The Landowners
John Street was divided up between many different landowners, some who owned this land for only a few years and others who remained owning their buildings for decades.
The name J.D. Williams appears as a landowner on maps ranging from 1874-1895. He is identified in the 1892 city directory as a wine merchant, and one of his buildings on John Street (37-39) is listed as liquors on the 1882 map.
J.D. Williams had five addresses under his name on John Street in 1895, those addresses being 5, 7, 14, 16, and 39.
Another prominent landowner for many years on John Street was Jonathan French, listed in shorthand as Jont. French or just J. French on most of the maps on which he appears. The 1895 city directory identifies him as a merchant, and during this same year he had six addresses under his name on John Street. This is more addresses than anyone else on the street in 1895, making him the man with the most land in this parcel that year.
His residence is listed as 160 State because that is where he actually lived, he just owned the buildings on John Street.
Hannah French was yet another major landowner on John Street, having 4 addresses under her name in 1895. The city directory of that same year identifies her as a widow, and also indicates that she did not reside at any of her John Street properties.
