John Ashton (architect)

John Ashton (1861-1953) was an English-born American architect from Lawrence, Massachusetts.

John Ashton
Born(1861-09-15)September 15, 1861
DiedSeptember 30, 1953(1953-09-30) (aged 92)
NationalityEnglish-American
OccupationArchitect
The former Lawrence High School, designed by John Ashton and built in 1899.

Life

Ashton was born September 15, 1861, in England.[1] He immigrated to the United States in 1875, where he settled in Lawrence.[2] He worked as a mechanic with Joseph James through at least 1889,[3] about the time be appears to have begun to study architecture.[2] In 1892 he enrolled in a special course in architecture in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and opened an office of his own in 1893.[4] He quickly rose through the profession, and became a major competitor of the more-established George G. Adams, the city's leading architect.[5]

He was a sole practitioner until 1909, when he established a partnership with Albert Senter Huntress. The firm was expanded in 1920 to include John F. Alter.[6] Ashton, Huntress & Alter was dissolved in 1933, when Alter opened his own office.[7] Ashton and Huntress practiced together until 1943, when Ashton retired.[5] Huntress continued the firm, admitting Clarence A. Pratt to the partnership. Ashton, Huntress & Pratt was dissolved upon Pratt's death in 1955.

Personal life

Ashton was married to Rebecca Woodworth, and had at least two children. He died September 30, 1953.[1][8]

Legacy

Several buildings by Ashton and his firms are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Architectural works

John Ashton, 1893-1909

  • 1895 - Engine House No. 6, 480 Howard St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[9]
  • 1897 - United Congregational Church, 61a Warren St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[10]
  • 1897 - Joseph James House, 567 Haverhill St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[3]
  • 1897 - Joseph Walworth House, 541 Haverhill St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[11]
  • 1898 - Blakeley Building, 477 Essex St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[2]
    • Home to the Ashton office through the 1950s.
  • 1899 - Central Fire Station, 24 Lowell St, Methuen, Massachusetts[12]
  • 1899 - Lawrence High School (Former), 51 Lawrence St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[13]
  • 1903 - Portsmouth High School (Former), 20 Islington St, Portsmouth, New Hampshire[14]
  • 1904 - John Ashton House, 571 Haverhill St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[5]
    • The architect's own home.
  • 1908 - Engine House No. 9, 161 1/2 Bailey St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[15]

Ashton & Huntress, 1909-1920

Ashton, Huntress & Alter, 1920-1933

  • 1920 - Charles S. Brown School (Former), 30 Conant St, Beverly, Massachusetts[27]
  • 1921 - Stephen Barker School, 129 Haverhill St, Methuen, Massachusetts[28]
  • 1922 - Saxonville School, 25 Elm St, Saxonville, Massachusetts[29]
  • 1923 - Calvary Baptist Church, 234 Common St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[30]
    • Demolished.
  • 1924 - American Legion Post No. 122, 190 Broadway, Methuen, Massachusetts[31]
  • 1925 - James F. Leonard School, 60 Allen St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[32]
  • 1926 - Framingham Memorial Building, 150 Concord St, Framingham, Massachusetts[33]
  • 1927 - Masonic Temple, 31 Green St, Newburyport, Massachusetts[34]
  • 1928 - Arcade Building, 149 Concord St, Framingham, Massachusetts[35]
  • 1929 - Boston & Maine Station, 65 Merrimack St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[36]
  • 1929 - Eagle Tribune Building, 281 Essex St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[37]
  • 1930 - Portsmouth Junior High School, 155 Parrott Ave, Portsmouth, New Hampshire[38]
  • 1931 - James I. Lawlor School, 41 Lexington St, Lawrence, Massachusetts[39]

Ashton & Huntress, 1933-1943

Ashton, Huntress & Pratt, 1943-1955

References

  1. Gravestone, Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence
  2. "LAW.764". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  3. "LAW.110". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  4. Bulletin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Register of Former Students (Boston: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1915)
  5. "LAW.111". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  6. American Contractor 24 April 1920: 41. Chicago.
  7. American Architects Directory. New York: R. R. Bowker, 1955.
  8. "Obituary" in Technology Review 56, no. 2 (December, 1953): i.
  9. "LAW.763". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  10. American Architect and Building News 8 May 1897: xiii. Boston.
  11. American Architect and Building News 24 April 1897: xii. Boston.
  12. "MET.29". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  13. School Journal 6 May 1899: 529. Milwaukee.
  14. School Board Journal July 1903: 37. Milwaukee.
  15. "LAW.724". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  16. American Architect 20 Oct. 1909: 8. Boston.
  17. American Architect 11 May 1910: 8. Boston.
  18. School Board Journal Sept. 1909: 28. Milwaukee.
  19. American Contractor 20 April 1910: 21. Chicago.
  20. "LYN.468". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  21. "BEV.274". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  22. American Contractor 20 June 1914: 59. Chicago.
  23. American Contractor 3 July 1915: 77. Chicago.
  24. Engineering News 3 Feb. 1916: 70. New York.
  25. American Contractor 20 Sept. 1919: 52. Chicago.
  26. Engineering News-Record 4 Nov. 1920: 242. New York.
  27. American Contractor 19 June 1920: 54. Chicago.
  28. "MET.500". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  29. American Contractor 20 May 1922: 57. Chicago.
  30. "LAW.202". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  31. "MET.1690". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  32. Engineering News-Record 2 July 1925: 13. New York.
  33. "FRM.230". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  34. "NWB.326". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  35. "FRM.253". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  36. Engineering News'Record 1929: 1356. New York.
  37. "LAW.234". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  38. Metalcraft Aug. 1930: 103.
  39. Engineering News-Record 25 June 1931: 63. New York.
  40. Engineering News-Record Aug. 1937: 638. New York.
  41. Engineering News-Record 15 Dec. 1938: 56. New York.
  42. Engineering News-Record 13 Nov. 1941: 27. New York.
  43. Engineering News-Record 18 June 1942: 222. New York.
  44. Engineering News-Record 7 Feb. 1946: 250. New York.
  45. Annual Report of the Town of Salem, NH for the Year Ending December 31, 1950. Somersworth: Free Press, 1951.
  46. Engineering News-Record 13 Dec. 1951: 96. New York.
  47. Architectural Forum 1952: 141.
  48. Progressive Architecture 1956: 148.
  49. "Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel". http://library.marist.edu/. n.d.
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