Norman Gasbarro | January 13, 2012
A Swiss immigrant, Jean Pierre Williard, purchased this property known as Lot #15 in 1818. He had originally come to America to fight for the British in the Revolution but changed sides and fought for the Colonials. After the war he settled in Lykens Township. The lot remained in the Williard (or Willier) family, but […]
Norman Gasbarro | January 7, 2012
The house and lot known as #10 was one of several properties in Gratz Borough that was owned by the Daniel Good family. Its original owner was Abraham Herner, a stone mason, who purchased the land from Simon Gratz in 1816. Abraham sold the land to members of the Hartman family in 1818. Subsequently, transactions […]
Norman Gasbarro | January 2, 2012
The Good Tannery was located at the west end of Gratz. In 1842, a “tanyard” was owned by Daniel Good and Samuel Ritter but tax records show that the property on which the Good Tannery was located was not conveyed to Daniel Good until 1843. Good had originally settled in Loyalton and operated a tannery […]
Norman Gasbarro | November 29, 2011
At the west end of Gratz on the north side of Market Street is a block of properties that were part of the original Simon Gratz subdivision. Most prominent of these in approaching Market Street from Specktown Road is at Lot #81 (northwest corner of intersection of Specktown Road and West Market Street). West of […]
Norman Gasbarro | November 28, 2011
Early records of this Gratz property, known on the Simon Gratz subdivision as Lot #18, indicate it was first owned by George Kissinger in 1815. The deed for the 1815 transaction is the earliest-found recorded deed of any of the original Simon Gratz lots. George Kissinger is not known to have erected any building on […]
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