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Henry Augustus Sims

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American architect

Henry Augustus Sims (1832 – 1875) was a Philadelphia architect of the 19th century.

Biography

Sims was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 22, 1832, the second son of John Clarke Sims and his wife, Emeline Marion Clark. He was educated at Philadelphia's Central High School where he studied civil engineering. In 1851, he moved to Canada to work for the Bytown and Prescott Railway during the initial construction of the railroad, which was completed in 1854. In 1856, he changed his profession to architecture. In 1858 in Ottawa, Canada he had a successful architectural business. He returned to Philadelphia in 1866 and continued to have a successful architectural business. He was joined by his younger brother, James Peacock Sims, and together they established the H.A. & J.P. Sims firm which functioned successfully until his death in 1875. An auction catalogue of his valuable collection of architectural books survives.

He mentored architects Thomas Roney Williamson and James Peacock Sims. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Philadelphia chapter of the AIA, and the Philadelphia Sketch Club.

He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 10, 1875.

Selected works

United States

  • Township Hall, (1858), Augusta Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
  • St. John's Chapel (1865–66), Washington & Franklin Streets, Cape May, New Jersey. Now known as Episcopal Church of the Advent.
  • First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia (1868–72), 21st & Walnut Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Washington County Court House (1872), Hagerstown, Maryland.
  • Second Girard Avenue Bridge (1873–74, demolished 1969), Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Thomas C. Clark, engineer.
  • Masonic Hall, (1875), Reading, Pennsylvania.
  • Chapel, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.
  • Montgomery County Almshouse, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Canada

  • Edwardsburgh Township Hall, (1858), Spencerville, Ont;
  • Cemetery Monument for Rev. Robert Blakey, (1860), Prescott, Ont
  • Monument for G.E. Aird, (1864) Ottawa, Ont.
  • Cottage for Brandish Billings Sr., (1864), Ottawa, Ont
  • Skating Arena & Curling Rink (major addition), (1864), Ottawa, Ont
  • Cottage at Ashburnham Hill for Charles King, (1864), Ottawa, Ont
  • Commercial buildings for Mr. Prodrick, Sussex Street (1865) Ottawa, Ont.
  • Anglican Church, (1865-1867), Iroquois, Ont.
  • Residence at New Edinburgh for Robert Blackburn, (1867), Ottawa, Ont
  • Anglican Church for Rev. E.W. Beaven, (1868), Edwardsburgh, Ont

References

  1. Beadle, E.R. (1876). The Old and the New 1743-1876, The Second Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. Its Beginning and Increase. Philadelphia: James B. Chandler.
  2. Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Org
  3. Montgomery County Pennsylvania Genealogy
  4. Michael J. Lewis, “The Architectural Library of Henry A. Sims,” in Kenneth Hafertepe and James F. O’Gorman, eds., American Buildings and their Architects, 1840-1915 (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press), pp. 173-193.
  5. Building History, from First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.
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