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Male, US, born 1899-02-17, died 1984-10-18

Associated with the firms network

Bebb and Gould, Architects; Post, George B., and Sons, Architects; Shay, Alban A., Architect; Thiry and Shay, Architects; Warren and Wetmore, Architects


Professional History

Résumé

Draftsman, Warren and Wetmore, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1922;

Draftsman, George B. Post and Sons, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1923; Shay came to Seattle, WA, to work on drawings for the Olympic Hotel.

Draftsman, John Reed, Jr., Architect, San Francisco, CA; in Reed's Office, Shay worked on the numerous San Francisco public high school commissions that the firm had;

Draftsman, Bebb and Gould, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1924; for Bebb and Gould, he did work on projects within the Metropolitan Tract of Downtown Seattle, the property of the University of Washington.

Principal, Alban A. Shay, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1927-1935, 1940-1975. In 1958, Shay maintained his office in Room #605 of the Skinner Building in Seattle. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1958, p. 214.)

Partner, Thiry and Shay, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1936-1939; Shay kept an office in the Skinner Building in Downtown Seattle. In approximately 09/1932, Shay changed offices within the Skinner Block from the third floor to #523 on the fifth. (See "Personal," Architect and Engineer, 10/1932, p. 68.)

Teaching

Instructor, University of Washington, Department of Architecture, Seattle, WA, 1924.

Professional Activities

Completed 15-week course, Camouflage School, Camouflage Division, Office of Civilian Defense, University of Washington, 10-12/1942.

Education

College

Coursework, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

A.B.in Arch., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1922.

College Awards

Member, Architectural Society, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, c. 1921.

Recipient, Second Medal in Beaux-Arts Design, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, c. 1922.

Personal

Relocation

Born in Columbus, OH, Alban A. Shay lived in Seattle, WA, (Census Precinct W10P8 in 1910) by age 11, according to the 1910 U.S. Census. Shay reported an address of 630 Hillside Drive, Seattle, WA, in 1942.

He died in the 98105 zip code of Seattle at the age of 85.

Parents

His mother was Addie Myra Nixon (born 11/09/1874 in Washington, DC-d. 04/21/1936 in Seattle, WA). Her parents were Alban H. Nixon (born c. 1840 in PA-d. 12/23/1920 likely in Washington, DC) and Helen Maria Wilcox (born 05/31/1847 in Hector, NY-d. 04/20/1898 in Washington, DC). Alban Nixon served as a Captain in Company K of the 84th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War.

Alban's father was Aurelius King Shay, Jr., (born 09/07/1872 in VA-d. 02/04/1944 in Seattle, WA). He was the son of Aurelius K. Shay, Sr., (born 08/29/1839 in Alexandria, VA-d. 05/29/1913 in Seattle, WA) and Julia Bacon Lewis (born 04/27/1846 in VA-d. 05/26/1916 in Seattle, WA). Aurelius Jr.'s parents moved to Seattle, possibly from the Albemarle County area of VA, by 1900, at least. Aurelius, Sr., managed Seattle's Shay Magazine Agency in 1912. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle City Directory, 1912, p. 1261.)

Spouse

Alban Shay married Marguerite Mueller in Seattle, WA, on 06/27/1923.

Children

The Shays had two sons: Alban Lewis and Richard King Shay.

Biographical Notes

Member, Washington Athletic Club, Seattle, WA, c. 1939.

Member, Press Club, Seattle, WA, c. 1939.

Member, 49er Club, c. 1939;

Member, University Club, Seattle, WA, c. 1939.

Member, Masons, Seattle, WA, c. 1939.

Shay identified himself as a Republican and a Protestant when surveyed in 1939.

SSN: 536-36-3466.



Associated Locations

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

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  • Columbus, OH (Architect's Birth)
    Columbus, OH

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PCAD id: 2621