![Mercer County Courthouse Pennsylvania 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Mercer_County_Courthouse_Pennsylvania_2010.jpg)
Charles Henry Owsley (1846–1935) was an English-born American
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
in practice in
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
, from 1872 until 1912.
Life and career
Charles Henry Owsley was born December 15, 1846, at Blaston Hall in
Blaston
Blaston is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It is a small parish with a population of 54 according to the 2001 census. As the population had remained less than 100 details from the 2011 census are inclu ...
,
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
to William Poyntz Mason Owsley and Henrietta Jane (Farrer) Owsley. He was educated at
Allesley Park College, a boys' school, in
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its ...
, and at the age of 16 intended to pursue a career in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. Owsley had difficulties on a trial voyage and deserted when the ship docked in a Welsh port. His father then arranged for Owsley, then aged 18, to be apprenticed to James Hoskins, an
Abergavenny
Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...
contractor and builder. Owsley later claimed to have worked on projects designed by
Matthew Digby Wyatt
Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (28 July 1820 – 21 May 1877) was a British architect and art historian who became Secretary of the Great Exhibition, Surveyor of the East India Company and the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Ca ...
and
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...
during his apprenticeship. He completed his apprenticeship in January of 1868. Following his marriage and the death of his father in the same year, Owsley and two of his brothers immigrated to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, initially settling in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. In 1869 he moved to Ohio, purchasing land in
Weathersfield Township in
Trumbull County
Trumbull County is a County (United States), county in the far northeast portion of U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 201,977. Its county seat is Warren, Ohio, Warren, which developed indust ...
near Youngstown, and opened an office as an architect in 1872. His first major work was the second Mahoning County Courthouse in Youngstown, completed in 1876, and over the next decade developed a successful regional practice.
[William Joseph Palmer (2000), ]
To Raise the Standard of Architecture: The Work and Vision of Charles Henry and Charles Frederick Owsley in Youngstown, Ohio
' npublished master’s thesis Youngstown State University.
In 1887 he formed a partnership with Swiss-born architect Louis Boucherle, who had worked for Owsley for about three years. During the same period Owsley directed his son,
Charles Frederick Owsley, towards an architectural career. After an education at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
and the
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, the younger Owsley joined his father's office in 1905. In 1908 they began construction of the third Mahoning County Courthouse, replacing Owsley's courthouse of 1876. The new building reflected the younger Owsley's Beaux-Arts training, and he became a partner in the expanded firm of Owsley, Boucherle & Owsley in 1909. The new courthouse, completed in 1910, was Owsley's last major project as a principal architect.
Boucherle retired from the partnership in 1911, followed by the elder Owsley in 1912. His son continued the office, but Owsley stayed active. He worked in his son's office, and when the firm was incorporated in 1920 as the Owsley Company, he became vice president. He retired fully .
Owsley joined the
Western Association of Architects in 1884, and became a
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) is a postnominal title or membership, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Fellowship is bestowed by the institute on AIA-member ...
in 1889 when the two organizations merged.
The majority of Owsley's work was in the Mahoning Valley area of Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, and several of his significant buildings remain in
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
,
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about northeast of Youngstown, about southeast of Cleveland and about northwest o ...
, and
Salem, Ohio
Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...
.
Personal life and death
Owsley was married in 1868 in
Abergavenny
Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...
to Mary Jane Williams.
They had five children, including
Charles Frederick Owsley (1880–1953). He was a parishioner of the First Presbyterian Church and a member of the Elks and the Masons. He died August 25, 1935, at home in Youngstown.
["Charles H. Owsley, Architect, Dies at Youngstown Home" in ''Salem News'', August 26, 1935, 1.]
Architectural works
Works by Charles H. Owsley, before 1912
* Mahoning County Courthouse, Wick Ave and Wood St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1874–76, demolished)
* Montrose B. Magoffin house, 129 S Pitt St,
Mercer, Pennsylvania
Mercer is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,982 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Mahoning Vall ...
(1884)
[Lu Donnelly, H. David Brumble IV, and Franklin Toker, ''Buildings of Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania'' (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2010)]
*
Ashtabula High School
Ashtabula High School was a public high school that served the city of Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula ( ) is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, and the center of the Ashtabula micropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the A ...
, Station Ave and W 44th St,
Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula ( ) is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, and the center of the United States micropolitan area, Ashtabula micropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Ashtabula River on Lake Erie, nort ...
(1885, demolished 1954)
* Julian Harmon house, 210 High St NW,
Warren, Ohio
Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
(1885, demolished 1928)
* Second National Bank Building, Wick Ave and Central Square,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1886, demolished)
* Middlefield Town Hall (former), 16013 E High St,
Middlefield, Ohio
Middlefield is a village in Middlefield Township, Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,748 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Middlefield is known for being the center of the world's fourth lar ...
(1887)
* Park Hotel, 136 N Park Ave,
Warren, Ohio
Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
(1887)
* Henry K. Wick house, 57 Illinois Ave,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1888)
* Trumbull County Orphan's Home, 1440 E Market St,
Warren, Ohio
Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...
(1889–90, demolished)
*
Frank H. Buhl house, 422 E State St,
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about northeast of Youngstown, about southeast of Cleveland and about northwest o ...
(1890–91, NRHP 1977)
* Christian H. Buhl Hospital, E Silver St,
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about northeast of Youngstown, about southeast of Cleveland and about northwest o ...
(1895–96, demolished)
* Chapel,
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University, formally Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (The Rock or SRU), is a public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. SRU is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The university ...
,
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The population was 3,081 at the 2020 census. Slippery Rock is included in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. It is home to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, attended by nearly 9,000 ...
(1897, demolished 1971)
* Memorial Chapel, Riverview Cemetery,
East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool is a city in southeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the 2020 census. It lies along the Ohio River within the Upper Ohio Valley and borders Pennsylvania to the east and West Virginia to the ...
(1897–99)
* Darke County Infirmary, 5105 County Home Rd,
Greenville, Ohio
Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Darke County, Ohio, United States, located near the western edge of Ohio about 33 miles northwest of Dayton. The population was 13,227 at the 2010 census.
History
Historic Native American tribes in ...
(1897–98, demolished)
Ohio Bulletin of Charities and Correction for the Quarter Ending June 30, 1897
' 3, no. 2 (1897)
* Mahoning County Infirmary, Herbert Rd,
Canfield, Ohio
Canfield is a city in central Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,699 as of the 2020 census. A suburb about southwest of Youngstown, the city lies at the intersection of U.S. Routes 62 and 224 and is part of the Young ...
(1897–98, demolished)
* Parmalee School, 1320 Belmont Ave,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1898, demolished)
*
Carnegie Public Library, 219 E 4th St,
East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool is a city in southeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the 2020 census. It lies along the Ohio River within the Upper Ohio Valley and borders Pennsylvania to the east and West Virginia to the ...
(1900–02, NRHP 1980)
* Buhl Community Recreation Center, 28 Pine St,
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about northeast of Youngstown, about southeast of Cleveland and about northwest o ...
(1901–03)
* Dollar Bank Building, 16 Wick Ave,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1901–02 and 1908, altered)
* Elks Club, Wick Ave and W Wood St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1901, demolished)
*
Franklin High School, Otter St,
Franklin, Pennsylvania
Franklin is a city and the county seat of Venango County, Pennsylvania. The population was 6,097 in the 2020 census. Franklin is part of the Oil City, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Franklin is known for its three-day autumn festival in O ...
(1902–04, demolished)
* First Presbyterian Church, 323 Main St,
Greenville, Pennsylvania
Greenville is a borough with home rule status in northwestern Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located along the Shenango River, it lies roughly 80 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. It is 1.89 square miles in area, and had a ...
(1904)
*
Potters Building and Savings Company Building, 517–519 E Broadway St,
East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool is a city in southeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the 2020 census. It lies along the Ohio River within the Upper Ohio Valley and borders Pennsylvania to the east and West Virginia to the ...
(1904, NRHP 1985)
* Richard Brown Memorial United Methodist Church (former), 1205 Elm St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1905)
[Wick Park Historic District NRHP Registration Form](_blank)
(1996)
* Charles H. Owsley house, 238 Broadway,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1906)
*
Mahoning County Courthouse Mahoning may refer to:
Communities
* Mahoning, Ohio, an unincorporated community in Portage County
* Mahoning County, Ohio
* Mahoning Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
* Mahoning Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania
* Mahoning Township, Law ...
, 120 Market St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1908–10, NRHP 1976)
*
Mercer County Courthouse, 120 S Diamond St,
Mercer, Pennsylvania
Mercer is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,982 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Mahoning Vall ...
(1909–11, NRHP 1998)
*
Reuben McMillan Free Library, 305 Wick Ave,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1909–10, NRHP 1986)
*
South High School (former), 1833 Market St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1909–11)
Works by Charles F. Owsley, after 1912
*
Salem High School (former), 230 N Lincoln Ave,
Salem, Ohio
Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...
(1916–17)
[Salem Downtown Historic District NRHP Registration Form](_blank)
(1995)
*
G. M. McKelvey Company building, 210–218 W Federal St,
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1917, NRHP 1986, demolished)
McKelvey–Higbee Co. Buildings NRHP Registration Form
(1986)
* Home Savings and Loan Company Building, 542 E State St, Salem, Ohio
Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...
(1928)
* First National Bank Building, 315 E State St, Salem, Ohio
Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...
(1930)
* St. Augustine Episcopal Church, 614 Parmalee Ave, Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...
(1921, demolished 2019)
* Columbiana County Courthouse remodeling, 105 S Market St, Lisbon, Ohio
Lisbon is a village (United States)#Ohio, village in and the county seat of Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Little Beaver Creek. The population was 2,597 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. It is a part of the Micropo ...
(1934)
* East Liverpool City Hall, 126 W 6th St, East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool is a city in southeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the 2020 census. It lies along the Ohio River within the Upper Ohio Valley and borders Pennsylvania to the east and West Virginia to the ...
(1934, NRHP 1985)
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owsley, Charles H.
1846 births
1935 deaths
Architects from Ohio
19th-century American architects
20th-century American architects
People from Youngstown, Ohio
People from Harborough District
Fellows of the American Institute of Architects