Henry T. Brush
Encyclopedia
Henry T. Brush was an American architect who practiced in Detroit, Michigan
in the latter part of the 19th century. Brush was born in Detroit, Michigan the son of Amanda Brush. Henry's father was from Canada and died by the time he was 11. Amanda remarried William Cicero Grant who was instrumental in the early education of Henry and his older brother James. William was a Mathematical Instrument Maker
.
/draughtsman
in Detroit. In 1872 Henry obtained a job at
the Detroit architect office of J.V. Smith & Co. The next year he moved to the firm of Porter & Watkins for a short time before he and Hugh Smith formed their own company. In the second half of 1875 Hugh and Henry split and formed separate firms. George D. Mason
originally started his architectural career with Smith’s new firm in an effort to learn to design cornices from him, but that only lasted a summer. By fall, Mason had moved to Henry’s firm as he thought opportunities were better there. Henry’s firm must have initially struggled, either from the split with Smith, or the ongoing economic depression, seeing that Mason worked for nine months there without pay. In 1878 Mason left Henry's firm. That same year Henry formed a new partnership with John M. Donaldson
. Brush and Donaldson remained partners until Henry's death in 1879.
During the late 1870s Henry suffered from chronic bouts of depression due to the loss of his first wife Jeanie and business failures due to the economic upheavals in the country resulting from the Panic of 1873
. On July 15, 1879 at about 2 O'clock in the afternoon, after lunch with his family, he proceed up to his workroom in his house on 157 Wayne Street in downtown Detroit. A while later his wife checked on him and he seemed fine consulting some books and working on some drawings. Upon her leaving, Henry removed two revolvers from the desk drawer and slowly positioned himself on the floor of his workroom. He placed the two revolvers in his mouth, one belonging to himself and one to Charlotte's father, and discharged them both simultaneously.
Charlotte married Henry's last business partner John M. Donaldson
in 1882 and the two raised Fredrick as well as two children of their own, Alexander and Bruce. Annie Frances, the daughter from Henry's first marriage to Jeanie Flora Campbell was raised by the Campbell family in Orchard Lake
, Michigan
.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in the latter part of the 19th century. Brush was born in Detroit, Michigan the son of Amanda Brush. Henry's father was from Canada and died by the time he was 11. Amanda remarried William Cicero Grant who was instrumental in the early education of Henry and his older brother James. William was a Mathematical Instrument Maker
Scientific instrument
A scientific instrument can be any type of equipment, machine, apparatus or device as is specifically designed, constructed and often, through trial and error, ingeniously refined to apply utmost efficiency in the utilization of well proven physical principle, relationship or technology to...
.
Education and career
Henry started working in 1868 at the age of 18 as an architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
/draughtsman
Draughtsman
A draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
in Detroit. In 1872 Henry obtained a job at
the Detroit architect office of J.V. Smith & Co. The next year he moved to the firm of Porter & Watkins for a short time before he and Hugh Smith formed their own company. In the second half of 1875 Hugh and Henry split and formed separate firms. George D. Mason
George D. Mason
George DeWitt Mason was an American architect who practiced in Detroit, Michigan in the latter part of the 19th and early decades of the 20th centuries.Mason was born in Syracuse, New York , the son of James H. and Zelda E. Mason...
originally started his architectural career with Smith’s new firm in an effort to learn to design cornices from him, but that only lasted a summer. By fall, Mason had moved to Henry’s firm as he thought opportunities were better there. Henry’s firm must have initially struggled, either from the split with Smith, or the ongoing economic depression, seeing that Mason worked for nine months there without pay. In 1878 Mason left Henry's firm. That same year Henry formed a new partnership with John M. Donaldson
John M. Donaldson
John M. Donaldson was an American architect and artist born on January 17, 1854, in Stirling, Scotland. Donaldson was principal designer of the successful Detroit-based architectural firm Donaldson and Meier from 1880 onwards.-Early years:...
. Brush and Donaldson remained partners until Henry's death in 1879.
Family Life and Death
In 1872 Henry married Jeanie Flora Campbell. In 1874 their first and only child Annie Frances was born. Jeanie soon succumbed to complications of the birth dying on September 18. In 1876 Henry married Charlotte M. Grosvernor. The next year their first and only child Frederick F. Brush was born.During the late 1870s Henry suffered from chronic bouts of depression due to the loss of his first wife Jeanie and business failures due to the economic upheavals in the country resulting from the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
. On July 15, 1879 at about 2 O'clock in the afternoon, after lunch with his family, he proceed up to his workroom in his house on 157 Wayne Street in downtown Detroit. A while later his wife checked on him and he seemed fine consulting some books and working on some drawings. Upon her leaving, Henry removed two revolvers from the desk drawer and slowly positioned himself on the floor of his workroom. He placed the two revolvers in his mouth, one belonging to himself and one to Charlotte's father, and discharged them both simultaneously.
Charlotte married Henry's last business partner John M. Donaldson
John M. Donaldson
John M. Donaldson was an American architect and artist born on January 17, 1854, in Stirling, Scotland. Donaldson was principal designer of the successful Detroit-based architectural firm Donaldson and Meier from 1880 onwards.-Early years:...
in 1882 and the two raised Fredrick as well as two children of their own, Alexander and Bruce. Annie Frances, the daughter from Henry's first marriage to Jeanie Flora Campbell was raised by the Campbell family in Orchard Lake
Orchard Lake
Orchard Lake is a medium-sized inland lake, 795 acres . It has a 110 feet maximum depth and is in the city of Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County, in Michigan, USA. It is the second-largest lake in Oakland County after Cass Lake....
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Selected commissions
- Methodist Church of Canada, located on East Park near Queen, Chatham, Ont., Canada (1873)
- Orchard Lake Chapel, Orchard Lake, Michigan (1874, still in use)
- Central Hall, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan (with Hugh Smith)
- http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.63alfred.com/Detroit%2520Public%2520Library%2520(Original)small%2520web.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.63alfred.com/brushstructures.htm&usg=__kiJiV9Ubp1pTWuzr9BX8Z2J8KMc=&h=230&w=300&sz=26&hl=en&start=12&zoom=1&tbnid=ulahI4kMjqcd3M:&tbnh=149&tbnw=204&prev=/images%3Fq%3DDETROIT%2Bpublic%2Blibrary%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Den%26prmdo%3D1%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D632%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=745&vpy=231&dur=745&hovh=184&hovw=240&tx=108&ty=110&ei=zbDsTJCnCYG-sQPByqCHBw&oei=nrDsTLCQH4vKnAexnsi_AQ&esq=23&page=2&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:12Detroit Public Library], Detroit (with Hugh Smith) (1875–1877), Destroyed, Replaced by Downtown Library in 1932.
- Williamston School House, Williamston, Michigan (with Hugh Smith), (1875), Burned 1887.
- Ransom Gillis HouseRansom Gillis HouseThe Ransom Gillis House is an abandoned ruin located at 205 Alfred Street in Detroit, Michigan. It was "mothballed" by the City of Detroit in 2005/2006 in hopes of restoration in the future. The structure has been unoccupied since the mid-1960's.- History :...
(with George D. MasonGeorge D. MasonGeorge DeWitt Mason was an American architect who practiced in Detroit, Michigan in the latter part of the 19th and early decades of the 20th centuries.Mason was born in Syracuse, New York , the son of James H. and Zelda E. Mason...
) (1876 or 1878), Abandoned Ruin 2010. - Clement Lafferty House, West Fort Street between 12th and 13th streets, Detroit (1876), Destroyed.
- George O. Robinson House, Corner of Cass Avenue and Ledyard, Detroit (with Hugh Smith) (1876), Torn down during WWII.
- David Ward House, West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, Torn Down
- Ypsilanti High School, Ypsilanti, Michigan
- Twenty-first Street Public School, Detroit, Michigan (1874)
- Seventh-Day Adventists' Tabernacle, Battle Creek, Michigan
- Woman's Hospital and Foundlings' Home, Detroit (1876)
- Public School Windsor, Ont., Canada
- Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, at Antoine and Congress Streets, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of Hon. T. W. Palmer, corner of Woodward and Fransworth (Interior Alterations), Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of L.L. Farnsworth, corner of Woodward and Frederick, Detroit, Michigan (1876)
- Residence of A.H. West, Petite Cote, Ont., Canada
- Residence of W.H. Burk, Petite Cote, Ont., Canada
- Residence of Hon. Henry Heames, corner for Fort and 22nd, Detroit, Michigan (1874)
- Residence of Mrs. Caroline Eaton, Woodward opposite Frederick St., Detroit, Michigan (1872)
- Residence of E.G. Allan, High St. between Woodard and John R, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of A.H. Muir, Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of J.J. Berger, corner of Russell and Congress Streets, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of S.B. Dixon, Forest Avenue, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of C.C. Hickey, Warren Avenue, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of Wm. McGrath, corner of Cass and Forest Avenues, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of Wm. J. Fowler, on Cass Ave, Detroit, Michigan
- Residence of Mrs. Willson, at the corner of High and Clifford Streets, Detroit, Michigan
- Public School building, at Franklin, Pennsylvania
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