Frank E. Davis

Frank E. Davis
General Information
Birth	August 14, 1839 Ellicott Mills, Maryland
Death	April 19, 1921 Los Angeles, California
Professional Accomplishments
Significant Design	First English Reformed Church; Old Town Savings Bank; First English Lutheran Church; Grace Methodist Episcopal Church; Pine Street Police Station; Holy Innocents Protestant Episcopal Church

Biography

Frank E. Davis, née Francis Earlougher Davis, was born August 14, 1839 in Ellicott’s Mills, Maryland. His father was a wagonmaker and ornamental blacksmith, and his mother was the daughter of an innkeeper in Ellicott’s Mills. His early architectural training likely came from his uncle, Charles Timanus, who was the architect and builder of the Howard County Courthouse, which was erected in Ellicott’s Mills and completed in 1843. Around the time Davis was eighteen, he started an apprenticeship under Edmund G. Lind, who was a prominent Baltimore architect. Before and during the Civil War, Davis studied at the Maryland Institute (now MICA) and was accepted into their Architectural Class in 1861.

In 1864, he moved to Washington, DC to apprentice as a draftsman in the Office of the Supervising Architect for the United States Treasury Department. In 1865, he created a firm with Thomas Dixon, known as Dixon & Davis. Together they designed the First English Reformed Church and other buildings. They had a downtown office until the firm dissolved in 1868.

In 1867, Davis married Emma Eudora Small after a long period of courtship. But she died in 1873, when she was only 29 years old.

During their marriage, Davis designed several buildings that came to fruition, such as Engine House #8 and the Old Town Savings Bank. In 1870, he was elected to the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In the years after Emma’s death, he had his most productive period. Between 1874 and 1882, he designed several building that are extant today: Saint Michael’s Church Convent, First English Lutheran Church, Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Pine Street Police Station, BCP Railway Car Barn and Offices, Holy Innocents Protestant Episocal Church, Male Grammer & Primary School No. 1, and Clifton School. In 1875, the State Normal School on Lafayette Square was built to his design, and while this work was considered one of his most recognizable, it has since been demolished.

In 1983, Davis got married a second time to Annie Legate Swindell. Their ceremony was held at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, which he himself designed, and they moved into a house catty-corner from the church, on the southwest corner of Lafayette Square, in a row of homes also designed by him. Together they had five children—four boys and one girl. His eldest son, Francis Pierpont Davis, went on to be a prominent architect in Los Angeles, California.

After starting a family, Davis’ practice slowed down. He designed the Maryland Bicycle Club (1885), townhouses for James Thompson (1885), and an Odd Fellows Hall (1891), but most of his projects were behind him. In 1912, he retired, and he moved to Los Angeles with his wife in 1915 to be closer to two of their sons. Most of his projects were in Maryland, though he also worked in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. His career is notable for its range. He designed residences and businesses, as well as religious, cultural, educational, medical, and governmental buildings. He died on April 19, 1921.

By Dom Guida, with research done by Helen Hinchliff and Carlos Avery

Projects

Map

[{"name":"First English Lutheran Church","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/First_English_Lutheran_Church\" title=\"First English Lutheran Church\"\u003EFirst English Lutheran Church\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.2979,"lon":-76.63357,"otherValues":{"completion date":1875},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"First English Reformed Church (Aisquith Street)","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/First_English_Reformed_Church_(Aisquith_Street)\" title=\"First English Reformed Church (Aisquith Street)\"\u003EFirst English Reformed Church (Aisquith Street)\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29555,"lon":-76.60139,"otherValues":{"completion date":1867},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Grace Methodist Episcopal Church","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Grace_Methodist_Episcopal_Church\" title=\"Grace Methodist Episcopal Church\"\u003EGrace Methodist Episcopal Church\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29765,"lon":-76.63697,"otherValues":{"completion date":1876},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Holy Innocents Protestant Episcopal Church","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Holy_Innocents_Protestant_Episcopal_Church\" title=\"Holy Innocents Protestant Episcopal Church\"\u003EHoly Innocents Protestant Episcopal Church\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.30323,"lon":-76.59975,"otherValues":{"completion date":1880},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Saint Michael\u2019s Church Convent","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Saint_Michael%E2%80%99s_Church_Convent\" title=\"Saint Michael\u2019s Church Convent\"\u003ESaint Michael\u2019s Church Convent\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29033,"lon":-76.59018,"otherValues":{"completion date":1874},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Engine House No. 8","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Engine_House_No._8\" title=\"Engine House No. 8\"\u003EEngine House No. 8\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.2932,"lon":-76.6347,"otherValues":{"completion date":1871},"icon":"\/images\/0\/00\/Brown-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Pine Street Police Station","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Pine_Street_Police_Station\" title=\"Pine Street Police Station\"\u003EPine Street Police Station\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29178,"lon":-76.62722,"otherValues":{"completion date":1877},"icon":"\/images\/0\/00\/Brown-marker-small.png"},{"name":"James Thompson Townhouses","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/James_Thompson_Townhouses\" title=\"James Thompson Townhouses\"\u003EJames Thompson Townhouses\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.31,"lon":-76.6282,"otherValues":{"completion date":1885},"icon":"\/images\/1\/1b\/Yellow-marker-small.png"},{"name":"BCP Railway Car Barn and Offices","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/BCP_Railway_Car_Barn_and_Offices\" title=\"BCP Railway Car Barn and Offices\"\u003EBCP Railway Car Barn and Offices\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.31472,"lon":-76.64042,"otherValues":{"completion date":1879},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Odd Fellows Hall","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Odd_Fellows_Hall\" title=\"Odd Fellows Hall\"\u003EOdd Fellows Hall\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.2933,"lon":-76.61703,"otherValues":{"completion date":1891},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Old Town Savings Bank","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Old_Town_Savings_Bank\" title=\"Old Town Savings Bank\"\u003EOld Town Savings Bank\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.2943,"lon":-76.60623,"otherValues":{"completion date":1871},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Baltimore County School No. 7","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Baltimore_County_School_No._7\" title=\"Baltimore County School No. 7\"\u003EBaltimore County School No. 7\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.49539,"lon":-76.64181,"otherValues":{"completion date":1882},"icon":"\/images\/f\/ff\/Orange-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Clifton School","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Clifton_School\" title=\"Clifton School\"\u003EClifton School\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.32184,"lon":-76.59603,"otherValues":{"completion date":1882},"icon":"\/images\/f\/ff\/Orange-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Male Grammar & Primary School No. 1","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Male_Grammar_%26_Primary_School_No._1\" title=\"Male Grammar & Primary School No. 1\"\u003EMale Grammar & Primary School No. 1\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29057,"lon":-76.62353,"otherValues":{"completion date":1880},"icon":"\/images\/f\/ff\/Orange-marker-small.png"}]

Library	Church	Government	Commercial	Dwelling	Park	Educational

Listing

Project	Completed	Address	Image
Project	Completed	Address	Image
Baltimore County School No. 7	1882	200 Ashland Rd.
BCP Railway Car Barn and Offices	1879	2560 Madison Ave	Davis_BCP Railway Car Barn and Offices.png
Clifton School	1882	2670 Kennedy Ave	Davis_Clifton School.png
Engine House No. 8	1871	1031 W Mulberry St	Davis_Engine House No 8.png
First English Lutheran Church	1875	823 W Lanvale St	Davis_First English Lutheran Church.png
First English Reformed Church (Aisquith Street)	1867	417 Aisquith St	Davis_First English Reformed Church 2.png
Grace Methodist Episcopal Church	1876	1121 W Lanvale St	Davis_Grace Methodist Episcopal Church.png
Holy Innocents Protestant Episcopal Church	1880	1100 N Eden St	Davis_Grace Memorial Baptist Church.png
James Thompson Townhouses	1885	206 Laurens Street	Davis_James Thompson Townhouses.png
Male Grammar & Primary School No. 1	1880	520 W Fayette St	Davis_Male Grammar _ Primary 1.png
Maryland Bicycle Club	1885	2028 Mt Royal Terrace	Davis_Maryland Bicycle Club.png
Odd Fellows Hall	1891	300 Cathedral St	Davis_Odd Fellows Hall Baltimore.png
Old Town Savings Bank	1871	353 N Gay St	Davis_Old Town Savings Bank 3.png
Pine Street Police Station	1877	214 N Pine St	Davis_Pine Street Station 1.png
Saint Michael’s Church Convent	1874	1901 E Lombard St	Davis_Saints Michaels Convent 1.png