American architect

Harry Livingston French (November 21, 1871 – January 16, 1928) was an American architect based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He designed in a variety of styles, including classical architecture and Gothic revival. His built works included numerous banks, schools, and armories.

## Contents

* 1 Biography
* 2 McCormick & French's built work
* 3 Gallery
* 4 See also
* 5 External links
* 6 References

## Biography[edit]

Harry Livingston French was born at Plymouth, Pennsylvania, on November 21, 1871, the son of politician, author, and building contractor Samuel Livingston French and his wife, Harriet Seville Turner.[1] French attended Cornell University, where he was editor of The Cornellian (Cornell's annual yearbook), a member of the junior honorary society Aleph Samach, and a member of the senior honor society Sphinx Head. He also joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and through that organization became a member of the Irving Literary Society. He graduated in 1894 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture.[2]

In 1897, French and the Canadian-born architect Frederick McCormick formed McCormick & French,[3] an architectural partnership based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Their built works include the interior of the Luzerne County Courthouse, the Nesbitt Theater, and several banks, including the 1906 Second National Bank, considered by some to be Wilkes-Barre's first skyscraper.[4]

French was a member of the Architectural League of New York.

On June 28, 1910, French married Anne Lee Worden of Wilkes-Barre. Their son, Livingston Paine French, was born at Wilkes-Barre on May 6, 1911.

Harry Livingston French died at New York City on January 16, 1928.[5] His business partner, Frederick McCormick died on September 2, 1929.[6]

## McCormick & French's built work[edit]

Among the completed buildings of French's firm, McCormick & French, are the following:

* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Wash House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1896).[7]
* Nesbitt Theater, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (completed October 1897).[8]
* Hotel Oneonta, Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898; destroyed by fire in 1919).
* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Wagon Shed, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1899).[9]
* The Hospital for the Insane, later called Retreat State Hospital, Newport Township, Pennsylvania (completed 1900).[10]
* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Stables, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1901).[11]
* The Sisters of Christian Charity, Holy Family Convent, Danville, Pennsylvania (built 1902).[12]
* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Bottling House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1902).[13]
* The Hospital for the Insane (Additional Wings), Newport Township, Pennsylvania (built 1905).
* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Bottling House Addition, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1905).[14]
* Hotel Redington, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1906).[15]
* The Derr Apartment House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1906).[16]
* Second Central High School, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (built 1906).[17]
* The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Cold Storage Building, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).[18]
* Plymouth National Bank, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (built 1907).[19]
* First Eastern Bank, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).[20]
* The Hazard Wire Rope Works (power plant, rope mill and warehouse), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).[21]
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Pittston, Pennsylvania (dedicated February 7, 1907).
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Columbia, Pennsylvania (dedicated March 13, 1907).
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Easton, Pennsylvania (dedicated October 17, 1907).
* The Bennett & Phelps Apartment House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).[22]
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania (built 1908).
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Williamsport, Pennsylvania (built 1908).
* Interior, Luzerne County Court House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1909).[23]
* Trucksville M.E. Church, Trucksville, Pennsylvania (built 1910).[24]
* The YWCA Building, Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (dedicated October 12, 1910).
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Co. B, 8th Regiment, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania (built ca 1910).
* Armory, National Guard of PA, Honesdale, Pennsylvania (built 1911).[25]
* The Susquehanna Coal Co. Office Building, Main Street, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania (dedicated May 1, 1911).
* First National Bank, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (built 1915).[26]
* St. Mary's R.C. Church, Berwick, Pennsylvania (dedicated July 1917).[27]
* Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pennsylvania (completed 1929).[28]

## Gallery[edit]

* Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898).

* Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898).

* Holy Family Convent, Danville, Pennsylvania (built 1902).

* The Hotel Redington in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1906).

* The Second National Bank in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1906).

* The Central High School in Plymouth, PA (built 1906).

* Plymouth National Bank, Plymouth, PA (built 1907).

* Armory, Columbia, Pennsylvania (dedicated 1907).

* Armory, Easton, Pennsylvania (built 1907).

* Armory, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania (built about 1910).

* The YWCA Building in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1910).

* Armory, Honesdale, Pennsylvania (built in 1910).

* The First National Bank in Plymouth, PA (built 1915).

* Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pennsylvania (completed 1929).

## See also[edit]

Architecture of Plymouth, Pennsylvania

## External links[edit]

* Harry Livingston French at Find a Grave

## References[edit]

1. ^ The Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, PA), January 17, 1928, page 3.
2. ^ Cornell Alumni News, Obituary: Harry L. French, Vol. XXX, No. 20, February 26, 1928, p. 248. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
3. ^ Luzerne County Courthouse History, Luzerne County, retrieved 12 January 2022
4. ^ "Luzerne County Courthouse History". August 19, 2006. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
5. ^ The Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, PA), January 17, 1928, page 3.
6. ^ Wilkes-Barre Record, September 3, 1929, page 3.
7. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
8. ^ Wilkes-Barre Record, October 29, 1897, page 7.
9. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
10. ^ The Wilkes-Barre News, February 13, 1900, page 7.
11. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
12. ^ Danville Morning News, May 31, 1902, page 2.
13. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
14. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
15. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times, October 4, 1906
16. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, July 23, 1906, page 8.
17. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times, March 23, 1905, March 23, 1905
18. ^ National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.
19. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times, September 7, 1907
20. ^ National Register of Historic Places, River Street Historic District. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
21. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times, May 8, 1907, page 10.
22. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times, April 6, 1908.
23. ^ Kashatus, William C., "Courthouse centennial: Luzerne County's cornerstone", The Citizens Voice, September 20, 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
24. ^ The American Contractor, July 23, 1910, p.49.
25. ^ Wayne County Historical Society, "The first Pennsylvania State Armory" Archived 2011-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
26. ^ Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, August 17, 1915
27. ^ The American Contractor Magazine, January 29, 1916, page 48.
28. ^ Wilkes-Barre Record, November 15, 1929, page 20