George W. Sprague (1850-1944), Builder-Architect
dba: G. W. Sprague, George W. Sprague & Sons
George W. Sprague was born in Wisconsin in 1850 to Willett Sprague, a carpenter, and his wife Elizabeth. George advertised as a contractor and builder in York, Nebraska as early as 1878. In 1881 he married Jennie Bishop, also a native of Wisconsin and resident of York, and they had three daughters and three sons by 1900. He was an active builder in York in the late 1870s and 1880s and advertised "Drafts and Specifications Furnished to Order." He briefly advertised his practice as "Architect, Contractor and Builder" in 1888, offering to "make plans and specifications for all kinds of buildings," but instances of him working as a designer have not been documented. Around 1890 the family moved to Omaha, where Sprague worked as a builder, including a stint as "George W. Sprague & Sons" in the 1910s. Sprague died in Omaha in 1944 at age 94 and was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Omaha.[1][2][3][4][5][9][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
[hide]Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
Omaha, Nebraska, 1892-1944
Educational & Professional Associations
1878: Builders G. W. Sprague and H. J. Johnson dissolved their partnership "in the building business."[4]
1888: Advertised as "Exclusive Agent for Beattie Building Stone," York, Nebraska.[5]
1915-1919: G. W. Sprague and sons Edward H. and Jonathan J. operate as G. W. Sprague & Company, builders.[12]
Buildings & Projects
"three new houses" (1878), "on Platt avenue," York, Nebraska.[6]
Brick school house (1879), "on the old site," York, Nebraska.[7]
"contract...for extra work on [York County] court house tower" (1887), York, Nebraska.[8]
"$45,000 Catholic cathedral" (1915), Imogene, Iowa.[12]
Notes
References
1. Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, s.v. “George W. Sprague,” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
2. "George Sprague. Retired Omaha Contractor, the Father of Mrs. Charles R. Tyner," Kansas City (Missouri) Times (August 21, 1944).
3. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census, s.v. "George Sprague," [database on-line). Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009; Ancestry.com. Nebraska, State Census Collection, 1860-1885, s. v. “G. W. Sprague” in York in 1885 census, [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
4. Advertisements for "G. W. Sprague, Contractor and Builder" and "H. J. Johnson, Contractor and Builder," and notice of dissolution of Sprague and Johnson partnership, all The York (Nebraska) Republican (May 29, 1878), 3.
5. "George W. Sprague, Architect, Contractor and Builder," advertisement in The York (Nebraska) Republican (June 20, 1888), 3.
6. "G. W. Sprague's thee new houses on Platt avenue are enclosed...," The York (Nebraska) Republican (November 6, 1878), 3.
7. "The school board have let the contract fro building the new school house...," The York (Nebraska) Republican (July 30, 1879), 3.
8. "Building committee filed contract of G. W. Sprague...," The York (Nebraska) Republican (October 19, 1887), 2.
9. Ancestry.com. Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908, s. v. “G. W. Sprague,” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.
10. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census, s.v. "George W. Sprague, [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004; Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census, s.v. "George W. Sprague, [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
11. Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, s.v. “George W. Sprague,” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
12. “Omaha Firm Gets Contract," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (June 26, 1915), 3.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer & D. Murphy, “George W. Sprague (1850-1944), Builder-Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, April 8, 2023 http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, April 10, 2025.
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