Résumé

William Ely Boone became one of the founding fathers of architecture in Seattle, his office relied upon for many imporant commissions. It also became a key training ground for other practitioners. Additionally, the Washington state chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) was founded in his office.

As was common during the 19th century, William Boone did not have formal training in architecture, but rather learned drafting and construction techniques by being a building contractor first.

Construction Superintendent, Illinois Central Railroad, Chicago, IL, c. 1848-1853.

Designer and Builder, William E. Boone, Minneapolis, MN, 1853-1859.

Designer and Builder, William E. Boone, Oakland, CA, 1859-c.1870.

Principal, William E. Boone, Architect, Olympia, WA, 1872. In 1872, Boone was one of two architects listed as living in Olympia, WA, in the "Olympia Business Directory" (n.p.), in the Puget Sound Directory and Guide to Washington Territory, 1872, (Olympia, WA: Murphy and Harned, 1872). The other was S.B. Abbott. Boone's office in 1872 was located on Main Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets.

Construction Superintendent, United States Government, Federal Penitentiary, McNeill Island, WA, 1872-1873.

Rail Conductor/Building Contractor, Oakland, CA, c. 1875-1880.

Principal, William E. Boone, Architect, Seattle and Tacoma, WA, 1881-1882.

Partner, Boone and [George] Meeker, Architects, Seattle, WA, and San Jose, CA, c. 1882-1888. Boone and Meeker had an office in the Yesler-Leary Block in Seattle in 1887. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1887, p. 220.) The firm continued to lease space in the Yesler-Leary Block in 05/1888. (See Boone and Meeker classified advertisement, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 05/13/1888, p. 7.)

Principal, William E. Boone, Architect, Seattle, WA, early 1890, 1892-1899, c. 1906-1910. In 1890, Boone maintained his business in Rooms #58- and #59 of the Boston Building. Boone ran an advertisement on page 25 of Polk's Seattle City Directory of 1890 that said: "W.E. Boone Architect. Estimates and Plans furnished for all Buildings, and full charge and control assumed in their construction when required." In 1892, Boone's solo practice moved from the Boston Block to new office quarters in Rooms #720 and #721 of the New York Building. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1892, p. 207.) The next year, 1893, Boone cut back to renting only one office, Room #720. This may have been because business slowed considerably in 1893 and remained poor for the next four years.(See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1893, p. 232.) Boone remained in this office during his solo practice, 1892-1897. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle Directory Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1899, p. 189.)

Partner, Boone and [William H.] Willcox, Architects, Seattle, WA, late 1890-1891. He and Willcox had offices in Rooms #58 and #59 of the Boston Block in 1891. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle Directory Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1891, p. 173.)

Partner, Boone and [James M.] Corner, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1900-1905. In 1900, Boone and Corner occupied an office in the New York Building. In 1905, Boone and Corner had an office in Room #720 of the New York Building in Seattle. (See L.R. Stradley and Company's Seattle Business Directory, 1905, p. 7.)

Boone retired from architecture, c. 1910.

Teaching

Boone did not formally teach, but his successful office employed a number of practitioners who went on to open their own practices locally.

Professional Service

In 1889, W.E. Boone served as Co-chair (along with Granville O. Haller) of the "Citizen Committee on Replatting the City," following the Great Fire of 06/06/1889. This group put forth 14 points on downtown street placement, grading and dimensioning, most of which were postponed. (This committee produced a "Report of the Citizen Committee on Replatting the City," Seattle Municipal Archives, June 10, 1889. File 992420, General Files, 1802-04. See Accessed 04/08/2013.) In 01/1900, the firm of Boone and Corner served as the architectural firm of the Seattle School District #1.

William E. Boone served as President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington Chapter, in 1900, with Charles W. Saunders serving as Secretary. In 10/1901, the AIA held its Annual Convention on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition Grounds in Buffalo, NY, less than a month after President McKinley had been asassinated there. At this meeting, Boone made his Report of the Washington Chapter's 1900-1901 activities: "This Chapter has held seven special meetings with dinner and with an average attendance of nine. Business transacted at these meetings was routine, and a consideration of the Congressional bill regarding Timber Tests, also a Revision of the Seattle Building ordinance. The Chapter has nineteen practicing members, seven having been elected since the last report. The Chapter has three Institute members, they having been elected during the past year. The Chapter is entitled to two delegates in the Convention in the Institute." (See "Synopsis of Chapter Reports," Proceeding of the Thirty-fifth Annual Convention of the American Institute of Architects, [Washington, DC: Gibson Brothers, Printers and Bookbinders, 1902], p. 29.)

Under Boone's Presidency, the AIA Washington Chapter lobbied City Engineer Reginald Heber Thomson (1856-1949) to appoint a new City Building Inspector, to replace Timotheus Josenhans (1853-1929), who resigned. An article in the Seattle Daily Times of 03/13/2013 stated that the AIA Washington Chapter also wanted the Seattle City Council to reconsider its local construction codes: "A committee was appointed to memorialize the city council, asking that the present laws of the city with regard to buildings be revised and improved. A committee was appointed to bring before the Pacific Coast Underwriters' Association the appointment of an electrical inspector, whose duty it shall be to see that there is no defective wiring in buildings now under construction or to be built hereafter." (See "Building Laws," Seattle Daily Times, 03/13/1900, p. 8.) Active members of the AIA Washington Chapter included: James Stephens, Emil de Neuf, G.W. Lawton, Charles H. Bebb, R.L. Robertson, E.W. Houghton and C.W. Saunders. At a meeting on 03/12/1900, Boone, Saunders and Bebb provided speeches.

Relocation

William Ely Boone moved a great deal in during his long life, and held a number of different jobs, most related to building and construction. He was born in PA, probably in the area near Bloomsburg and Catawissa, PA, in Columbia County, where his parents lived most of their lives. The 1850 US Census indicated that Newton and Susanna Boone resided in Catawissa, PA, on the eastern banks of the Susquehanna River, with all of their children, save for eldest sons Townsend and William. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1850; Census Place: Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M432_769; Page: 326B; Image: 369, accessed 03/21/2018.) In 1850, William lived in Bloomsburg, PA, where he worked as a carpenter. He boarded in the house of Robert Young (born c. 1824 in PA) and his wife Harriet (born c. 1831 in PA) at the time, lodging there with three other carpenters. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1850; Census Place: Bloom, Columbia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 769; Page: 297a, accessed 01/10/2022.)

Boone moved to Chicago, IL, at age 18 to work on the Iilinois Central Railroad. He became involved in supervising building construction along the rail line for several years before relocating to Minneapolis, MN. He resided there from approximately 1856 until 1859, where he became a contractor and an architect. One source indicated that in Minneapolis he "...pursued the study of architecture. Through his own effort he became very proficient in that line and while in Minneapolis he erected many of the buildings in that then rapidly growing city." (See A Volume of Memoirs and Geneaology of Representative Citizens of the City of Seattle and County of King Washington, [New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1903]. p. 231.) Boone's name appeared in the Minnesota Territorial Census of 10/1857, where it was listed he worked as a carpenter. (See Source Information Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007, accessed 03/21/2018.)

Boone became intrigued with gold mining, like so many others after the 1849 Sutter's Mill Gold Rush, and traveled out to CA in 1859, first settling in San Francisco. A source indicated that he went to the Cariboo Mines but this would have meant that he traveled to British Columbia. (See A Volume of Memoirs and Geneaology of Representative Citizens of the City of Seattle and County of King Washington, [New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1903]. p. 231.)

A "William Boone" appeared in Civil War muster rolls for Joseph Adamson's Company D in the 40th Regiment of the PA Militia, although it is not clear whether this was the same man. This William Boone enlisted in the Union Army on 06/30/1863 in Philadelphia, PA, but no other distinguishing information was included in this muster roll to further identify him. (See Source Information Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1869 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, accessed 03/21/2018.)

He was thought to have returned to CA in the 1860s and worked in the Bay Area before relocating to Puget Sound by about 1870. The US Census of 1870 found Boone, at age 39, living in Olympia, WA. The census, taken on 07/14/1870, recorded that Boone worked as a builder, and owned real estate worth approximately $1,000. In 1870, the census recorded that he shared a dwelling with Nelson G. Jenney (born c. 1834 in MA), a carpenter. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Olympia, Thurston, Washington Territory; Roll: M593_1683; Page: 227B; Family History Library Film: 553182, accessed 03/21/2018.)

William Ely Boone resided in Oakland, CA in 1875-1876, where he registered to vote on 08/20/1875. This voter register stated that he worked as a "conductor." Given that he had worked on railroad construction as a young man, it is possible that he learned how to drive trains at time. He lived in Oakland's Ward #2. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 1; FHL Roll Number: 976447, accessed 03/21/2018.) It is also possible that Boone always worked as a contractor, but that his occupation was misread as "conductor" on a handwritten form.

In 1880, the US Census recorded William and Mercie Boone residing in Oakland, CA, at 577 16th Street. This census stated that Boone's profession was "contractor." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: 61; Page: 182D; Enumeration District: 009, accessed 03/21/2018.)

In 1887, Boone lived in a dwelling on the northwest corner of 7th Avenue and Alder Street in Seattle. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1887, p. 220.) He and his family lived at 305 7th Avenue in Seattle, WA, in 1890; they continued to dwell at this address ten years later. In 1900, the Boones lived with his sister-in-law, Mary Slocum (born c. 02/1835 in NY) and mother-in-law, Mary Sutherland Slocum (born c. 12/1810 in NY), and a Swedish servant, Annie Nelson (born c. 08/1880). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Seattle Ward 4, King, Washington; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0098, accessed 03/21/2018.)

From at least 1910 until 1920, Boone and his wife resided at 1101 36th Avenue North in Seattle. The US Census of 1910 indicated that the Boones continued to live with his both Mary Slocums, and a Swedish servant, Caroline Johnson (born c. 1874). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 3, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1658; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0089; FHL microfilm: 1375671, accessed 03/22/2018.) Ten years later, the US Census of 1920 recorded that the Boones lived with Mercie's sister at 1101 36th Avenue North. They also had a live-in servant Nannie Johnson (born c. 1891 in Sweden), to look after William and Mercie Boone (who were 89 and 87 years old respectively) and Mary Slocum (who was 84). (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1914, p. 428 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: T625_1929; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 253, accessed 03/21/2018.)

Boone died in Seattle in 1921, at the age of 91. His last address was 1101 36th Avenue North in the Central District neighborhood. He was buried in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.

Parents

He descended from the Kentucky explorer and soldier, Daniel Boone (1734-1820). His father was Newton Boone (born 01/19/1805 in Columbia County, PA-d. 05/28/1895 in Bloomsburg, PA), who worked, in 1860, as a teamster. In 1860, Newton owned real estate worth $1,000 and possessed a personal estate worth $500.

William's mother was Susanna Ely Boone (born 04/26/1806-died 1865 in Northumberland County, PA). Her parents were Caleb Ely (born 04/02/1778 in NJ-d. 1851)in Northumberland County, PA) and Jeanette Campbell. (See An Historical Narrative of the Ely, Revell and Stacye Families, who were among the founders of Trenton and Burlington in the Province of West Jersey 1678-1683 with the genealogy of the Ely descendants in America, Reuben Pownall Ely, Warren Smedley Ely and Daniel Brittain Ely, eds., [New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1910], p. 257.)

Susan and Newton married in 1826, and had six children: Townsend W. Boone (born 02/09/1829-d. 04/10/1899), William E. Boone, Clinton Boone, Martha Boone, Sarah Boone and Hannah Boone (born c. 1842 in PA).

Clinton would become a carpenter living in Danville, PA, in 1870. (See Reuben Pownall Ely, Warren Smedley Ely and Daniel Brittain Ely, An Historical Narrative of the Ely, Revell and Stacye Families, Who were Among the Founders of Trenton and Burlington in the Province of New Jersey 1678-1683 with the genealogy of the Ely descendants in America, [London and New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1910], p. 257.)

Spouse

William E. Boone married Mercie Slocum (born c. 1833 in NY-died 03/05/1924 in Seattle, WA.) on either 10/28/1872 or 10/30/1872 in Olympia, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Historical Society; Portland, OR; Index Collection: Pioneer Index, and accessed 01/10/2022.)

Mercie came from Syracuse, NY, and her parents were W. M. Slocum and Mary Sutherland. Mary Sutherland Slocum had had four children during her life, two of whom were alive in 1900. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Seattle Ward 4, King, Washington; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0098, accessed 03/21/2018.)

Mercie was the niece of Union General Henry Warner Slocum (1827-1894), who commanded troops at the Battle of Gettysburg, and was part of William Tecumseh's Sherman's March to the Sea and Carolinas Campaigns.

Children

William and Mercie did not have children.

Biographical Notes

Like many other early architects settling in Seattle, (such as James Stephens [1858-1938], Edwin W. Houghton [1856-1927], and Charles Willard Saunders [1857-1935), Boone spent some time designing in the booming State of California before coming to Seattle; during the 1880s, Boone operated a firm with George C. Meeker, that had offices in Seattle and San Jose, CA.

• Seattle, WA (Architect's Death)
  Seattle, WA

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