Farver-Schlauch House
The Schlauch-Skroumbelos house (now law offices), 2023.
Historical Overview
A small, 2-story, side-gable house with full-width front porch stands at 4091-4093 Quakerbridge Road (at the base of the road's bridge over the Northeast Corridor train tracks). At the time of this writing (September 2024) it houses a law firm. This is the Schlauch-Skroumbelos house, a member of West Windsor's "100 Club."
Although it's unknown who built the home, West Windsor Township tax records assert that the home was constructed in 1920.[1] At the time of this writing, its earliest-known owner was Emma Farver, who, along with her husband Peter and daughter Irene, lived in the "Clarksville" area of West Windsor (thus, presumably this very house).[2] In 1940, Emma's husband, Peter Farver (presumed to be a co-owned of the Schlauch-Skroumbelos house), was killed in a drunken brawl with John H. Parsons at the Farver home at 97 Sweets Avenue in Trenton (it's presumed the Farvers had moved to Trenton by this point). On his deathbead, Peter claimed he had been attacked by John and toppled over the rear porch of the Farver home, breaking his neck after falling six to ten feet.[3],[4]
In 1941, Emma sold the property to her brother Grover Cleveland Schlauch and his wife, Mary.[5],[6] The Schlauchs, too, suffered tragedy in 1954, when their son, Grover Jr., a truck driver, was killed after being struck by another truck on Route 33 near freehold. Grover Jr. was survived by his parents, his wife (Virginia Hood Schlauch), a daughter (Jean), and several siblings.[7]
Grover Sr. died in 1965, and Mary in 1974. The next year, the Farver-Schlauch house was sold to William Ashmore and his wife, Danette, for $27,500.[8] It has long since passed to other owners. At some point, the Farver-Schlauch house was converted into a lawyer's office, and a mid-20th century house built in a separate lot further from Quakerbridge Road.
Although it's unknown who built the home, West Windsor Township tax records assert that the home was constructed in 1920.[1] At the time of this writing, its earliest-known owner was Emma Farver, who, along with her husband Peter and daughter Irene, lived in the "Clarksville" area of West Windsor (thus, presumably this very house).[2] In 1940, Emma's husband, Peter Farver (presumed to be a co-owned of the Schlauch-Skroumbelos house), was killed in a drunken brawl with John H. Parsons at the Farver home at 97 Sweets Avenue in Trenton (it's presumed the Farvers had moved to Trenton by this point). On his deathbead, Peter claimed he had been attacked by John and toppled over the rear porch of the Farver home, breaking his neck after falling six to ten feet.[3],[4]
In 1941, Emma sold the property to her brother Grover Cleveland Schlauch and his wife, Mary.[5],[6] The Schlauchs, too, suffered tragedy in 1954, when their son, Grover Jr., a truck driver, was killed after being struck by another truck on Route 33 near freehold. Grover Jr. was survived by his parents, his wife (Virginia Hood Schlauch), a daughter (Jean), and several siblings.[7]
Grover Sr. died in 1965, and Mary in 1974. The next year, the Farver-Schlauch house was sold to William Ashmore and his wife, Danette, for $27,500.[8] It has long since passed to other owners. At some point, the Farver-Schlauch house was converted into a lawyer's office, and a mid-20th century house built in a separate lot further from Quakerbridge Road.
Bibliography
- “West Windsor Tax Assessor Address List, 2019.” West Windsor, 2019. List of all residences in West Windsor with dates of construction, according to tax assessor. Sent to the Historical Society by Lorraine Jones and Dawn Moretti.
- "Clarksville Girl Reported Missing." Trenton Evening Times. February 14, 1931.
- "Death Stories Vary at Trial." Trenton Evening Times. April 29, 1940.
- "Brawl Death Brings Arrest of Trentonian." Trenton Evening Times. March 18, 1940.
- Farver, Emma, Schlauch, Grover, Schlauch, Mary. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1941. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 824 Page 37.
- "Grover Schlauch." The Evening Times. July 29, 1965.
- "Truck Driver Dies in Crash." Trenton Evening Times. April 22, 1954.
- Ashmore, Danette M. Ashmore, William M. Fowler, Leslie E., Fowler, Ruth S., Hamnett, Frederick, Hamnett, Virginia, Schlauch, Agnes B., Schlauch, Early R., Schlauch, Lillian Ruth, Schlauch, Mary Jane, Schlauch, Ruth S., Schlauch, Thomas. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1975. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1986 Page 813.
