John Lawrence Hutcherson (c. 1852-1918), Architect-Builder
dba: J. L. Hutcherson; Hutcherson & Bell (Architects & Superintendents)[7], Price & Hutcherson (contractors)[9]
John L. Hutcherson was born in Indiana c. 1852 to Francis A. and Lucinda Hutcherson.[1][a] Francis was listed variously in census records as a house carpenter (1850), "Sup't [superintendent] Agric[ultural] Manufactory" (1860), "Life ins agt" (1870), and house joiner (1880). John and his wife Anna, with one-year-old son Herbert, lived with Francis and Lucinda in Indiana as late as 1880, when John was listed as a plasterer.[1][3] John and Anna moved to York, Nebraska by 1884, when John had the contract to construct an opera house.[4] In 1886 his bid was accepted to build the York County Courthouse.[6] He built around the region in the late 1880s, sometimes from his own designs, and advertised with T. M. Bell as "Architects and Superintendents."[7] He moved to Seattle by 1890 and was listed in that city's directories as an architect, before moving to Salt Lake City in 1892 with his mother Lucinda. She died and was interred there in 1892. Hutcherson was a "manufacturer's representative" in Utah for Muscatine, Iowa sash and door factory for three or four years.[8]. By 1899 Hutcherson was residing in San Francisco, working as a carpenter and contractor.[9][11] He died in San Francisco in 1918.[10]
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
Educational & Professional Associations
1886: Manufacturer's representative for "Magic Inside Blinds."[14]
1889-1890: Partner to T. M. Bell in Hutcherson & Bell, "Architects and Superintendents," York, Nebraska.[7]
1892-1895: Manufacturer's agent in Salt Lake City for Hutting Bros. Manufacturing Co. (doors & sash) of Muscatine, Iowa.[8]
1899-1918: Contractor and builder, sometimes in partnership as Price & Hutcherson (c. 1910-1914), San Francisco, California.[9][18]
Buildings & Projects
Contractor (with J. N. Shoemaker) for Opera house designed by Artemas Roberts (1884), Utica, Nebraska.[4][b]
Contractor for 2-story, brick veneer house for J. W. Barnes, designed by J. J. Kouhn (1885), Block 37 in "New York," York, Nebraska.[5]
School house (c. 1886), Sutton, Nebraska.[13]
Contractor (with Collier) for construction of York County Courthouse, designed by Gray & Placey (1886-1888), York, Nebraska.[6][c]
"The Newton" hotel (1887), Central City, Nebraska.[15][d]
"a fine $30,000 block" (1887), Sutton, Nebraska.[16][e]
Judge Bennett's new house (1887), York, Nebraska.[16][e]
Zimmerer Block (1887-1888), McCool Junction, Nebraska.[17][f]
Notes
a. Hutcherson's surname has been entered, or interpreted, in various records as Hutcherson, Hutcheson, Hutchison, and Hutchinson. John Lawrence's wife Anna is interred in California with her name literally carved in stone as Hutcherson.[2]
b. A York newspaper noted "it is quite a feather in the cap of our boys [Shoemaker and Hutcherson] to secure this contract, which was figured on by a large number of contractors, including parties from Lincoln."[4]
c. While Gray & Placey's design was selected by the York County supervisors for their courthouse, it appears that Placey alone was appointed "architect superintendent" for the project.[6] In the course of construction it appears Hutcherson was given additional day-to-day oversight responsibilities, at a stipend of $4 per day.[12]
d. The Central City Courier reported on "Our New Hotel," writing "They procured plan of a two-story brick building from J. L. Hutcherson, architect of York, Nebraska, but afterwards decided to add to it a third story..."[15]
e. The York Republican reported in 1887 "J. L. [Hutcherson] showed us the plans for a fine $30,000 block he is putting up in Sutton. He is now busy on plans for Judge Bennett's new house in York."[16]
f. The McCool Junction Record stated "Work has been commenced on the Zimmerer block. The plans for the whole block covering the burnt district are being drawn by architect Hutcherson and will appear as one building, all the fronts being uniform, and will be a much more attractive and beautiful design than the buildings destroyed."[17]
References
1. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Francis A." and "Lucinda Hutchison [sic]," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
2. FindAGrave database on-line accessed March 20, 2023 at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87841857/anna-alwilda-hutcherson
3. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Lucinda Hutcherson" and "F. A. Hutcherson," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
4. "J. N. Shoemaker and J. L. Hutcherson of this place have secured the contract for a new Opera House, at Utica," The York (Nebraska) Republican (May 7, 1884), 2.
5. "Mr. J. W. Barnes, of Plattsmouth, was in town..." The York (Nebraska) Republican (February 25, 1885), 2.
6. "Supervisors' Proceedings," The York (Nebraska) Republican (April 28, 1886), 2.
7. "Hutcherson & Bell, Architects and Superintendents, York, Neb.," advertisement in The (Fairmont) Nebraska Signal (April 25, 1889), 4; repeating requently through September 18, 1890.
8. "Personal Mention...J. L. Hutcherson and family have moved to this city from Seattle..." The Salt Lake City (Utah) Tribune (March 15, 1892), 8; notice of Lucinda Hutcherson's death, The Salt Lake City (Utah) Tribune (July 31, 1892), 7; "Irish-Americans. A Large Attendance at Their Ball Last Evening" (including J. L. Hutcherson), ''The Salt Lake City (Utah) Tribune (March 19, 1895), 5.
9. San Francisco city directories, listing John L. or J. L. Hutcherson from 1900-1917, with "Price & Hutcherson, contractors," 1910-1917. Also "Liens," John Price & J. L Hutcherson file for $50.20, The (San Francisco) Recorder (September 12, 1914), 10.
10. Ancestry.com. San Francisco Area, California, U.S., Funeral Home Records, 1850-1931, s.v. "John Lawrence Hutcherson," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
11. J. L. Hutcherson among long list of "Union Men Erect Piazza for the Homeless Tots," San Francisco Examiner (September 4, 1905), 5.
12. "The county pays Mr. Placey $1,000 to superintend the work on the court house. It pays another architect $4 per day to oversee Mr. Placey..." The York (Nebraska) Republican (September 21, 1887), 1; "The court house is being pushed to completion. The change made when J. L. Hutcherson was put on the force, was a good one," The York (Nebraska) Republican (September 28, 1887), 3.
13. "J. L. Hutcherson came in from Sutton on Tuesday." The York (Nebraska) Republican (March 16, 1887), 1.
14. "The Magic Inside Blinds. The best thing ever invented...Model at my shop...J. L. Hutcherson, Contractor and Builder," The York (Nebraska) Republican (June 8, 1887), 5.
15. "Our New Hotel," Central City (Nebraska) Courier (June 9, 1887), 5-6 (illustrated).
16. "J. L. Hutcherson, architect, has sold a fine bill of his 'Magic' inside blinds..." The York (Nebraska) Republican (August 10, 1887), 3.
17. "Work has been commenced on the Zimmerer block..." The McCool Junction (Nebraska) Record (December 16, 1887), 5.
18. "Drowned at Ballard, Wash.--A San Francisco Youth Meets Death While Swimming," San Francisco Chronicle (July 24, 1899), 5.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer & D. Murphy, “John Lawrence Hutcherson (c. 1852-1918), Architect-Builder,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, March 21, 2023 http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 22, 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.
