John Ashton (1861-1953) 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 ...

from

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and Nort ...

Life

John Ashton was born September 15, 1861, 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 ...

.Gravestone, Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence He immigrated to the United States in 1875, where he settled in Lawrence. He worked as a mechanic with Joseph James through at least 1889,"LAW.110"
''mhc-macris.net''. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. about the time be appears to have begun to study architecture."LAW.764"
''mhc-macris.net''. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. In 1892 he enrolled in a special course in architecture in the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

and opened an office of his own in 1893. He quickly rose through the profession, and became a major competitor of the more-established George G. Adams, the city's leading architect."LAW.111"
''mhc-macris.net''. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. He was a sole practitioner until 1909, when he established a partnership with Albert Senter Huntress. The firm was expanded in 1920 to include John F. Alter. Ashton, Huntress & Alter was dissolved in 1933, when Alter opened his own office. Ashton and Huntress practiced together until 1943, when Ashton retired. Huntress continued the firm, admitting Clarence A. Pratt to the partnership. Ashton, Huntress & Pratt was dissolved upon Pratt's death in 1955.

Personal life

Ashton was married to Rebecca Woodworth, and had at least two children. He died September 30, 1953."Obituary" in ''Technology Review'' 56, no. 2 (December, 1953): i.

Legacy

Several buildings by Ashton and his firms are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Architectural works

John Ashton, 1893-1909

Ashton & Huntress, 1909-1920

Ashton, Huntress & Alter, 1920-1933

Ashton & Huntress, 1933-1943

Ashton, Huntress & Pratt, 1943-1955

Gallery

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashton, John 1861 births 1953 deaths Architects from Massachusetts People from Lawrence, Massachusetts