Résumé

Architectural Draftsman, Jefferson and Griffith, Architects, Bakersfield, CA, 1910-1911.

Architectural Draftsman, Bemus and Clark, Architects, Bakersfield, CA, 1911-1912.

Architectural Draftsman, Oroville L. Clark, Architect, Bakersfield, CA, 1912-1914.

Ernest J. Kump, Sr., Architect, Bakersfield, CA, and Fresno, CA, 1914-1926. Kump moved from Bakersfield to Fresno, CA, c. 1914. Kump had an office in Room #208 of the Rowell Building, 2100 Tulare Street, in Fresno, between 1920 and 1921, at least. (See Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1920, n.p. and Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1921, n.p.) This office moved to Room #533 of the Rowell Building by 1924 and remained here in 1926. (See Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1924,n.p. and R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1926, p. 639.)

Partner, Kump and Johnson, Architects and Engineers, Fresno, CA, 1927-1928. Kump and Johnson worked in Kump's old office, Room #533 of the Rowell Building, 2100 Tulare Street, Fresno, during 1927 and 1928. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1927,p.639 and R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1928, p. 661.)

Principal, Ernest J. Kump, Sr., Architect, Fresno, CA, 1929-1939. In 1929, Kump remained in Room #533 of the Rowell Building. At that time, Kump's name was one of nine architectural firms listed in the classified business section of the Fresno directory. Others included Charles E. Butner, Welles D. Coates, Jr., Felchin, Shaw and Franklin, R.B. Hotchkin, Eugene Mathewson, E.W. Peterson, Shields, Fisher and Lake and Swartz and Ryland. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1929, p. 273.)

Partner, Kump and [E. Charles] Parke, Architects, Fresno, CA, 1939. It seems that right at the end of his life, Kump, Sr., practiced on his own again, operating an office at 2100 Tulare Street, Room #534, in Downtown Fresno. Despite having died in 11/1939, he was still listed in R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1940, (p. 246 and p. 591.) There were nine architects listed in the 1940 city directory.

Professional Activities

Kump received his Certificate to Practice Architecture in the State of CA in 1912.

Archives

The papers of Ernest Kump, Sr., were donated to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, by his son, Peter Kump in 1983. The collection included drawings for 302 buildings, on approximately 2,260 sheets.

College

Coursework, Saint Joseph's College, San Jose, CA;

Relocation

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Kump spent most of his childhood in San Jose, CA. He worked as a carpenter in the San Francisco Bay Region and relocated to Bakersfield, CA, by 1910 to start work with the firm of Jefferson and Griffith, Architects.

He worked in Bakersfield for approximately four years before transplanting himself to Fresno, CA. Kump developed a busy practice there, becoming a specialist in secondary school buildings. According to architectural historian John Edward Powell: "The September 1916 issue of TheArchitect and Engineer of California printed a lavish review of Kump's work, noting that he had designed thirty-three schools in four years." (See John Edward Powell, "Ernest Kump, Sr.,"Accessed 09/19/2011.)

The architect resided in 1920-1921 at 924 Sumner Street in Fresno. (See Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1920, n.p. and Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1921, n.p.)

Ernest Kump, Sr., lived at 544 College Avenue in Fresno between 1924 and 1931, at least. (See Polk-Husted Directory Company's Fresno City and Fresno County Directory, 1924, n.p. and R.L. Polk and Company's Fresno, California, City Directory, 1931, p. 292.)

Kump practiced throughout CA's Central Valley up until his death at age 51.

Spouse

Ernest Kump, Sr., left his wife, Mary Petsche Kump (06/10/1889-05/21/1984), in 1914, when his son, Ernest, Jr., was three. He moved to Fresno, CA, and practiced there, while the family remained in Bakersfield, CA. Mary Kump, born in Austria, died in San Mateo County, CA, at the age of 94.

Children

Kump's son, Ernest J. Kump, Jr., (b. 12/29/1911) became a well-known architect in Fresno, CA, and Palo Alto, CA, renowned for his school designs; Ernest, Sr., also had another son who became an architect, Peter, born 04/12/1915, who practiced for most of his career in the Santa Clara Valley of CA, working with his brother in the firm of Kump Associates. Kump, Sr. spent only sporadic periods of time with this sons.

Biographical Notes

According to his granddaughter, Mary Kump Byrnes, Ernest Kump, Sr., "was the youngest licensed architect in the state of California" when he first began practice. (Email 05/06/2011, from Mary Kump Byrnes to the author.)