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Male, born 1883-06-29, died 1954-12-19
Associated with the firms network
Mallis and De Hart, Architects; Mallis, DeHart and Hopkins, Architects; Mallis, William, Architect; Pacific Coast Company, Building Contractors
Draftsman's Apprentice, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland, c. 1900-1904; an obituary in the Pacific Architect and Builder noted: "A native of Scotland, Mallis learned architecture during a 4-year apprenticeship to an estate and conservatory architectural firm at Perth." (See "Deaths," Pacific Architect and Builder, vol 61 no. 1, 01/1955, p. 16.) Draftsman, John H. Felt and Company, Saint Joseph, MO/Kansas City, MO, 1912-1917; Structural Draftsman, Pacific Coast Coal Company, Seattle, WA, 1918-1919; Principal, William Mallis, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1919-1947; Partner, Mallis, [Joseph H.D.] DeHart and Hopkins, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1947-1951; Partner, Mallis and DeHart, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1953-1954; Mallis worked for 35 years in various offices in the Lyon Building, Seattle. In 1923, his office was in Room 409. The firm continued to be named Mallis and DeHart for some time after Mallis's death, at least until 1959.
According to architect and historian, Larry Johnson, "William Mallis...was one of the most prolific school designers in Washington State." (See
Mallis was born in Auchterarder, Scotland, to a well-to-do household; in 1901, the Mallis Household employed two domestic servants. As the last born son, he seems to have benefited from being the youngest in a prosperous family. He, unlike his elder brothers, could avoid working in the factory and could select his own profession. He first visited the U.S. in early 04/1905, when he sailed aboard the S.S. Astoria from Glasgow to New York, NY; the "Manifest of Alien Passengers" indicated that he came to visit a friend who resided in Columbus, OH, and indicated that he worked as a draughtsman. A William Mallis resided in Reno, KS, on 04/23/1910, as noted by the US Census of that year. He lived as a boarder in the McKee Household, and appears to have worked as an architect. World War I draft registration records indicated that Mallis lived in Seattle, WA, on 09/12/1918; he worked as a structural draftsman for the Pacific Coast Company. In 1920, Mallis and his wife, Jane Barber, lived in Apartment #21 at 1726 15th Avenue in Seattle, WA, according to the US Census of that year. A 1923 U.S. passport application indicated that he came to America in 1908. (Mallis needed a passport as he planned to travel to visit relatives in Great Britain in 09/1923.) The U.S. District Court (Western Division) at Kansas City, MO, naturalized him on 07/03/1916. According to architectural historian David Rash, Mallis lived in KS c. 1910, before coming to Seattle by1920. The passport application of 08/17/1923 noted that he had lived in MO, KS and WA, in the years between 1908-1923. (He also resided in Fallon, NV, for a short time c. 1918.) Varying dates were recorded on official documents regarding the date of Mallis's immigration to the US. According to the US Census of 1920, he arrived in 1908 and was naturalized in 1916, while that of 1930, noted that he immigrated in 1906 from Scotland. The Canadian passenger manifest for the ship S.S. Caledonia from 10/03/1906, indicated that a William Mallis traveled from Glasgow, Scotland to New York via Montreal, QC. William and Jane Mallis lived in a rented house at 300 16th Avenue in 1930. Mallis is known to have died in 12/1954.
His father, also William Mallis (born c. 1830), worked as a master shoemaker in 1871, "employing 30 Men & 4 Boys & 3 Girls." This boot and shoe-making enterprise had grown to have 37 Men, 7 Boys and 7 Women by 1881. He continued to own a boot-making factory in Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland, in 1891 and 1901, according to the Scottish Censuses of those years. His mother, Catherine Mallis, (born c. 1845), was a housewife. William and Catherine Mallis had at least 8 children, all Scottish-born: James (born c. 1870), Christina B. (born c. 1872), Catherine E. (born c. 1874), Mary (born c. 1876), Helen (also called Nelly) (born c. 1878), Donald T. (born c. 1880) and John Mallis (born c. 1882). William was the youngest son of William and Catherine. The family lived on Hight Street North Side Castle Brae, in Auchterarder in 1891. At various times, elder brothers James, Donald and John worked with their father in the family business.
William Mallis's wife, Jane Barber Mallis, (born c. 11/1882 in Humboldt, KS), was 9 months older than the architect; her parents, according to the US Census of 1930, came from IL (father) and IN (mother). William and Jane married c. 1914.
David Rash has done research on Mallis and noted factual errors in birth and death dates listed in PCAD (before 01/15/2010) for Mallis; previous dates of 05/04/1894 and 02/03/1989 were incorrect. According to Rash, Mallis was born in Scotland in 1883, and died on 12/19/1954. (E-mail correspondence between Rash and Alan Michelson, 01/12/2010.) Subsequent research has indicated a birthdate of 06/29/1883 for Mallis. At age 35, Mallis was described as being of medium height and build, having blue eyes and gray hair. Between 02/06/1924-02/13/1924, William and Jane Mallis traveled aboard the S.S. Berengaria from Cherbourg, France, to New York, NY.
PCAD id: 3989
| Name | Date | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Washington School District #414, Lake Washington High School #1, South Rose Hill, Kirkland, WA | 1949-1950 | Kirkland | WA |
| Monroe Union High School Board, Monroe Middle School and Wagner, George, Auditorium, Monroe, WA | 1938-1939 | Monroe | WA |
| Seattle Pacific University (SPU), Crawford Music Building, Queen Anne, Seattle, WA | 1959-1960 | Seattle | WA |
| Seattle Public Schools, Eckstein, Nathan, Junior High School, Seattle, WA | 1949-1950 | Seattle | WA |
| Shoreline School District #412, Shorecrest High School, Shoreline, WA | 1960-1961 | Shoreline | WA |
