THE location of Easton is upon the west bank of the Delaware and the north bank of the Lehigh, it their confluence; ninety miles, by the course of the former, above Philadelphia. By railway, its distance from New York is seventy-five miles; from Philadelphia, sixty-six; and from Harrisburg, one hundred and eight miles. From the Delaware, the borough extends westwardly up a gradual declivity, and then over the crest of a hill, which is everywhere steep, and, in some parts, precipitous. Still higher eminences surround and command the town on the north, east, and west, The most eligible of these, as a point of observation, is Phillipsburg heights, across the river Delaware. Looking from thence, the eye takes in at once nearly the whole of the borough of Easton. It is well built and picturesque, and has none of the monotonous tameness which always characterizes towns located on level grounds. The large preponderance of brick and stone buildings, and the almost universal use of the smooth, dark-blue slate for roofing, give at once the idea of well-kept solity entirely opposite to that produced by the frail, perishable, and inflammable architecture, so frequently seen in "cities" and towns in many portions of the country. On the right, upon the heights which tower abruptly from the north bank of the Bushkill Creek, stand out the imposing halls of Lafayette College. In the central part of the picture, rise the steep crags, of Mount Jefferson, the towers, and spires of the churches, and the bold pillars and cupola of the Court House, flanked by the sombre walls of the County Prison, while far to the west, beyond the town, are more faintly seen the domes and roofs at the Agricultural Fair Grounds. On the extreme left appear the railway stations and shops, and the manufactories and dwellings of South Easton, looking very pretty, in the distance, as a adjunct to the main picture, but losing considerably on nearer inspection. Almost underneath it, flowing majestically southward in the foreground, is the Delaware, spanned by the crowning curve of the old carriage bridge, and, lower down, by the magnificent rectilinear iron trusses of the railways. The little Bushkill enters the river just between us and the College, but so small is the stream, and so deeply indented is its bed, that we scarcely see it, except at the point where it flows into the Delaware. But the Lehigh, curbed and swollen as it is by the canal dam at its mouth, proudly shows the sheen of its bright waters in a long reach, dividing the two boroughs, and then swerving to the southward around the headland towards Glendon. Every artificial thing which we see here flow, dwelling, streets, mills, bridges, railways, all have been created by man during the past century and a quarter of time. But God's handiwork-the Delaware, the Lehigh, the Bushkill, the limestone crags-were there, all unmarred by human hands, and half hidden by wild parasites and forest tree- when, nearly a hundred and forty years ago, the peace-loving Moravians first came to build their Brothers' House in the woods, at the Forks of the Delaware. In his Journal of Travels of America (1797), the Duke de la Rochefoucault Liancourt, thus speculates concerning the formation of the site of the town, "it lies compactly between the river and the mountains; it is nothing but sand and pebbles, and the mountains which surround it are composed of calcareous stone. The situation of this ground, its composition, and a comparison of it with other lands around, leave no doubt that it must have formerly been the bed of the rivers that have changed their course." But whether ancient rivers had flowed over it or not, the white man, when he came, surely found it a wild and beautiful place. Sherman Day, in his Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania says: "It is said that Easton was laid out by Hugh Wilson, of Allen township; and Colonel Martin, of Mount Bethel, commissioners, about the year 1737 or 1738, or soon after the Italian walk. It does not appear, however, to have been settled for some years afterward. "It is more than doubtful whether Messrs. Martin and Wilson laid out any town there, although they probably surveyed a tract of land, and it is certain that, when, on the ninth of May, 1750, William Parsons, Esq., as agent for Thomas and Richard Penn, met Nicholas Scull, the Surveyor-General, of Pennsylvania, at the Forks of the Delaware, and they, together with their axemen and chainmen proceeded to lay out the town of Easton for the Proprietaries, the nearest lodging place which they (Scull and Parsons) could avail themselves of, was the house of John Lefebre, six miles up the Bushkill, on the road to the Wind Gap. (This old tavern stood on a site now embraced in the premises of Peter Werkheiser, in Forks township.) From this, it seems very plain that there could have been no settlement there, excepting the Brothers' House 1 and the log cabin, built in 1739, by David Martin, who plied the ferry across both rivers for the accommodation of such travelers as wished to pass from Bethlehem or Nazareth across into Jersey, or down the river towards Newtown or Bristol. The work of laying out the town occupied ten days. The chainmen, and other assistants, received, for their services, eighteen pence (about twenty cents) per day, furnishing their own board, Messrs. Parsons and Scull, all before mentioned, were entertained at Lefebre's house, and his bill for their ten days accommodation was £2 11s. 9d. or about $6.90. This amount not only included food and lodging, but "slings"2 and other spirituous sustenance. As they came from Philadelphia and were the representatives of the Proprietaries, there can be no doubt that Lefebre's house did its very best for them in the way of entertainment.

 

1. As regards the Brothers' House, the precise date of its erection is not known, but it probably at least as early as 1745. Bishop de Schweinitz. who is the very highest authority in all matters pertaining to Moravian history, has been unable, after long and careful search to find any account whatever, of it in Moravian records. It is certain that it was never occupied by them, but it was without doubt built in the expectation of such occupancy, from which they were, perhaps, deterred by a discovery of the Proprietaries' plan of establishing a town and the county seat there; for it is well known that it was the strong desire of the Moravians, to avoid contact with other communities and peoples. We are, by tradition, assured that the house was of Moravian origin, and there is little doubt that it was such, and that it remained unoccupied by them, for the above named reason. Its very character indicated it, for at that time, no others than they would have built so large and substantial a building. It is represented by those who saw it, to have been it stone structure, as large as 50 x 40 feet, and with exceedingly thick and massive walls. More than a century ago, before the old church in Third street was erected, this house was occupied by the Lutherans, as a meeting house and parsonage. It stood on the site, at present occupied by the new brick and iron block on the west side of Third street, and cornering on the alley next below Ferry street. 2. This is the precise word used in Lefebre's bill, which is still in existence.

 

The Proprietaries had been quick to note the natural advantages of the location, and the enterprise was wholly a private one in their hands. The wife of Thomas Pen was Johanna Fermor, a daughter of Lord Pomfret, who resided at his estate of Easton, in Northamptonshire, England-hence the naming of the town (and of the county afterwards), and hence, also, the names given to the streets, as-Northampton, Fermor, Julianna, and Pomfret. Hamilton street-now Fourth-was named for the Governor of Pennsylvania. It is difficult to imagine why those very proper and euphonious names-should ever have been abandoned.

 

The boundaries, of the town, as then laid out, were: "On the south, by the west, branch (Lehigh) and on the east by the main branch of the river, which runs, in this place, nearly north and South, about one hundred and twenty perches, to a very pleasant brook of water called Tatamy's Creek,1 which bounds the town to the north. On the west, it is bounded by a pretty high hill, that runs nearly parallel to, and at the distance of one hundred and thirty perches from, the main branch."

 

The town lots, sixty by two hundred and twenty feet, were sold, subject to an annual ground rent of seven shillings; and it was a condition of every sale, that a house, at least twenty feet square, with a lone chimney, should be built, on the lot, within two years from the date of purchase. A public square, intended for the erection of a court house, was laid off on the crown of a gentle knoll, from which the ground sloped in all directions; the centre of the square being the pointed where Northampton and Pomfret Streets would-if carried through-cross each other at right angles. The lots forming this square were transferred to the county on the sole condition of the annual payment of a red rose to the Proprietaries, or to the head of their house, forever.

 

William Parsons2 Clerk of the Courts of the newly-erected county, and ex-Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, removed to Easton, as a permanent place of residence, but he appears to have done so with some misgivings from several causes, the principal of which was the doubt, of a sufficiency of provisions being obtainable from the surrounding country, for in a letter dated December 3d, 1752, and addressed by him to Richard Peters, Esq. (to be found page 95, 2d vol. Pennsylvania Archives), he says:

 

"Upon removing my family to this place, my thought, have been more engaged in considering the circumstances of this infant town than ever, its well with regard to its neighborhood, as the probability there is of its being furnished with provisions from the inhabitants near about it; and if there already is, or probably may in time be, a sufficient number of settlers to carry on any considerable trade with the town. For without these, it is not likely that it will be improved to any great height as well with regard to the town itself, that is to say, its situation as to health, trade, and pleasantness. The site of the town is pleasant and very agreeable; the banks of all the waters bounding it are high and clear; and if it was as large again as it is-being now about one hundred acres-it might be said to be a very beautiful place for a town. It is true that it is surrounded on every side by very high hills, which make it appear under some disadvantages, at a distance, and might give some occasion for suspicion of its not being very healthy but during all the last summer, which was very dry, and the fall which has been remarkably wet. I don't know that any one has been visited with the fever, or any other sickness, notwithstanding most of the people have been much exposed to the night air and wet weather. From whence I make no difficulty to conclude the place is, and will continue, very healthy.

 

"And in regard to the trade up the river, that would likewise be very advantageous to the town, as well as to the country in general, even in the single article of lumber, as there is plenty of almost any kinds of timber above the mountains, where there are also many good conveniences for erecting saw-mills, and several are there built already, from whence the town might readily be supplied with boards, shingles, &c. The west branch will also be of advantage to the town, as it is navigable several miles for Small craft, and Tatamy's Creek, being a good stream of water to erect mills upon, will also contribute towards the advancement of the town. The Jersey side being at present more settled, near the river, opposite the Forks, than the Pennsylvania side; and, indeed, the land on that side is better watered and more convenient for settlements, than it is on this side, for several miles about Easton. We have been supplied as much, or more, from that side as from our own. But how Mr. John Cox's project of laying out a town upon his land adjoining Mr. Martin's land, on that, side the river opposite to Easton, may affect this town, is hard to say, and time only can obviate. To the westward and northward of the Dry-land, are the Moravian Settlements, about eleven miles from the town. These settlements are not only of no advantage, but rather a great disadvantage to the town. For being an entire and separate interest by themselves, corresponding only with one another, where they can possibly avoid it, except where the, advantage is evidently in their favor, it can't be expected that the town should reap any benefit from them. Besides, as they have not hitherto raised, and as their number is continually increasing, by the yearly addition of foreigners, it is not likely that they will, in time to come, raise sufficient provisions for themselves, but are obliged to purchase great quantities from their neighbors, who would otherwise bring it to the town; but this is not, to be expected while they can dispose of it so much nearer home; and this leads me to wish, for the good of Easton, if the Honorable, the Proprietaries, should incline to have the Drylands improved, that it may not be disposed of to the Moravians. Not because they are Moravians, but because their interests interfere so much with the interests of the town. If the Dry-lands should be chiefly settled by them, the Master Brethren would have the sole direction and disposal of all that should be raised there, which would be more discouraging and worse to the town than if the land were not inhabited at all. Upon the whole, the town has, hitherto, been very well supplied with meat-beef, pork, mutton-butter, turnips, & c. But it will be supplied with hay and pasturage, I can't clearly foresee; I mean, if the town increases, as I am in great hopes it will. If I might presume to speak my opinion, and I know you expect I should, if I speak at all, I could wish that a sufficient quantity of the Drylands might be appropriated for out-lots, and that all the rest were to be settled and improved, and that by Dutch people, although they were of the poorer sort of them. I don't mention Dutch people, from any particular regard that I have for them, more than for other people. But because they are generally more laborious, add conformable to their circumstances, than some others, amongst us are. I need not say who they are, but it is an old observation, that poor gentlefolks don't always prove the fittest to begin new place, where labor is chiefly wanted. I cant hear of any considerable body of clay, for making bricks or potters work, upon any of the Proprietory's land near the town, but upon the five hundred-acre tract, which was surveyed for Mr. Thomas Craig, near the town, I am told is very good clay both for a potter and brickmaker. The five hundred acre, belong now to one Corry in Chester county. I wrote to you about it very largely in the former letter.

 

"There are now eleven families in Easton, who all propose to stay this winter, and when our prison is finished, which there is hope that it soon will be, as it is now covered in, there is great probabilities that the number will increase before the spring.

 

" By the above extracts from Mr. Parsons' letter, we may readily perceive that, although he duly appreciated the advantages of the water-power and facilities, the heathfulness, the lumber, and jail, yet he feared an insufficiency of supplies, scarcity of brick-clay, and the overshadowing importance of the settlement, on the Jersey side of the river; and that, besides these, he deprecated the near proximity of the peaceful, but unpopular Moravians, as well as the presence of "poor gentlefolks," in the new town.

 

The Proprietaries seem to have shared in his fear, that the growth of Phillipsburg would operate unfavorable on the prosperity of Easton, and Thomas Penn, so expressed himself, in his letter to Richard Peters under date of May 9th, 1732, "I think we should secure all the land we can on the Jersey side of the water."