James J. Egan, FAIA, was an Irish-American architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 and fellow of the American Institute of Architects

American Institute of Architects

The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...

 practicing in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. He was a partner of the Chicago architectural firm

Architectural firm

An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...

s Armstrong & Egan, Egan & Kirkland and Egan & Prindeville

Egan & Prindeville

Egan & Prindeville was an architectural firm active in Chicago, Illinois from 1897 to 1914, which gained prominence designing Roman Catholic structures, including the Cathedral of Cathedral of St. Paul . The firm was founded by James J. Egan, FAIA, and Charles Prindeville...

, which gained prominence designing Roman Catholic structures.

Early life

Born in Cork, Ireland

Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

, Egan graduated from the Government School of Design, Queens College, Cork. He emigrated to the United States through Castle Garden, New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 and "worked in the offices of several prominent New York architects, including Richard Upjohn

Richard Upjohn

Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...

 and Edward Tuckerman Potter

Edward Tuckerman Potter

Edward Tuckerman Potter was an American architect best known for designing the 1871 Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut. With his half-brother William Appleton Potter, he also designed Nott Memorial Hall at his alma mater, Union College, Schenectady, New York...

".

Chicago Architect

He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, either around 1870 or shortly after Chicago's great fire in 1871, where he was heavily involved in reconstruction, and formed several partnerships with fellow architects. With John M. Armstrong, the firm of Armstrong & Egan designed the Criminal Court and County Jail (1874). With Alex Kirkland, the firm of Egan & Kirkland designed the County Building (1882) and the four-story Hotel Saint Benedict Flats (Chicago, Illinois) (1882–1883). With Charles H. Prindeville, the firm of Egan & Prindeville

Egan & Prindeville

Egan & Prindeville was an architectural firm active in Chicago, Illinois from 1897 to 1914, which gained prominence designing Roman Catholic structures, including the Cathedral of Cathedral of St. Paul . The firm was founded by James J. Egan, FAIA, and Charles Prindeville...

(active from 1897 to 1914) gained prominence building Roman Catholic churches and other structures, including the Cathedral of Cathedral of St. Paul (1906). Egan died in 1914. The firm continued under Charles Prindeville after Egan's death.

Works

• The Criminal Court and County Jail (1874), as Armstrong & Egan
• The County Building (1882), as Egan & Kirkland
• Hotel Saint Benedict Flats (Chicago, Illinois), 801 North Wabash Street (1882–1883), a four-story hotel, as Egan & Kirkland
• Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa
  Davenport, Iowa
  Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
  
   (1891)
• St. Ambrose Cathedral
  St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines)
  St. Ambrose Cathedral is the cathedral parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, and is located at 607 High Street in Des Moines, Iowa in the center of the city. The facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St...
  
   in Des Moines, Iowa
  Des Moines, Iowa
  Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
  
   (1891)
• Cathedral of St. Paul in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
  
   (1906), as Egan & Prindeville
• St. Pius V Church, Pilsen neighborhood, Chicago, IL
• St. Bridget Church Chicago, Il (demolished, 1992)