Robert Sands Schuyler (March 6, 1830 – July 24, 1895), often written as R. S. Schuyler and occasionally as R. V. Schuyler (perhaps from a bad NRHP transcription), was a New York

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 ...

, designer, and religious leader who moved to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

and joined political, religious, and civil organizations on

Amelia Island Amelia Island is a part of the Sea Islands chain that stretches along the East Coast of the United States from South Carolina to Florida; it is the southernmost of the Sea Islands, and the northernmost of the barrier islands on Florida's Atlanti ...

. He served as Clerk of the City of Fernandina, chaired the Fernandina Library Association when it was established in 1891, and was a lay reader at the Santa Fe Lake, Florida, Episcopal congregation.

Early life

Schuyler was born in New York City on March 6, 1830. He was educated and married in

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany ...

He was the son of Robert Schuyler (1798–1855) and Lucinda Wood Schuyler. His paternal grandparents were

Philip Jeremiah Schuyler Philip Jeremiah Schuyler (January 21, 1768 – February 21, 1835) was an American politician from New York. His siblings included Angelica Schuyler, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, and Margarita Schuyler Van Rensselaer. Life He was the son of ...

(1768–1835), a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

, and Sarah Rutsen. His grandfather was the son of

Philip Schuyler Philip John Schuyler (; November 18, 1804) was an American general in the Revolutionary War and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler. Born in Alb ...

, a Revolutionary War General and U.S. Senator, and Catherine Van Rensselaer, a member of the prominent

Van Rensselaer family The Van Rensselaer family () is a family of Dutch descent that was prominent during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries in the area now known as the state of New York. Members of this family played a critical role in the formation of the Unite ...

Career

Fernandina Beach FL Fairbanks House plaque01

During the

U.S. Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states t ...

, he served in the Union cavalry. In 1881, Schuyler and his wife moved to

, joining prominent political, religious, and civil organizations on

. He served as Clerk of the City of Fernandina, was Chair of the Fernandina Library Association when it was established in 1891, and was a lay reader at the Santa Fe, Florida, Episcopal congregation.

Carpenter Gothic churches

He designed churches in Santa Fe, Fairbanks, and Waldo, many in the

Carpenter Gothic Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures ...

style. Carpenter Gothic architecture was developed by

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 ...

, whom Episcopal Bishop John Freeman Young of Florida had known while he was an assistant rector of Trinity Church in New York City. St. John's served as a model for various churches in Waldo, Fairbanks, as well as the St. Paul's By-The-Sea Episcopal Church in Pablo Beach which Schuyler designed in 1887. In Santa Fe, Schuyler designed St. John's Chapel on land donated by E. B. Ewing.

Buildings in Fernandina Beach

He is credited with the

Fairbanks House (Fernandina Beach, Florida) The Fairbanks House (also known as the Maj. George R. Fairbanks House) is a historic site in Fernandina Beach, Florida. It was built in 1885 for George Rainsford Fairbanks. R. S. Schuyler was the building's architect. It is located at 227 South ...

, the

Tabby House (Fernandina Beach, Florida) The Tabby House is a historic site in Fernandina Beach, Florida. It is located at 27 South 7th Street. On June 4, 1973, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. R. S. Schuyler, credited as the architect, is also listed as ...

, and the Marcellus Williams Marcellus Williams House Williams House (Fernandina Beach, Florida), all on

Fernandina Beach Fernandina may refer to: *Fernandina Beach, Florida **Original Town of Fernandina Historic Site *Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands *Fernandina (fruit), a citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae ...

in Nassau County, Florida. The Fairbanks House belonged to

George Rainsford Fairbanks George Rainsford Fairbanks (1820–1906) was a lawyer, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Florida State Senator, president of Florida Fruit Growers Association and the Florida Fruit Exchange; editor of the '' Florida Mirror''; the author of books on ...

and is 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 ...

Works

* George Fairbanks House * Tabby House 7th and Ash Streets * 1886 School House * Hirth House * St. Andrew's Episcopal Church 317 Florida Avenue, Jacksonville Gothic Revival 1887. Only remaining church from before the 1901 fire. * St. Peters Church, Fernandina (1884)

Gallery

File:StAndrewsEpiscopalJax.PNG, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Jacksonville File:Fort George Island SP St George Episcopal04.jpg, St. George Episcopal Church in Jacksonville File:Fernandina Beach FL Fairbanks House01.jpg, Fairbanks House on

File:Fernandina Beach FL Tabby House01.jpg, Tabby House

Personal life

In 1864, Schuyler was married to Caroline E. Acker (1840-1905). Schuyler died in

Fernandina, Florida Fernandina Beach is a city in northeastern Florida and the county seat of Nassau County, Florida, United States. It is the northernmost city on Florida's Atlantic coast, situated on Amelia Island, and is one of the principal municipalities comp ...

on July 24, 1895.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schuyler, Robert Sands Architects from New York City 1830 births 1895 deaths Schuyler family 19th-century American architects People from Fernandina Beach, Florida Anglican lay readers