Caulkins was born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Dr. Russell Caulkins and Jane Whitbeck and later moved with his family to Toledo, Ohio, where he studied architecture from 1865 to 1870. From that time until he went to work at the Buffalo office of Milton Beebe in 1875 he worked at the architectural offices of Charles Coots in Rochester, New York, and then at the offices of A.C. Bruce in Knoxville, Tennessee, before returning to Rochester to work briefly for Coots.[3] He established himself as an architect and superintendent in room 8 of the Townsend Block, located at the corner of Main and Swan Streets in Buffalo, in April 1879[4][5] and relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1882 to 1885, during which time was a partner (separately) with John L. Telford [6] and O.P. Dennis.[7] Caulkins returned to Buffalo in 1885, and moved his office into the Chapin Building, where he remained until 1903. In 1878 Caulklins married Jennie Louise Van Slyke (1858–1904) of Rochester, New York,[5] with whom he had a son and a daughter.[8] He moved to Missouri in 1903, became a widower in 1904 and then married Gertrude B. Smith (1880-1938), with whom he had two more sons and another daughter before they were divorced.[9] From 1905 he worked in Missouri, Texas and Louisiana until his retirement in 1930. After retiring he lived at the National Elks Home in Bedford, Virginia. He died in Bedford in 1940.[5] In 1886 he became a founding member of the Buffalo Society of Architects, which was incorporated as the Buffalo chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1890.[10] Between 1876 and 1881 Louise Blanchard Bethune, one of few female professional architects at the time, worked in his office and for Richard A. Waite.[11]
The White Building, 1881. Main and Erie Streets. A contemporary account noted of the fireproof building that "... in details of comfort and elegance it cannot be surpassed."[12] Demolished
The North Dakota territorial (later state) capitol building as designed by Caulkins with John L. Telford [13] in 1883 during his time in Minneapolis. Destroyed by fire December 28, 1930
The Buffalo Bicycle Club House, 132 College St., Buffalo, NY, 1887. Extant[14]
1878 - Residence for Malcom J. McNiven, 69 Symphony Circle, Buffalo, NY
1879 - Residence for Mrs. Ira S. Bennett, 51 Symphony Circle Buffalo, NY
1880 - Residence for Frank Porter, 55 Symphony Circle, Buffalo, NY
1880 - Residence for James A. Smith, 741 W. Ferry St., Buffalo, NY
1880 - Title Guarantee Company building (also known as the Austin Building or Ticor Building), 110 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY. The First Unitarian Church (1833, by Benjamin Rathbun) was torn down except for the Franklin St. facade, raised one story to make three and redesigned by Caulkins, at which time the building was extended in length along Eagle Street and converted to offices.[16] Located in the Joseph Ellicott Historic District, the conversion was carried out after the congregation relocated to a new church and Stephen G. Austin purchased the property in 1880. The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy was housed in the building from 1881 to 1886.[17]
1881 - (Dr. James P.) White Building from Main Street to Erie Street (replaced in 1906 with a taller White Building though some of the cast iron columns of the earlier building remain on the Erie Street façade). Circa 1880 he designed the Chapin Building (demolished 1926).
1882 - Caulkins Building at 85-87-89 Genesee Street at the corner of Ellicott (collapsed and demolished after long period of disrepair)[2]
1882 - F.W. Caulkins house, 415 Franklin Street, Buffalo, NY.
1882 - Prospect Avenue Baptist Church (formerly Ninth Street Baptist Church), expansion around the original church at 262 Georgia Street, which was constructed in 1868. Built out of pressed brick with brownstone finish[18] part of Buffalo's West Village Historic District[19]
1910 - Jane Chinn Hospital (after 2006 Jane Chinn Heights senior apartments), 1400 Austin St., Webb City, Missouri[20]
Other projects included a remodel of the Linwood Avenue house on the southeast corner of Linwood and West Ferry; design of the building at 410 Delaware Ave. (demolished in 1966); 430 Delaware Avenue building for Thomas Ramsdell; building at 85 Genesee Street (demolished); State National Bank at 8 Webster Street in North Tonawanda; and the 1888 Maple Street Baptist Mission Church (demolished early 1980s).;[5] Brick house for W.C. Francis;[18] O.P. Rainsdell (sp?) double brick with brownstone trimming house on Delaware Street;[18] *J.M. Richmond House near Ellicott and Seneca Streets[18]
ReferencesEdit
^Lost Genesee Block: The Caulkins Building February 21, 2011 by Thomas_Dooney In City, Buffalo Rising
^ ab. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
^The Elstner Publishing Company (1887). The Industries of Buffalo, a résumé of the Merchantile and Manufacturing Progress of the Queen City on the Lake together with a Condensed Summary of Her Material Development and History, etc. Buffalo: The Courier Press. p. 100.
^Howells, W.H. and A.F. Marthens (1880). Commerce, Resources & Manufactures of Buffalo and Environs - A Descriptive Statistical and Historical Review - Industry, Development, Enterprise. Buffalo: Cosack and Company. p. 109.
^ abcd"Franklin Wellington Caulkins, Architect," by John H. Conlin in Spring 2007 issue of Western New York Heritage
^Davison's Minneapolis City Directory, 1883-1884. Buffalo: C. Wright Davison, Publisher. 1883. p. 165.
^Minneapolis City Directory for 1884-1885 Comprising a Complete list of the Citizens of the City of Minneapolis and their Places of Business, etc. Buffalo: C. Wright Davison, Publisher. 1884. p. 170.
^ "Enumeration of the Individuals Living in the First Election District of the Twenty-second District of Buffalo in the County of Erie, N.Y. on Feb. 16, 1892", United States census, 1892; Buffalo, New York; line 13-16. Retrieved on November 11, 2017.
^Texas Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics - Standard Certificate of Death - Registrar's No. 461183354
^"Chapter Notes - Buffalo Chapter". American Institute of Architects Quarterly Bulletin. IX (2): 113–15. July 1908.
^We the Women: Career Firsts of Nineteenth-century America Madeleine B. Stern - 1994
^The Times, Buffalo (1896). A History of the City of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Including a Concise Account of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of this Region, etc. Buffalo: The Times, Buffalo. pp. 117–118.
^"The Capitol Building". The Chicago Daily Tribune: 3. July 6, 1883.
^"The Buffalo Club House". The L.A.W. Bulletin: 336. December 9, 1887.
^"Construction Watch: Kamman Building Restoration". 5 February 2010.
^Banham, Reyner and Francis R. Kowsky (1996). Buffalo Architecture: A Guide. Cambridge: The MIT Press. p. 63. ISBN026252063X.
^ abcd"American Architect and Building News". 1881.
^Prospect Avenue Baptist Church Buffalo, NY Waymarking.com
^Livingston, Joel Thomas (1912). A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people. Chicago, New York, San Francisco: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 560–61.
Further readingEdit
Buffalo Architecture: A Guide 1981 Page 63
American Architect and Architecture 1881
Conlin, John H. "Franklin Wellington Caulkins, Architect." Western New York Heritage Spring 2007: 14-23.
Franklin W. Caulkins Buffalo Architecture and History. 2008. Web. 30 July 2009.
August 25, 2023
caulkins, franklin, wellington, caulkins, prominent, architect, buffalo, york, franklin, wellington, caulkinsborn, 1855, april, 1855hartford, connecticut, diedjanuary, 1940, 1940, aged, bedford, virginia, nationalityamericanoccupationarchitectcaulkins, born, h. Franklin Wellington Caulkins was a prominent architect in Buffalo New York 1 2 Franklin Wellington CaulkinsBorn 1855 04 28 April 28 1855Hartford Connecticut U S DiedJanuary 9 1940 1940 01 09 aged 84 Bedford Virginia U S NationalityAmericanOccupationArchitectCaulkins was born in Hartford Connecticut to Dr Russell Caulkins and Jane Whitbeck and later moved with his family to Toledo Ohio where he studied architecture from 1865 to 1870 From that time until he went to work at the Buffalo office of Milton Beebe in 1875 he worked at the architectural offices of Charles Coots in Rochester New York and then at the offices of A C Bruce in Knoxville Tennessee before returning to Rochester to work briefly for Coots 3 He established himself as an architect and superintendent in room 8 of the Townsend Block located at the corner of Main and Swan Streets in Buffalo in April 1879 4 5 and relocated to Minneapolis Minnesota from 1882 to 1885 during which time was a partner separately with John L Telford 6 and O P Dennis 7 Caulkins returned to Buffalo in 1885 and moved his office into the Chapin Building where he remained until 1903 In 1878 Caulklins married Jennie Louise Van Slyke 1858 1904 of Rochester New York 5 with whom he had a son and a daughter 8 He moved to Missouri in 1903 became a widower in 1904 and then married Gertrude B Smith 1880 1938 with whom he had two more sons and another daughter before they were divorced 9 From 1905 he worked in Missouri Texas and Louisiana until his retirement in 1930 After retiring he lived at the National Elks Home in Bedford Virginia He died in Bedford in 1940 5 In 1886 he became a founding member of the Buffalo Society of Architects which was incorporated as the Buffalo chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1890 10 Between 1876 and 1881 Louise Blanchard Bethune one of few female professional architects at the time worked in his office and for Richard A Waite 11 Designs EditSelected Projects The Kamman Building 755 Seneca Street Buffalo NY 1878 Extant The White Building 1881 Main and Erie Streets A contemporary account noted of the fireproof building that in details of comfort and elegance it cannot be surpassed 12 Demolished The North Dakota territorial later state capitol building as designed by Caulkins with John L Telford 13 in 1883 during his time in Minneapolis Destroyed by fire December 28 1930 The Buffalo Bicycle Club House 132 College St Buffalo NY 1887 Extant 14 The Jane Chinn Hospital Webb City Missouri 1910 Extant but altered c 1878 John F Kamman Building 755 Seneca Street 15 1878 Residence for Malcom J McNiven 69 Symphony Circle Buffalo NY 1879 Residence for Mrs Ira S Bennett 51 Symphony Circle Buffalo NY 1880 Residence for Frank Porter 55 Symphony Circle Buffalo NY 1880 Residence for James A Smith 741 W Ferry St Buffalo NY 1880 Title Guarantee Company building also known as the Austin Building or Ticor Building 110 Franklin St Buffalo NY The First Unitarian Church 1833 by Benjamin Rathbun was torn down except for the Franklin St facade raised one story to make three and redesigned by Caulkins at which time the building was extended in length along Eagle Street and converted to offices 16 Located in the Joseph Ellicott Historic District the conversion was carried out after the congregation relocated to a new church and Stephen G Austin purchased the property in 1880 The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy was housed in the building from 1881 to 1886 17 1881 Dr James P White Building from Main Street to Erie Street replaced in 1906 with a taller White Building though some of the cast iron columns of the earlier building remain on the Erie Street facade Circa 1880 he designed the Chapin Building demolished 1926 1882 Caulkins Building at 85 87 89 Genesee Street at the corner of Ellicott collapsed and demolished after long period of disrepair 2 1882 F W Caulkins house 415 Franklin Street Buffalo NY 1882 Prospect Avenue Baptist Church formerly Ninth Street Baptist Church expansion around the original church at 262 Georgia Street which was constructed in 1868 Built out of pressed brick with brownstone finish 18 part of Buffalo s West Village Historic District 19 1883 North Dakota territorial later state capitol Bismarck North Dakota 1910 Jane Chinn Hospital after 2006 Jane Chinn Heights senior apartments 1400 Austin St Webb City Missouri 20 Other projects included a remodel of the Linwood Avenue house on the southeast corner of Linwood and West Ferry design of the building at 410 Delaware Ave demolished in 1966 430 Delaware Avenue building for Thomas Ramsdell building at 85 Genesee Street demolished State National Bank at 8 Webster Street in North Tonawanda and the 1888 Maple Street Baptist Mission Church demolished early 1980s 5 Brick house for W C Francis 18 O P Rainsdell sp double brick with brownstone trimming house on Delaware Street 18 J M Richmond House near Ellicott and Seneca Streets 18 References Edit Lost Genesee Block The Caulkins Building February 21 2011 by Thomas Dooney In City Buffalo Rising a b Western New York Heritage Magazine Archived from the original on 2013 10 29 Retrieved 2013 10 24 The Elstner Publishing Company 1887 The Industries of Buffalo a resume of the Merchantile and Manufacturing Progress of the Queen City on the Lake together with a Condensed Summary of Her Material Development and History etc Buffalo The Courier Press p 100 Howells W H and A F Marthens 1880 Commerce Resources amp Manufactures of Buffalo and Environs A Descriptive Statistical and Historical Review Industry Development Enterprise Buffalo Cosack and Company p 109 a b c d Franklin Wellington Caulkins Architect by John H Conlin in Spring 2007 issue of Western New York Heritage Davison s Minneapolis City Directory 1883 1884 Buffalo C Wright Davison Publisher 1883 p 165 Minneapolis City Directory for 1884 1885 Comprising a Complete list of the Citizens of the City of Minneapolis and their Places of Business etc Buffalo C Wright Davison Publisher 1884 p 170 Enumeration of the Individuals Living in the First Election District of the Twenty second District of Buffalo in the County of Erie N Y on Feb 16 1892 United States census 1892 Buffalo New York line 13 16 Retrieved on November 11 2017 Texas Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics Standard Certificate of Death Registrar s No 461183354 Chapter Notes Buffalo Chapter American Institute of Architects Quarterly Bulletin IX 2 113 15 July 1908 We the Women Career Firsts of Nineteenth century America Madeleine B Stern 1994 The Times Buffalo 1896 A History of the City of Buffalo and Niagara Falls Including a Concise Account of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of this Region etc Buffalo The Times Buffalo pp 117 118 The Capitol Building The Chicago Daily Tribune 3 July 6 1883 The Buffalo Club House The L A W Bulletin 336 December 9 1887 Construction Watch Kamman Building Restoration 5 February 2010 Banham Reyner and Francis R Kowsky 1996 Buffalo Architecture A Guide Cambridge The MIT Press p 63 ISBN 026252063X Title Guarantee Building a b c d American Architect and Building News 1881 Prospect Avenue Baptist Church Buffalo NY Waymarking com Livingston Joel Thomas 1912 A history of Jasper County Missouri and its people Chicago New York San Francisco Lewis Publishing Company pp 560 61 Further reading EditBuffalo Architecture A Guide 1981 Page 63 American Architect and Architecture 1881 Conlin John H Franklin Wellington Caulkins Architect Western New York Heritage Spring 2007 14 23 Franklin W Caulkins Buffalo Architecture and History 2008 Web 30 July 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title F W Caulkins amp oldid 1130130199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
