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Male, US, born 1834-01-08, died 1907-07-29
Associated with the firms network
Kysor and Hennessy, Architects; Kysor and Mathews; Kysor and Morgan, Architects; Kysor and Weston; Kysor, Ezra F., Architect; Kysor, Mathews and Company, Building Contractors; Kysor, Morgan and Walls, Architects
Résumé
The earliest years of his professional life, in the 1850s are still undocumented. He traveled West by 1861, and spent the period 1861-1867 working as an architect or carpenter in Sacramento, CA, Virginia City, NV, San Francisco, CA, and San Jose, CA.
Principal, Ezra F. Kysor, Sacramento, CA, 1861.
Carpenter, Ezra F. Kysor, Virginia City, NV. Kysor left New York State just after age 30, and traveled to Virginia City, NV, where he worked as a carpenter. (See Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65, p. 107.)
Principal, Ezra F. Kysor, San Francisco, CA, 1865. (See listing under "Ezra F. Keyser," San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1865, p. 258.)
Partner, Kysor, Mathews and Company, Building Contractors, San Francisco, CA, 1867. Kysor, Mathews and Company had its office at 571 Mission Street in 1867. (See the San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing Septermber, 1867, p. 324.) Both Kysor and Mathews had been born in NY State, although in cities (Leon, NY, and Manlius, NY) 203 miles apart. It is not known if they knew each other prior to arriving in San Francisco.
Carpenter, San Jose, CA, 1867. Voter registers placed Ezra Franklin Keyser as a carpenter working in San Jose, CA; he registered there on 09/02/1867. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 124; FHL Roll Number: 977287, accessed 01/26/2018.)
Principal, Ezra F. Kysor, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1868-1875. He came to Los Angeles, CA, in 1868, setting up a practice in the Temple Block, one of the main office buildings in the city at the time.
Partner, Kysor and Mathews, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1875-1876. In 08/1875, Kysor and Mathews maintained its office in Room #14 of the Hellman's Block in Los Angeles, CA. (See "Kysor and Mathews, Architects, ad," Los Angeles Daily Herald, vol. 4, no. 121, 08/14/1875, p. 1.) In 1875, Kysor had one of four architectural firms listed in the Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1875. The others were E. Berthon, W.J. Graham, and E.J. Weston. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 102.) Other builder/architects practiced in Los Angeles of 1875, but these four were the only ones who showed up in the business directory of the city directory.
Partner, Kysor and [J.F.] Hennessey, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1878. This firm had its offices on the second floor of the McDonald Building.
Partner, Kysor, Morgan and Hennessey, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1879-1880. This firm occupied Rooms #18 and 26 of the McDonald Block in 1879-1880. (See Howard L. Morris and Thomas Wright Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1879-80, p. 132.)
Partner, Kysor and Morgan, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1880-1886. In 1880, he selected his chief draftsman, Octavius Morgan (1850-1922), as a partner in a new office, Kysor and Morgan; this partnership lasted until late 1886; Kysor and Morgan designed the Pico House Hotel, in 1880, the prime luxury hotel in the city.
Partner, Kysor, Morgan and Walls, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1887-1890. In 01/1887, Kysor and Morgan took on John A. Walls as a partner; this partnership lasted until late 1890. In 1887-1888, the firm of Kysor, Morgan and Walls had its office at 36 1/2 Spring Street in Los Angeles. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1887, p. 252 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1888, p. 769.) CA voter records indicated that Kysor lived in Pomona, CA, by 1890, and had no occupation listed. He may have retired briefly, but, after the death of his wife in 1891, he had moved back to Los Angeles and was again listed as an architect. It appears that Kysor moved on from architecture in the 1890s to become an investor. (See Ancestry.com, Detail Source Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1890; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 977994, accessed 03/28/2023 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1892; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 03/28/2023.)
The architectural firm that Kysor formed in 1880 with Morgan would go on to become Morgan and Walls in 1890, one of the most important to develop in Southern California from the Gilded Age into the twentieth century.
The 1900 US Census listed Kysor as a "capitalist" under occupation. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Los Angeles Ward 3, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 89; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0033; FHL microfilm: 1240089, accessed 01/26/2018.)
Relocation
Ezra Franklin Kysor was the third oldest of seven children raised by Charles D. Kysor and Polly Kysor, who operated a farm in Leon, Cattargus County, NY, a town about 52 miles southwest of Buffalo. As a sixteen-year-old boy in 1850, Kysor lived in Leon on the family farm. According to the US Census of that year, the family owned a modest $800 worth of real estate at that time. The census listed Ezra and his older brothers Oliver and Archibald also as farmers. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1850; Census Place: Leon, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: M432_479; Page: 47A; Image: 98, accessed 01/26/2018.)
Kysor may have apprenticed with an architect somewhere in New York or elsewhere in the East. He went West by 1861, where lived in a succession of cities in CA and NV, trying to find steady work. He was listed alternately as an architect and carpenter during the years before 1868, depending on what work he could find.
In 1861, Kysor worked as an architect in Sacramento, CA. He either lived or worked (or both) "over 56 4th Street" in Sacramento. (See Sacramento, California, City Directory, 1861, p. 71.) He had relocated to the Comstock Lode town of Virginia City, NV, by 1864, where he resided at 147 North D Street. (See Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65, p. 107.) (A listing for an "E.A. Kaiser" living in Virginia City, NV, in 1870, also existed in the NV Territorial Census. See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Nevada, U.S., Compiled Census Index, 1860-1910 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999, accessed 03/28/2023.)
A year later in 1865, he had relocated to San Francisco, CA, where he lived on the north side of Union Street between Hyde and Larkin Streets. (See listing under "Ezra F. Keyser," San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1865, p. 258.) Kysor dwelled in San Francisco for at least part of 1867, and was listed in the San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing September, 1867, (p. 324), as living on the north side of Union Street between Hyde and Larkin. He may also have resided briefly in San Jose, CA, working there as a carpenter in 1867. He registered to vote in San Jose on 09/02/1867. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1867; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 124; FHL Roll Number: 977287, accessed 03/28/2023.)
From at least 1879 until 1887, Kysor lived in the "Vernon District," what may have become the City of Vernon, CA. The US Census of 1880 called this area the "San Antonio, Vernon and Florence Road District." (See (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928, accessed 03/28/2023 and Ancestry.com, Source Citatio Year: 1880; Census Place: San Antonio, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 67; Page: 346B; Enumeration District: 031, accessed 01/26/2018.)
He and his wife seem to have moved to Pomona, CA, by about 1888. (See Ancestry.com, Los Angeles Directory for 1888. Los Angeles, CA: n.p., 1888.) In 04/1890, CA voter records suggested that Kysor had retired and remained in Pomona. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1890; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 01/26/2018.)
By 04/1892, however, he resided back in Los Angeles at 323 South Bonnie Brae Street, He remained at this Bonnie Brae address in 1900, living with his son, Charles, a housekeeper, Dora A. Beach, (born c. 10/1849 in NY), and Byron Beach (born c. 01/1888 in CA), her son. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Los Angeles Ward 3, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 89; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0033; FHL microfilm: 1240089, accessed 01/26/2018.) The architect continued to live at this house in 1902, and he died in this dwelling on 07/29/1907. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1902, p. 635 and "Retired Pioneer Dies at Family Residence," Los Angeles Herald, vol 34, no. 302, 07/30/1907.) His son Charles H. Kysor still lived at home in 1904. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1904, p. 745.)
Kysor died on 07/29/1907 was buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 03/28/2023.)
Parents
His father was Charles D. Kysor (1802-1890), his mother, Sally Kysor (1806-1845).
In 1850, his father re-married after the death of Sally, to Polly Kysor.
His siblings included Oliver Perry Kysor (born 09/10/1829 in Livingston County, NY-d. 07/30/1912 in Wayzata, MN), Archibald E. Kysor (born 12/1832 in NY-d. 03/14/1910 in NY), Cordelia Kysor (born c. 1836 in NY), Amos Kysor (born c. 1838 in NY), Nicholas S. Kysor (born c. 1841 in NY), and a step-sister, Looisa P. Kysor, (born c. 1846 in NY).
Spouse
Ezra Kysor married Clara E. Perry (born 03/02/1853, in Seneca County, NY- d. 09/27/1891, in Los Angeles, CA), on 09/08/1877 in Los Angeles, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images. Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017, accessed 03/28/2023.) She was 19 years younger than Ezra.
Clara's parents, Charles W. Perry (b. 10/14/1815 in Charlestown, NH-d. 05/07/1885 in Los Angeles, CA) and Harriette Emily Perry (b. 07/02/1820 in NY-d. 03/11/1907 in Los Angeles, CA), were farmers in WI.
Clara passed away at the youthful age of 38, while Ezra lived on until 1907.
Children
His son was Charles H. Kysor, another Los Angeles architect, who changed his last name to "Kyson" during WW I; Kysor sounded too much like "Kaiser," a reference to Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941), last German Emperor, who was vilified in the United States. Americans of German descent underwent significant discrimination during the period 1915-1925, with many instances of German book burning and the curtailment of German language instruction. In two executive orders of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson decreed that about 250,000 German-Americans (above the age 14) had to register as aliens during the war at their local post offices; these rules also mandated that all affected had to carry registration cards and that identification had to be produced when demanded by law enforcement. In total, over 6,000 were arrested, questioned and, in some cases, jailed, until about 1920.
Biographical Notes
Prior to 01/26/2018, PCAD had incorrect birth and death dates for Ezra F. Kysor. Previously, the dates recorded were 1835-06-08 and 1907-07-04. These dates were derived from Henry and Elsie Withey's highly inaccurate Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased), (Los Angeles: New Age Publishing Company, 1956), p. 356-357. Kysor was also born in Leon, NY, not the town of Cattaraugus, NY, as noted in Withey. (Leon in a city in Cattaraugus County, NY.) All material gleaned from this book should be double-checked for trustworthiness.
An individual named "Ezra E. Kysor," (c. 1862-1958) also born in Leon, NY, lived contemporaneously with Ezra F. Kysor. Ezra E. Kysor was born c. 1862 and was likely a cousin of the architect. As per the 1880 US Census, Ezra E. Kysor lived with his parents John A. (1828-1919) and Roxy Butcher Kysor (1838-1931) in Leon, NY, and worked as an engineer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Leon, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: 812; Page: 279C; Enumeration District: 017, accessed 03/28/2023.)
Voting records indicated that Kysor registered to vote in Los Angeles County on 10/19/1872, 06/20/1879, 04/08/1884, 09/22/1890 and 08/12/1892. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928, accessed 01/26/2018 and (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 03/28/2023 and
At age 57, CA voter records listed Kysor as standing 5-feet, 11-and-1/2-inches tall. He was Caucasian with blue eyes and gray hair. He occupation was listed as "architect.". (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929, accessed 03/28/2023 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 21; FHL Roll Number: 976930, accessed 01/26/2018.)
On 02/08/1905, Ezra Kysor sold Lot 12, Block P of the Dayton Heights tract to Sarah J. Cone for $250. (See Los Angeles Herald, "Real Estate Transfers," 02/09/1905, p. 9.)
PCAD id: 201
