HISTORICALLY SPEAKING From the New Jersey Historical Society, Charles Hutchinson's history continues with the old Tan Yard, from behind Di Mattia's on South Main Street to the old meeting house alley on Lakeview Drive. The Rogers homestead, the lot on which the first Samuel Rogers had his dwelling and store and which remained in the family until after the death of his grandson James in 1791, passed into the possession of "Colonel" Wessel Ten Broeck Stout. How he became "Colonel" I do not know, he served as lieutenant during the revolutionary war, was discharged as such at its close, and was afterwards made captain by brevet. He was the father of Richard M. Stout, already mentioned, and a man of considerable property. June 10, 1803, "Wessel T. Stout, of Allentown, &c. and Lucy his wife" conveyed to Samuel Gordon, of the same place, for L600, "All that house and lot hereinafter described, lying and being in Allentown, and being part of the real estate of James Rogers, deceased; which the said Wessel T. Stout bought at public vendue held by William Lloyd and Benjamin Rogers, executors of the testament and last will of James Rogers, deceased, by deed July 16, 1791: Beginning in the middle of Main Street, & running on the line of John Clutch's lot, S35"36' E4,21 from the front of the said houses to the most northerly corner of James Middleton's currying shop: Thence, by the same part S58"36' E1,01 to a stone by the edge of a small run: Thence up the same N47"20' E1,16 to a stone: Thence N39"14' W3,84 to a stone: Thence N50"45'E nine feet to a stone: Thence N32"40'W 82 links: Thence N37"30'W 37 links to the front of the said houses S53" W1,44 to the place of beginning to measure; containing half an acre and thirty three perches of land," &c. This lot extended on Main Street from the present hotel alley, southwesterly to the line of what was then John Clutch's lot, now Rynier Probasco, and its southeasterly line was at the little brook in E.T. Weaver's meadow, which was then or earlier a birch swamp. During its occupancy by Samuel Gordon, the Rogers house was a tavern. He carried on that business her and elsewhere. About 1810, he was keeping the tavern at Nottingham Square. His wife was Patience Cubberley, of Nottingham, and their daughter Ann married William Imlay, Esq. Miss Mary Emma Gordon, the present owner of the Imlay mansion in Allentown, is also a descendant of Samuel and Patience. April 4, 1807 Samuel Gordon and Patience his wife, of Allentown, &c. conveyed to Peter Knott, of the township of Shrewesbury, &c. for $1,712, "All the herein described lot of land, situate on the south side of the Main Street in Allentown aforesaid; Beginning at a gate post standing on the northeast corner of John Clutch's lot: Thence running N52½" E1,30, along the aforesaid Main Street to the corner of the dwelling house on said lot: Thence S35" E7,65, to a stake standing on James Middleton's line: Thence N57" W3,66 along the land of said Middleton: Thence N35"36'(W) along the land of said Clutch and said Middleton to the place of beginning: containing half an acre and thirty perches, be the same more or less. Together with the dwelling house, milk house and spring house, with all and singular" &c. March 28, 1814, John Palmer and Margaret his wife, of Allen Town &c. executed an mortgage to Peter Knott, of the township of Shrewsbury, &c. for $1800, on half an acre and thirty perches described in the above deed. This mortgage, which appears to have been given for part of the purchase money for said premises, was cancelled February 1, 1822. It is mentioned to indicate the date at which John Palmer acquired the property. April 1, 1813, "Joseph Hendrickson and Nathan Allen, executors of James Middleton, late of Upper Freehold, &c. deceased," conveyed to John Palmer, of the same for $1650, "All that lot of land and Tanyard, with the buildings thereon erected, situate in Allentown, &c.: Beginning at the southeast corner of a lot of land now in possession of Daniel Leigh: Thence running, according to the former Magnetical position of the needle N32"E 80 links to the southeast corner of the currying shop: Thence S57" E12,65, to a black oak tree, blazed on four sides, standing by an old ditch bank, on the south side of the gully: Thence along the ditch bank S54" W3,70 to the mill pond: Thence down the pond the several courses thereof, to a corner of Quay's land: Thence along Quay's line and the Church Lot, N48" W1,22: Thence N42" E1,65 to the place of beginning; containing 3¼ acres, be the same more or less. Excepting and reserving such part of said lot as was sold by the said James Middleton in his life time to Aaron Steward, &c. The "black oak tree by an old ditch bank, on the south side of the gully," which was the easterly corner of the tanyard lot, long since disappeared; an underdrain has taken the place of the ditch and the gully has been filled in; but enough depression remains to show plainly the location the tree and the course of gully, and next the pond there is still a small ravine and open stream. January 30, 1822, "John Palmer and Margaret his wife, of Allentown," &c. executed a mortgage to Asa Middleton, of the township of Nottingham, &c. for $1000, upon: "All that dwelling house and lot, and tanyard lot, and piece or parcel of land and premises in the village of Allentown &c. Beginning at the northeast corner of John Clutch's lot: Thence running N52½"E along the Main Street to the corner of the dwelling house on said lot: Thence S35" E7,65 to a stake standing on John Palmer's Tan Yard lot: Thence N57" W3,66: Thence N35"36'W along said Clutch's and said Palmer's line to the place of beginning; containing half an acre and 33 perch, be the same more or less. Together with all the buildings, outbuildings, &c. The Tan Yard and lot thereunto belonging is butted and bounded as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of Daniel Leigh's land, thence running N32"E 80 links to a lot of Peter Knott's land: Thence S35"E 78 links to the southeast corner of the currying shop: Thence S57" E12,65 to a black oak tree standing on an old ditch bank, on the south side of a gully: Thence along the ditch bank S54" W3,70 to the mill pond: Thence down the several courses thereof to a corner of Quay's land: Thence along Quay's line and the Church Lot, N8" W1,22: Thence N42" E1,65 to the place of beginning; containing 3 ¼ acres, be the same more or less. Reserving such part of the said lot was sold to Aaron Steward by James Middleton in his life time," &c. It has been related that Thomas Barnes sold the tanyard and the Moyer lot to John Paxton, 9mo 20, 1792 containing together 3½ acres, but I omitted to say that the next day, John Paxton conveyed the tanyard lot, 3¼ acres to James Middleton, which he did as follows: 9mo 21, 1792 "John Paxton, Ta[i]lor, of the Township of Upper Freehold," &c. conveys to James Middleton, Tanner, of the same place, for L300, in specie, "All that Tan Yard and lot of land with the buildings thereon erected, situated in Allen Town afforesaid: Beginning at the southeast corner of John Paxton's lot: Thence (1) N32"E 80 links to James Roger's land: Thence S35"E 78 links to the southeast corner of the currying shop: Thence S57" E12,35 to a black oak tree, blazed on four sides and eight notches, standing by an old ditch bank on the south side of a gully: Thence along the old ditch bank S54" W3,70 to the mill pond: Thence down the pond several courses thereof to the corner of William Hutchinson's lot: Thence along said Hutchinson's lot and the Church lot, N36" E3,88 to the southeast corner of the Church lot: Thence along the Church lot, N48" W1,22: Thence 42" E1,65 to the place of beginning: containing 3¼ acres, be the same more or less. Which said lot of land was conveyed to Thomas Barnes to John Paxton by deed 9mo 20, 1792; by which the said Thomas Barnes became seized thereof by deed 4 mo 1, 1785 from Lewis Eastwood; by which he became seized thereof by deed February 12, 1784 from Kenneth Hankinson. Together with," &c. Historically Speaking is a regular column presented by John Fabiano, president of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Historical Society. For information about the historical society, send e-mail to AllntwnUFHistSoc@aol.com.