Résumé

Clerk, J.R. Osgood and Company, Boston, MA, 1880-1882. Noted publisher James Ripley Osgood (1836–1892), began a second publishing firm to bear his name in 1880, and published Whitman's first edition of Leaves of Grass in 1881. It also published the American Architect and Architecture magazine.

Apprentice/Draftsman, Peabody and Stearns, Architects, Boston, MA, 1882- 1883. In 1882-1883, A.C. Schweinfurth worked as a draftsman for Peabody and Stearns, while his brother, Julius, was an architect with the same firm. (See Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1882, p. 923 and Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1883, p. 954.) Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1883, p. 954.) Neither brother was listed in the Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1885.

Draftsman, A. Page Brown, Architect, New York, NY 02/1885-06/1886 and late-1886-fall 1888. In 1886, A. Page Brown maintained his architectural office at 57 Broadway in New York City. (See New York, New York, City Directory, 1886, p. 221.)

Designer, Charles F. Schweinfurth, Cleveland, OH, 06/1886-late 1886.

Principal, A.C. Schweinfurth, Architect, New York, NY, fall 1888-1889.

Architect, [Robert D.] Andrews and [Herbert] Jaques, Architects, Boston, MA, and Denver, CO, 1889. In 1889, the firm of Andrews and Jaques had offices in Room #37 of the Essex Building in Denver. (See Ballenger and Richards' Denver, Colorado, City Directory, 1889, p. 1049.) In 1889, Both Robert Day Andrews (born 03/05/1857 in Hartford, CT-d. 09/19/1928 in Newton, MA) and Herbert Jaques (born 01/23/1857 in Framingham, MA-d. 12/21/1916 in Boston, MA) resided in Boston, MA. (See Ballenger and Richards' Denver, Colorado, City Directory, 1889, p. 106, 514.) In Denver, their firm designed the Boston Building, completed in 1889 and the J.S. Betts House (1888). The firm added a partner in 1889, Augustus Neal Rantoul (born 05/18/1865 in Salem, MA-d. 07/01/1934 in Santa Barbara, CA), to become known as "Andrews, Jaques and Rantoul." Herbert Jaques died in 1916, and the firm added another partner, Ichabod Howland Jones (born 05/22/1868 in Boston, MA-d. 10/22/1959 in Marblehead, MA), in 1920, becoming "Andrews, Rantoul, and Jones." The firm became known as "Andrews, Jones, Biscoe and Goodell" in 1945.

Principal, A.C. Schweinfurth, Architect, Denver, CO, 1889-1890.

Chief Draftsman, A. Page Brown, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1890-1895.

Principal, A.C. Schweinfurth, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1895-1898. Schweinfurth started a two-year trip in 1898-1900 through Europe. after returning, he died of typhoid in 1900. His obituary in the San Francisco Call said of his work in the Bay Area: “In the work done in this city under his own name deceased showed himself to be a man of great talents and of exceptional individual ability.His efforts were directed toward the adaptation to the needs of our time, of the suggestions to be found in the Spanish-American architecture of Mexico and in our own missions. Among the buildings designed by him are the Hearst building, the new Childrens' Hospital and the Hacienda del Pozo de Verona, Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst's residence near Pleasonton."”(See "Well-Known Architect Is Removed by Death," San Francisco Call, 10/10/1900, p. 12.)

Relocation

Born in Auburn, New York, in 1863, A.C. Schweinfurth resided in that city when the New York State Censuses of 1865 and 1875 were made. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information New York, U.S., State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014 and Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., State Census, 1875 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.) The 1880 US Census indicated that A.C., at age 16, resided with his parents in Auburn, NY, where he worked in a publishing house. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Auburn, Cayuga, New York; Roll: 813; Page: 221C; Enumeration District: 003, accessed 03/26/2021.)

He moved to Boston, MA, at about this time to work for the publisher J.R. Osgood and Company there. He resided in the Boston area while working for this publisher and the architectural firm of Peabody and Stearns between c. 1881 and 1883. He and his brother Julius both boarded in Brookline, MA, in 1882 and 1883. (See Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1882, p. 923 and Boston, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1883, p. 954.)

Schweinfurth spent the next few years in New York, NY, working for the architect A. Page Brown (1859-1896) during c. 1885-1886 and c. 1886-1888 and went briefly to assist his brother Charles in his Cleveland, OH, practice in 1886. He opened his own New York practice briefly in 1888-1889, before taking on new work in Denver, CO.

While working in Denver, CO, for the firm of Andrews and Jaques, Architects in 1889, Schweinfurth lived at 1117 29th Street. (See Ballenger and Richards' Denver, Colorado, City Directory, 1889, p. 846.) A year later, he resided at 207 23rd Avenue in Denver. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Denver, Colorado City Directory, 1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Denver City Directory, 1890. Denver, CO, USA: Ballenger and Richards, 1890, accessewd 03./19/2021.)

Schweinfurth registered to vote in San Francisco, CA, on 10/13/1892. At this time, he resided at 707 Chestnut Street in San Francisco.

On 05/27/1898, A.C. Schweinfurth made a hand-written request for a US passport, indicating that he and his family were imminently going abroad. During the period 1898-1900, they traveled extensively in Italy and France. (See "Well-Known Architect Is Removed by Death," San Francisco Call, 10/10/1900, p. 12.)

He, his wife Fannie and daughter Katrina made their home in Dryden, NY, in 1900, according to the US Census. The census enumerator for Dryden at this time was Milo Goodrich, Fannie's father. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Dryden, Tompkins, New York; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 0141; FHL microfilm: 1241168, accessed 03/22/2021.)

He died in his wife's hometown of Dryden, NY, of typhoid fever just after a two-year European vacation. The architect was buried in Fort Hill Cementery in Auburn, NY.

Parents

Schweinfurth came from an architectural family; his father, Charles J. Schweinfurth (born 1829 in Kingdom of Württemberg, Germany- d. 10/12/1909 in Cleveland, OH), was trained as an engineer in Germany, immigrated to the U.S. in 1852, and became a woodcarver specializing in architectural ornament. (Charles was likely born in the city of Reutlingen in Württemberg.) Between at least 1874 and 1899, he was listed as a carver, pattern maker and mechanic near City Mills in Auburn, NY, living on Hamilton Avenue near South Street. (See Auburn, New York, City Directory, 1874, p. 213, Auburn, New York, City Directory, 1884, p. 263 and Auburn, New York, City Directory, 1899, p. 202.)

His mother was Catherine Ammon Schweinfurth (born c. 1834 in PA-died 09/07/1895 in Auburn, NY), who managed the household.

His paternal grandfather was Georg August Schweinfurth (born 12/29/1836 in Riga Latvia-d. 09/19/1925 in Berlin, Germany), an explorer in Africa and noted botanist.

Charles and Catherine had four children, one daughter and three sons. The daughter was Regina P. "Jennie" Schweinfurth Sunter (born c. 1853 in Auburn, NY). She was known as Jennie Sunter in 1886, but retained her maiden name in 1899. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Probate Records, 1799-1905; Index, 1799-1952; Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (Cayuga County); Probate Place: Cayuga, New York, accessed 03/22/2021.) In 1899, she served as the Principal of the Division Street Primary School in Auburn, NY. (See Auburn, New York, City Directory, 1899, p. 202.)

The sons included Charles Frederick Schweinfurth (born 09/03/1857 in Auburn, NY-d. 11/09/1919 in Cleveland, OH), Julius Adolphe Schweinfurth (born 09/20/1858 in Auburn, NY-d. 09/29/1931 in Wellesley, MA), and Henry G.B. Schweinfurth, (born 1868 in Auburn, NY-d. 02/13/1906 in Rochester, NY), who all practiced in the architectural profession. Charles F. became a notable designer in Cleveland, OH, Julius in Boston, MA, and Albert in San Francisco, CA.

Julius Schweinfurth dedicated some of his estate to the construction of an art museum in his hometown of Auburn, NY, known as the "Schweinfurth Art Center." The museum's web site stated: "In his will, Schweinfurth directed that the remainder of his trust be used to build an art center in Auburn for the exhibition and study of the arts, with particular emphasis on people who display 'a special talent for art in any form and who intend to follow it as a life work.' He also requested that the committee consult with a major museum on the design of the Art Center. When that museum argued that Schweinfurth’s bequest 'would do more good in the hands of a large metropolitan museum than building a museum in Auburn,' the Art Center board of directors vehemently disagreed. They prevailed in court. The Board of Trustee’s determination ensured that Schweinfurth’s legacy remained in Auburn." (See Auburn Museum of Art.org, "About the Schweinfurth: Founded by an Auburn Native," accessed 03/22/2021.) The museum is located at 205 Genesee St. Auburn, NY 13021.

Julius's son, Charles Schweinfurth (April 13, 1890 – November 16, 1970) attended Harvard University, assisting the botanist Oakes Ames (1874-1950) and becoming his protégé. Charles became a renowned scholar of orchids working at Harvard.

Spouse

He wed Fannie G. Goodrich (born 09/27/1863 in Dryden, NY-d. 03/15/1933 in Wellesley, MA) on 11/27/1888 in Auburn, NY. (See Source Citation New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Marriage Index, accessed 03/22/2021.) A hand-written US passport application of 05/27/1898 erroneously indicated that Fannie had been born on 09/23/1864 in Dryden, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 508; Volume #: Roll 508 - 01 Jun 1898-10 Jun 1898, accessed 03/22/2021.)

Her parents were Milo Goodrich (born 01/03/1814 in East Homer, NY-d. 04/15/1881 in Auburn, NY) and Eunice Amanda "Emma" Eastman (born 01/27/1823 in Groton, NY-d. 08/23/1897 in NY)

After Albert's death in 1900, Fannie moved to Brookline, MA, living near to her husband's brother Julius and his wife, Mary Frances ("Fannie") Bellows (1860-1936). On 06/14/1906, she filled out her own US passport application in advance of a planned journey abroad with her daughter. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 14; Volume #: Roll 0014 - Certificates: 15882-16588, 14 Jun 1906-20 Jun 1906, accessed 03/22/2021.) She and Katherine returned from Southampton, England to New York, NY, aboard the S.S. Oceana, between 09/05/1906 and 09/12/1906. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1906; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 27; Page Number: 12, accessed 03/22/2021.)

The US Census of 1910 noted that she lived with her daughter in a three-story, Federal Style apartment house at 32 Linden Street in Brookline, close by to the residence of Julius at 32 Webster Place. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_608; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 1093; FHL microfilm: 1374621, accessed 03/22/2021.)

By the early 1930s, Fanny Goodrich Schweinfurth moved to live near Albert's brother Julius and Mary Frances (also nicknamed "Fannie,") in the new tract of Wellesley Farms, MA. This well-to-do housing section was erected in the 1920s and 1930s on over 100 acres northeast of Wellesley. Special efforts were made to preserve the existing landscape, doing as little alteration as possible. Houses were designed in the New England Colonial Style. The suburb has remained exclusive. Wellesley Farms had a median real estate price of $1,740,123 in 2021.

In 1930, Julius and his wife, and his son Charles all resided together at 11 Boulder Road in Wellesley Farms. (See Wellesley, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1930, p. 197.) The year of her death, Fanny lived in Schweinfurth House at 11 Boulder Road at Wellesley Farms, with her sister-in-law Fannie and nephew Charles Schweinfurth. (See Wellesley, Massachusetts, City Directory, 1933, p. 205.)

Children

He and Fannie had a daughter, Katherine "Katrina" Ammon Schweinfurth (born 10/02/1890 in Alameda, CA-d. 03/23/1923 in New York, NY).

Katherine won a student scholarship from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for the school year 1914-1915. (See "Secretary's Report," Museum of FIne Arts, Boston, Fortieth Annual Report for the Year 1915, [Boston: T.O. Metcalf Company, 1916], p. 169.)

She died a the youthful age of 33.

Bioraphical Notes

At age 29, San Francisco County voter records indicated that A.C. Schweinfurth was Caucasian with a "dark" complexion and stood 5-feet, 10-and-1/4-inches tall, and had blue eyes and dark hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 90; FHL Roll Number: 977609, accessed 03/22/2021.)

At age 34, his US passport application recorded that Schweinfurth was Caucasian with a florid complexion, stood 5-feet, 10-and-⅞-inches tall and had a round face, low forehead, broad nose, medium mouth, round chin, and dark brown hair.

Known as "A.C." Schweinfurth. According to architectural historian, Richard W. Longstreth, "Schweinfurth played a formative role in developing a regional mode of expression inspired by California's legacy." (See R.W. Longstreth, "Schweinfurth, A.C.," Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects, Adolf Placzek, ed., (New York: The Free Press, 1982), v.4, p.10-11.)

• Auburn, NY (Architect's Birth)
  Auburn, NY

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