{{Short description|Canadian-American architect (1852–1908)}} {{Infobox person | name = Samuel Newsom | birth_date = March 1852 | birth_place = Montreal, Canada | death_date = September 1, 1908 | death_place = San Francisco, California, United States | occupation = Architect | spouse = Matilda Gertrude “Tillie” Wilcox (m.1875–death 1898) | children = 6 }} '''Samuel Newsom''' (1852 – 1908) was a Canadian-born American architect.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 September 1908|title=Samuel Newsom Called By Death, Architect Is Stricken While Returning to His Oakland Home on Ferry Boat|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19080902.2.74&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1|access-date=2021-01-08|website=California Digital Newspaper Collection|publisher=San Francisco Call, Volume 104, Number 94}}</ref> Together with his brother Joseph Cather Newsom founded the architecture firm '''Newsom and Newsom''' (or the '''Newsom Brothers'''), practicing in Northern and Southern California.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Weinstein|first=David|date=2005-02-05|title=Quiet pleasures / Newsom brothers created homes with a timeless appeal|url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Quiet-pleasures-Newsom-brothers-created-homes-2733362.php|access-date=2021-01-08|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref> Their most celebrated house is the Carson Mansion in Eureka, California.<ref name=":0" />
== Early life == Samuel Newsom was born April 5, 1852, in Canada, in Montreal.<ref name=":1" /> His parents were Jessie Livingstone (1821–1882) and Levens Mathewson Newsom (or Newsome, 1815–1897). He had 11 siblings.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Michelson|first=Alan|title=Samuel Newsom (Architect)|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/person/767/|access-date=2021-01-08|website=Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD), Built Environments Library, University of Washington}}</ref> His father Levens worked at a plant nursery.<ref name=":1" /> In 1860, Samuel Newsom immigrated to San Francisco. His two older brothers Thomas Newsom and John Newsom were also architects and taught Samuel and Joseph.<ref name=":3" /> Neither brother had formal education in architecture.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=San Francisco Landmark #182: Theodore Green Apothecary|url=https://noehill.com/sf/landmarks/sf182.asp|access-date=2021-01-09|website=noehill.com}}</ref>
== Career == In 1877, the Newsom brothers, Samuel and Joseph Cather Newsom maintained their architectural office (for Newsom and Newsom) at 321 California Street in San Francisco in 1877, followed by an office at 504 Kearny Street in San Francisco in 1883, and then in Oakland by 1884.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Michelson|first=Alan|title=Newsom and Newsom, Architects|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/firm/446/|access-date=2021-01-08|website=Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD), Built Environments Library, University of Washington}}</ref> By 1886, they had a Los Angeles office, which was run by Joseph.<ref name=":3" /> The brothers specialized in designing Queen Anne style architecture homes with extravagant details, designed for the common home buyer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> Many of their clients were middle class.<ref name=":4" /> Newsom and Newsom constructed of many of the Eastlake style and Queen Anne style homes in San Francisco, California and the surrounding areas.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Weinstein|first=Dave|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=unqUNeNaoVcC|title=Signature Architects of the San Francisco Bay Area|date=2006|publisher=Gibbs Smith|isbn=978-1-58685-751-6|pages=11–18|language=en}}</ref> They built around 650 buildings which included single family homes, two family homes, flats, apartments and hotels.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="CMIT">{{cite book|last=Sacks|first=Benjamin|url=https://archive.org/details/presentationlov00unkngoog|title=Carson Mansion and Ingomar Theatre: Cultural adventures in California|publisher=Valley Publishers|year=1979|isbn=978-0-913548-64-6|pages=35}}</ref> The Newsom brothers published pattern books on the different decorative styles.<ref name=":3" /> By 1893, the firm had made a change and was designing in a Mission Revival style and in 1906 they were designing Craftsmen style homes.<ref name=":0" /> Joseph Cather Newsom ended his relationship to the firm in 1888 but continued to practice architecture alone in Los Angeles.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />
From c.1898 until 1901, Samuel Newsom worked with Frederick Herman Meyer to form the firm '''Newsom and Meyer''' in Oakland.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PCAD - Newsom and Meyer|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/firm/447/|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD), Built Environments Library, University of Washington}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C65IAQAAMAAJ|title=Crocker-Langley San Francisco Business Directory for Years Commencing May 1899|date=1899|publisher=H.S. Crocker Company|language=en}}</ref>
His two sons joined the firm, Sidney Newsom in 1893, and Noble Newsom in 1906.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life == In 1875, Newsom married Canadian Matilda Gertrude “Tillie” (née Wilcox) in Alameda County.<ref name=":1" /> Together they had 6 children; Sidney Newsom, Samuel Newsom Jr., Helen Newsom Tufts, Ruby Newsom Van Sickle, Noble Newsom, and Harold Newsom.<ref name=":1" />
== Projects ==
=== Newsom and Newsom (1877–1888) === [[File:Napa Opera House, 1018-1030 Main St., Napa, CA 9-5-2010 2-32-51 PM.JPG|thumb|Napa Valley Opera House (1878), in Napa, California built by Newsom and Newsom]] [[File:Old City Hall, 7410 Monterey St., Gilroy, CA 9-23-2012 3-25-51 PM.JPG|thumb|Old City Hall (1905), in Gilroy, California built by Samuel Newsom, Newsom and Meyer]]
*1878 – '''Courthouse''', Superior Court of California, County of Napa, California<ref name=":2" /> *1879 – '''Napa Valley Opera House''', 1018-1030 Main Street, Napa, California<ref name=":4" /><ref name="Gebhard">{{cite book|last1=Newsom|first1=Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fX9TAAAAMAAJ|title=Samuel and Joseph Cather Newsom: Victorian architectural imagery in California, 1878–1908 : UCSB Art Museum, Santa Barbara, April 4 through May 6, 1979, the Oakland Museum, Oakland, May 22 through August 12, 1979|last2=Newsom|first2=Joseph C.|last3=Gebhard|first3=David|publisher=The CSB Museum and The Oakland Museum|year=1979|display-authors=etal}}</ref> *1884 – '''Berkeley City Hall''', Berkeley, California, demolished 1904<ref name=":2" /> * 1884–1886 – '''Carson Mansion''', 143 M Street, Eureka, California<ref name=":0" /> *c. 1885 – '''Vollmer House''', 1737 Webster Street, San Francisco, California, not the original location of the home, this location has outstanding decorative details.<ref name=":3" /> * 1885 – '''Boyd House''', Eureka, California<ref name=":2" /> * 1885 – '''Murphy House''', San Francisco, California, demolished 1906 after the earthquake,<ref name=":2" /> the Carter House Inn in Eureka is a reproduction of the Murphy House. *1886 – 975 Grove Street, San Francisco, California, this house has an unusual turret design, decorative brick, and an image of a bear.<ref name=":3" /> * 1886 – '''Healdsburg City Hall''', Healdsburg, California, demolished 1960<ref>https://www.hannahclaybornshistoryofhealdsburg.com/city-hall.html</ref> *1887 – '''San Dimas Hotel''', 121 N. San Dimas Avenue, San Dimas, California<ref>{{Cite web|title=Walker House|url=https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/walker-house|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Los Angeles Conservancy}}</ref> *c.1887 – '''Bradbury Mansion''', 147 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, California, was located in the Bunker Hill neighborhood and was demolished in 1929.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bradbury mansion, Bunker Hill|url=https://calisphere.org/item/06fbc172bcbf19aa2a66ad6fc299c4ef/|access-date=2021-01-09|website=Calisphere|year=1890 |language=en}}</ref> Built at the cost of $80,000 for Lewis L. Bradbury. The house, a 35-room structure with five chimneys and five turrets, stood at the corner of Hill and Court streets. *prior to 1888 – '''Magnin House''', 1478–1482 Page Street, San Francisco, California, this is a two family style house and a prior owner was Isaac Magnin and his two daughters lived next door.<ref name=":3" /> *1889 – '''Green Apothecary''', 500-502 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, California<ref name=":4" />
=== Samuel Newsom, Newsom and Meyer (c.1898–1901) === * 1889 – 2602 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco, California, the former home of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid in the 1990s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chamings|first=Andrew|date=2020-05-02|title=Former Pac Heights home of Meg Ryan hits market for $19.5M|url=https://www.sfgate.com/local/slideshow/Former-Pac-Heights-home-of-Meg-Ryan-hits-market-201920.php|access-date=2021-01-08|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref> *1889 – '''Carson House''' (or the "Pink Lady"), 202 M Street, Eureka, California<ref>{{Cite web|last=Penn|first=Susan|title=The Pink Lady|url=https://www.humboldtinsider.com/humboldt/the-pink-lady/Content?oid=3707063|access-date=2021-01-10|website=Humboldt Insider|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> * 1889 – '''Patterson House''' (renovation/addition), Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont, California<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hession|first=Stephanie Wright|date=2010-06-10|title=Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont|url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/streetdate/article/Ardenwood-Historic-Farm-Fremont-3262166.php|access-date=2021-01-08|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref> * 1892 – 3198 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, California<ref>{{Cite web|last=King|first=John|date=2010-09-05|title=As homey as a mansion can be|url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/As-homey-as-a-mansion-can-be-3175345.php|access-date=2021-01-08|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref> *c.1892 – '''Simpson-Vance House''', 904 G Street, Eureka, California<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Register #86001668: Simpson-Vance House in Eureka, California|url=https://noehill.com/humboldt/nat1986001668.asp|access-date=2021-01-09|website=noehill.com}}</ref> * 1905 – '''Old City Hall''', Gilroy, California<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|last=Aver|first=William E.|date=1975|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form, Old City Hall|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/75000480|access-date=2020-01-08|website=National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior}}</ref>
== Publications ==
=== Articles ===
* {{Cite magazine|last=Newsom|first=Samuel|date=1907|title=The Santa Barbara Mission|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J31AAQAAMAAJ|magazine=Overland Monthly and Out West Magazine|pages=351–352}} * {{Cite magazine|last=Newsom|first=Samuel|date=1908|others=Bret Harte|title=The Romantic House of the Castros: A Bit of Old California, A Home Among The Meadow Larks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SQINAQAAIAAJ|magazine=The Overland Monthly|pages=151–155}}
=== Books === * {{Cite book|last1=Newsom|first1=Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4lw9twAACAAJ|title=Picturesque Californian Homes, Second Volume|last2=Newsom|first2=Joseph C.|publisher=H.S. Crocker & Co|year=1886|volume=2}} *{{Cite book|last1=Newsom|first1=Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmleo9Dds8wC|title=Picturesque California Homes, A Volume of Forty Plates, Plans, Details and Specifications of Houses Costing from $700 to $15,000|last2=Newsom|first2=Joseph C.|publisher=Hennessey & Ingalls|others=David Gebhard (introduction)|year=1978|isbn=0912158824|location=San Francisco, California}} (originally published in 1884)
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{Cite book|last1=Gebhard|first1=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EMnMcIBbcpcC|title=Samuel and Joseph Cather Newsom: Victorian Architectural Imagery in California, 1878-1908|last2=Von Breton|first2=Harriette|last3=Winter|first3=Robert|publisher=Regents of the University of California|others=UCSB Art Museum|year=1979|isbn=9780942006636}} *{{Cite book|last=Newsom|first=J. Cather|title=Modern Homes of California, Drawing Plans|year=1893|location=San Francisco, California}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newsom, Samuel}} Category:1852 births Category:1908 deaths Category:American people of Canadian descent Category:Architects from San Francisco Category:Queen Anne architecture in California Category:Architecture firms based in California Category:Newsom family