Résumé

Ellis F. Lawrence practiced in the Portland, OR, area (and throughout the state) for about forty years. His practices were prolific, as noted in Michael Shellenbarger's and Kim Lakin's Ellis Lawrence Building Survey, that he worked on over 500 projects during his career.

Draftsman, Peabody and Stearns, Architects, Boston, MA.

Draftsman, Andrews, Jaques and Rantoul, Architects, Boston, MA.

Draftsman, John Calvin Stevens, Architect, Boston, MA.

Draftsman, [Stephen] Codman and [Constant-Désiré] Despradelle, Architects, Boston, MA. Despradelle (1862-1912) taught at MIT between 1893 and his death in 1912, becoming a significant inlfuence on a generation of MIT-trained architects.

Partner, MacNaughton, Raymond and Lawrence, Architects, Portland, OR, 1906-1910.

Principal, Ellis F. Lawrence, Architect, Portland, OR, 1911- 1913. Two notes in the American Architect of 1911 said: "Board of Education [Portland] will erect three-story brick structure. Architect E.F. Lawrence, Lewis Bldg., is preparing plans; cost $50,000." Another note read: "Architects Wilcox [sic] & Sayward, Central Bldg., Seattle, have prepared plans in conjunction with Architect Ellis F. Lawrence, Lewis Bldg., Portland, for $10,000 residence in Westover Terrace, construction to be erected above Willamette Heights for Mr. W.H. Lewis, of Lewis & Wiley." (See "Building News: Oregon," American Architect, vol. C, no. 1859, 08/09/1911, p. 12.)

Partner, Lawrence & Holford, Architects, Portland, OR, 1913–1928. In 1918, Lawrence had an office in Room #1081 of the Chamber of Commerce Building in Portland.

Teaching

Lawrence founded the University of Oregon's School of Architecture and Applied Arts.

Professional Activities

President, American Institute of Architects, Oregon Chapter, 1912.

Member, Architectural League of the Pacific Coast.

President, Architectural League of the Pacific Coast, 1912-1913. In 1913, Lawrence presided over the Architectural League's annual conference in Portland, OR, on 06/09/1913. At this event, delegates created a new committee, chaired by Charles H. Alden, Jr., (1867-1951), seeking to stimulate interest in city planning among West Coast architects. As the conference was held in Portland, that city's architects predominated at the event. Portland delegates registered were:F.S. Allyn, H. Goodwin Beckwith, Russell E. Collins,A.F. Curtiss, A.E. Doyle, Lloyd H. Dittrich, Chester H. Freiche,E.F. Gilstrap, Charles K. Greene, W.G. Holford, ​Folger Johnson,Ellis F. Lawrence,Edgar M. Lazarus, Ray S. Mason,C.M. Rogers, Frank Logan,Jamieson K. Parker, Charles C. Rich, Alfred H. Smith, Robert F. Tegan,W.I. Turner, Howard Everts Weed, Morris H. Whitehouse, and John G. Wilson. Others attending from outside of Portland included: Warren C. Perry of Berkeley; Carl F. Gould of Seattle; Fred Eustice of Vancouver, BC; F.B. Porter of Vancouver, BC; W. Marbury Somervell of Seattle; Clancey M. Lewis of Seattle; John Bakewell, Jr., of San Francisco; W.R.B. Willcox of Seattle; C.H. Whitaker of Washington, DC; Harlan Thomas of Seattle; and Joseph S. Coté of Seattle. (See "League to Lead in City Planning," Oregon Daily Journal, 06/10/1913, p. 11.)In general, this was a group of the leading, academically-trained architects practicing on the West Coast.

Lecturer, American Institute of Architects, Washington State Chapter, Annual Meeting, 11/13/1912. The Western Architect said of this event: "The Washington State Chapter of the American Institute of Architects held its annual meeting and dinner at the University Club Nov. 13th. E.F. Lawrence, of Portland, President of the Architectural League of the Pacific Coast, and also President of the Oregon Chapter of the American Institute, addressed the meeting. The officers of the Washington Chapter made their reports and new officers were elected for the coming year." (See "Architectural Societies," Western Architect, 12/1912, vol. XVIII, no. 12, p. V.)

Lawrence was one of the first 89 architects certified by the new State of Oregon Architectural Board in 1919. (See "89 Architects Registered in Oregon," Architect and Engineer, vol. LX, no. 1, 01/1920, p. 108.)

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA).

High School / College

Graduate, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, c. 1896.

B.S., Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, 1901. At MIT, he would have taken classes with Constant-Désiré Despradelle (1882-1912), a noted Beaux-Arts-trained architect, who taught advanced design courses at MIT before his death in 1912.

M.S., Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, 1902. An entry in The MIT Technology Review of 07/1946 said of Lawrence: "The death of Ellis Lawrence was reported in the June issue of The Review, but a clipping giving additional information concerning him has been received from Glenn Stanton, who pays special tribute to Lawrence by saying that he was a national figure in his profession and a leader in architectural design who left a noble record of public service. Last January the Builders’ Exchange unveiled a bronze bas-relief portrait of the Dean with appropriate dedicatory services in appreciation of his founding of the organization. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Oregon Building Congress, a clearinghouse for all building interests, which fostered a creditable apprenticeship system and encouraged fine craftsmanship, so that the dignity of labor was recognized as never before in the Portland community. Finally Stanton, who received his degree of master of architecture at Technology in 1921, refers back to the fact that he was one of Dean Lawrence’s first students at the University of Oregon and says he will always be grateful for having known Lawrence. The clipping mentioned above reads: 'Dean Ellis Fuller Lawrence, 66, dean of the school of architecture and allied arts and partner of the Portland architect firm of Lawrence & Lawrence, died [on February 27]. Dean Lawrence became ill at the University Faculty club where he made his home in Eugene and died en route to a hospital. Dean Lawrence has been a member of the university faculty since 1914 when he joined the staff as a professor. He has served as dean of the school since 1932. He was born November 13, 1879, at Malden, Mass., and attended school at . . . Technology, receiving his baccalaureate degree there in 1901 and his master of science degree a year later. In 1905 he traveled extensively in Europe and studied in Paris. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects and served as president of the Oregon chapter of that group at one time. He belonged to the Pacific Coast League of Architects, Oregon State Teachers association and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture. He served also as a member of the Portland city planning commission. He had practiced architecture in Portland, Maine, Boston, Mass., and Portland, Ore'.— Guy C. Peterson, Secretary, ...Riverside Drive, New York 32, N.Y. Theodore H. Taft, Assistant Secretary, Room 3-266, M.I.T., Cambridge 39, Mass." (See MIT Technology Review, "Class Notes 1901," 07/1946, p. XVI.)

Relocation

Lawrence was born in Malden, MA, a suburb about six miles north of Boston. The town developed several industries during the 19th century including silk-dying (Barrett's Dye House), soap-making (Indexical Soap Company) and nail production. Its nail factory, the Malden Nail Manufactory, was notable as one of the first industrial plants to produce nails with a flattened head in one mechanical operation. Its owners, the Odiornes family, bought the rights to a new nail production machine from inventor Jesse Reed in about 1808. As noted in the book, Early History of Malden, "The Odiornes perfected the first system to produce nails quicker and at less cost than English nails. Previously, making nails had largely been a household chore done with a small forge in a chimney corner. The Odiornes' nail cutting and heading machine came into extensive use in America and in England." (See Frank Russell, Early History of Malden, [Charleston, SC: The History Press], p. 41.)

The 1910 US Census located Ellis Lawrence and his family at 447 21st Street, Portland, OR. The household consisted of Ellis, his wife Alice, their two sons Henry and Dennison and a servant, Margaret Roe, (born c. 1890 in OR). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Portland Ward 9, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T624_1289; Page: 13a; Enumeration District: 0211; FHL microfilm: 1375302, accessed 01/23/2024.)

On 09/12/1918, Lawrence lived at 453 East 21st Street North in Portland, OR.

Parents

His father was Henry Abbott Lawrence (born 06/17/1851 in Cambridge, MA-d. 07/25/1898 in Malden, MA).

Henry Abbott Lawrence applied to the Sons of the American Revolution on 10/16/1895, as a great, great grandson of Jonathan Lawrence (born 10/04/1703 in Groton, MA-d. 12/08/1789 in Groton, MA), who served as a private in the Lexington Alarm Roll of Captain Aquila Jewett's Company of Colonel James Prescott's Regiment from Groton, MA.

Annie J. Howels (born 09/08/1852 in Charlestown, MA-d. 05/08/1945 in Portland, OR), his mother, wed Henry on 04/23/1873 in Charlestown, MA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Geneanet Community Trees Index [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022, accessed 01/23/2024.)

Spouse

Ellis Lawrence wed to Alice Louise Millett in 1905 while traveling in England. They married at Saint John's Chapel, Chester, England, on 11/04/1905.

Children

Ellis and Alice Lawrence had three sons: Henry Abbott Lawrence, Denison H. Lawrence and Amos Lawrence.

Biographical Notes

His World War I draft registration card listed Lawrence as Caucasian, with blue eyes and light hair. It noted that he was of medium height and build.