Harry Livingston French

{{short description|American architect (1871–1928)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} upright|right|200px '''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.

== Biography == 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.<ref>''The Evening News'' (Wilkes-Barre, PA), January 17, 1928, page 3.</ref> 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.<ref>''Cornell Alumni News'', [https://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/3545/21/030_20.pdf Obituary: Harry L. French], Vol. XXX, No. 20, February 26, 1928, p. 248. Retrieved 13 May 2010.</ref>

In 1897, French and the Canadian-born architect Frederick McCormick formed McCormick & French,<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.luzernecounty.org/425/Luzerne-County-Courthouse-History |title=Luzerne County Courthouse History |publisher=Luzerne County |date= |access-date=12 January 2022}}</ref> an architectural partnership based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Their built works included 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.luzernecounty.org/living/history_of_luzerne_county/luzerne_county_courthouse_history|title=Luzerne County Courthouse History|date=August 19, 2006|accessdate=12 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317102352/http://www.luzernecounty.org/living/history_of_luzerne_county/luzerne_county_courthouse_history|archive-date=17 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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.<ref>''The Evening News'' (Wilkes-Barre, PA), January 17, 1928, page 3.</ref> His business partner, Frederick McCormick died on September 2, 1929.<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Record'', September 3, 1929, page 3.</ref>

== McCormick & French's built work ==

Among the completed buildings of French's firm, McCormick & French, are the following: * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Wash House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1896).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * Nesbitt Theater, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (completed October 1897).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Record'', October 29, 1897, page 7.</ref> * Hotel Oneonta, Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898; destroyed by fire in 1919). * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Wagon Shed, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1899).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * The Hospital for the Insane, later called Retreat State Hospital, Newport Township, Pennsylvania (completed 1900).<ref>''The Wilkes-Barre News'', February 13, 1900, page 7.</ref> * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Stables, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1901).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * The Sisters of Christian Charity, Holy Family Convent, Danville, Pennsylvania (built 1902).<ref>''Danville Morning News'', May 31, 1902, page 2.</ref> * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Bottling House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1902).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * The Hospital for the Insane (Additional Wings), Newport Township, Pennsylvania (built 1905). * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Bottling House Addition, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1905).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * Hotel Redington, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1906).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times'', October 4, 1906</ref> * The Derr Apartment House, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1906).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader'', July 23, 1906, page 8.</ref> * Central High School, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (second high school building, built 1906).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times'', March 23, 1905, March 23, 1905</ref> * The Stegmaier Brewing Company; Cold Storage Building, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, Nomination Form, March 28, 1979.</ref> * Plymouth National Bank, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (built 1907).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times'', September 7, 1907</ref> * First Eastern Bank, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).<ref>National Register of Historic Places, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070626200041/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/delaware/textonly.htm#riv River Street Historic District]. Retrieved 13 May 2010.</ref> * The Hazard Wire Rope Works (power plant, rope mill and warehouse), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (built 1907).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times'', May 8, 1907, page 10.</ref> * 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).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times'', April 6, 1908.</ref> * 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).<ref>Kashatus, William C., [http://citizensvoice.com/courthouse-centennial-luzerne-county-s-cornerstone-1.265554 "Courthouse centennial: Luzerne County's cornerstone"], ''The Citizens Voice'', September 20, 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2010.</ref> * Trucksville M.E. Church, Trucksville, Pennsylvania (built 1910).<ref>''The American Contractor'', July 23, 1910, p.49.</ref> * The YWCA Building, Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (dedicated October 12, 1910). * Armory, National Guard of PA, Co. B, 8th Regiment, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania (built c. 1910). * Armory, National Guard of PA, Honesdale, Pennsylvania (built 1911).<ref>Wayne County Historical Society, [http://www.waynehistorypa.org/plid/174 "The first Pennsylvania State Armory"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011083605/http://waynehistorypa.org/plid/174 |date=2011-10-11 }}. Retrieved 23 July 2012.</ref> * The Susquehanna Coal Co. Office Building, Main Street, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania (dedicated May 1, 1911). * First National Bank, Plymouth, Pennsylvania (built 1915).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader'', August 17, 1915</ref> * St. Mary's R.C. Church, Berwick, Pennsylvania (dedicated July 1917).<ref>''The American Contractor'' Magazine, January 29, 1916, page 48.</ref> * Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pennsylvania (completed 1929).<ref>''Wilkes-Barre Record'', November 15, 1929, page 20</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery widths="150px" heights="150px"> File:Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake PA v1.jpg|Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898). File:Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake PA v2.jpg|Hotel Oneonta Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania (built 1898). File:Convent Danville PA.jpg|Holy Family Convent, Danville, Pennsylvania (built 1902). File:HOTEL REDINGTON.jpeg|The Hotel Redington in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1906). File:Second National Bank of Wilkes-Barre PA.jpg|The Second National Bank in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1906). File:Central High School, Plymouth PA, of 1906.JPG|The Central High School in Plymouth, PA (built 1906). File:PLYMOUTH PA POSTCARDS-PlymouthNationalBank.jpg|Plymouth National Bank, Plymouth, PA (built 1907). File:Armory Columbia PA.jpg|Armory, Columbia, Pennsylvania (dedicated 1907). File:Armory Easton PA.jpg|Armory, Easton, Pennsylvania (built 1907). File:Armory Tamaqua PA.jpg|Armory, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania (built about 1910). File:YWCA Wilkes-Barre, PA.jpg|The YWCA Building in Wilkes-Barre, PA (built 1910). File:Armory Honesdale PA.jpg|Armory, Honesdale, Pennsylvania (built in 1910). File:First National Bank of 1915.jpg|The First National Bank in Plymouth, PA (built 1915). File:Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pa (75463).jpg|Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pennsylvania (completed 1929). </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:French, Henry Livingston}} Category:1871 births Category:1928 deaths Category:People from Plymouth, Pennsylvania Category:Architects from Pennsylvania Category:19th-century American architects Category:Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning alumni Category:20th-century American architects Category:American neoclassical architects Category:Beaux Arts architects