Résumé

Electus D. Litchfield was best known for his work within the New York City metropolitan area. The New York Times stated in his 1952 obituary: "In addition to many commercial buildings in this area, Mr. Litchfield designed Yorkship Village, a World War I industrial town of 2,000 homes for shipbuilders near Camden, N.J. He was also an architect for the Red Hook slum clearance and housing project, assisted in reconstruction of Bellevue Hospital, and designed the Brooklyn Masonic Temple." (See "E.D. Litchfield, 80, Architect, Is Dead," New York Times, 11/28/1952, p. 25.)

Litchfield also designed a number of large structures beyond its confines, including a courthouse and post office in Denver, the Saint Paul, MN, Public Library and the Astoria Column in Astoria, OR.

Draftsman, Carrère and Hastings, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1908.

Partner, Litchfield and [Pliny] Rogers, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1919-1925.

Principal, Electus D. Litchfield, Architect, New York, NY, 1926-1950. In 1950, his office was situated at 80 5th Avenue in New York.

Professional Activities

Member, City of New York, Building Revision Commission, New York, NY, 1906-1907.

Member, Architectural League of New York, NY.

Member, New York Fine Arts Federation, New York, NY.

Member, Beaux Arts Institute of Design, New York, NY.

Director, Citizens Housing and Planning Council, New York, NY.

Co-founder, New York Building Congress, New York, NY.

Member, Municipal Art Society, New York, NY.

President, Municipal Art Society, New York, NY, c. 1933-1934.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA).

Papers of Electus D. Litchfield, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center, Washington, DC, 805 Kidder Breese Street SE, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5060; Electus Litchfield Papers, Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division, 213 Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota, 222 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455;

College

Graduate, M.E. Stevens Institute, Hoboken, NJ, Mechanical Engineering, 1892.

Graduate, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, Brooklyn, NY, 1899.

Relocation

The architect lived for many years at 171 East 73rd Street on New York's Upper East Side.

Litchfield was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.

Parents

His father was William Backus Litchfield, his mother, Emily Pope.

Spouse

Litchfield wed Elizabeth Burnham Rodman on 10/06/1906 in Berkshire, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The Brooklyn Daily Eagle; Publication Date: 30/ Sep/ 1906; Publication Place: Brooklyn, New York, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/53880312/?article=8f93132f-7fcc-4c10-89f3-e3b68ba27973&focus=0.15518887,0.71075714,0.28963947,0.8729239&xid=3398, accessed 08/15/2024.)

Children

At his death, Litchfield had two surviving children: Mrs. Elizabeth Lamble of Sarasota, FL, and a son, Burnham Litchfield of Edgartown, MA;

Biographical Notes

In 04/1921, Litchfield planned a European trip to France, Belgium, the British Isles, Gibraltar, Italy and Switzerland, according to a US passport application. He was set to travel on the SS Adriatic on 08/03/1921. His application indicated that he had never been outside the US previously, "except brief trips to Canada." (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 #: 1568; Volume #: Roll 1568 - Certificates: 19500-19875, 14 Apr 1921-15 Apr 1921, accessed 08/21/2024.)

At the end of his life, Litchfield made a concerted effort to restore the reputation of his great grandfather, William S. Cox, a naval lieutenant, who was court-martialed during a War of 1812 naval battle in Boston harbor in 1814. His great-grandfather had helped his wounded commanding officer below deck after during the conflidt, and Cox was blamed for leaving the ship's bridge during battle, a beach of conduct, and for having his crew desert the ship. In 1952, an act of Congress was passed that allowed President Truman to restored Cox's rank and name. According to the New York Times: "Acting under authority of the President and the Congress of the United States, a high Navy officer put a gracious end yesterday to a curiously shabby but of naval history. He presented to Electus D. Litchfield, 80-year-old retired architect and great-grandson of William S. Cox, a certificate restoring Mr. Cox posthumously to his War of 1812 rank of Third Lieutenant in the Navy. The presentation was made by Rear Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Third Naval District Commandant, at St. Barnabas Hospital, 183d Street and Third Avenue, the Bronx, where Mr. Litchfield is a patient. Mr. Litchfield's brother, Norman, and other members of his family were present with city and other officials. Harvey Wiley Corbett represented the Muncipal Art Society, of which Electus Litchfield is a former president, and the Institute of American Architects, New York Chapter. Mr. Litchfield's fight for restoration of his ancestor's name to the honorable rolls of the Navy has attracted wide attention here and in England, and had engaged the attention of President Roosevelt, President Truman, Representative Eugene Cox of Georgia (no relation), and the House and Senate generally. President Roosevelt was sympathetic, but his efforts were interrupted by the war. Finally, an Act of Congress was adopted in July that enabled President Truman to issue last month the commission that Mr. Litchfield received yesterday. It was dated back to Oct. 17, 1874, the day of Lieut. Cox's death." (See "Award Voiding 1814 Court-Martial Given to Victim's Great-Grandson," New York Times, 09/09/1952, p. 33.)

Governor, Society of Colonial Wars of New York, New York, NY.

Member, General Society of Colonial Wars, New York, NY.

Member, City Club of New York, New York, NY.

Member, The Pilgrims, New York, NY.