John D. Towle

John D. Towle
Born	Newtonville, Massachusetts
Died	1887 Kansas City, Missouri
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Architect
Buildings	Shawmut Congregational Church, Newton High School, College Street Congregational Church, William G. Fargo House

Spire, North Church, Portsmouth, 1852.

First Congregational Church, Harwich, 1854.

College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, 1863.

William G. Fargo House, Buffalo, 1868.

John D. Towle (d. 1887) was an American architect.

Life

Towle's early life and training are unknown, but he was a native of Newtonville, Massachusetts. Otherwise, he first turns up in Albany, New York in 1839, when his son, James Augustus Towle, was born. He was married to Cordelia Shields of Brownville, New York.^[1] In 1843 he opened an office for the practice of architecture in Boston, Massachusetts.^[2]

For most of his life he made his home in Newton. In 1849 he partnered with Albert F. Bellows, an artist who had trained as an architect. The firm of Towle & Bellows dissolved in 1850, when Bellows turned back to painting.^[3] He remained in private practice until 1852 when he took Francis Foster, a surveyor, as partner. The firm of Towle & Foster was Towle's most productive partnership. In 1855 the two split, and Towle returned to private practice.^[4] In about 1867 Towle had taken his son, J. Edward Towle, into the firm of J. D. Towle & Son. After 1871 he once again practiced alone. In the late 1870s he relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, where he died in 1887.^[5] Towle was a member of the Missouri (now Kansas City) chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

He became noted during the 1850s for his designs of Italianate-style churches, which he built all across New England.

Legacy

Architects Alfred Stone^[6] and Samuel J. F. Thayer^[7] trained in Towle's office.

Works

J. D. Towle, 1843-1852

• 1851 - Winnisimmet (First) Congregational Church, 163 Chestnut St, Chelsea, Massachusetts^[8]
  • Demolished.

Towle & Foster, 1852-1855

• 1852 - Central Congregational Church, 183 French St, Bangor, Maine^[9]
  • Demolished in 1902.
• 1852 - North Church, 2 Congress St, Portsmouth, New Hampshire^[9]
• 1852 - Shawmut Congregational Church, 397 Shawmut Ave, Boston, Massachusetts^[10]
  • Demolished. Towle designed houses for the church on each side of the building, and 401 Shawmut still stands.
• 1853 - Bangor Unitarian Church, 126 Union St, Bangor, Maine^[9]
• 1853 - Winthrop Street Fire Station, 34 Winthrop St, Charlestown, Massachusetts^[11]
  • Altered boyond recognition.
• 1854 - First Congregational Church (Remodeling), 697 Main St, Harwich, Massachusetts^[12]
• 1854 - Hammond Street Congregational Church, 28 High St, Bangor, Maine^[9]
• 1854 - South Congregational Church, 1101 Main St, Campello, Massachusetts^[13]
  • Demolished.
• 1855 - Thompson Congregational Church, 347 Thompson Rd, Thompson, Connecticut^[14]'

J. D. Towle, 1855-1867

• 1856 - Caledonia County Courthouse, 1126 Main St, St. Johnsbury, Vermont^[15]
• 1859 - Myron P. Bush House, 762 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, New York^[16]
  • Demolished in 1903.
• 1859 - Newton High School, Walnut St & Elm Rd, Newtonville, Massachusetts
  • Remodeled in 1875 by George F. Meacham, demolished in 1896.^[17]
• 1863 - College Street Congregational Church, 265 College St, Burlington, Vermont^[18]

J. D. Towle & Son, 1867-1871

• 1868 - William G. Fargo House, Fargo Ave & Jersey St, Buffalo, New York^[16]
  • Demolished in 1900.
• Unknown - George Howard House, 800 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, New York^[16]
  • Demolished in 1916.

References

1. Decennial Record of the Class of 1896, Yale College. 1907.
2. Hammond Street Congregational Church NRHP Nomination. 1982.
3. Collection of American water colors & drawings, Volume 1
4. John D. Towle at the archINFORM database.
5. Inland Architect and News Record Jan. 1888: 107.
6. Proceedings of the Rhode Island Historical Society, 1905-1906. Providence: Standard Printing Co., 1906.
7. American Architect and Building News 4 March 1893: 130.
8. "Ventilation of Churches". Congregational Quarterly Oct. 1859: 369.
9. Shivell, Kirk. The Steeples of Old New England. Lighthouse Point (FL): Lighthouse Press, 1998.
10. Bacon, Mardges. "An Historic District Discovered: The Enduring Colonial Image of Newbury, Massachusetts". Old-Time New England Winter-Spring 1976.
11. City Treasurer's Annual Report of the Receipts, Expenditures, &c. of the City of Charlestown for the Financial Year, Ending February 28, 1853. Charlestown (MA): Caleb Rand, 1853.
12. "Harwich First Congregational Church" mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Web.
13. Kingman, Bradford. "Congregational Church, Campello, Mass." Congregational Quarterly April 1865: 183.
14. Baker, Zephaniah. The Cottage Builder's Manual. Worcester (MA): Zephaniah Baker & Co., 1856.
15. Pearl, Peggy. A Brief History of St. Johnsbury. 2009.
16. Buffalo Historical Society. The Picture Book of Earlier Buffalo. Buffalo (NY): Buffalo Historical Society, 1912.
17. Fleishman, Thelma. Images of America: Newton. Charleston: Arcadia, 1999.
18. "The College Street Church, Burlington, VT". Congregational Quarterly July 1866: 277.