Résumé

Assistant Engineer, Edwin Thatcher, Construction Engineer, Louisville, Ky., 1889-1894. Scofield worked with the noted bridge engineer Edwin Thacher (1839-1920), who invented the cylindrical slide rule in 1881. By 1901, they developed the Scofield-Thacher Engineer's Slide Rule, produced by the major manufacturer of scales and slide rules, the Eugene Dietzgen Company of Chicago, IL, from 1901 until 1931. According to the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, "Edson Mason Scofield (1867–1939) developed this rule in 1891 while he worked for Edwin Thacher (inventor of the cylindrical slide rule bearing his name; see, for example, MA*312866). Thacher applied for a patent on the design in 1900 and assigned a half-interest to Scofield when the patent was issued in 1901. According to the instrument, Scofield may have distributed the rule himself." (See Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, "Scofield-Thacher Engineer's Slide Rule," accessed 08/19/2016.)

Assistant Engineer, Youngstown Bridge Company, Youngstown, OH, c. 1894-1900; Engineer and Manager, Youngstown Bridge Company, Youngstown, OH, 1900-1902. in 1900, theIron trade Review reported in its 07/19/1900 issue: "Fred H. Schmidt, formerly secretary and treasurer of the Youngstown Bridge Co., who has been acting in the capacity of general manager of the plant since its absorption by the American Bridge Co., has been appointed assistant treasurer of the consolidation, with headquarters in Pittsburg. Edson M. Scofield, who has been assistant engineer of the Youngstown plant, has been promoted to succeed Mr. Schmidt." (See "Personal," Iron Trade Review, vol. XXXIII, no. 19, 07/19/1900, p. 7.) Chief Engineer and President, National Bridge Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1902-1903.

It is not clear if Scofield became the Mahoning County Engineer, Youngstown, OH, c. 1903, or if his brother, Glenn Mason Scofield, took on that position; it is more likely that Glenn was the county engineer.. (See "Mahoning Avenue Pratt Double-Deck Bridge Spanning Mill Creek at Mahoning Avenue (CR 319), Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio," Historic American Engineering Record, OH-41, p. 2-5.) This HAER OH-41 report stated about Scofield's career: ""He began his career at the Youngstown Bridge Company, and progressed from the post of assistant engineer to that of chief engineer, and finally manager. He went on to become the manager of the National Bridge Company, Pittsburg [sic], Pennsylvania. In 1903 he and his brother (Glenn Mason Scofield) began the Scofield Engineering Company in Philadelphia. In 1920, the brothers, together with two other men, organized the Scofield Engineering and Construction Company of Los Angeles, California. The Company specialized in large earthquake-proof buildings, and was responsible for about 100 large buildings in and around Los Angeles between 1920 and 1929." (See HAER OH-41, p. 4-5.)

Co-Founder/Principal, Scofield Engineering Construction Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1903-1928. In 1910, Scofield's Philadelphia-based firm had the name the "Scofield Engineering Company." (See advertisement, Engineering News-Record, vol 64, no. 16, 10/20/1910, p. 41.) Taking advantage of US Naval operations in San Diego, CA, the Scofield Construction Company opened a West Coast subsidiary, Pacific Marine and Construction Company, in San Diego, CA. It also had a significant office in Los Angeles in 1924. (Philadelphia had its own large US Naval presence, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and it is likely that Scofield had worked with the navy before opening the San Diego office.) In 1939, the Scofield Engineering Construction Company maintained its headquarters in the Commercial Trust Building, Philadelphia, PA.

Scofield, himself, relocated to the Los Angeles area c. 1924. Consulting Engineer, Scofield Engineering Construction Company, Los Angeles, CA; the 1924 Los Angeles City Directory (p. 2008) indicated that Scofield was a "consulting engineer" for Scofield Engineering Construction Company, while Glenn M. Scofield was its president and treasurer. F.J. Twaits was its vice president, and D.G. Henderson, secretary.

President, Scofield-Twaits Construction Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1928- . The Scofield-Twaits Construction Company had its offices in the Pacific Finance Building, Los Angeles, c. 1928.

Teaching

Instructor, Rockland College, Nyack, NY, 1888-1889.

Professional Activities

Scofield was named to the powerful Board of Water and Power Commission in Los Angeles, CA, in 1929. This reflected his prestige among the business community in Los Angeles at the time.

Scofield held at least one patent, that for Concrete-Steel Construction, Patent #US824594 A, filed 08/01/1904, issued 06/26/1906. The patent's intent was: "One object of my invention is to provide means for supporting the bars used in reinforced concrete construction in such manner that they are held in any desired positions relatively to each other and to forms while the concrete is being placed and which shall be an element of strength instead of weakness in the completed structure." It was granted just two months following the San Francisco Earthquake of 04/18/1906, an event that greatly magnified the importance of reinforced concrete and steel construction methods for architects, engineers and building contractors building on the seismically-active Pacific Coast.

Member, American Society of Civil Engineers; Member, American Concrete Institute; Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

College

B.S., Civil Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY, 1888.

Relocation

Edson Mason Scofield was born and raised in Hermon, NY, and attended Union College in Schenectady, NY. In c. 1898, Scofield lived in Coitsville, OH. The 1900 US Census stated he was a manager of bridge work, while he lived in Coitsville. He managed the Youngstown Bridge Company's plant in Youngstown, OH, at this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Coitsville, Mahoning, Ohio; Roll: 1300; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0046; FHL microfilm: 1241300, accessed 08/19/2016.) Scofield and his family lived at 106 North Center Street in Youngstown in for at least part of 1900 and 1901. (See Youngstown City Directory, 1900, p. 591, and Youngstown City Directory, 1901, p. 37.)

He returned to PA by 1910, where he resided on the family farm in East Whiteland, Chester County, PA, with his parents and a hired hand. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: East Whiteland, Chester, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1328; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 1375341, accessed 08/19/2016.)

During some of his later career operating the Scofield Engineering Construction Company in Philadelphia, he lived in Malvern, also in Chester County, PA.

The US Census of 1920 indicated that Edson Scofield, his wife, Lizziemac, and two children, resided in a rented dwelling at 516 Quince Street in San Diego, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: San Diego, San Diego, California; Roll: T625_131; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 309; Image: 808, accessed 08/19/2016.)

Scofield moved to Los Angeles, CA, c. 1924, living at 1830 South Hobart Street. (See Los Angeles City Directory, 1924, p. 2008.) In 1930, he and Lizziemac had their home at 168 South Beachwood Drive in Central Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, California Voter Registrations, Los Angeles County, Roll 26, 1930, accessed 08/19/2016.)

He died in late 1939 in Los Angeles, was cremated and interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, CA.

Parents

His father was George Vincent Scofield (1831-1911), and his mother, Emily Jane Scofield (1840-1925). Both of this parents had come from NY. In 1880, George operated a planing mill in Hermon, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Hermon, St Lawrence, New York; Roll: 925; Family History Film: 1254925; Page: 280C; Enumeration District: 210; Image: 0562, accessed 08/19/2016.)

Scofield had two twin brothers born c. 1872, Lynn , who survived him at his death in 1939, and Glenn M. Scofield, who served as President and Treasurer of the Scofield Engineering Construction Company in 1924.

Spouses

He married Lizziemac Rivers Scofield (04/01/1872-1930) 02/20/1894. She was born in Somerville, Fayette County, TN; her parents came from AL.

He married a second time to Ethel O'Shields Scofield (1892-1980). He wed Ethel by at least 1932, when she resided at 168 South Beachwood Drive with Edson. (See Ancestry.com, California Voter Registrations, Los Angeles County, Roll 31, 1932, accessed 08/19/2016.)

Children

He had two children with Lizziemac: George Vincent Scofield (born 1897 in OH-d. 1976), and a daughter, Alberta Bigelow Scofield (born c. 1902 in OH). She married Robert S. Bowen.

Biographical Notes

Edson and Lizziemac traveled from San Francisco, CA, to Honolulu, HI, between 08/24/1929 until 08/28/1929 aboard the Matson Lines' luxury steamship, the S.S. Malolo. This ship navigated a circuit including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu between 1927 and 1937. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Honolulu, Hawaii, compiled 02/13/1900 - 12/30/1953; National Archives Microfilm Publication: A3422; Roll: 104; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85, accessed 08/19/2016.) They returned to Los Angeles aboard the S.S. City of Honolulu, traveling from Honolulu between 09/07/1929 and 09/13/1929. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 08/19/2016.)

Who's Who in California, 1928-1929 indicated that Scofield considered himself a liberal. He was also a Congregationalist. Member, Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, CA; Member, Commercial Club, Los Angeles, CA; Member, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Los Angeles, CA.

• Hermon, NY (Architect's Birth)
  Hermon, NY

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• Los Angeles, CA (Architect's Death)
  Los Angeles, CA

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