J. Williams Beal

J. Williams Beal
BornMay 19, 1855 (1855-05-19)
Norwell, Massachusetts, United States
DiedJuly 7, 1919(1919-07-07) (aged 64)
Hanover, Massachusetts, United States
Alma materMassachusetts Institute of Technology
OccupationArchitect
The Walpole Town Hall (1881), designed in the Queen Anne style
The Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church (1889) in Roxbury, Boston, designed in the Tudor Revival style
Harriswood Crescent (1890) in Roxbury, Boston, designed in the Tudor Revival style
The Fred Holland Day House (1893) in Norwood, designed in the Tudor Revival style
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Haverhill (1894), designed in the Gothic Revival style
The Castle in the Clouds (1914) in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, designed in the Craftsman style
The former Plymouth County Hospital (1919, demolished) in Hanson, designed in the Mediterranean Revival style

J. Williams Beal (May 19, 1855 - July 7, 1919) was an American architect in practice in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1880 until his death in 1919. After his death his firm was continued by his sons and their partners as J. Williams Beal, Sons, until its eventual dissolution in 1981.

Biography

John Williams Beal was born May 19, 1855, in South Scituate, now Norwell, Massachusetts, to John Beal and Lucy Ann Beal, née Barker. He was educated in the South Scituate public schools and at the former Hanover Academy before going on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, from which he graduated in 1877.[1] His first built work was the Civil War Memorial (1878) on the grounds of the First Congregational Church in Hanover, a town bordering South Scituate. At that time he was in the office of architect Samuel J. F. Thayer.[2] He then worked in New York City for Richard Morris Hunt and McKim, Mead & White before opening an office of his own in Boston in 1880.[1][3]: 144 

As an architect Beal designed a wide range of buildings, especially churches and public buildings. The most important of these is the Plymouth County Superior Court (1891) in Brockton.[1] Among Beal's last and best-known works is the Castle in the Clouds (1914), a country house in Moultonborough, New Hampshire, for Thomas Gustave Plant. Early in the project's development, c. 1912, Beal suffered a debilitating stroke. By this time two of his sons, John W. Beal and Horatio W. Beal, had joined the office, and substantially took over this and other projects. Horatio, a trained architect, worked on design while John, who was not, served as a site superintendent and as his father's assistant. Horatio had studied at Harvard under Herbert Langford Warren, a luminary in the American Arts and Crafts movement, and likely had a large role in the design of Plant's house.[4] Beal concluded his career with the design of the Plymouth County Hospital (1919, demolished), later the Cranberry Specialty Hospital, in Hanson, which was completed and dedicated shortly before his death.[1]

Personal life and death

Beal was married in 1884 to Mary Woodbridge Howes of Hanover; they had five children, including four sons and one daughter. From the time of his marriage until his death he lived in Hanover. He was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and was active in local politics, being at one time a candidate for state representative.[1]

After his stroke, Beal suffered from heart disease. He remained in stable health until shortly before his death, which occurred July 7, 1919, at his home in Hanover.[1]

Legacy

Several of Beal's works, listed below, have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places.

After his death, sons John and Horatio continued the firm under the name J. Williams Beal, Sons.[5] The firm outlived both sons, who died in 1971 and 1964, respectively, and was active until sometime before March 1981, when its remaining assets were auctioned.[6]

Architectural works

All dates are date of completion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Architect Beal dies in Hanover" in Technology Review (November 1919): 576.
  2. ↑ American Architect and Building News (January 12, 1878): ix.
  3. ↑ Illustrated Boston: The Metropolis of New England (New York: American Publishing and Engraving Company, 1889)
  4. 1 2 Elizabeth Durfee Hengen with Peter Michaud, Castle in the Clouds National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (2018)
  5. ↑ "John W. Beal is well known architect," Boston Globe, July 26, 1939.
  6. ↑ Notice, Patriot-Ledger, March 25, 1981.
  7. ↑ "Walpole's new town hall. Dedication of the new edifice," Boston Post, September 30, 1881.
  8. ↑ "Norwood's new church. The Universalist Society open their new edifice for worship," Boston Globe, December 20, 1886.
  9. ↑ "House of God dedicated. Completion of North Abington's new Baptist church," Boston Globe, September 15, 1887.
  10. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: WEY.281 (Fogg Building)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Richard M. Candee, Naomi Miller, Keith N. Morgan and Roger G. Reed, Buildings of Massachusetts: Metropolitan Boston, ed. Keith N. Morgan (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2009)
  12. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BOS.11433 (Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Roxbury's new church. Description of the edifice of the Walnut Avenue Society," Boston Globe, February 20, 1888.
  14. ↑ "Winter Hill Baptist Church," Boston Globe, April 11, 1889.
  15. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: NWT.3538 (Peabody - Williams House)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Proposed court house, Brockton," Boston Globe, September 12, 1890.
  17. ↑ "Local firm gets contract. Addition to county courthouse at Brockton awarded to city firm for $47,739," Boston Globe, June 10, 1907.
  18. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BOS.13999 (Highland Spring Brewery - Croft Brewing Company)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Real estate matters. Kilsyth Terrace in Brookline," Boston Evening Transcript, July 9, 1892.
  20. ↑ "Will be dedicated tomorrow," Boston Globe, April 4, 1892.
  21. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: NRD.246 (Day, Frederick Holland House)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: LEX.5 (First Baptist Church)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  23. ↑ "New church at Middleborough," Boston Evening Transcript, May 26, 1893.
  24. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: HVR.763 (Haverhill Universalist Church)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  25. ↑ "All Souls Church. Dedicated with ceremony and occupied socially," Gazette and Courier, January 12, 1895.
  26. ↑ "Dexter's library. A beautiful building turned over to the town," Portland Daily Press, July 3, 1895.
  27. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BOS.11466 (Hayden, Albert F. House)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BRO.41 (Brockton Central Methodist Episcopal Church)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BRO.31 (Masonic Building)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Dedication at Acushnet. Thanksgiving home service in Methodist church," Boston Globe, December 1, 1905.
  31. ↑ "Brockton's new sky-scraper. Anglim Building will be that city's first eight-story structure," Boston Globe, October 2, 1905.
  32. ↑ Chris Baer, "This was then: The Bank," Martha's Vineyard Times, January 14, 2015.
  33. ↑ "Keys turned over. New county building pride of Plymouth, Mass.," Boston Globe, March 1, 1906.
  34. ↑ "Chelsea's new church to be like Spanish mission," Boston Globe, July 23, 1906.
  35. ↑ "Historic Building Detail: BRO.40 (People's Savings Bank)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
  36. ↑ "To dedicate Cobb Memorial. Library at Truro will be formally recognized Aug. 31," Boston Evening Transcript, August 14, 1912.
  37. ↑ Official Program of the Commemorative Exercises of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town of Abington, Massachusetts (Rockland: A. I. Randall, printer, 1912)
  38. ↑ "Real estate transactions. Will build new hotel," Boston Globe, January 29, 1917.
  39. ↑ "Historic Area Detail: HNS.D (Plymouth County Hospital)," Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed May 17, 2026.
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