John Welch (1825-1894) was a Scottish-born American architect of
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
who designed numerous churches. He was one of the founders of
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
.
Life and career
John Welch was born March 13, 1825 in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, and was trained in architecture in Scotland and England."Obituary" in Architecture and Building ' 21, no. 21 (November 24, 1894): 252. In 1849 he came to the United States, initially settling in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn (22 January 1802 – 16 August 1878) was a British-born American architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to su ...
to form the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
. By 1862 Welch had relocated to
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, where he would live for the rest of his life. Welch practiced architecture almost until his death, though he fell on hard times, financially, in the early 1890s and was obligated to work odd jobs for the last period of his life.
Personal life
John Welch died November 21, 1894 while eating dinner in a Brooklyn restaurant. He was survived by his wife. Several notices of his death noted that he had been estranged from his family for several years and lived alone."Architect John Welch's Sudden Death" in ''New York Times'', November 22, 1894, 1.
Legacy
The St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, designed and built by Welch during 1888–89, has been said to be "among the largest and finest of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical structures in New York City". ''See also:'' The second
Brooklyn Tabernacle
Brooklyn Tabernacle is an evangelicalism, evangelical non-denominational megachurch located at 17 Smith Street at the Fulton Mall in downtown Brooklyn, downtown Brooklyn, New York City. The senior pastor is Jim Cymbala.
History
The Brooklyn Tab ...
, which Welch designed for
Thomas De Witt Talmage
Thomas De Witt Talmage (January 7, 1832April 12, 1902) was a preacher, clergyman and divine in the United States who held pastorates in the Reformed Church in America and Presbyterian Church. He was one of the most prominent religious leaders ...
, was one of the first auditorium plan churches in the United States, a method of church design popularized by others as the
Akron Plan
The Akron Plan was a scheme for the design of churches and other religious buildings that housed Sunday schools. It was characterized by a set of wedge-shaped classrooms that radiated from the direction of a central superintendent's platform. D ...
.
A number of his works 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 ...
.
Works
* High Street Presbyterian Church (former), 588 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd,
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.R. C. Cathedral of St. Paul, Grant St and Fifth Ave,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
(1855, demolished)
* Newark Orphan Asylum (former), 323 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd,
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(1873, demolished)
*
Brooklyn Tabernacle
Brooklyn Tabernacle is an evangelicalism, evangelical non-denominational megachurch located at 17 Smith Street at the Fulton Mall in downtown Brooklyn, downtown Brooklyn, New York City. The senior pastor is Jim Cymbala.
History
The Brooklyn Tab ...
, Schermerhorn St,
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of Ki ...
,
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 ...
(1878-82, demolished 2019)
* 18th Street M. E. Church (former), 224 18th St,
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
(1882-83)
* Janes M. E. Church, 660 Monroe St,
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
(1883, partially burned 1984)
* First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, 103 Lee Ave,
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
(1888-91, NRHP 1982)Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew NYCL Designation Report (1981)
* Sands Street Memorial M. E. Church, 70 Clark St,
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...