The Portland daily press., 1896-06-06
ARCHITECTS.
Francis Fl. Fassett.

public and private buildings in all parts
of the State and has furnished plans for
structures beyond its borders. Mr.. Fas-
sett was born in Bath, June 18th, 1923.
In early life. he was apprenticed to a
master workman in the carpenters trade
and there acquired the rudiments Of the
profession in which he was to becom e
prominent later. In those days, there
were no schools of architecture in this
country, but Mr. Fassett pursued his
studies in the offices of architects in Bos-
ton and New York, and opened an office
in Bath in 1S47. His services were soon
in demand and he met with such success
that the field of his operations soon ex
tended through the Kennebec valley.
He built many houses and business build
ings in Augusta during this time and the
present Congregational church in that
city was designed by him.
Mr.. Fassett came to Portland in 1864
and for 80 years has conducted large
and prosperous business here.
To enumerate the buildings which he
has designed would require much more
space than this sketch will occupy. A
few of the more prominent are the Port
land City building, which Mr. Fassett re-
modelled after tue great fire of 1865; the
Maine General Hospital; the Second Par
ish, Williston and Swedenborgian
churches; the Mcclellan, jackson, Butler
and the remodelled High school; the
Casco Bank block; the Centennial block;
the Danforth building; the remodelled
building of the Portland Savings Bank;
the Brown block in Monument Square;
the Rines block; the building occupied
by Hooper, Son & Leighton; the Baxter
building, the largest business block in
the State; the Congress Square Hotel;
the Columbia; the Public Library, all IN
Portland. MI. Fassett has designed
many buildings in Biddeford, among
them st. Mary's Parish school building.
He built the county buildings at Els
worth and the York county court house
has just been remodelled in accordance
with his plans. The new Mt. Pleasant
House in the White Mountains, the Glen
House. which was burned several years
ago, the Elmwood at Waterville, the
Kearsage at North Conway, are among
the hotels which Mr.. Fassett has de
signed. He has drawn the plans for
dwellings in nearly every city and large
town in the State, the houses erected in
Portland from his designs including some
of the finest in the city, notably, the
house of Mrs. E. M. Mcdonald on Pine
street.
Mr.. Fassett from 1880 to 1888 had for
partner Mr.. John Calvin Stevens and the
Brown Memorial block and the Lancaster
building were built during this time.
From 1886 until 1891, Mr.. Frederick A.
Tompson was in partnership with Mr..
Fassett. Mr.. Fassett now has the assist
ance of his son, Mr.. Edward F. Fassett.
Besides these three gentlemen many
other architects have been graduated
from Mr.. Fassetts office.
Mr.. Fassett is a member of the Frater-
nifty and Cumberland Clubs and is a
trustee of the Portland Public Library.
His offices are in the Centennial block
and he is now engaged on plans for the
new Masonic building and the building
for the Society of St. John the Baptist at
Biddeford, the extension of the West
End Hotel, the block of dwelling houses
to be erected by Mr.. Foster on the
corner of Spring and streets, besides
other work.
John Calvin Stevens.
| John Calvin Stevens was born in Bos-
ton, Oct. s. 1855, and with his parents
moved to Portland in 1857. He attended
the Portland schools, graduating from
Portland High School in 1878. Entering
the Office of F. H. Fassett in September,
1873, he was made partner in 1880 I'M
der the firm name of Fassett d Stevens
and established branch office in Boston
at that time, remaining there until the
fall of 1881. While there he built the
hotel Pemberton at Hull, and several
houses in and about Boston. Remaining
with Mr.. Fassett until 1888, he then estab-
lished an office at 81 Exchange street and
took as partner in 1885, Mr.. A. w.
Cobb, which partnership continued until
1890. During this period he published a
| book, Examples OF American Domestic
Architectural text by Mr.. Cobb. The
| book was very favorably received by the
public, and by the technical journals in
| this country and in England. Mr..
Stevens was made an honorary member
of the Architectural League of New
York in 1885, and elected Fellow of the
American Institute of Architects in 1889
and a member of the Board Of Directors
in 1890. He became member of the
Maine Charitable Mechanic Association,
| and pre- ,ident of that body in 1890 and
1891. a member of the city council in
1886; he was president of the Portland
Wheel Club for several years, and Chief
| Council of Maine Division, League of
American Wheelmen in 1889.
AT the present time he is trustee of
the Maine Eye & Ear Infirmary, third
vice president of the Portland Athletic
Club, honorary member of the Portland
Yacht Club and president of the Port
land Society of Art
Among the handsome buildings which
he has designed are the Poland Spring
improvements up to 1891, Hebron Acad-
envy, Physical Laboratory at Colby Uni
versity, Houlton Academy, schools at
Watervllle and Westbrook, Biddeford
City Hall, Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary,
churches at Skowhegan, Yarmouth, Gar
diner, Westbrook, Sanford, South Water
boro, Damariscotta, South Portland and
many other places; new State street
church, Portland; Portland Athletic
Club, Y. NJ. G. A. at Bath; Bath Opera
House, Sagadahoc Block and Percy
Block at Bath; Oxford Building, Port
land; I. Q. O. 4. building and York Bank
at Saco; and several small gymnasiums
through the State.
Also Of his designing are some of the
finest residences OF Portland and through
ont the State, notably the McMullen
house, State street, the residences of
Walter G. Davis, +. V. Chase, Hon. J,