Résumé

In 1918, Sonnichsen was self-employed as an engineer. (This was according to his W.W. I Draft Registration Card.)

Principal, Sonke Engelhard Sonnichsen, Architect/Engineer, Seattle, WA, 1916-1957. He appears to have retired c. 1957. According to city directories, he occupied the following offices around Seattle: 4181 Arcade Building (1916); 34 Downs Block (1917-1919); 412 Boston Block (1920); 427 Pioneer Building (1922-1923); 1304 3rd Avenue #515 (1948-1957).

An "E. Sonnichson" was a Member, Seattle Architectural Club, Exhibition Committee, 1910;

Relocation

Sonnichsen's hometown may have been Laardal, Norway. According to the 1910 Census, Engelhart Sonnichsen came to the U.S. in 1903. (A "S.E. Sonnichsen" came to the U.S. from Norway at age 24 and unmarried. He arrived in New York, NY, on the steamship, Oscar II; it departed Christiana, Norway on 11/02/1902. His occupation was listed as "Technician.") He may have lived in Vancouver, BC, at some time between 1910-1916. According to the 1920 Census, Sonnichsen came to the U.S. in 1914, and was an unnaturalized alien in that year.

Parents

Yngvar Sonnichsen, a portrait painter, (born 03/09/1873 in Oslo, Norway), was his brother. Yngvar came to the Washington State in 08/28/1908, after living in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; both of his parents were Norwegian. Sonke wrote Yngvar's name down as his next-of-kin on his W.W. I Draft Registration Card. On the 1910 U.S. Census, "Engelhart Sonnichsen," an architect, lived with his brother, Yngvar, and his wife, Agnes. He was 31 at this time.

Spouse

According to the 1920 Census, S.E. Sonnichsen was unmarried. In that year, he lived in a rooming house with four other Norwegian men and a 60-year old female servant.

Biographical Notes

Parts of the architect's name have been spelled variously. His middle name has been recorded as "Engelhart," and "Englehart," and Engelhard. His last name was sometimes misspelled, "Sonnichson."