James Tyler (1844-1919), Architect
James Tyler was born in Usk, Monmouthshire, England on September 26, 1844 to parents George and Jane Price Taylor.[10][11] He came to America in 1868, ending up in St. Louis, Missouri, but moving to Omaha, Nebraska in 1870. Before emigrating, Tyler was one of England's most distinguished stone-cutter and carver, working on the remodel of Windsor Castle and other iconic English buildings. He was master mechanic of the post office building there but moved to Lincoln, in 1875, to perform a similar architectural duty. He was thus employed until June, 1879, when he was appointed superintendent of construction of the insane asylum. He was engaged in the construction of the Four Courts at St. Louis, after which he relocated to Chicago and erected St. James Church.[1][2][5] His wife was named Emmy E., with whom he shared four children, including a future partner in his firm, James Tyler, Jr.. Tyler died on November 1, 1919 in Lincoln.[10][11]
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.
Contents
Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
Lincoln, Nebraska, 1882-1890, 1892-1893, 1926-1929, 1930-1931, 1934-1939, 1940-1942, 1945, 1947, 1950
Educational & Professional Associations
1880-1883: architect and partner, Smith & Tyler, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.
1894-1907: architect and partner, James Tyler & Son, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.
1908-1914, 1925: architect and partner, Tyler & Brandt, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.
1916-1924: architect and partner, Tyler, Brandt & Tyler, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Buildings & Projects
Dated
1st National Bank State Block (1873), 10th/9th & "O" St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[10]
Townsend Block (1883), Lincoln, Nebraska.[10]
J. R. Johnson house (1885-1886), 1422 Boswell, Crete, Nebraska.[3] (SA01-12)
John R. Clark house (1886-1887), SW corner 20th & F, Lincoln, Nebraska.[6][8]
Nebraska Stock Yards Company: new Store House, Chill Room, and other additions to Packing House #1 (1888), West Lincoln, Nebraska.[14]
William H. Tyler house (1890-1891), 808 D St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[7] (LC13:C07-001)
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1892), NE corner 13th & Ivy, Crete, Nebraska.[3] (SA01-020)
Frank J. Rademacher house (1894), Crete, Nebraska (SA01-003)
Grand Island Carnegie Library (1902-1903), 321 W. 2nd, Grand Island, Nebraska.[4][7] (HL06-002) National Register narrative
Havelock Carnegie Library (1906), Lincoln, Nebraska.[4]
Fairbury Carnegie Library (1907-1909), 601 7th, Fairbury, Nebraska.[4][7] (JF04-022) National Register narrative
Seward Carnegie Library (1912-1914), 208 S. 5th, Seward, Nebraska.[4][7] (SW09-172)
Undated
Burr Block (n.d.), NE corner 12th & O, Lincoln, Nebraska.[3][10] (LC13:C09-002)
Lancaster Block (n.d.), Lincoln, Nebraska.[3]
Fitzgerald Block (n.d.), 7th & P, Lincoln, Nebraska.[3][6][a] (L741-191)
John Fitzgerald house (n.d.), Lincoln, Nebraska.[6]
R. C. Moore residence (n.d.), Lincoln, Nebraska.[3][b]
Masonic Temple (n.d.), Fremont, Nebraska.[3]
Donald H. Pegler Garage Bldg. (n.d.), 17th & P, Lincoln, Nebraska.[9]
State Penitentiary (n.d.), Lincoln, Nebraska.[10]
Mental Asylum (n.d.), Nebraska.[10]
Ganter Block (n.d.), [10]
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (n.d.), 13th & Ivy, Crete, Nebraska. (SHO1-20)
Johnston/Muff House (n.d.), Crete, Nebraska.[13]
Notes
a. This work was undertaken for the firm Smith & Tyler.
b. Source [6] calls this the R. E. Moore residence.
References
1. A. T. Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882), 1080.
2. A. T. Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882), 1056.
3. Pen & Sunlight Sketches of Lincoln (1890'2), 108.
4. Nebraska State Library Commission, Architects & Buildings File.
5. "James Tyler Passes Away," Sunday State Journal (November 2, 1919), 8A:6 (and portrait).
6. Ed Zimmer, email to David Murphy, October 26, 2000.
7. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
8. William Wood, “Postcard from Lincoln,” Newsletter of the Preservation Association of Lincoln 17:1 (Spring 2009), 3.
9. Thomas Lee Kaspar (1951-____), Architect, comp. Inventory of architectural records in the archives of Davis Fenton Stange Darling, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1996. Nebraska State Historical Society, RG3748, Box 16.
10. Mrs. Maryan Tyler Matthew. Personal interview. November 27, 1978.
11. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Accessed through Ancestry.com
12. 1900 United States Census. s.v. “James Tyler,” Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. E.D. 57, sheet 4, line 57.
13. Photos by David Murphy, October 1975. NSHS 7510/1:25
14. Contract between Mr. William R. Berger, Mr. James Tyler, and the Nebraska Stock Yard Company president and other employees. Signed February 13, 1888.
Page Citation
D. Murphy, “James Tyler (1844-1919), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, March 31, 2015. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 27, 2024.
Contact the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office with questions or comments concerning this page, including any problems you may have with broken links (see, however, the Disclaimers link at the bottom of this page). Please provide the URL to this page with your inquiry.
