Résumé

Draftsman, Frank Pfefffer, Architect, Cincinnati, OH, 1894. He worked at 99 West 4th Street, Room #79. (See Cincinnati, Ohio, City Directory, 1894, p. 1694.)

Designer, Ketcham Manufacturing Company, Toledo, OH, 1895. (See Toledo, Ohio, City Directory, 1895, p 599.) Ketcham produced bank, office and publc building furniture in 1895 and had its office and factories at 902-914 Summit Street in Downtown Toledo. (See Toledo, Ohio, City Directory, 1895, p. 660.)

Draftsman, John Galen Howard, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1905. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1905, p. 936.)

Partner, Morgan and Hoover, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1907-late 1910. Their office was in the Merchants Exchange Building at 1572 Bush Street between 1907- and 1909. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1907, p. 1744 and Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 1710.) Julia Morgan had also worked in the office of John Galen Howard, her tenure being between 1901 and 1903.

Principal, Ira W. Hoover, Architect, Chicago, IL, c. 1916. He worked in Room #1801 of the Borland Building, 105 South La Salle Street in Chicago. At the time, the Borland Building housed the offices of many other white-collar professionals, including many lawyers. (See Chicago, Illinois, City Directory, 1916, p. 31.) He continued to work at the Borland Building in 1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 613; Volume #: Roll 0613 - Certificates: 41500-41749, 24 Oct 1918-25 Oct 1918, accessed 11/02/2021.)

Professional Activities

Registered Architect, State of California, Northern District, 1909. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Graden, Debra, comp.. California, U.S., State Roster Government and Military records, 1909 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002., accessed 11/02/2021.)

Member, T-Square Club, Philadelphia, PA, 1900.

Member, American Institute of Architects, Illinois Chapter, c. 1917.

Member, Illinois Society of Architects, Chicago, IL, c. 1917.

College

Coursework, Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, PA, 1895. He belonged to the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at Pennsylvania College, joining in 1895.

Certificate in Architecture, University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Philadelphia, PA, 1900.

College Awards

Recipient, Stewardson Memorial Scholarship in Architecture, University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Philadelphia, PA, 04/1901. Hoover was the fifth Penn student to receive this award named for the well-known Philadelphia architect John Stewardson (1858-1896), of the firm of Cope and Stewardson. This firm helped to popularize "Collegiate Gothic" architecture on the campuses of Penn, Princeton, Bryn Mawr College, and Washington University. The York Gazette, reported in 1901: "Ira Wilson Hoover of New York city has been awarded by the University of Pennsylvania, the John Stewardson memorial scholarship in architecture, valued at $1,000, the holder of which is to spend one year in travel and in the study of architecture in Europe." (See "The Pedagogue," York, PA, Gazette, 04/07/1901, p. 3.)

Recipient, Membership in the T-Square Club, Philadelphia, PA, 1900. Both Hoover and Louis Magaziner won this prize awarded to Penn architecture students. (See "Pennsy's Sons Receive Degrees," Philadelphia Inquirer, 06/14/1900, p. 2.)

Relocation

Hoover was born in Lorain County, OH, to parents both from OH. Records differ as to whether he had been born in Oberlin, OH, (a US passport application of 1918 said this) or Camden, OH. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 11/02/2021.)

By 1880, the Hoovers lived on Front Street in Perrysburg, OH, a small town, just to the south of Toledo. The US Census of 1880 listed the household consisting of his parents, Horace Hoover and Sarah Hill, and his two younger brothers. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Perrysburg, Wood, Ohio; Roll: 1079; Page: 334B; Enumeration District: 105, accessed 11/02/2021.)

Prior to going to college in PA, Hoover worked for the architect Frank Pfeffer in Cincinnati, OH, in 1894, and lived at 52 Ludlow Street there. (See Cincinnati, Ohio, City Directory, 1894, p. 1695.) The following year, he worked as a designer for the Ketcham Manufacturing Company in Toledo, OH, in 1895. He resided in Perrysburg with his family at this time. (See Toledo, Ohio, City Directory, 1895, p 599.)

Following his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in spring 1900, Ira Hoover continued to live with his parents on Front Street in Perrysburg. along with his three brothers. At this time, Ira was listed as an architect, Frank, a bookkeeper, and Roy, a student. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Perrysburg, Wood, Ohio; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 0153; FHL microfilm: 1241334, accessed 11/02/2021.)

A newspaper report of 1901 indicated that Hoover lived in New York, NY, in 1901. (See "The Pedagogue," York, PA, Gazette, 04/07/1901, p. 3.)

He dwelled in Berkeley, CA, by 1905. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1905, p. 936.) He made his residence at 2600 Ridge Road in Berkeley, according to the Oakland-Berkeley City Directory, 1906, (p, 691). This was just down the street from his boss, John Galen Howard (1864-1931), who had a house at 2421 Ridge Road between 1903 and 1912. Berkeley voter records of 1908 showed Ira Hoover living at the Cloyne Court Hotel in that city. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/02/2021.) He continued to reside in Berkeley in 1909. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 803.)

Hoover and his first wife Marjorie relocated to Chicago, IL, in either late 1909 or early 1910, residing at Helen Brine's (born c. 1860 in IL) rooming house at 4735 Magnolia Avenue in Chicago, IL. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_267; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 1052; FHL microfilm: 1374280, accessed 11/02/2021.)

By 1917, the Hoovers likely resided at 7510 North Greenview Avenue in Chicago's northern Rogers Park neighborhood. (See General Alumni Catalogue of the University of Pennsylvania, 1917, W.J. Maxwell, ed., [Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1917], p, 185.)

The architect applied for a US passport on 10/15/1918 to enable him to travel to Europe to work with the International Red Cross. (His wife filed passport paperwork three days later.) He intended to visit France, Great Britain and Italy. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 613; Volume #: Roll 0613 - Certificates: 41500-41749, 24 Oct 1918-25 Oct 1918, accessed 11/02/2021.) They both returned aboard S.S. La Savoie from Le Havre, France to New York, NY, between 06/29/1919 and 07/08/1919.

He lived with his wife in Evanston, IL's North Shore Hotel in 01/1920. This was a large-scale apartment hotel, intended, in part, for long-term renters. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Evanston Ward 1, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_357; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 69, accessed 11/02/2021.) Shortly after returning from Europe, Marjorie died in Evanston in 1920 at the age of 35.

After the death of his wife, Hoover returned to California. Voter records in Merced County, CA, indicated that Hoover lived in the town of Planada in 1922. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/02/2021.)

Hoover likely had moved to Southern California by 1924, as he got married to Grace Weed Thomas in Los Angeles in late January of that year.

It is likely that he and his second wife, Grace, traveled around the world in 1927. They traveled aboard the Hamburg-Amerika Linie ship S.S. New York sailing between New York, NY and Southampton, England, arriving in the latter city on 07/22/1927. The Hoovers stayed at the Regent Palace Hotel in London on arrival. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and successors: Inwards Passenger Lists.; Class: BT26; Piece: 854, accessed 11/02/2021.) Ira and Grace returned to the US in very late 1928, traveling between Shanghai, China, and Los Angeles, CA, aboard the S.S. President Jackson, during the period 12/23/1927 and 01/15/1928. (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 11/02/2021.)

The 1930 US Census found the Hoovers living at 408 South Oxford Street in Los Angeles. At the time, the census form did not list Ira Hoover as still working as an architect. They employed a housekeeper, Petra L. Palma (born c. 1885 in CA), who was listed as having been divorced. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 0184; FHL microfilm: 2339875, accessed 11/02/2021.) They continued to live at this address in 1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00401; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 60-288, accessed 11/02/2021.)

Hoover died in 1941, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemeteryin Toledo, OH.

Parents

His father was Horace Morgan Hoover (born 12/08/1842 in Lorain County, OH-d. 01/23/1917 in Sorrento, FL). He served as a private in the US Army Ohio Volunteer Company K in the Civil War, becoming a machinist after the war. In 1880, Horace M. Hoover worked as a lumber dealer in Perrysburg, OH. The 1900 US Census listed Horace's professions as that of a "machinist and patenter."

Sarah Jane "Sadie" Hill (born 10/1843 or 1844 in Lorain County, OH-d. 08/1934 in Pittsburgh, PA) was his mother.

Ira had three brothers, Burton Horace "Bertie" Hoover (born 1877 in Wood County, OH-d. 09/05/1884 in Wood County, OH), Frank Morgan Hoover (born 11/08/1878 in Walbridge, OH-d. 02/21/1921 in Pittsburgh, PA) and Royal Burton Hoover (born c. 10/1884 in Wood County, OH). Bertie died of lung disease at about age seven.

Spouse

He wed Lois Marjorie Paterson (born 08/25/1884 in Stockton, CA-d. 04/23/1920 in Evanston, IL) on on 06/16/1909 in Alameda County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: California, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 11/02/2021.) Her parents were Judge Alexander Van Rensselaer “Van” Paterson (born 1849 in Ogdensburg, NY-d. 07/27/1902 in San Francisco, CA) and Amy Kelsey (born 01/17/1859 in CA-d. 01/20/1942 in Monterey County, CA). She had a younger brother, Ogden Kent Paterson (born 09/15/1892 in CA-d. 08/01/1971 in San Joaquin County, CA).

Marjorie Paterson was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. Their engagement and wedding received several mentions in local newspapers in the Bay Area. The San Francisco Call stated: "The announcement of the betrothal of Ira Wilson Hoover and Miss Lois Marjorie Paterson is interesting a wide circle of friends about the bay." (See "News of Society Across the Bay," San Francisco Call, 02/01/1909, p. 4.) The Berkeley Gazette noted: "Both Mr. Hoover and Miss Paterson have already been the recipients of much social attention in honor of their engagements, and on Monday evening were the guests of honor at a dinner given at Cloyne Court by Will C. Hayes [sic]." (See "Engagement Announced," Berkeley Gazette, 02/24/1909, p. 5.) William C. Hays (1873-1963) was close friend and UCB colleague of John Galen Howard.

On 10/18/1918, Marjorie Paterson Hoover applied for a US Passport to enable her to travel abroad to Great Britain and France to perform volunteer work for the International Red Cross in the aftermath of World War I. She traveled aboard the White Star liner S.S. Celtic between New York, NY, and Liverpool, England, arriving in the latter city on 11/28/1918. She, along with many others on board the Celtic, was en route to France to work there according to the ship's manifest. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and successors: Inwards Passenger Lists.; Class: BT26; Piece: 646, accessed 11/02/2021.)

He remarried after Marjorie's premature death. He wed Grace Carson Weed Thomas (born 05/02/1873 in Lincoln, IL-d. 1958 in Los Angeles County, CA) in Los Angeles, CA, on 01/31/1924. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 11/02/2021.)

Grace had a daughter from a previous marriage Miriam Thomas Taylor (1903-1988).

Biographical Notes

Voting records of 1908 listed Ira Hoover a registered Republican. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/02/2021.) He continued to register with that party in the elections of 1922, 1934, 1936, 1938 and 1940.

While living in Chicago, Hoover traveled to his former home in Perrysburg, OH, in early 08/1914, according to a newspaper report. (See untitled note, Perrysburg Journal, 07/30/1914, p. 13.)

At age 46, his US passport application described the architect as being Caucasian with a medium complexion, standing 5-feet, 7-inches tall, with brown eyes, dark brown hair, a straight nose, medium mouth, round chin and an oval face.