Difference between revisions of "Henry Voss (1843-1908), Architect"

Revision as of 17:16, 19 November 2022

Henry Voss, 1904

Henry Voss was born in Germany in July 1843. After studying architecture and drafting in Switzerland for five years, Voss’s first major project was helping to build a railroad in northern Russia. He went on to practice architecture for several years in Europe (with both Germany and Switzerland mentioned by various sources). During the Franco-German War, Voss served as an infantry officer in the German army. He immigrated to America in August of 1871, and stayed in New York City for a few months working as a draftsman. Voss then moved to Illinois, spending over a year in Chicago before moving to Rock Island. He came to Nebraska in 1872 or 1873, where he spent the rest of his professional career. Voss worked primarily in Omaha but also in Columbus, Valentine, and other Nebraska communities, designing breweries and other large buildings as well as residences.[1][2][16][a]

Voss was 42 when he married 25-year-old Anna L. Cahoe in Omaha in 1887; according to his obituary they divorced around 1895. Henry Voss died in Omaha January 11, 1908.[10][15][16][17][18][e]

This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.

Anheuser Busch Agency Office, 1887 (Lynn Meyer)

Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings

Omaha, Nebraska, 1876-1907

Educational & Professional Associations

1870-1871: infantry officer, German Army.[1]

1871-1872: draftsman, Chicago, Illinois.[2]

1873: arrival in Omaha.[1][a]

1874-1877: no listing, Omaha, Nebraska.

1878: with Charles Beindorff, Architect, Omaha, Nebraska.[9]

1880: architect, Jacobs' Block, Omaha, Nebraska.[5]

1881-1893: architect, Omaha, Nebraska.

1891-1893: architect and principal, Voss & Latenser, Architects, Omaha, Nebraska.

1894-1908: architect, 22 Ware block, Omaha, Nebraska.[b]

Other Associations

ca. 1887-ca. 1907: employed William E. Stockham, as draftsman [at some unspecified time during in this period].

1892-1893: employed Adolph H. Thiele, as draftsman.

1908: employed W. V. Kernan, as draftsman.

Buildings & Projects

Dated

1870-1880s

Buffalo County Jail (1870), Kearney, Nebraska.[1]

"Gothic frame residence" for Lou. Farrington (1876), Omaha, Nebraska.[26]

Kelly's hotel, "a three story frame building" (1876), "on Tenth street near the depot, Omaha, Nebraska.[26]

Harry Deuel brick residence (1876), "upper Farnham [sic] street," Omaha, Nebraska.[26]

Henry St. Felix, two story brick grocery store (1876), on 10th between Jackson & Jones, Omaha, Nebraska.[26]

Public school building (1880), Blair, Nebraska.[1]

Poppleton Block [Good Specialties] (1880), 1001 Farnam, Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8] (DO09:0123-019) National Register narrative

Saengerfest (temporary singing hall) building (1881), Omaha, Nebraska.[31]

Improvements to Columbus opera house (1882), Columbus, Nebraska.[37]

Josie Woods' eleven room brick residence (1882), Omaha, Nebraska.[33]

Two-story business block for Henry Bushman (1883), St. Mary's Avenue between 15th & 16th, Omaha, Nebraska.[38]

Proposal for New "Norman Style" Cathedral (1885), North Omaha, Nebraska.[13]

Proposal for New "English Gothic Style" Cathedral (1885), Grand Island, Nebraska.[13]

Proposal for New Cathedral (1885), Cedar Rapids, Nebraska.[13]

John Janecek house (1885-1886), 805 E 8th, Schuyler, Nebraska (CX06-004)

Four-story building for William Krug & A. J. Poppleton (1886), Farnam between 10th & 11th, Omaha, Nebraska.[39]

Base Ball grandstand (1887), 20th & Lake Streets, Omaha, Nebraska.[36]

Anheuser Busch Agency Buildings (1887),1207-15 Jones, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][3][4][6:139][7][8] (DO09:0121-030)(DO09:0121-082) National Register narrative

S. D. Mercer Block #2 (1887), 501-09 S 11th, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:45][8] (DO09:0121-019)

William Mack - Kountze House (1887), 2003 Binney, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:105][8] (DO09:0140-011)

J. O. Corby House (1887), 2004 Binney, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:105][8] (DO09:0140-008)

W. G. Albright House (1887), 1034 Park Ave., Omaha, Nebraska.[6:158][8] (DO09:0205-023)

Union Pacific Depot (1887), "on Albright's Choice, Which Point will be the Terminus of South Omaha Dummy Line", Omaha, Nebraska.[22]

Magic Theater (1887), 1417 Farnam St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0123-082)

House (1887), 1615 Wirt St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0140-111)

Henry Voss House (1887), 1816 Wirt Street, Omaha, Nebraska.[23]

Summer residence for A. J. Poppleton (1887), Elkhorn, Nebraska.[34]

Project to modify Fitzgerald Block (1888), Plattsmouth, Nebraska.[14][c]

Fred Spethmann House (1888), 1628 Wirt, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:177][8] (DO09:0140-077)

Matilda K. Gardner House (1888), 1822 Emmet, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:118][8] (DO09:0142-008)

Avalon Apartments (1888), 501 S. 28th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0207-003)

Commercial Building (1888), 1216 Howard St., Omaha, Nebraska. (DO09:0121-050)

Plans for Mr. Kaufman's block of six buildings (1888), probably Omaha, Nebraska.[35]

Omaha Bolt, Nut & Screw Company Building (1889), 1314-16 Jones, Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8] (DO09:0121-072) National Register narrative

House (1889), 2215 Binney St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0140-120)

1890s

Hotel Riley (1890), northwest corner of 6th & Main Streets, Plattsmouth, Nebraska.[27]

Richardson Building (ca. 1890), 902 Jackson, Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8] (DO09:0121-064)

St. Joseph's Hospital (1890), 2305 S 10th, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][3][6:44][8] (DO09:0113-002)

William Bischof House (c. 1891), Nebraska City, Nebraska.[24]

Commercial Building (1892), 313 S. 11th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0123-090)

John J. Muller - A.J. Hanscom House (1892), 1706 S. 32nd St., Omaha, Nebraska.[6:88][8] (DO09:0202-006)

Nebraska State Building (1892-1893), World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois.[8][28]{32][40][41]

Plans for National Tournament Pavilion for Omaha Riflemen's Association (1893), probably Omaha, Nebraska.[42]

Commercial Building (1894), 1002 S. 10th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8] (DO09:0119-014)

Three-story brick block for Harry Goodman (1894), 24th St. near M, Omaha, Nebraska.[43]

Hein opera house (1894), northeast corner of 4th and Main Streets, Madison, Nebraska.[11][12][25]

John C. Watson residence (1896), Nebraska City, Nebraska.[44]

Warehouse (1897), 1023 Capitol Ave., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0125-036)

Commercial Building (1899), 423 S. 13th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0121-051)

House (1899), 1811 Lothrop St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0140-029)

House (1899), 625 Pierce St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0065-038)

School building for State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb (1899), Omaha, Nebraska.[45]

1900-1910s

House (1900), 623 Pierce St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0065-039)

Saloon (1900-1902), 1201 S. 6th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0065-071)

Krug Building (1901), Valentine, Nebraska.[19]

North opera house (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Oehlrich block (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Ragatz-Brugger block (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Gluck block (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Addition to the Thurston hotel (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Carl Rohde residence (1901), Columbus, Nebraska.[20]

Rowhouse (1902), 214-18 S. 25th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0209-022)

Krug & Brandes Commercial Building - Neon Goose (1902), 1004-1006 S. 10th, Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8] (DO09:0119-015)

Rendering for the "new" (newly remodeled) Krug Theater (1903), 319 South 14th Street, Omaha, Nebraska.[21]

Metz Brothers Brewing Company Saloon (1903), 4102 N 24th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[3][6:32][8] (DO09:0231-002)

Building for Metz Brothers Brewing Company (1903), 2401 Cuming, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][6:111][8] (DO09:0215-004)

Boyles College - United Way Building (1904), 1805 Harney, Omaha, Nebraska.[6:131][8](DO09:0124-047)

Clubhouse for Omaha Rod & Gun Club (1905), Courtland Beach, Omaha, Nebraska.[46]

Jetter Brewing Company Buildings (1905-1907), South Omaha, Nebraska.[3][30]

Commercial Building (1906), 1102 S. 6th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[8] (DO09:0066-002)

Storz Brewing Company Buildings (1907), Sherman Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][30]

Machine Shop for P. Melchior (1907), 1218 Howard Street, Omaha, Nebraska.[8][30 (DO09:0121-050)

Louis Metz House (1907), 26th Street between Jackson & Howard, Omaha, Nebraska.[30]

Addition to Cassell Realty company building (1907), 24th & Hickory, Omaha, Nebraska.[30]

$6,000 State Bank (1907), Boelus, Nebraska.[30]

$16,000 building for Independent Real Estate Company of Omaha (1907), Grand Island, Nebraska.[30]

Porter-Hoffman House (1914), 425 N. 38th St., Omaha, Nebraska. (DO09:0321-013)

Undated

Merchants Hotel (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[3]

Richardson Drug Company Building (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[3]

Thomas Davis Cold Storage Building (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[3]

Ostoff Block (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[3]

Timpke Block (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[3]

Fred Krug's Omaha's Brewery (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[2][3]

Notes

a. The Historical and Descriptive Review gives his arrival date as 1872.[2]

b. There were several individuals named Henry Voss in late 19th & early 20th century Omaha and Nebraska, but architect Henry Voss is not clearly identifiable in the U. S. Census of 1900. The Omaha city directories list his residence as "b[oards] Midland [Hotel]" in the late 1890s but do not reflect his residence in 1900 or the few years after that. A "Henry Voss" listed with wife Johanna and son John in Fremont, Nebraska was identified as a "day laborer" and continued to appear in the Fremont city directories well past the architect's death in 1908.[10][15][16]

c. A brief notice in Nebraska State Journal of April 21, 1888 cites Plattsmouth Herald in reporting that John Fitzgerald of Lincoln had visited Plattsmouth to confer with "Mr. Voss, an architect of acknowledged ability, whose office is in Omaha," but was called back to Lincoln before they could meet. "The idea is to turn the Fitzgerald block, corner of Sixth and Main, into a first class hotel by building additions and making a great deal of alterations to its present construction."[14]

d. Voss's obituary notes that his wife had "obtained a divorce...after he met some financial reverses" around 1893. After his death, "Mrs. Anna Voss" objected in probate court that "she had been living with Voss as his wife for some time before his death and many of his friends recognized her marital position." It is not clear whether her objection had any[10][16][17]

e. Voss's wife was the daughter of Susan and Joseph Cahoe. Her father was identified as a blacksmith in the 1880 census, residing in Michigan Township, Clinton County, Indiana.[10][29]

References

1. A. T. Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1882), 802.

2. Historical and Descriptive Review of Omaha (ca. 1892), 117.

3. Omaha Daily Bee (January 1, 1906), 7.

4. City of Omaha, Building Permit #1509, September 20, 1887.

5. "Brevities," Omaha Bee (September 20, 1880), 4; (September 28, 1880), 3.

6. Landmarks, Inc., An Inventory of Historic Omaha Buildings (Omaha: Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, 1980).

7. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

8. City of Omaha Planning Department, Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, Database, Query on Architects, May 20, 2002; courtesy of Lynn Meyer, Preservation Planner.

9. "The Superintendant [Omaha’s New Post Office],” Omaha Excelsior (March 12, 1892), 4.

10. Ancestry.com. "Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908," s.v. Henry Voss [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

11. "Old Time Memories. November 22, 1895," Madison (Nebraska) Star-Mail (November 17, 1932), 2.

12. "December, 1894," reminiscence published in Madison (Nebraska) Star-Mail (December 5, 1940), 2.

13. "New Cathedral Buildings" Omaha Daily Bee, (October 2, 1885), 8

14. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (citing Plattsmouth Herald) (April 21, 1888), 7.

15. "Miscellaneous Items That You Ought to Know...Henry Voss, a German architect of Omaha died on the morning of the 11th," The Benson (Nebraska) Times (January 18, 1908), 1.

16. "Henry Voss, Architect, Passes Away in Omaha," Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening News (January 11, 1908), 3.

17. "Objection by Mrs. Voss," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (January 18, 1908), 7.

18. "Pioneer Architect is Gone," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (January 11, 1908), 5.

19. "Henry Voss, architect for the Krug Brewing Co., came up...and accepted the Krug building...," Valentine (Nebraska) Democrat (July 4, 1901), 1.

20. The Columbus (Nebraska) Times (November 9, 1901), 5.

21. Rendering for "Omaha's New [Krug] Theater, Architect, Henry Voss," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (April 19, 1903), 14. [EFZ: Remodeled from the Trocadero Theater of 1895 in 1903.]

22. "New Union Pacific Depot Now Under Construction on Albright's Choice Which Point will be the Terminus of the South Omaha Dummy Line," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 3, 1887), 8 (illustrated); "Dummy Line Terminus," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (September 25, 1935), F-9.

23. "First House Still Stands," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (January 5, 1936), 27.

24. "Old Bischof House is Being Razed. Brick Veneer Structure on Site of New St. Mary's Hospital Wing; Find Strong Construction," Nebraska Daily News-Press (Nebraska City) (April 14, 1937), 5.

25. "The Opera House," Madison (Nebraska) Chronicle (July 19, 1894), 5; and "Once More," Madison (Nebraska) Chronicle, (August 2, 1894), 5.

26. "Building Improvements," Omaha (Nebraska) Evening Bee (May 24, 1876), 4.

27. "The Hotel Riley Opened. Plattsmouth Calls In Her Neighbors," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (March 29, 1890), 5.

28."The Nebraska State Building. Plans for a $15,000 Structure to Be Erected on the World's Fair Grounds," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (January 20, 1892), 7; "The Legislative Deadlock...World's Fair Expenses," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (January 30, 1893), 3.

29. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Anna L. Cahoe," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

30. "New Buildings for Brewers--Two Omaha Firms Planning Improvements to Cost $90,000," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (September 14, 1907), 16.

31. "Notice to Builders" (seeking proposals for temporary buildings for "coming Saengerfest", Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 16, 1881), 4.

32. "Notice to contractors (seeking proposals for "Nebraska's World's fair building on the Columbian Exposition grounds), Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (June 6, 1892), 5.

33. "Minor Mentions," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (August 11, 1882), 6:1.

34. "A. J. Poppleton in the Country," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 30, 1887), 8.

35. "Lost--Or Stolen" (want-ad for missing plans for Mr. Kaufman's block of six buildings), Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (January 28, 1888), 7.

36. "Base Ball Tickets," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (February 27, 1887), 2.

37. "Henry Voss, an architect...is here in connection with the improvements to be made on the Opera building in this city..." Columbus (Nebraska) Journal (July 5, 1882), 3:3.

38. "Local Brevities...Henry Bushman is about to erect a fine business block...," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 28, 1883), 8:1.

39. "A New Structure," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 1, 1886), 8.

40. "Nebraska at the Fair. Description of the Building Selected by the State World's Columbian Exposition Commissioners," The Farmers' alliance and Nebraska Independent (Lincoln, Nebraska) (May 5, 1892), 1.

41. "Nebraska's Part in the Fair...--Our Building," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (October 22, 1892), 1 (illustrated with rendering of Nebr. State Building).

42. "Riflemen Active. Raising Funds for the National Tournament Next Summer," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (April 2, 1893), 8.

43. "Magic City Gossip," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (May 21, 1894), 3.

44. "Will Build a New House," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (December 7, 1896), 2.

45. "Voss Gets the Plans," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (July 16, 1899), 1.

46. "Rod and Gun Club Meeting," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (June 27, 1905), 6.

Additional Sources

Portrait in "Nebraskans, 1854-1904" (Omaha: Bee Publishing Co., 1904). [978.2.B39n]

Page Citation

D. Murphy & E. Zimmer “Henry Voss (1843-1908), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, November 19, 2022. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, April 24, 2025.

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