Résumé

Partner, Newsom and Newsom, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1877. In 1877, the Newsom Brothers maintained their architectural office at 321 California Street. The pioneering San Francisco architect Seth Babson had his office located across the street in 1877 at 320 California Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877, p. 465.)

They set up their office at 320 Sansome Street, Room #53 in 1878, Room #60 in 1879, and moved to Room #62 by 1880. (See the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1878, p. 84, San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879, p. 658, and San Francisco Directory for the year commencing April, 1880, p. 682.)

From 1883-1887, the Newsom and Newsom office was situated at 504 Kearny Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1883, p. 800 and San Francisco Directory, 1887, p. 889.) In 1887, the Newsoms also operated a Los Angeles office, at 108 North Main Street. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1887, p. 311.)

Principal, J. Cather Newsom, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1896-1907. Joseph Cather Newsom practiced at 819 Market Street, Room #44, (See Crocker-Langley Directory Company's San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 1700.) In 1907, Newsom maintained his office at 943 Van Ness Avenue. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1907, p. 1744.)

The San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1925, (p. 1388), indicated that in 1925, J. Cather Newsom worked in real estate in Room #709 at 605 Market Street.

Professional Activities

Newsom and his brother, Samuel, were prolific authors, publishing about 10 books on architecture between 1884 and 1899. These titles included plan books such as J.C. Newsom, California Low-Priced Cottages, (published by J.C. Newsom in San Francisco, c. 1880s); J.C. Newsom, Picturesque Californian Homes (4 volumes, published by the Newsom Brothers in San Francisco, 1884-1887); J.C. Newsom, Picturesque and Artistic Homes and Buildings of California,(publishedby J.C. Newsom in San Francisco, 1890); S. and J.C. Newsom, Picturesque Californian Homes, (published by S. and J.C. Newsom in San Francisco, 2 vols., 1884/1885 and 1887); J.C. Newsom, Artistic Buildings and Homes of Los Angeles (c. 1888); S. Newsom, Some City and Suburban Homes, (published by Samuel Newsom in San Francisco, 1890); J.C. Newsom, Modern Homes of California, (published by J.C. Newsom B. Hessling, Berlin and New York, 1896); J.C. Newsom, Artistic City Buildings, Flats and Residences, (published by J.C. Newsom in San Francisco, 1895); J.C. Newsom, Artistic Country Homes (published by J.C. Newsom in San Francisco, c. 1895); J.C. Newsom, New Booklet on Churches (published 1897, also titled variously as Up-to-date Churches, by J.C. Newsom, published in Philadelphia, c. 1899); J.C. Newsom, Up-to-date Architecture, an Illustrated Journal of Modern Architecture, (2 vols, 1897-1899).

Newsom was a member of the California State Board of Architecture, Northern District, in 01/1919. He served with President Edgar A. Mathews, Secretary-Treasurer Sylvain Schnaittacher and member John Bakewell, Jr.

Archives

A letter from Joseph Cather Newsom to Charles Sumner Greene dated 08/05/1922 exists in the Greene and Greene Archives at the University of Southern California Libraries.

Relocation

Joseph Cather Newsom lived a restless life, as he moved frequently within CA and at least once moved across the country. From at least 1878-1887, the San Francisco Directory for the year commencing April, 1880, (p. 682), noted that Joseph C. Newsom lived in "East Oakland." His brother, Samuel, also lived in East Oakland in 1880. (See the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1878, p. 84, San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879, p. 658, and San Francisco Directory for the year commencing April, 1880, p. 682, and San Francisco Directory, 1887, p. 889.)

Joseph Cather Newsom was listed as working as an architect in Los Angeles, CA, in 1888. (See Los Angeles City Directory, 1888, p. 768.)

Alameda County voting records of 1910 noted that he and his son Joseph Raymond Newsom lived at 2516 Haste Street in Oakland, CA. Both men were registered Republicans in 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 01/23/2018.)

Newsom resided with his wife, Nellie, daughter, Hazel A. Nelson, grandson, David A .Nelson (born c. 1913 in CA), and a lodger, Russell P. Schaff, a clerk in an automobile store, (born 1896 in MI) in a house at 518 28th Street in Oakland.

In 1925, Newsom lived in Oakland, CA. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1925, p. 1388.)

Newsom died and was buried in the Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, CA.

Parents

His parents were Levens Newsom (or Newsome [1815-1897]) and Jessie Livingstone (1821-1882). He had at least 11 siblings iand they included: John J. (b. 1837), Mary Ann (b. 1838), Jane (b. 1840), Isabella (b. 1842), James (b. 1844), Jessie (b. 1846), Levens (or Lavins) Mathewson, Jr., (b. 1848), Elizabeth (b. 1850), Samuel (b. 1852), Alex Livingstone (b. 1854), Thomas Dean (b. 1856).

• Los Angeles, CA (Architect's Office)
  Second Street and Spring Street
  Los Angeles, CA

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  J. C. Newsom Office, Offices 55 and 56 Bryson-Bonebrake Block, 3/9/1889;

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