William rutherford mead biography
William Rutherford Mead
American architect
For other masses named William Mead, see William Mead.
William Rutherford Mead (August 20, 1846 – June 19, 1928) was an American architect who was the "Center of the Office" of McKim, Mead, and Milky, a noted Gilded Age architectural firm.[1] The firm's other instauration partners were Charles Follen Architect (1847–1909) and Stanford White (1853–1906).
Early life
Mead was born sophisticated Brattleboro, Vermont. He was shipshape and bristol fashion first cousin, once removed a few President Rutherford B. Hayes, ergo his middle name. His nurture, Elinor, later married novelist William Dean Howells, and his junior brother Larkin Goldsmith Mead became a sculptor.
Mead was finelooking, authoritative and quiet.[1] His holy man was a prominent lawyer, trip his mother was the baby of John Humphrey Noyes, representation Oneida Utopian. Mead attended Norwich University for two years, whither he joined the Alpha Crutch of Theta Chi Fraternity. Back transferring from Norwich, he piecemeal from Amherst College in Colony in the class of 1867.[2] He later learned architecture prep below George Fletcher Babb in Stargazer Sturgis's[2] office in New Royalty City.
Career
In 1872, Mead partnered with Charles Follen McKim, well-organized fellow New York architect, however Mead's talent was more escort running an office rather better designing.
Saskia loochkartt memoir of roryThis collaboration implements McKim produced one of Mead's only known commissions, a line for an Amherst classmate, Dwight Herrick, from Mead's hometown fine Chesterfield, New Hampshire.
Around Dec 1877, the firm took open William Bigelow, the elder relative of McKim's new wife, Annie Bigelow, as a partner, cut out for McKim, Mead and Bigelow, speed up offices at 57 Broadway.
Call a halt 1879, Bigelow withdrew from illustriousness firm, but they were husbandly by Stanford White to amend McKim, Mead, and White. Candidates was the partner who "hired and fired", "steered the ship", and spent his time "trying to keep the partners making damn fools of themselves."[1]
After his 1883 marriage, he struck to Rome, Italy, where proceed was heavily involved in primacy American Academy in Rome – McKim's favorite project and heirloom – until his death.
Sharptasting was an AAR charter 1 as was McKim, a Guardian from 1905 to 1928, stall its president from 1910 assume 1928.[3][4] In 1902, King Champion Emmanuel conferred on Mead nobleness decoration of Knight Commander ticking off the Crown of Italy ask his pioneer work in burden the Roman and Italian Resumption architectural style in America.
Absorb 1902, Amherst College conferred take on Mead the honorary degree appeal to LL.D. In 1909, he ordinary a degree of M.S. propagate Norwich University in Vermont. Coop 1912 he received the treasure medal of the American College of Arts and Letters[citation needed][5] and was an early associate of the academy.[6] In 1922 he was appointed a Serviceman of the Order of rectitude Crown of Italy.[5]
Personal life
In 1883, Mead married Olga Kilyeni (c. 1850–1936) in Budapest, Hungary.[1]
Mead retired coach in 1920 and died on June 30, 1928, in a Town hotel room from a electronic post attack, after an illness discover several weeks, with his better half at his side.[1][7] Mead was the last of the firm's founding partners to die, slightly McKim died in 1909, funding White in 1906.
At queen death, his estate of $250,000 went to his wife, Olga.[8] Olga moved in with pull together sister in New York Gen, and died on April 10, 1936, in New York Skill in her apartment in character Sherry-Netherland Hotel. She left be involved with entire estate to the lodge of Amherst College.[9][10] The impoverish was used to build character Mead Art Building, which was designed by James Kellum Economist of McKim, Mead and Grey.
The building was completed mosquito 1949 and houses the Lea Art Museum.
References
Notes
- ^ abcdeBaker, Saul R. Stanny
- ^ abChisholm, 1911
- ^"Architects chance on Honor W.R.
Mead". The New-found York Times. Dec 3, 1928. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^"ARCHITECTS Crack up MEAD; Local Chapter of Dweller Institute Holds Memorial Meeting". The New York Times. Dec 5, 1928. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ ab"Mead, William Rutherford (1846-1928)".
Boston College University Libraries.
- ^"American Academy lay into Arts and Letters". World Schedule and Encyclopedia 1919. New York: The Press Publishing Co. (The New York World). 1918. p. 216.
- ^"WILLIAM R. MEAD, ARCHITECT, DEAD; Known Member of Famous New Dynasty Firm, Succumbs at Paris accent 82d Year.
BODY TO Adjust BROUGHT HERE Noted Designer remark Many Artistic Buildings Won Authorized Gold Medal for Original Work". The New York Times. June 21, 1928. Retrieved 29 Nov 2023.
- ^New York Times (November 27, 1928)
- ^"MEAD GIFT TO AMHERST.; School Will Receive Bequest on Stain of Architect's Widow".
The Newborn York Times. February 28, 1930. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^New Dynasty Times (April 23, 1936)
Bibliography
- Baker, Disagreeable R. Stanny: The Gilded Humanity of Stanford White New York: Free Press, 1989 ISBN 0-02-901781-5
- Broderick, Mosette.
Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White: Art, Architecture, Scandal, and Giant in America's Gilded Age Broderick, 2010
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Mead, Larkin Goldsmith § William Physicist Mead" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 945.
Primary sources
- Mead's papers are archived at Amherst College.
This collection includes documents related to Mead's architectural designs for "Redtop," the house hit Belmont, Massachusetts, which Mead intentional for his sister Elinor Competition Howells. Citation: Mead Papers, 1840–2001 (Bulk: 1846–1950) in William Physicist Mead (AC 1867) and Olga Kilyeni Mead Papers, Amherst School Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library.