Shepard S. Woodcock

Shepard Sawtelle Woodcock
S. S. Woodcock, c.1897
BornOctober 6, 1824
Sidney, Maine, US
DiedMarch 2, 1910
Somerville, Massachusetts, US
OccupationArchitect
Advertisement for the firm of Woodcock & Meacham in the Boston Directory for 1862.

Shepard S. Woodcock (1824–1910)[1] was an American architect practicing in Boston, Massachusetts during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Early life and training

Shepard S. Woodcock was born on October 6, 1824, in Sidney, Maine. At the age of seventeen he went to Stow, Massachusetts to serve as an apprentice to a carpenter. After his apprenticeship ended, he moved to Boston, where he carried on the carpentry trade for more than ten years. During this period he studied architecture on his own time.[1]

Professional career

In 1854, Woodcock retired from the carpenter's trade and opened an architect's office in Boston.[2] In 1857 he was joined by George F. Meacham,[3] and they had formed a partnership by 1858.[4] The firm of Woodcock & Meacham was dissolved in 1864, when Meacham opened his own office.[5] Woodcock practiced independently for the remainder of his career. By 1888 his reputation was such that he was called as an expert witness in an inquiry into the construction of the High Service Pumping Station at Chestnut Hill.[6] At this time he estimated that he had designed at least 140 churches.[6] Indeed, the bulk of his identifiable projects are churches for Protestant denominations, though he was also responsible for town halls, libraries, schools, office and mercantile buildings, banks, private residences and monuments.

Woodcock was admitted to the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association in 1857, and was an active member of the organization until his death.[1] He was elected to fellowship in the Boston Society of Architects in 1867, which became affiliated with the American Institute of Architects in 1870. He resigned from the organization in 1877.[7]

Personal life

Woodcock was first married to Adeline Ryder, who died in 1850 at the age of 21.[8] In the following year he married Julia Ann Swett,[9] born in 1828 in Wales, Maine. They had at least seven children together, and she died in 1885.[10] At his death he was survived by three daughters.[1]

During the early phase of his career, Woodcock was a resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts.[3] In the early 1860s he relocated to Somerville,[11] where he remained until his death.[1]

In addition to his professional affiliations, Woodcock was also a member of several Masonic and social organizations.[1]

Legacy

In addition to Meacham, other notable architects who worked in Woodcock's office include Alfred Stone (1855),[12] John C. Cochrane (1862-1863) and Alberto F. Haynes (1871-1877 and 1883–1884).

At least eight of his works are individually listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

Year Project Address City State Notes Image Reference
1854 Houses 20-22 Union Park St Boston Massachusetts [13]
1855 New Jerusalem Church 19 Centre Ave Abington Massachusetts Demolished. [14]
1856 Mercantile building for Parker Fowle & Sons 350 Washington St Boston Massachusetts Destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872. [15]
1857 House for Clark Swallow 132 Whitman St East Bridgewater Massachusetts [16]
1857 Rockingham Bank Building 15 Pleasant St Portsmouth New Hampshire [17]
1858 Remodeling of the South Church of Portsmouth 292 State St Portsmouth New Hampshire NRHP-listed. [18]
1859 Williams School 180 Walnut St Chelsea Massachusetts Designed while in partnership with George F. Meacham. Destroyed in the Great Chelsea fire of 1908. [19][20]
1860 Tremont Street Methodist Church (former) 720 Tremont St Boston Massachusetts Designed while in partnership with George F. Meacham. Hammatt Billings was consulting architect, and to him the exterior design is attributed. [21]
1864 Ladd and Whitney Monument Monument Square Lowell Massachusetts Designed while in partnership with George F. Meacham. [22]
1864 Perry House 11 Touro St Newport Rhode Island Designed while in partnership with George F. Meacham. Demolished. [23]
1864[24] Bank of Cape Ann Building 154 Main St Gloucester Massachusetts Designed while in partnership with George F. Meacham. Later the Cape Ann National Bank. Demolished. [25]
1865 E Street Church 309 E St Boston Massachusetts Later known as Dahlgren Hall after the congregation dissolved. The building has been largely demolished, but the lower level remains as part of the building now on the site. [26]
1865 State Street Baptist Church 171 State St Springfield Massachusetts Demolished in 1927. [27]
1866 First Baptist Church of Cambridge 5 Magazine St Cambridge Massachusetts Burned in 1881. [28][29]
1866 Lincoln School 40 College Ave Somerville Massachusetts Demolished. [30]
1866 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Building 1341 Main St Springfield Massachusetts Demolished. [27]
1866 Remodeling of the North Avenue Congregational Church (former) 1801 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge Massachusetts After the church was relocated, Woodcock was responsible for the addition of transepts. NRHP-listed. [13]
1866 Soldiers' Monument Natick Common Natick Massachusetts [13]
1866 Unitarian Church of Winchendon 126 Central St Winchendon Massachusetts [31]
1866 Warren Avenue Baptist Church 173 W Canton St Boston Massachusetts The church was the base of Thomas W. Piper, a serial killer. Woodcock was called as a witness during Piper's trial in 1876.[32] Demolished in 1968.[33] [34]
1867 First Orthodox Congregational Church of Somerville 21 Franklin St Somerville Massachusetts Woodcock was a member of this church for much of his adult life. Demolished. [35]
1867 Lodge Mausoleum,
Mount Auburn Cemetery		 580 Mount Auburn St Cambridge Massachusetts Built by Anna Cabot Lodge as the resting place of her family, including her son Henry Cabot Lodge. [36]
1867 Prescott School 75 Myrtle St Somerville Massachusetts Demolished. [37]
1867 Unitarian Church of Ellsworth 216 Main St Ellsworth Maine Demolished. [38]
1868 Brookfield Town Hall 6 Central St Brookfield Massachusetts Demolished. [39]
1868 Carter School 10 Forsyth St Chelsea Massachusetts Demolished. [40]
1868 First Baptist Church of Scituate 656 Country Way Scituate Massachusetts NRHP-listed. [41]
1868 Grace Methodist Church 34 Court St Keene New Hampshire NRHP-listed.[42] [43]
1869 First Baptist Church of Lebanon 11 School St Lebanon New Hampshire Burned in 2016. [44]
1869 Wesleyan Methodist Church of St. Stephen 70 King St St. Stephen New Brunswick Later the Kirk McColl United Church. Burned. [45]
1870 Central Fire Station Highland Ave and Walnut St Somerville Massachusetts Demolished. [46]
1870 First Church in Malden 184 Pleasant St Malden Massachusetts Demolished [47]
1870 Marlborough Town Hall 140 Main St Marlborough Massachusetts Burned in 1902. [48]
1870 Methodist Church of Westford 10 Church St Graniteville Massachusetts NRHP-listed as part of the Graniteville Historic District.[42] [49]
1871 Edgerly School 33 Cross St Somerville Massachusetts Demolished. [50]
1872 Christ Episcopal Church (former) 10 Henry St Port Henry New York [51]
1872 First Congregational Church of Litchfield 21 Torrington Rd Litchfield Connecticut Demolished in 1929. [52]
1872 Grace Episcopal Church 104 N Washington St North Attleborough Massachusetts Burned in 1929. [53]
1872 Holbrook Town Hall 50 N Franklin St Holbrook Massachusetts Burned in 1878. [54]
1872 Houses for Adoniram Burrell 47-53 M St Boston Massachusetts [55]
1872 Hudson Town Hall 78 Main St Hudson Massachusetts [56]
1872 Remodeling of the Kirk Street Congregational Church Kirk and French Sts Lowell Massachusetts Replacement of the facade and interior renovation. Demolished. [57]
1872 Trinity Episcopal Church 47 East St Wrentham Massachusetts [58]
1873 First Baptist Church of Keene Court and Vernon Sts Keene New Hampshire Demolished. [59]
1873 Masonic Building 117 Merrimack St Haverhill Massachusetts [60]
1873 North Bennington Congregational Church 8 Bank St North Bennington Vermont [61]
1874 Clark's Block 1-23 Main St Natick Massachusetts [62]
1874 Bell School Vinal Ave and Summer St Somerville Massachusetts Demolished. [63]
1874 Eliot Church 273 Summer St Lowell Massachusetts [64]
1874 Masonic Block 24 Main St Natick Massachusetts [65]
1875 First Congregational Church of Natick 2 E Central St Natick Massachusetts [62]
1875 Howard Seminary 70 Howard St West Bridgewater Massachusetts Burned in 1949. [2]
1876 House for Frederick Ayer 357 Pawtucket St Lowell Massachusetts Later the Franco-American School. [66]
1876 Keene High School (former) Winter and Middle Sts Keene New Hampshire Demolished. [43]
1877 Franklin School 363 Broad St Weymouth Massachusetts Demolished. [67]
1879 Livery stable for Alfred Papineau 180 Green St Jamaica Plain Massachusetts [68]
1879 The Tabernacle 80 Trinity Park Oak Bluffs Massachusetts [69]
1880 Mercantile building for A. P. Morse and H. B. Taylor 215-237 Franklin St Boston Massachusetts Demolished. [70]
1881 Hunt School 45 Broad St Weymouth Massachusetts Demolished. [67]
1881 Shedd Free Library 47 N Main St Washington New Hampshire [71]
1883 Sanborn Seminary (former) 178 Main St Kingston New Hampshire NRHP-listed.[42] [72][43]
1885 Hebronville School (former) Knight Ave and Webber St Attleboro Massachusetts Demolished. [73]
1885 South Attleboro School (former) 437 Newport Ave Attleboro Massachusetts [73]
1885 St. Philip Episcopal Church 65 Union St Easthampton Massachusetts Demolished. [74]
1887 House for Dominick A. Hart 45 Hunt St Weymouth Massachusetts [75]
1887 Washington School (former) 8 School St Weymouth Massachusetts NRHP-listed.[42] [76]
1888 House for George F. Eames 57 Mount Vernon St West Roxbury Massachusetts [77]
1888 House for James P. Fairchild 41 Maple St Stoneham Massachusetts Identical to the house for Henry A. Hill. [77][78]
1888 House for Henry A. Hill 3 Cedar Ave Stoneham Massachusetts Identical to the house for James P. Fairchild. [77][79]
1888 Rice Public Library 8 Wentworth St Kittery Maine NRHP-listed.[42] [38]
1888 School Street School (former) 100 Webster St Whitman Massachusetts Later known as the Hunt School. Burned in 1983. [80]
1889 Addition to building for the Reversible Collar Company 12-14 Arrow St Cambridge Massachusetts Addition of the wing along Arrow Street. NRHP-listed.[42] [81]
1889 Central Baptist Church 3 Nickerson Ave Middleborough Massachusetts Demolished in 1963. [82]
1889 Jefferson School (former) 200 Middle St Weymouth Massachusetts NRHP-listed.[42] Also a contributing property to the Central Square Historic District. [83]
1890 Memorial Hall 1027 Washington St Abington Massachusetts [84]
1890 Tufts Library (former) 60 Washington St Weymouth Massachusetts Demolished. [85]
1891 Horace Mann High School (former) 150 Emmons St Franklin Massachusetts Demolished in 2016. [86]
1892 House for Julius W. Tilson 187 Summer St Malden Massachusetts [87]
1892 House for Walter H. Wright 54 Vinal Ave Somerville Massachusetts NRHP-listed. [87]
1893 House for Frank H. Chamberlain 25 Pleasant St Hudson Massachusetts [56]
1895 House for William H. Wentworth 121 Raymond St Cambridge Massachusetts [88]
1896 House for Henry E. Wright 31 Pearl St Somerville Massachusetts [89]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Shepard S. Woodcock," Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association: Proceedings of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Annual Meeting, January 18, 1911, Including Biographical Sketches of Members Deceased During the Year 1910 (Boston: C. M. Barrows Company, 1911): 46-47.
  2. ^ a b "S. S. Woodcock," Boston and Bostonians (New York: American Publishing and Engraving Company, 1894): 195.
  3. ^ a b Boston Directory for the Year 1857 (Boston: George Adams, 1857)
  4. ^ Boston Directory for the Year 1858 (Boston: Adams, Sampson & Company, 1857)
  5. ^ Boston Post, November 23, 1864, 1.
  6. ^ a b "Report of Committee on an Investigation of the Freestone Work at the Chestnut-Hill Pumping Station," Documents of the City of Boston for the Year 1888, vol. 3 (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1889)
  7. ^ H. Langford Warren, "Annual Report of the Boston Chamber A. I. A.," Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Convention of the American Institute of Architects, ed. Alfred Stone (Chicago: Inland Architect Press, 1893): 49-57.
  8. ^ "Deaths," Boston Atlas, April 22, 1850, 1.
  9. ^ "Marriages," Boston Atlas, October 9, 1851, 2.
  10. ^ "Deaths," Boston Daily Globe, July 24, 1885, 13.
  11. ^ Somerville, Past and Present: An Illustrated Historical Souvenir, ed. Edward A. Samuels and Henry H. Kimball (Boston: Samuels and Kimball, 1897)
  12. ^ Jean A. Follett, "The Hotel Pelham: A New Building Type for America," American Art Journal 15, no. 4 (Autumn 1983): 58-73.
  13. ^ a b c Keith N. Morgan, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston (Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia Press, 2009)
  14. ^ "New Church at Abington, Mass.," New Jerusalem Magazine 29, no. 4 (October 1856): 216.
  15. ^ "Iron Building, Washington St.," Ballou's Pictorial Drawing Room Companion (July 19, 1856)
  16. ^ "EBR.86", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  17. ^ Richard M. Candee, Building Portsmouth: The Neighborhoods and Architecture of New Hampshire's Oldest City (Portsmouth, NH: Portsmouth Advocates, 1992): 100.
  18. ^ Richard M. Candee, Building Portsmouth: The Neighborhoods and Architecture of New Hampshire's Oldest City (Portsmouth, NH: Portsmouth Advocates, 1992): 83.
  19. ^ The Annual Report of the School Committee of the City of Chelsea, for 1859 (Chelsea, MA: 1860)
  20. ^ City of Chelsea: Mayor's Address; Elective Officers for 1861; Fourth Financial Report, for the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1860 (Chelsea, MA: Telegraph and Pioneer Press, 1861)
  21. ^ James F. O'Gorman, "H. and J. E. Billings of Boston: From Classicism to the Picturesque," Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 42, no. 1 (March 1983): 54-73.
  22. ^ Frederick W. Coburn, History of Lowell and Its People, vol. 1 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1920)
  23. ^ James L. Yarnall, Newport Through its Architecture (Hanover, NH and London: University Press of New England, 2005)
  24. ^ Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts, ed. Benjamin F. Arrington, vol. 2 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922): 609.
  25. ^ James F. O'Gorman, This Other Gloucester: Occasional Papers on the Arts of Cape Ann, Massachusetts (Boston: Thomas Todd Company, 1976)
  26. ^ "Church Dedication," Boston Daily Advertiser, December 28, 1865, 1.
  27. ^ a b Springfield City Directory and Business Advertiser, for 1867-68 (Springfield, MA: Samuel Bowles & Company, 1867): 30.
  28. ^ "Laying the Corner Stone of a New Church," Cambridge (MA) Chronicle, September 1, 1866, 2.
  29. ^ "The New Church Edifice of the First Baptist Society imn Cambridgeport," Cambridge (MA) Chronicle, January 25, 1868, 1.
  30. ^ Reports of the School Committee, Selectmen, Treasurer, and Collector of Taxes, of the Town of Somerville, for the Year Ending March 1, 1867 (Boston: Amos B. Morss, 1867)
  31. ^ "Winchendon Unitarian Church", http://www.davidjrusso.com/, Architecture of Charles Brigham, n. d.
  32. ^ The Official Report of the Trial of Thomas W. Piper for the Murder of Mabel H. Young, in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (Boston: Wright & Potter, 1887)
  33. ^ Anthony Mitchell Sammarco, Boston's South End (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2005): 51.
  34. ^ "Baldwin Place Church, Boston," Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, June 23, 1866, 213.
  35. ^ "Rev. Lucius R. Eastman Jr., "Somerville and its Churches," Congregational Quarterly 10, no. 3 (July 1868): 241-244.
  36. ^ "WAT.923", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  37. ^ Reports of the Town Officers of Somerville, for the Year 1867 (Boston: W. F. Brown & Company, 1867)
  38. ^ a b Rice Public Library NRHP Registration Form (1979)
  39. ^ "New Town Hall in Brookfield," Boston Daily Advertiser, December 24, 1868, 1.
  40. ^ "Chelsea," Boston Daily Advertiser, December 17, 1868, 1.
  41. ^ First Baptist Church of Scituate NRHP Registration Form (2015)
  42. ^ a b c d e f g "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  43. ^ a b c Grace United Methodist Church NRHP Registration Form (1985)
  44. ^ "Lebanon Baptist Church", https://lebanonnhhistory.org/, Lebanon Historical Society, n. d.
  45. ^ "Woodcock, Shepard S.", http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/, Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, n. d.
  46. ^ Reports of the Town Officers of Somerville, for the Year 1870 (Boston: W. F. Brown & Company, 1870)
  47. ^ "Religious Intelligence," Congregationalist (Boston), May 26, 1870, 4.
  48. ^ "Business in the East," Architectural Review and American Builders Journal 2, no. 2 (May 1870): 674.
  49. ^ Graniteville Historic District NRHP Registration Form (2002) (available at "NR" link from here)
  50. ^ Anthony Mitchell Sammarco, Somerville (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 1997): 77.
  51. ^ "Stunning 19th Century Episcopal Church", https://circaoldhouses.com/, Circa Old Houses, September 20, 2020.
  52. ^ Litchfield (CT) Enquirer, February 1, 1872.
  53. ^ Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1872)
  54. ^ "Late New England News," Boston Daily Advertiser, July 20, 1872, 1.
  55. ^ "BOS.7061", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  56. ^ a b Charles Hudson, Abstract of the History of Hudson, Mass. (Boston: T. R. Marvin & Son, 1877)
  57. ^ "Improvement on Kirk Street Church," Lowell (MA) Daily Citizen, August 21, 1872, 2.
  58. ^ "WRE.37", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  59. ^ "Cheshire County," (Windsor) Vermont Journal, February 22, 1873, 5.
  60. ^ Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1873)
  61. ^ Rutland (VT) Daily Globe, August 29, 1873, 3.
  62. ^ a b "Natick," Boston Daily Globe, April 16, 1875, 8.
  63. ^ Anthony Mitchell Sammarco, Somerville (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 1997): 78.
  64. ^ The Semi-centennial Volume of the Eliot Church, Lowell, Mass., ed. Rev. John M. Greene (Lowell, MA: Vox Populi Press, 1881)
  65. ^ Daniel Sterner, "Masonic Block, Natick (1874)", http://mass.historicbuildingsct.com/, Historic Buildings of Massachusetts, August 30, 2010.
  66. ^ "House for F. Ayer, Esq., Lowell, Mass.," American Architect and Building News 1 (June 24, 1876): 205.)
  67. ^ a b History of Weymouth, Massachusetts, vol. 2 (Weymouth, MA: Weymouth Historical Society, 1923)
  68. ^ Jamaica Plain: Zoning Committee Resource Notebook (Boston: Boston Redevelopment Authority, 1988)
  69. ^ Ellen B. Weiss, City in the Woods: The Life and Design of an American Camp Meeting on Martha's Vineyard (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987)
  70. ^ American Architect and Building News 7, no. 224 (April 10, 1880): 159.
  71. ^ "Shedd Free Library", https://www.washingtonnh.org/, Town of Washington, n. d.
  72. ^ Sanborn Seminary NRHP Registration Form (1984)
  73. ^ a b Annual Reports of the Selectmen, Assessors, Overseers of the Poor, Treasurer and Collectors, School Committee, Superintendent of Schools and Other Officers of the Town of Attleborough (Attleboro, MA: Perry, Barnes & Company, 1886)
  74. ^ "Massachusetts," Churchman (December 5, 1885): 620.
  75. ^ Weymouth (MA) Gazette, October 25, 1887.
  76. ^ Washington School NRHP Registration Form (1986)
  77. ^ a b c American Architect and Building News 24, no. 658 (August 4, 1888): xvi.
  78. ^ "STN.176", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  79. ^ "STN.164", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  80. ^ "WHI.4", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  81. ^ Reversible Collar Company Building NRHP Registration Form (1985)
  82. ^ Building 10, no. 10 (March 16, 1889): 2.
  83. ^ Jefferson School NRHP Registration Form (1981)
  84. ^ "ABI.98", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.
  85. ^ "Weymouth (Mass.) P. L.," Library Journal 15, no. 10 (October 1890): 315.
  86. ^ Thirty-fifth Annual Report of the Officers of the Town of Franklin, for the Fiscal Year Ending Jan. 31, 1893 (Franklin, MA: Sentinel Publishing Company, 1893)
  87. ^ a b American Architect and Building News 35, no. 840 (January 30, 1892): xix.
  88. ^ American Architect and Building News 40, no. 901 (April 1, 1893): 5.
  89. ^ "SMV.304", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d.