Résumé

Partner, Boone and Meeker, Architects, Seattle, WA, and Oakland, CA, 1882-1888. J.K. Ochsner and Dennis Andersen, in their book, Distant Corner, indicated that little is known about George C. Meeker's partnership with the long-established Seattle architect, William E. Boone (1830-1921): "Information on Boone's partner, George C. Meeker, is scarce, as he never maintained a permanent residence in Seattle. From 1878 to 1883-84, and from 1888 to 1892-1893, he is listed in Oakland city directories, and from 1892-1902, he is listed in San Jose city directories. thereafter, he resided in Oakland until his death in 1919 at age sixty-nine. Meeker may have lived in Puyallup after 1884, but in March 1886, he returned permanently to California to become 'assistant architect' on a state insane asylum in San Jose. The firm still advertised as Boone and Meeker in early 1888, but by February 1889, Boone was listed alone." (See Jeffrey Karl Ochsner and Dennis A. Andersen, Distant Corner Seattle Architects and the Legacy of H.H. Richardson, [Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2003,) p. 332, note #45.)

Partner, [Henry A.] Schulze and Meeker, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1889-1890. In 1889, George C. Meeker and Henry A. Schulze had an office in San Francisco's Flood Building.

Partner, [Francis W.] Reid and Meeker, Architects, Los Gatos, CA/San Jose, CA, c. 1892-1895. Meeker maintained the office in San Jose, while Francis W. Reid (1863-1949) managed the Los Gatos location. Susan Dinkelspiel Cerny and Beth A. Armstrong wrote in An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area: "Architect Francis W. Reid, raised in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose in the 1880s, set up an architectural office in Los Gatos in 1890 after graduating from the local University of the Pacific. In 1892, he and architect George C. Meeker formed the firm of Reid and Meeker. Before moving to Alameda in 1896, Reid and the firm of Reid and Meeker designed a number of significant houses [in Los Gatos}." (See Susan Dinkelspiel Cerny and Beth A. Armstrong, An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area, [Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2007], p. 198.) While working in the Reid and Meeker partnership, Meeker lived in San Jose, CA, c. 1893.

Draftsman, Oakland, CA, c. 1907-1917. It is not known for whom he worked during this time. The Polk-Husted Directory Company, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda City Directoriesof 1907, (p. 739), 1912, (p. 614), 1916, (p. 584), and 1917, (p. 901), indicated that Meeker worked as a draftsman, while that of 1918, (p. 772), did not list an occupation, suggesting, perhaps, that the architect had stopped working by that time.

Relocation

Born in Union Township, Essex County, NJ, in 1849, Meeker, like many architects of the 19th century following the mass-expansion of railway networks in the US, took advantage of this new technology, relocating far from his birthplace and moving periodically. He had arrived in CA by at least 1875 and worked in an architectural partnership with William Ely Boone (1830-1921) that had offices in both Seattle, WA, and Oakland, CA.

The 1850 US Census listed James T. and Joanna Meeker residing on a farm in Union township, NJ. The farm had a value of $6,000 at this time, in line with neighboring ones. Nine people lived in the household at this time, including George, his parents, James's parents Nathan Meeker (born c. 1785 in NJ) and Ann Meeker (born c. 1790 in NJ), Elizabeth W. Meeker (born c. 1821 in NJ), David Gorman (born c. 1785 in NJ, a farmer), John Cromwell (born c. 1834 in NJ, perhaps a farmhand) and Julia Marsh (born c. 1844 in NJ). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Union, Essex, New Jersey; Roll: 450; Page: 290a, accessed 07/31/2025.)

Before coming to CA, he lived with Josiah Meeker and his family in Roxbury, NJ; according to the US Census of 1860, the household contained seven, Josiah Meeker (born c. 1818), his wife, Catherine (born c. 1819), children Sarah (born c. 1843), Caroline (born c. 1851), and Catherine (born c. 1857) and a servant, Mary Hulbert (born c. 1843). (See Ancestry.com, "1860 United States Federal Census for George Meeker," Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Roxbury, Morris, New Jersey; Roll: M653_703; Page: 319; Image: 318; Family History Library Film: 803703.)

The 1868 City Directory of Elizabeth, NJ, (p. 187), recorded that George worked as a draughtsman and lived at 201 Elizabeth Avenue. In 1870, the US Census noted that James Meeker had switched occupations from farming to insurance. George continued to work as a draftsman in Elizabeth. Members of the household included George, his parents, sister Anne, Elizabeth Meeker, and boarders N. Saunders (born c. 1810 in NJ) and G.W. Saunders (born c. 1808 in NJ). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Elizabeth Ward 1, Union, New Jersey; Roll: M593_890; Page: 333A, accessed 07/31/2025.)

Five years later, Meeker lived with his father, then 62, in Brooklyn, Alameda County. (Brooklyn was annexed to Oakland in 1872.) (See Ancestry.com, "California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898 for George Cook Meeker." Source Citation: California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 1; FHL Roll Number: 976447.) The 1878 and 1879 Oakland City Directory (p. 333 and 350, respectively), recorded that his residence was at 1422 6th Ave., the latter volume indicating that he was living with his widowed mother, Joanna. George Meeker lived on his own at 335 East 12th Street in Oakland's 7th Ward between 1888 and 1891. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1891, p. 596.)

He had moved to San Jose, CA, by 1892, living in the city's Second Ward at 383 North 3rd Street, where he lived until at least 1896. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 126; FHL Roll Number: 977290 and Ancestry.com, 1896 CA Voter's Register, California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 126; FHL Roll Number: 977290.)

The San Jose City Directory of 1900 (p. 300) placed him living in a residence at 232 South 2nd Street.

The 1906 Oakland City Directory (p. 336) noted that Meeker lived at 1464 7th Avenue, but worked as an architect in San Francisco; this would not be surprising given all of the building activity there in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake and fire of 04/18-19/1906. He continued to reside in Oakland, CA, in 07/1907. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 44; Volume #: Roll 0044 - Certificates: 38214-39113, 19 Jul 1907-08 Aug 1907, accessed 07/31/2025.)

The US Census of 1910 listed Meeker as living with is widowed sister, Annie E. Yelland, (born c. 1856 in NJ), and a servant, Sigrid Schulze, (born c. 1886 in Denmark) at 1464 7th Avenue in Oakland.Meeker was listed a “house architect” in the census.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Oakland Ward 7, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_71; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0139; FHL microfilm: 1374084, accessed 09/15/2020.)

During most of the 1910s, Meeker resided at 1924 7th Avenue in Oakland, as confirmed by 1912-1918 Polk-Husted Directory Company, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda City Directoriesof 1912, (p. 614), 1916, (p. 584), and 1918, (p. 772.).

Parents

The Meeker Family had deep roots in NJ, and, specifically, Essex County.

His father, James Trembly Meeker (born c. 1817 in NJ-d. 09/16/1879), worked as a farmer (as per the 1850 and 1860 US Censuses), and in insurance (according to the 1870 US Census). He passed away at age 62.

His mother, Joanna Beach Munn (born 1821-d. 04/03/1895 in Oakland, CA), maintained the household. Joanna attended high school at the Newburgh Female Seminary in Newburgh, NY. In 1837, while a student at Newburgh, her family resided in Chatham, NY. (See Annual Catalogue of the Instructors and Pupils in the Newburgh (Late Mount Pleasant) Female Seminary Situated in Newburgh, Orange Co., N.Y. for the Year Preceding January 1st, 1837, [Newburgh, NY: J.D. Spalding, Printer, 1837], p. 5.)

Joanna Meeker resided on her own at 1464 7th Avenue in Oakland, CA, by 1891. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1891, p. 596.)

George had at least one sibling, Ann Elizabeth Meeker Yelland (born 08/20/1854 in Union, NJ-d. 09/1933 in CA), also born in Union, NJ. She married the noted landscape painter Raymond Dabb (born 1848 in London, England-d. 07/27/1900) on on 11/04/1873 in Union, NJ. The artist then changed his name to Raymond Dabb Yelland, using his mother's maiden name. It is possible that it was not beneficial to an ambitious painter to have a last name that sounded too close to the word "daub."

Biographical Notes

Meeker applied for a US Passport on 07/20/1907 to enable him to travel in Europe. His passport application stated that he intended to return to the US "within two years." He asked that his passport be forwarded to a friend or acquaintance at 245 Broadway in New York, NY.

Meeker arrived in New York, NY, on 12/09/1907 aboard the S.S. Cretic sailing from Naples, Italy. (See Source Citation: Year: 1907; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 1057; Line: 30; Page Number: 4)

At age 57, Meeker stood 5-feet, 7-inches tall, and was was described as having a fair Caucasian complexion with an oval face, medium forehead, grey eyes, aquiline nose, medium mouth, round chin, and grey hair. (See Source Citation: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 44; Volume #: Roll 0044 - Certificates: 38214-39113, 19 Jul 1907-08 Aug 1907.)

Duane Dietz, in his typescript, Architects and Landscape Architects of Seattle, 1876-1959, n.p., called Meeker, 'George L. Meeker."

• Union, NJ (Architect's Birth)
  Union, NJ

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