Résumé

Draftsman, Whitehouse and Fouilhoux, Architects, Portland, OR, 1912-1917. Heitschmidt likely started as a clerk in the busy office of Whitehouse and Fouilhoux. (See Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1912, p. 704.) One year later, he had become a draftsman, and continued to live at home, 548 East Everett Streeet. (See Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1913, p. 579.)

Military service, United States Navy, Bremerton, WA, 1918. (See Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1918, p. 574.)

Designer, Edwin S. Dodge, Architect, Boston, MA, 1922. Edwin Sherrill Dodge (1874–1938) was from a wealthy MA family and was trained at MIT and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He wed the complex socialite and art patron Mabel Evans Dodge Sterne Luhan (1869-1972), who came from a wealthy Buffalo, NY, family, and later resettled in Taos, NM.

Designer, A.E. Doyle, Architect, Portland, OR, 1923.

Job Captain, Schultze and Weaver, Architects, New York, NY and West Coast, c. 1924-1929. He likely worked on the Subway Terminal Building in Los Angeles during his earliest years with Schultze and Weaver. In 1926-1927, Heitschmidt may have worked on the Hunter-Dulin Building in San Francsico, CA, but lived in Oakland, CA.

Principal, Earl Heitschmidt, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1930-1939. In 1937, Heitschmidt had an office in Room #807 of the building at 417 South Hill Street. (See Los Angeles A-L, California, City Directory, 1937, p. 898.)

Partner, Heitschmidt, Matcham and Davis, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1939-1942. Charles O. Matcham was listed as a "person who will always know your address" on his World War II draft card. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accessed 06/07/2023.) In 04/1942, the Heitschmidt, Matcham and Davis office was located in Room #807 of the Subway Terminal Building in Los Angeles.

Partner, Heitschmidt and Matcham, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1944-1950.

Principal, Earl T. Heitschmidt, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1950-1955.

Partner, Heitschmidt and Thompson, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1955-1965.

Principal and Chairman of the Board, Earl T. Heitschmidt and Associates, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1965-1972.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA, 1934- . In 1940, the Southern CA Chapter of the AIA named Heitschmidt to serve on its Executive Board of the State [Architects] Association, Southern Section, replacing Sylvanus B. Marston (1883-1946) who vacated the post to become the Southern Chapter's President.

Regional Director, AIA, Sierra-Nevada Chapter, 1946-1948.

When surveyed in 1962, Heitschmidt indicated that he was a Registered Architect in the States of AZ, CA, MI, OR, and WA; he also indicated himself to have been NCARB Certified.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1949.

Initiated into Lambda Alpha International, an honorary land economics society, 1957.

Local president of Lambda Alpha International, 1965.

High School / College

Graduate, Washington High School, Portland, OR.

Special Student, University of Oregon (U of O), Eugene, OR, 1915-1917, (See "Heitschmidt, Eart T[hoedore]," American Architects Directory 1962, p. 302, indicates 1916-1917 at University of Oregon).

Special Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, 1921-1923. According to the MIT Yearbook, 1923, (p. 75), Heitschmidt entered during his senior year. At MIT, he was given the unkind nickname of "Chub" and he belonged to the Phi Tau Delta Fraternity. At age 29 in 1923, he was an older student than others in his cohort. The 1940 US Census indicated that Heitschmidt had completed three years of college training, suggesting he did not graduate from either the University of Oregon or MIT. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00242; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 19-497, accessed 06/07/2023.)

College Awards

Recipient, Boston Society of Architects Prize, Boston, MA, 1921-1922.

Relocation

Earl T. Heitschmidt was born in Portland, OR, on 06/09/1894. His family relocated to OR from MO sometime between 1889 and 1894. His earliest years were spent in Portland's southeastern Kenilworth neighborhood.

Earl's family changed residences frequently during his childhood, perhaps due to the cost of living in Portland. It is unlikely that they owned property and had to rent different apartments. According to the 1900 US Census, the Heitschmidts lived at 396 7th Street in 1900. Two years later, the city directory listed them dwelling at 390 7th. (See R.L. Polk & Company's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1902, p. 448.) By 1906, they had a place at 349 Harrison Street and, in 1909, they had settled at 414 7th Avenue. (See R.L. Polk & Company's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1906,p. 529 and R.L. Polk & Company's Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1909, p. 684.)

The 1910 US Census located Earl's family at 189 East 13th Street in Portland, OR. The household consisted of Earl, his brother, parents and a roomer, Fred O. Potters (born c. 1850), who worked for a garbage-burning furnace company. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Portland Ward 8, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T624_1286; Page: 7b; Enumeration District: 0191; FHL microfilm: 1375299, accessed 06/07/2023.) In 1912, Earl lived with his family at 548 East Everett Street. (See Polk's Portland 1912 City Directory, p. 704 and Polk's Portland 1913 City Directory, p. 579.) Two years later, they had moved to 555 East Yamhill, Apartment #6. (See Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1914, p. 706.) Between 1915 and 1918, they had a bit of stabililty, remaining at 378 East 53rd North. (See Polk's Portland 1915 City Directory, p. 577 and Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1918, p. 574.)

The architect attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR, during the period 1915-1917, and then finished his education at MIT in Cambridge, MA, between about 1921 and 1923.

Heitschmidt returned to Portland by 1923, finding employment with the busiest and most prestigious office in the city, A.E. Doyle.

The architect likely relocated to Los Angeles by 1924, as this was where his daughter Margaret was born. Once he began living in Pasadena, Heitschmidt stopped moving so frequently. In 1925, the family dwelled at 705 South Marengo Avenue. (See Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1925, p. 319.)

He relocated to Oakland, CA, for parts of two years, 1926 and 1927, where they lived at 1934 Hopkins Street, Oakland, CA. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1927, p. 844 and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1927, p. 929.)

After 1927, however, Heitschmidt stopped moving so frequently. Upon returning to Pasadena in 1928, they moved into 377 South Oak where they remained until 1937. (See The Los Angeles Directory Company's Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1928, p. 350 and Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1937, p. 283.) Interestingly, the 1930 US Census found Heitschmidt and his family living at a different location, in a rented house at 1000 North Mentor Avenue in Pasadena, CA. They paid $50 per month in rent. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 1213; FHL microfilm: 2339903, accessed 06/07/2023.)

By 1938, Heitschmidt, his wife and two children made their home at 848 South Madison Avenue in the Madison Heights neighborhood of Pasadena. (See Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1938, p. 279.) As per the 1940 US Census, they continued to reside here. The house had an approximate value of $11,000 at the time, which was on the lower side of house prices in the neighborhood, but well above the CA average (about $3,527) for a single-family residence. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00242; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 19-497, accessed 06/07/2023.) They remanied at this house in 1950 and in 1954. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Pasadena, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 5509; Sheet Number: 12; Enumeration District: 68-126, accessed 06/07/2023 and Pasadena, City Directory, 1954, p. 189.)

By 1956, Heitschmidt had switched to another house at 1345 Circle Drive in the wealthy suburb of San Marino, CA. (See San Marino, California, Telephone Directory, 1956, p. 50.) He and Mabel remained here in 1959. (See San Marino, California, Telephone Directory, 1959, p. 55.)

The architect died in Los Angeles County, CA at the age of 77. Heitschmidt's last residence was in San Marino, CA; He was buried at the Rest-Haven Memorial Park in Eugene, OR.

Parents

His father was Theodore Frederick Heitschmidt (born 01/03/1863 in Monee, IL-d. 03/09/1945 in Portland, OR), his mother, Margaret G. "Maggie" McCormack (born 06/04/1868 in London, ON, Canada-d. 09/23/1954 in Portland, OR). Maggie entered the US by at least 1870. Maggie was the second youngest of five children had by David B. McCormack (sometimes misspelled "McCormick," born 03/04/1832 in Scotland-d. 01/22/1892 in Ellsworth County, KS) and Agnes Graham (born 02/16/1832 in Fife, Scotland-d. 03/03/1898 in Portland, OR), Scottish immigrants first to English-speaking Canada and then the US. In 1870, the McCormacks operated a farm near Center, KS, in Atchison County. The family also had a farm laborer, Andrew Graham (born c. 1847 in Scotland) who lived with them. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Center, Atchison, Kansas; Roll: M593_428; Page: 272A, accessed 06/07/2023.) They remained farming in Ellsworth County, KS, in 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Green Garden, Ellsworth, Kansas; Roll: 381; Page: 514D; Enumeration District: 095, accessed 06/07/2023.)

Theodore grew up on a farm kept by his parents Johan Heitschmidt(born 1820 in Berlin, Germany-d. 1901 in Sylvia, KS) and Friedericka "Rickey" Luehrs (or possibly "Schmitt," born 05/22/1830 in Berlin, Germany-d. 05/20/1900 in Portland, OR). In 1880, this farm was located in Ellsworth County, KS, near the town of Lincoln and Valley. Theodore had six sisters and brothers, four of whom worked maintaining the farm when the 1880 census was taken. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Lincoln and Valley, Ellsworth, Kansas; Roll: 381; Page: 526A; Enumeration District: 095, accessed 06/07/2023.)

Maggie and Theodore were married c. 1887, possibly in MO, and lived in Portland, OR, by 1890. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1890, p. 584.) Theodore and three of his brothers--John, August, and Otto--lived in the city by 1895. Theodore had work as a barber. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Portland City Directory, p. 365.)

Earl had one brother, Bert D. Heitschmidt (born c. 1889 in MO).

In 1910, Theodore continued to cut hair in Portland, Maggie managed the household and Bert had a job in real estate. By 1914, Bert was a partner in a real estate company Williams and Heitschmidt. (See Polk's Portland, Oregon City Directory, 1914, p. 706.)

Spouse

Heitschmidt married Mabel F. Cochran (born 03/11/1896 in Brownsville, OR-d. 01/11/1990 in Lane County, OR) on 09/04/1918 in Jackson County, OR. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center For Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Marriages, 1911-1945, accessed 06/07/2023.)

Children

Mabel and Earl Heitschmidt had two children: Margaret Louise Heitschmidt McCoy (born 11/20/1924 in Los Angeles, CA- d. 04/23/1997) and Earl Heitschmidt (born 03/03/1928 in Los Angeles, CA-d. 05/29/2010 in Las Vegas, NV).

Earl Heitschmidt was an architectural draftsman in 1957, possibly working for his father. (See San Marino, California, Telephone Directory, 1957, p. 52)

He wed Shirley A. Freiburger on 10/22/1965 in Orange County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 06/07/2023.)

Biographical Notes

According to his World War II draft card of 04/25/1942, Heitschmidt was Caucasian with a ruddy complexion and blue eyes. He had gray hair and was balding. He stood 5-feet, 8-and-3/4-inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. A note on the card indicated that he had the tips of his first and second fingers of his right hand missing.

As per Los Angeles County voter records between 1938 and 1962, Earl and Mabel C. Heitschmidt were registered Republicans. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 06/07/2023.)

He and his wife sailed aboard the Matson Lines' S.S. Lurline from Los Angeles to Honolulu, HI, beginning on 05/23/1952. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At Honolulu, Hawaii, Compiled 02/13/1900 - 12/30/1953; NAI Number: A4156; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85, accessed 06/07/2023.)

On 04/22/1956, Heitschmidt and his wife flew aboard Pan American World Airways' Flight 115/22 from Paris, France, to New York, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1956; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 7; Page Number: 313 Source Information: New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 06/07/2023.)

SSN: 572-26-4018.

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