Nathaniel Henry Hutton
Encyclopedia
Major Nathaniel Henry Hutton (Washington, D.C. November 18, 1833–Baltimore, Maryland, May 8, 1907) was an American architect
and civil engineer
. He worked as a surveyor in the American West in the 1850s before participating in the Union Army
defense of Baltimore in the American Civil War
. After the war, he established an architectural practice in Baltimore. From 1876 until his death he was associated with the Harbor Board of Baltimore, serving as engineer, chief engineer, and President of the Board.
and botanist and explorer William Rich
. Hutton was the brother of artist, surveyor and civil engineer William Rich Hutton
and of artist, cartographer and pioneer photographer James D. Hutton
.
Hutton married Meta Van Ness (1839–1907) daughter of Colonel Eugene Van Ness of New York. They had one son and two daughters.
west of the Missouri River
, on the 32nd
and 35th parallels
, from 1853 to 1856, including surveys for a route from Fort Smith
via Albuquerque
and the Colorado River
to Los Angeles
in 1853 and for a route from Benicia, California
, to Fort Fillmore
(now in New Mexico
) in 1854–55. For the Department of the Interior
, Hutton served as chief engineer of the El Paso
and Fort Yuma
wagon road in 1857 and 1858 (the southerly or "Oxbow Route" used by the Butterfield Overland Mail
from 1858 until June 1861), and as surveyor on the western boundary of Minnesota
in 1859 and 1860.
During the Civil War, Hutton served as U. S. Assistant Engineer on the Union defenses of Baltimore (1861–1865), achieving the rank of Major. Following the cessation of hostilities, he served as U. S. Assistant Engineer in charge of the improvement of the Patapsco River
(1867 to 1876) and on the Western division of the Virginia Central Water Line (surveyed 1874–1875). Hutton was a charter member and vice president of the Engineers' Club of Baltimore.
Hutton formed an architectural partnership with John Murdoch from about 1867 to 1873, with offices on Lexington Street, east of Charles Street
in Baltimore. The firmed worked on the construction and alteration of churches, houses, and warehouses in Baltimore, Washington, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their 1868 Norman Gothic
St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church (since 1910, the Baltimore Bethel A. M. E. Church), is a registered historical site in Baltimore. From 1873 to 1880, Hutton maintained an architectural practice with his older brother William Rich Hutton. Hutton became a charter member of the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
when it was created in 1870 and served as the Chapter’s first Secretary. He was elected Chapter President, but resigned from the both the presidency and the Chapter in 1876.
From 1876 until his death he was an engineer to the Harbor Board of Baltimore, eventually becoming Chief Engineer and president of the board. He was also U. S. Assistant Engineer in charge of surveys for a ship canal to connect the Chesapeake
and Delaware Bay
s (1878–1879), and served as a consulting engineer for a project to build a ship canal between Philadelphia and the Atlantic Ocean {1894–1895} and for a projected ship canal to connect Lake Erie
and the Ohio River
in 1895–1896.
Hutton died in Baltimore on May 8, 1907. His wife died on August 30 of the same year. They are buried in the Greenmont Cemetery in Baltimore. A collection of documents relating to his work with the Baltimore Harbor Board and other papers is housed as MS.1323 (40 items, 1876–1877) by the Maryland Historical Society.
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 civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
. He worked as a surveyor in the American West in the 1850s before participating in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
defense of Baltimore in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the war, he established an architectural practice in Baltimore. From 1876 until his death he was associated with the Harbor Board of Baltimore, serving as engineer, chief engineer, and President of the Board.
Family
Nathaniel Henry "Harry" Hutton was the fourth of five children and youngest son of James Hutton (d. 1843) and his wife, the former Salome Rich, sister of bibliographer Obadiah RichObadiah Rich
Obadiah Rich was an American diplomat, bibliophile and bibliographer specializing the history of Latin America. He was credited with making the field of Americana a recognized field of scholarship by the bibliographer Nicholas Trübner.-Life and career:Obadiah Rich was born on Cape Cod, at Truro,...
and botanist and explorer William Rich
William Rich
Major William Rich was an American botanist and explorer who was part of the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842.William Rich was the youngest son of Captain Obadiah Rich who commanded the brig Intrepid in the American Revolutionary War, and his first wife Salome Lombard...
. Hutton was the brother of artist, surveyor and civil engineer William Rich Hutton
William Rich Hutton
William Rich Hutton was a surveyor and artist who became an architect and civil engineer in Maryland and New York in the latter half of the 19th century...
and of artist, cartographer and pioneer photographer James D. Hutton
James D. Hutton
James Dempsey Hutton was an artist, surveyor, cartographer and early photographer active in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota in the years before the American Civil War. He served as an engineer in the Confederate States Army in that conflict, and died in exile in Mexico in...
.
Hutton married Meta Van Ness (1839–1907) daughter of Colonel Eugene Van Ness of New York. They had one son and two daughters.
Career
Hutton was U. S. Assistant Engineer on explorations for the Pacific Railroad SurveysPacific Railroad Surveys
The Pacific Railroad Surveys -A series of explorations of the American West to explore possible routes for a transcontinental railroad across North America. The expeditions included surveyors, scientists, and artists and resulted in an immense body of data covering at least on the American West....
west of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, on the 32nd
32nd parallel north
The 32nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 32 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
and 35th parallels
35th parallel north
The 35th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 35 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
, from 1853 to 1856, including surveys for a route from Fort Smith
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located primarily in Fort Smith, Arkansas along the Arkansas River, and also along the opposite bank of the river near Moffett, Oklahoma....
via Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
and the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1853 and for a route from Benicia, California
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
, to Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore was a fortification established by Col Edwin Vose Sumner in September of 1851 near Mesilla in what is now New Mexico, primarily to protect settlers and traders traveling to California. Travelers in the Westward Migration were under constant threat from Indian attack, and a network of...
(now in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
) in 1854–55. For the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
, Hutton served as chief engineer of the El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma
Fort Yuma is a fort in California that is located in Imperial County, across the Colorado River from Yuma, Arizona. It was on the Butterfield Overland Mail route from 1858 until 1861 and was abandoned May 16, 1883, and transferred to the Department of the Interior. The Fort Yuma Indian School and a...
wagon road in 1857 and 1858 (the southerly or "Oxbow Route" used by the Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail
The Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
from 1858 until June 1861), and as surveyor on the western boundary of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in 1859 and 1860.
During the Civil War, Hutton served as U. S. Assistant Engineer on the Union defenses of Baltimore (1861–1865), achieving the rank of Major. Following the cessation of hostilities, he served as U. S. Assistant Engineer in charge of the improvement of the Patapsco River
Patapsco River
The Patapsco River is a river in central Maryland which flows into Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore...
(1867 to 1876) and on the Western division of the Virginia Central Water Line (surveyed 1874–1875). Hutton was a charter member and vice president of the Engineers' Club of Baltimore.
Hutton formed an architectural partnership with John Murdoch from about 1867 to 1873, with offices on Lexington Street, east of Charles Street
Maryland Route 139
Maryland Route 139, known locally for most of its existence as North Charles Street, runs through Baltimore City and through the Towson area of Baltimore County. On the north end it terminates at a traffic circle with Bellona Avenue near Interstate 695 and at the south end it terminates in Federal...
in Baltimore. The firmed worked on the construction and alteration of churches, houses, and warehouses in Baltimore, Washington, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their 1868 Norman Gothic
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church (since 1910, the Baltimore Bethel A. M. E. Church), is a registered historical site in Baltimore. From 1873 to 1880, Hutton maintained an architectural practice with his older brother William Rich Hutton. Hutton became a charter member of the Baltimore Chapter 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...
when it was created in 1870 and served as the Chapter’s first Secretary. He was elected Chapter President, but resigned from the both the presidency and the Chapter in 1876.
From 1876 until his death he was an engineer to the Harbor Board of Baltimore, eventually becoming Chief Engineer and president of the board. He was also U. S. Assistant Engineer in charge of surveys for a ship canal to connect the Chesapeake
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
and Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
s (1878–1879), and served as a consulting engineer for a project to build a ship canal between Philadelphia and the Atlantic Ocean {1894–1895} and for a projected ship canal to connect Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
in 1895–1896.
Hutton died in Baltimore on May 8, 1907. His wife died on August 30 of the same year. They are buried in the Greenmont Cemetery in Baltimore. A collection of documents relating to his work with the Baltimore Harbor Board and other papers is housed as MS.1323 (40 items, 1876–1877) by the Maryland Historical Society.
External links
- http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~32846~1170232:From-the-Rio-Grande-to-the-Pacific-Map:From the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean from explorations and surveys made under the direction of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War by Lieut. A.W. Whipple, Topogl. Engrs. and Lieut. J.C. Ives, Topogl. Engrs. A.H. Campbell, Civil Eng. and Surveyor, Asst. Surveyors: Wm. White Jr., N.H. Hutton, and J.P. Sherburne. 1853-4. Explorations and Surveys for a Rail Road Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, War Department, Route Near the 35th Parallel, Map No. 2. Engr. by Selmar Siebert. Drawn by John D. Hoffmann. ]