.34 Dr. Field actually occupied another building (the “Field Building”) farther down Northampton Street as his office and residence.35 Dr. C[ridland] C[rocker] Field (1817 – 1886) had been born on a ship arriving in New York from England, and his middle name (Crocker) was given in honor of the ship’s captain. He practiced medicine in Easton for nearly 50 years, and was noted for performing difficult operations, particularly on the neck.36 An 1857 operation

24 Estate of George Frederick Wagner/Wagener, 10 Orphan’s Court Docket 440 (Northampton County 25 Jan. 1828)(Purpart No.2 “stone messuage” and property measuring 26’ 6” on Northampton Street X 220’ deep, next to Purpart No.1, sold to John Kutz for $2,000).

25 Deed, Frederick Wagner, Administrator of the Estate of George Frederick Wagner, to Margaret Wagner, F5 444 (5 Feb. 1828)(“Stone Messuage or Tenement” on western portion of Lot No.219 measuring 33’ 6” on Northampton Street X 220’ deep; and recitals); Estate of George Frederick Wagner/Wagener, 10 Orphan’s Court Docket 440 (Northampton County 25 Jan. 1828)(“Stone Messuage” part of Purpart No.1, on the North side of Northampton Street measuring 33’ 6” X 220’, sold to Margaret Wagener, widow, for $3,000).

26 See Northampton County Tax Records map, www.ncpub.org, showing a 33.5’ frontage on Northampton Street. That map shows the modern property with a depth of 221.5 feet back to Church Street, which is slightly longer than the original 220 foot depth of the property as surveyed by Parsons. Compare with 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).

27 Article, “Fire”, NORTHAMPTON WHIG (NORTHAMPTON COUNTY JOURNAL), Tues., 19 Apr. 1831, p.3, col.1; see Article, “Fire! Fire!”, EASTON SENTINEL, Fri., 22 Apr. 1831, p.3, col.2.

28 See Deed, George W. Wagner, Administrator of the Estate of Margaret Wagner, to Charles Wood, D9 381 (22 Aug. 1856)(recital).

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

30 C[harles] Kitchen, A General Directory of the Borough of Easton PA 19 (Cole & Eichman’s Office, 1855).

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for breast cancer was also particularly noted.37 Dr. Field apparently used this additional Northampton Street building as a rental. In 1873, Dr. D.C. Malone had his medical practice at 165 Northampton Street under the street numbering scheme then in effect.38 At the time the new street numbering scheme was inaugurated in 1874, No.425 was assigned to Clarence Coburn’s hat store, No.427 to Charles Crezet (a paper hanger), and No.429 to the entrance to the second story of the building.39

Easton’s 1874 Atlas lists the building on this property to Dr. C.C. Field, showing an open alley down the western edge of the property (next to Mrs. B. Clemens).40

Excerpt from 1874 Atlas Map of Easton

Sanborn fire maps of the property in 1885,41 1892,42 and 189743 show hatch-marks down the alley, that may represent an external staircase leading to the upper floors. The 1904 Sanborn map, however, no longer shows this external staircase; instead, the building footprint at 427 Northampton Street has now been extended all the way to the western edge of the property. The 1904 map also explicitly labels 427 and 425 Northampton Street the “Carryl Bldg.”.44

Dr. Field’s daughter, Belle (Isabella Freeman Field), married Henry D. Carryl of New York City.45 After Dr. Field died on 18 February 1886, his will left title to this building to his daughter for life, and then to her children.46 Her ownership undoubtedly led to the “Carryl Building” name in the early 20th Century. She probably built it (or renovataed it from her father’s older building) between 1897 and 1904, at the time when the external staircase disappears from the building footprint in the Sanborn maps (as discussed above).

31 Deed, George W. Wagner, Administrator of the Estate of Margaret Wagner, to Charles Wood, D9 381 (22 Aug. 1856)(sale price $5,000). The deed recited that application had been made to Orphan’s Court to sell the property in order to pay off the debts of the estate.

32 Ethan Allen Weaver, III Historical Notes First Series 83 (copied in Easton Public Library June 1936); see Subscription Notice, Daily Easton Express, Mon., 2 Jan. 1865, p.1, col.1 (Express Building, northampton Street, opposite the Franklin House). The Franklin House was located where the parking lot at 418-26 Northampton Street now stands: see separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for that location.

33 Talbot’s Lehigh Valley Gazetteer and Business Directory 1864-65 9 (Press of Wynkoop & Hallenbeck 1864)(W.L. Davis, editor and publisher of the Daily Evening Express at 165 Northampton Street).

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Mrs. Carryl used the building as a commercial rental. In 1910, 427 Northampton St. was Mayer’s Shoe Store, and 425 Northampton St. was Nickel’s Confectionery.47 In 1930, the shop at 425 Northampton Street was leased to the Seip & Hay Inc. clothing store, while No.427 was the Horace Mayer shoestore. Upstairs were the Frank J. Fenicle dental laboratory, Elmer Flick’s barber shop, and Frank F. Smith’s real estate office.48 By 1937, 425 Northampton Street had become Kinney’s Shoes. 427 Northampton Street was still also a shoe store, now under the Endicott-Johnson brand,49 which remained there at least into the 1950s.50 Upstairs, the International Ladies Garment Union Local No.234 had become one of the tenants.51 This union, soon joined by the Rabbit Dressers & Dyers

34 Deed, Charles (Harriet) Wood to C.C. Field, G10 458 (28 Sept. 1863)(sale price $6,400 for property measuring 33’ 6” on Northampton Street X 220’ deep, next to John Kutz on the East and David D. Wagener on the West).

35 Article, “Field Building Burned, Falls Into Northampton Street”, EASTON EXPRESS, Wed., 22 Sept. 1926, p.1, col.1; see D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874)(Dr. C.C.Field); Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 70 (1873)(alphabetical listing for C.C. Field, physician); 1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 1161, p.409B (Cridland C. Field, Physician, sons: W. Gibson Field, G.B. Wood Field, and B. Rush Field (then age 18), plus a daughter D. Belle Field); J.H. Lant & Son, Easton etc. Directory 1881-2 (1881)(alphabetical listing)(C.C. Field, physician and surgeon, home at No.411); George W. West, West’s Guide to Easton, etc. 157 (West & Everett, Job Printers 1883)(Gibson W. Field); West’s Directory (Easton, etc.) (George W. West 1889)(B. Rush & Geo. B. Wood Field).

See generally www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 511-19 Northampton Street. 36 Rev. Uzal W. Condit, The History of Easton, Penn’a 440-41 (George W. West 1885 /

1889); Portrait and Biographical Record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties, Pennsylvania 705 (Chapman Publishing Co. 1894, reprint by Higginson Book Company)(middle name after ship’s captain).

37 Item, EASTON ARGUS, Thurs., 3 Dec. 1857, p.2, col.4. 38 See Jeremiah H. Lant, The Northampton County Directory for 1873 95 (1873). Dr.

Malone was at No.165, which appears to fall between the Kutz Building at 159-61 and the Clemens address at No.167. (See entries for those buildings). The 2-story building that today stands between the Carryl and Clemens Buildings (now EZ Money) may have been built in the passageway shown between the Carryl and Clemens Buildings buildings in the 1874 Atlas. See D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy & Co. 1874).

39 Article, “The New Numbers”, EASTON DAILY FREE PRESS, Friday, 21 Nov. 1873, p.3. 40 See D.G. Beers, Atlas of Northampton County Pennsylvania, Plan of Easton (A. Pomeroy

& Co. 1874)(showing only a single building, but with open space to the west). 41 Easton and South Easton Sheet No.4 (Sanborn Map & Publishing Co. Limited May

1885).42 Easton and South Easton Sheet No.5 (Sanborn-Perris Map Co. Limited January 1892). 43 Easton and South Easton Sheet No.5 (Sanborn-Perris Map Co. Limited January 1897). 44 Easton and South Easton Sheet No.5 (Sanborn Map Co. Apr. 1904). 45 Portrait and Biographical Record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties,

Pennsylvania 705-06 (Chapman Publishing Co. 1894, reprint by Higginson Book Company); see

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Union Local No.48, and the International Fur & Leather Workers Union, remained at least through the 1940s.52

When Isabella Carryl died on 20 July 1955, her only surviving child was her daughter, Charlotte I.F. Carryl, who duly inherited the building. By this time, the building bore not only the addresses of 425, 427 and 429 Northampton Street, but also 418 and 420 Church Street as well. In 1963, Charlotte Carryl sold the building for $30,000 to Ajzyk Rais.53 In 1974, part of the building was occupied by Sterling’s Camera Center, but part of it was vacant.54

Ajzhk Rais and his wife sold the building in 1978, for only $25,000 to Roy and Lynne Harvey.55 By 1980, 425-27 Northampton Street housed the Fin and Reef pet shop,56 which by mid-decade had overflowed to occupy the No.429 address as well.57 In 1986, the Harveys were able to sell the building for $95,000.58 Another sale a year later brought $145,000, this time to Oakview Associates Ltd.59

In that year (1987), Fin and Reef was gone as a tenant, and all three addresses were vacant, as were the entire buildings on either side.60 A title transfer (for $10) two years later shows that the Oakview Associates owner was in fact run by George A. Switlyk.61 Switlyk was the “notorious developer”62 who convinced the City and others to back his large plans to redevelop Easton’s downtown area; he was said to have held “Easton’s revitalization hopes in his hands”.63 His primary company, Switlyk Properties, ultimately also purchased the Mohegan Market at 27 South 4th Street,64 the Mayer Building,65 the Farrs Building66 (later incorporated into Two Rivers Landing), White’s Hotel Annex,67 and the Alpha Building in Centre Square, among other Easton

also see Obituary, “Dr. Benjamin Rush Field, Twice Mayor Of Easton, Dies At 73”, EASTON EXPRESS, 2 May 1935, p.1, cols.4-5, at p.20, cols.7-8 (Dr. B. Rush Field’s sister, Belle, married Henry D. Carryl).

46 Deed, Charlotte I.F. Carryl to Ajzyk Rais, 201 305 (4 Sept. 1963)(recitals). 47 Wynkoop, The Golden Years, supra at 133; Leonard S. Buscemi, Sr., The 2001 Easton-

Phillipsburg Calendar 13 (Buscemi Enterprises 2000). 48 West’s Easton Pa. and Phillipsburg, N.J. Directory 681 (R.L. Polk & Co. of Philadelphia

1930). 49 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1937-38 702 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1937). 50 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1942 509 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1942);

Ronald W. Wynkoop, Sr., It Seems Like Yesterday 176 (self published 1989)(name visible on sign); Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1949 753 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1949); Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1957 937 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1957).

51 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1937-38 702 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1937). 52 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1942 509 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1942); Polk’s

Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1949 753 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1949). 53 Deed, Charlotte I.F. Carryl to Ajzyk Rais, 201 305 (4 Sept. 1963)(and recitals; sale price

$30,000 for 425-427-429 Northampton Street and 418-420 Church Street property measuring 33’ 6” X 220’ deep).

54 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1974 Street & Avenue Guide 203 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1974)(Sterling’s Camera Center at 427 Northampton Street, but 429 Northampton Street vacant).

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properties.68 Instead of development, however, George Switlyk used his Easton properties as collateral to buy other buildings elsewhere,69 his projects in Easton were never completed.70 He “defaulted on his financial commitments and left the area”,71 and later spent time in federal prison for bank fraud.72

In 1994, the Sheriff seized the Carryl Building in a mortgage foreclosure lawsuit against both Oakview Associates Ltd. and J.E. Rome Associates Ltd., and sold the property to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (acting as receiver for a troubled bank).73 The property was then resold to Tuan Trinh and his wife, Phung Van, for $45,000.74

73 Deed Poll, Kevin P. Franczak, Acting Sheriff, for Oakview Associates Ltd. and J.E. Rome Associates Ltd., to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 1994-6-21829 (11 May 1994)(mortgage foreclosure by Huntingdon National Bank); Correction Deed, Kevin P. Franczak, Acting Sheriff, for Oakview Associates Ltd. and J.E. Rome Associates Ltd., to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, receiver for Highlands Community Bank, 1994-6-61170 (4 Aug. 1994)(correcting, among other things, the statement of FDIC’s capacity on the transaction).

74 Deed, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Receiver for Highlands Community Bank N.A., to Tuan Trinh and Phung Van, 1994-6-23514 (10 May 1994)(sale price $45,000). The date of FDIC’s sale deed is one day earlier than the date of its purchase deed from the Sheriff – and months earlier than the subsequent correction deed was issued in that transaction (see above).

The Parcel ID is L9SE2A 9 9 0310. 55 Deed, Ajzyk Rais and E. Rais (wife) to Roy A. (Lynne S.) Harvey, 589 992 (28 Sept.

1978)(sale price $25,000). 56 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1980 Street & Avenue Guide 223 (R.L.

Polk & Co. 1980)(Fin & Reef pet shop at 425-27 Northampton Street); Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1981 Street & Avenue Guide 243 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1981)(Fin & Reef pet shop at 425-27 Northampton Street, 429 Northampton Street vacant).

57 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1985-86 Street & Avenue Guide 232 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1985).

58 Deed, Roy A. (Lynne S.) Harvey to 425 Northampton Street Associates (James L. Galaini, Scott G. Kindred, & Stephen Schwirck), 709 11 (28 Aug. 1986)(sale price $95,000).

59 Deed, 425 Northampton Street Associates (James L. Galaini, Scott G. Kindred, & Stephen Schwirck) to Oakview Associates Ltd., 737 694 (29 Oct. 1987).

60 Polk’s Easton and Phillipsburg City Directory 1987 Street & Avenue Guide 241 (R.L. Polk & Co. 1987).

61 Oakfiew Associates Ltd. was a partnership, whose general partner was a corporation named Lloyd’s Development Corporation. The corporate President was George A. Switlyk. See Deed, Oakview Associates to J.E. Rome Associates, 791 344 (22 Dec. 1989)(sale price $10). This deed was signed for Oakwood by its general partner, Lloyd’s Development Corporation, represented by George A. Switlyk, President. Julia B. Switlyk was the other signatory (whose capacity was not disclosed). The notary on the deed was Sheila B. Switlyk.

62 Tracy Jordan, “Pomeroy Lofts not abandoned, Pektor says ** Developer insists the condo and brew pub project awaits steel to start construction”, MORNING CALL, 18 July 2007, p.B-7A.

63 Joe Nixon, “Switlyk Pleads Guilty to Fraud * Former Easton Developer Admits in Federal Court that He Was Behind Scheme Involving a $150,000 Business Loan”, MORNING CALL, 19 Aug. 1998, p.B-1; see also Tom Moylan, “30-Year-Old Is ‘Major Player’ in Downtown Easton’s Future”, MORNING CALL, 9 Aug. 1987, p.D-1 (“Easton Mayor Salvatore . . . Panto Jr. is

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Tuan Trinh was originally from Vietnam. His father had been a supervisor working with the South Vietnamese military during the war, and spent some 10 years in jail after the communist takeover. Tuan Trinh went to college, and became a teacher of nursing, but he was deeply unhappy with the lack of freedom in his country. On three occasions, the authorities simply came to their home, and took whatever they wanted – no appeal was possible, as a practical matter. In 1987, Trinh joined the Vietnamese “Boat People” by fleeing to Thailand. After two years of formalities and time spent in the Philippines to learn English, he made it to America. One of his Vietnamese friends had fled to America earlier, and lived in Bethlehem, where Trinh found temporary shelter.

high on Switlyk: “George is a major player in downtown Easton and he is a credible player.’”); Dennis Zehner and Lauri Rice-Maue, “Real Estate Magnate Will Spend One Year in Jail * Switlyk, Who Owned Easton Properties, Stole $150,000 from N.J. Bank”, MORNING CALL, 15 Dec. 1998, p.B-4; Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, 3 June 1988, p.B-8.

64 Deed, New Mohican Market, Inc. to Switlyk Properties, 751 604 (3 June 1988); Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, 3 June 1988, p.B-8 (Mohegan Market Building purchased “for roughly $200,000”). See generally separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 23-27 South 4th Street.

65 Lauri Rice-Maue, “Would-Be Savior of Easton Charged with Bank Fraud”, MORNING CALL, 18 Mar. 1998, p.B-5; Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, 3 June 1988, p.B-8.

66 Gay Elwell, “Switlyk Sells 3 Easton Sites”, MORNING CALL, 9 Sept. 1989, p.B-15; Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, Fri., 3 June 1988, p.B-8.

67 Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, 3 June 1988, p.B-8 (“Empire Beauty School building”); Tom Moylan, “30-Year-Old Is ‘Major Player’ in Downtown Easton’s Future”, MORNING CALL, 9 Aug. 1987, p.D-1 (“Empire building at 60 Centre Square”); see separate www.WalkingEaston.com entry for 60 Centre Square.

68 Joe Nixon, “Switlyk Pleads Guilty to Fraud * Former Easton Developer Admits in Federal Court that He Was Behind Scheme Involving a $150,000 Business Loan”, MORNING CALL, 19 Aug. 1998, p.B-1; see Dennis Zehner and Lauri Rice-Maue, “Real Estate Magnate Will Spend One Year in Jail * Switlyk, Who Owned Easton Properties, Stole $150,000 from N.J. Bank”, MORNING CALL, 15 Dec. 1998, p.B-4; Jack Kraft, “Switlyk Adds to Easton Holdings Developer to Purchase Farr’s Shoes Building”, MORNING CALL, 3 June 1988, p.B-8; Tom Moylan, “30-Year-Old Is ‘Major Player’ in Downtown Easton’s Future”, MORNING CALL, 9 Aug. 1987, p.D-1.

69 Madeleine Mathias, “Dreamers Won with Two Rivers Mayor Goldsmith: Landing Will Lead Downtown Revival”, MORNING CALL, 14 July 1996, p.S-03.

70 Tracy Jordan, “Pomeroy Lofts not abandoned, Pektor says ** Developer insists the condo and brew pub project awaits steel to start construction”, MORNING CALL, 18 July 2007, p.B-7A.

71 Joe Nixon, “City Hall Relocation Vote Monday”, MORNING CALL, 9 Aug. 1995, p.B-3; see Jimmy P. Miller, “Lawyer buys Empire Beauty building – Martin D. Cohen acquires the Downtown Easton building and the lot behind it”, EXPRESS-TIMES, Thurs., 21 Jan. 1999, p.B-1 (Switlyk “came to Easton in 1986 promising major Downtown revitalization. He left behind 35 unpaid mortgages totaling almost $8 million, fled to Florida and is currently serving a one-year prison sentence in New Jersey.”). But see Tom Moylan, “Some L.V. Business Unfinished, Developer Switlyk Moving on George Switlyk’s Lehigh Valley Odyssy”, MORNING CALL, Sun., 2

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Since he had no money for the schooling he would have needed to transfer his nursing skills, Trinh took a job on the evening shift with Circle System Group in Easton (sports helmet manufacturers, now Schutt Sport Inc. in Palmer). He worked there for 10 years, meanwhile buying a building on Easton’s South Side, renting rooms in his building to make extra money, and eventually selling at a profit. He also established ties with the local Catholic Vietnamese community through the St. Simon and Jude Church in Bethlehem. Trinh’s family joined him in Easton once he was established.

Seeing the need for an Asian food market in the area, and the availablity of the Carryl Building from the FDIC for a favorable price, he and his wife decided to establish a market there. After their purchase, they spent a year working on the building – reinstalling even the missing electricity and water – with the help of family members, and opened their market in 1995. The family now live upstairs. Phung Van mostly keeps the store, because Tuan Trinh continues to work night shifts, currently in Flemington N.J. With two promising children, the couple is a living example of the success that hard work can bring. Their colorful Vietnamese grocery, known officially as the Viet HOA Oriental Market Inc., has become a gathering point for the Asian community, especially when fresh fish deliveries are made to the store on Thursdays.75 Trinh and his wife told a reporter in 2002 (after trade with Vietnam was reopened) that they sell some Vietnamese imports such as fish sauce and rice paper, but much of their inventory is been sourced locally or from Thailand because of better quality and packaging. More generally, more than 2,000 Vietnamese-Americans live in Northampton and Lehigh Counties.76

July 1989, p.D-1 (Easton Mayor Panto, after being “initially skeptical about Switlyk”, concluded that he was a “major player” in downtown Easton “I think George is a really good influence on the city.”).

72 Tracy Jordan, “Pomeroy Lofts not abandoned, Pektor says ** Developer insists the condo and brew pub project awaits steel to start construction”, MORNING CALL, 18 July 2007, p.B-7A; Dennis Zehner and Lauri Rice-Maue, “Real Estate Magnate Will Spend One Year in Jail * Switlyk, Who Owned Easton Properties, Stole $150,000 from N.J. Bank”, MORNING CALL, 15 Dec. 1998, p.B-4.

75 Interview with Tuan Trinh (16 Aug. 2013). 76 See Hang Nguyen, “Pact with Vietnam brings opportunity to Valley ** Locally, many

see ways to benefit now that reconciliation is complete”, MORNING CALL, Tues., 22 Jan. 2002, p.D-1.

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