Résumé

Draftsman, [Otis L.] Wheelock and [William W.] Clay, Architects, Chicago, IL, c. 1881-1885. This firm dissolved as of 01/01/1886.

Principal, Eugene L. Caukin, Architect, Chicago, IL, c. 1886.

Partner, Caukin, Haas and [William A.] Boring, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 06/1886-1887. Caukin, Haas and Boring lasted about one year, from 1886 until 1887. A legal notice in the Los Angeles Herald appeared in 1886: "We, the undersigned, hereby certify that we are partners, transacting business as architects, in Los Angeles city and county, State of California, under the firm name and style of Caukin, Haas & Boring; that the full names ofthe partners are E.L. Caukin, S.I. Haas and W.A. Boring; that our places of residence are in the city and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In witness we have hereunto set our hands this first day of June, A.D., 1886." (See "State of California," Los Angeles Herald, vol. 25, no. 84, 06/10/1886, p. 4.)

Partner, Caukin and [S.I.] Haas, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1887-1889. In 1887-1888, Caukin and Haas utilized an office at 14 North Spring Street in Los Angeles. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1887, p. 132 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1888, p. 768.) In 1888, the firm had its office at 20 West 10th Street. (SeeLos Angeles, California City Directory, 1888, n.p.)

Principal, Eugene L. Caukin, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1890- 1893. Caukin had his office at 1427 Maple Street in 1890. (SeeLos Angeles, California City Directory, 1890, n.p.) An advertisement in the Los Angeles Herald of 03/12/1893, stated: ""Cottage plans; do you want them? See Eugene L. Caukin, 114 N. Spring st., formerly of Caukin & Haas, architects." (See "Memoranda," Los Angeles Herald, no. 152, 03/12/1893, p. 8.)

College

Coursework, Illinois Industrial University, Champaign-Urbana, IL, 1870. Caukin was listed as an architectural student at the Illinois Industrial University in 1870. This school, founded in 1867 as a result of the Morrill Land-Grant Act, was renamed the "University of Illinois" at Champaign-Urbana. It is likely he graduated from the IIU program, although this has not yet been confirmed.

Relocation

Eugene L. Caukin was born in Courtland, MI, c. 06/02/1850. (California voter records indicated that Caukin was 42 in about 1892.) As an infant, Eugene lived with his parents Samuel and Lucelia in Courtland, where they operated a farm. It was worth a modest $700 in 1850, according to the US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: Courtland, Kent, Michigan; Roll: 353; Page: 287a, accessed 04/16/2025.)

The US Census of 1860 noted that Samuel "Calkins" and his wife, Lucretia, had three children, Eugene and Francis, Elizabeth Austin (born c. 1847 in NY) living in Courtland, MI.

In 1870, his address was listed in a Illinois Industrial University catalog as Courtland, Kent County, Michigan. (See Ancestry.com, (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., School Catalogs, 1765-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, acccessed 01/14/2019.) The US Census of 1870 noted that "Eugene Caulkins" [sic] was a carpenter and joiner in Courtland, MI. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Courtland, Kent, Michigan; Roll: M593_681; Page: 172B; Family History Library Film: 552180, acccessed 01/14/2019.)

Caukin resided in Chicago, IL, during the 1880s, between at least 1884 and 1886.

In 1887, Eugene L. Caukin lived at 22 10th Street in Los Angeles, CA. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1887, p.132.)

Caukin resided at 423 West 21st Street in Los Angeles, CA, in 1891 and 1892. (SeeLos Angeles, California, City Directory, 1891, p. 182 andAncestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929accessed 01/13/2018.)

He lived at 129 South Water Street in Los Angeles in 1893. (SeeLos Angeles, California, City Directory, 1893, p. 206.)

Eugene "Caukins" passed away on 08/30/1895 at the age of 45 years, 3 months and 28 days. He died of "phthisis," orpulmonary tuberculosis, which was a common cause of death in 1895. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, acccessed 01/14/2019.)

Parents

His father was Samuel Caukin (born c. 1820 in NY), and his mother, Lucelia Caukin (born c. 1828 in NY). In 1860, Samuel was a farmer, and he and Lucretia had three children: Elizabeth Austin (born c. 1847 in NY), Eugene and Francis (born c. 1853 in MI). Birthplaces of the children suggest that the family moved from NY to MI between 1847 and 1850. By 1865, he was employed as a carriage builder. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008, acccessed 01/14/2019.) Samuel died before 1893, as his wife is listed as a widow in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Directory, 1893, (p. 297).

In 1893, Lucelia lived with her son, Francis, in Grand Rapids, MI, on the southeast corner of Jones Avenue and McKee Avenue. He worked as a cabinetmaker for the G.R. Novelty Manufacturing Company. (See Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Directory, 1893, p. 297.)In 1894-1895, Francis was listed as a carpenter who lived with his mother on the south side of Sutton Avenue two houses east of Buchanan. (See Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Directory, 1894, p. 257 and R.L. Polk and Company's Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Directory, 1895, p. 273.)

Spouse

Eugene L. Caukin wed Luella Lockwood on 06/29/1891 in Los Angeles. She was likely a nurse, as she appeared as such in the Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1899, (p. 1100). She resided at 1116 South Olive Street at that time.

Children

It is unknown if Caukin had any children. A "Eugene Lockwood Caukin," (born 06/06/1892 in Los Angeles, CA-d. 03/25/1959 in Sonoma County, CA) was born in Los Angeles while Eugene the elder lived there. Eugene Lockwood Caukin would later work as an accountant in Pasadena, CA, in 1929 and as an employee of the Los Angeles County Assessor by 04/25/1942. (See Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1929, p. 180 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accessed 04/17/2025.)

Biographical Notes

PCAD had misspelled Eugene Caukin's name previous to 12/21/2016 as "Caulkin." It has been corrected.

At age 42, Caukin stood 5-feet, 8-and-3/4s-inches tall, with a dark complexion, gray eyes and dark brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 20; FHL Roll Number: 976929accessed 01/13/2018.)

The noted Berkeley architect John Galen Howard (1864-1931) worked for the firm of Caukin and Haas in 1887; architectural historian Sally Woodbridge wrote of Howard's time with the firm: "The firm he worked for, Caukin & Haas, was a little over a year old in 1887 and, in Howard's judgment, by far the city's best. The office was located at 114 N. Spring Street in the heart of downtown. But even though the work was better that he had expected it to be, Howard wrote that he had to 'shut his eyes' to most of it. He described Caukin as a 'very pleasant, slight, pallid man, gentlemanly--maybe 40 or 50.' Although Caukin did not express approval of Howard's performance in words, he did increase his young employee's salary and treated him as the head designer in the office." (See Sally Woodbridge, John Galen Howard and the University of California, [Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002]. p. 6-7.)