Clarence Kelley Colley (1869–1956) was an American architect. He designed many buildings in Tennessee, some of which are on the campuses of Middle Tennessee State University and

Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University () is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee. Standing on a site occupied by a succession of educational institutions since 1845, the precursor of the university was established in 1927 and named for then-sitt ...

. Other buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kirskey Old Main

Early life

Clarence Kelley Colley was born on February 21, 1869, in Wilson County, Tennessee. His father was Seth Colley and his mother, Fidelia Elizabeth Smith. He had a brother, Homer. Colley grew up on a farm, until he moved to Nashville to work in the boiler room at Vanderbilt University as a young man.

Career

Colley was an apprentice to architects Albert F. Speight and

William Crawford Smith William Crawford Smith (November 26, 1837 – February 5, 1899) was an American architect who served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and in the United States Army during the Philippine–American War. He designed ma ...

. He established C. K. Colley & Company Architects, an architectural firm in Nashville, in 1899. His son replaced his brother in 1921, when the firm was renamed C. K. Colley & Son. Colley designed two buildings on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in 1911: the President's House and Kirksey Hall. Additionally, he designed the Commons Building on the campus of

in 1916. Meanwhile, Colley designed the North Branch Carnegie Library in Nashville in 1915. He designed the Perry County Courthouse in Linden, Tennessee. He also designed the Wilkinson House in Joelton, Tennessee. Colley was a charter member of the Nashville chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1922.

Personal life

Colley married Nannie Sue Molloy in 1894. They had a son, William Clarence Colley. Colley was widowed when his wife died in 1899.

Death and legacy

Colley died on July 8, 1956, in Nashville, Tennessee. Several of the buildings he designed, like the Perry County Courthouse and the Wilkinson House, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colley, Clarence Kelley 1869 births 1956 deaths People from Wilson County, Tennessee Artists from Nashville, Tennessee Architects from Tennessee Burials at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Nashville)