Résumé

Principal, Alfred S. Bither, Architect, Bangor, ME. While working in Bangor in 1850, Bither designed a residence at 10 Church Street in Stockton Springs, ME, for Nathan G. Hichborn (1818-1874), a shipbuilder, state legislator, state treasurer, and one-time candidate for governor, that was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Bither's parents resided in Stockton Springs and a few other small towns in Waldo County, ME.

Principal, Alfred S. Bither, Architect, Boston, MA, 1874. In 1870, Bither had an office at 1897 Washington Street in Boston. (See the Boston Directory, 1870, vol. LXVI, [Boston: Sampson, Davenport and Company, 1870], p. 92.) He worked at 33 School Street, Room Q in 1874. (See Boston Almanac and Directory, 1874, Volume 40, p. 166.) Bither made a career of designing a number of large residences in the suburbs around Boston and townhouses in the city's Back Bay neighborhood during the 1870s and 1880s. By 1879, Bither had relocated his office to 75 Devonshire Street, Boston. (See the Boston Directory, 1879, vol. LXXV, [Boston: sampson, Davenport and Company, 1879], p. 108.)

Associate, Bither, Dennis and Farwell, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1902-1903. Bither became Registered Architect #271 in the State of CA.

Principal, A.S. Bither, Architect, Santa Ana, CA, c. 1904.

Relocation

Alfred S. Bither was born in Belfast, ME, on 10/24/1824, and he lived approximately 40 years in this state. According to the 1850 US Census, Bither resided in Frankfort, ME, with his parents and brother. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Frankfort, Waldo, Maine; Roll: M432_270; Page: 50A; Image: 104.) In 1900, he lived on Minton Street in Santa Ana, with his second wife, Evelyn.

The Bithers had relocated to Bangor, ME, by 1860, where Alfred listed his occupation as "carpenter." To make ends, meet, the family had take in two boarders, Martha Boston (born c. 1834) and Charles W. Small (born c. 1838). He reported that he had an estate worth $200 at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Bangor Ward 3, Penobscot, Maine; Roll: M653_447; Page: 96; Image: 785; Family History Library Film: 803447.)

Bither and his wife resided at 4 Albion Street, Boston, MA, Ward 10, in 1870, where he worked as an architect. He had a modest personal estate of about $400 in that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Boston Ward 10, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: M593_646; Page: 358A; Image: 53; Family History Library Film: 552145 and the Boston Directory, 1870, vol. LXVI, [Boston: Sampson, Davenport and Company, 1870], p. 92.) He lived at 4 Mason Court in Charlestown, East Cambridge, MA, in 1879. (See the Boston Directory, 1879, vol. LXXV, [Boston: sampson, Davenport and Company, 1879], p. 108.)

Bither moved to San Diego, CA, by at least 1882, when his name appeared in a San Diego County: San Diego City Voter Registration book. He lived in Ward 3 and registered to vote on 10/04/1882. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 39; FHL Roll Number: 977094.)

In 1884, voters records listed him as living in Los Angeles, where he registered on 10/06/1884. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928.) Voter registers from 1884-1890, 1894, 1897 and 1903 placed Bither in Los Angeles. The 1892 and 1896 registers put him in Orange County (Santa Ana Precinct #3), while the California Death Index (1908) stated that he passed away in Orange County.

The US Census of 1900 indicated that Bither lived on Minton Street in Santa Ana, CA, with his wife, Eveline.

Alfred Bither died on 03/16/1908 and was buried in the Santa Ana Cemetery, Santa Ana, CA.

Parents

His parents were John Johnson Bither (born 09/23/1792 in Limerick, ME - d. 09/29/1872 in Stockton Springs, ME) and Mary Jane "Polly" Bickmore (born 1792 in Friendship, ME–d. 01/13/1875 in Boston, MA). John Bither worked as a joiner in Frankfort, ME in 1850, while Louisa worked in their home. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Frankfort, Waldo, Maine; Roll: M432_270; Page: 50A; Image: 104.)

Alfred had six siblings. They were Margaret Bither Reed (born 06/17/1813 in Belfast, ME-d. 11/29/1881 in Pierson, MI), Johnson Bither (born 08/12/1817 in Waldo, ME-d. c. 01/31/1844), Ursula F. Bither Thompson (born 07/06/1826 in Bradford, ME -d. 07/29/1900 in Stockton Springs, ME), Sabrina Jimson Bither Bean (born 04/12/1829 in Bradford, NE-d. 02/26/1905 in Boston, MA), Andrew Jackson Bither (born 11/10/1832 in Bradford, ME-d. 1911), and Hudson B. Bither (born 07/31/1835 in Stockton Springs, ME-d. 1926).

Spouse

He married Louisa Dyer (1823-1911) on 03/01/1847 in Unity, ME.

In about, 1882, he wed Eveline M. Wiswell (born 03/03/1839 in Searsport, ME-d. 12/06/1922 in Searsport, ME), who was about 15 years younger than he. In 1920, Eveline resided in Searsport, ME, living in a residence with a sister, Dora E. Wiswell (born c. 1847 in ME).

Children

By 1850, he and Louisa had two boys, Rodney Knox Bither (born 04/27/1848 in Frankfort, ME-d. 1911) and Alfred Bither (born c. 12/1849 in ME). It is likely that Alfred died in childhood, as he did not appear in the subsequent two censuses.

The Censuses of 1860 and 1870 noted that A.S. Bither had two children living at home, Rodney, a clerk in a store, and a daughter, named "Juletta" according to the 1860 form or "Letta," according to the 1870 document. Julietta Bither was born in 1850 in Freedom, ME and passed away on 09/21/1922 in Somerville, MA.

Biographical Notes

At age 71, Bither stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall, had gray hair, a dark complexion and hazel eyes, according to Orange County-Santa Ana City voting records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation:California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 32; FHL Roll Number: 977084.) The Census of 1900 recorded that Bither had been born in 10/1824. It also indicated that Alfred did not know where his parents had been born. (See Ancestry.com Source: Year: 1900; Census Place: Santa Ana, Orange, California; Roll: 96; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0148; FHL microfilm: 1240096.)

• Belfast, ME (Architect's Birth)
  Belfast, ME 04915

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