Person
M.H. Hubbard
Overview
Madison County-born architect who designed more than 400 buildings across America, including the Vernon Center Union Schoolhouse and the Vernon Methodist Church. He also designed the much-acclaimed funerary canopy for President U.S. Grant's casket.
Details
Born: 1852 Hubbardsville, NY
Died: 1921
Burial: Graham Cemetery Hubbardsville NY
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Biography
For twenty five years past a resident of Utica, Melvin Henry Hubbard has gained acknowledged standing as an architect and is widely known in connection with that profession. He is a native of Hubbardsville, Madison county, New York, born April 11, 1852, a son of Solomon A. and Amanda (Abbey) Hubbard.
Melvin H. Hubbard attended the public schools of Oswego, New York, and was graduated from an academy and a business college at Saginaw, Michigan, where he also took a course in architecture in a technical school. After leaving school he learned the stair builder’s trade and upon his return to New York took a special course in the New York Architectural School. After completing this course he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and opened an office, but later returned to New York city and entered the office of McKim, Meade & White, one of the greatest architectural firms of America, where he did special drawings. After a highly creditable experience with this firm he went to Oneida, New York, as designer for the Chapel-Chase-Maxwell Company, now the National Casket Company. He designed many noted caskets, one especially noteworthy being the canopy, under which the body of General Ulysses S. Grant laid in state in New York, the design being known afterward as the Grant Canopy. In 1886 Mr. Hubbard came to Utica and opened an office, beginning at once to specialize as a church architect, and has planned and supervised the erection of over four hundred churches, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Among the prominent structures may be named: St. Patrick’s Catholic church and the First Baptist church, of Oneida, New York; the Second Baptist church, of Rochester, New York; Grace Baptist church, of Washington, D. C.; the First Baptist church, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Wesleyan Congregational church, also of Minneapolis; the church of the Immaculate Conception, of Jacksonville, Florida; the church of All Saints, of New Orleans, Louisiana; Diamond Methodist Episcopal church, of Hazelton, Pennsylvania; and many others.
On the 25th of December, 1874, Mr. Hubbard was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Bacon, a daughter of Damon and Myra Bacon, of Hubbardsville, New York. One daughter, Halvah E., was born to this union. Mr. Hubbard is very prominent as an Odd Fellow and has occupied practically all of the chairs in the order, being especially proficient in the degree work. Few men have delved more deeply into the teachings of this order or are more thoroughly imbued with its beautiful sentiments. He is now colonel of the Sixth Regiment, Patriarchs Militant, I. O. O. F., of New York, being also a member of the Royal Arcanum. Starting as a young man with a laudable ambition to win a place in the world, he has succeeded even beyond the expectations of his earlier years and his name is connected with many of the most attractive buildings on the continent. No man is more deeply interested in the development of the taste for art and beauty and the work he has accomplished will stand as a monument to his genius long after the present generation has passed away.
From:
History of Oneida County, New York
From 1700 to the present time
of some of its prominent men and pioneers.
By: Henry J. Cookinham
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Chicago 1912
