Addison Hutton


Addison Hutton was a Philadelphia architect who designed prominent residences in Philadelphia and its suburbs, plus courthouses, hospitals, and libraries, including the Ridgway Library and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He made major additions to the campuses of Westtown School, George School, Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Lehigh University.

Biography

Early life and education

Addison Hutton was born on November 28, 1834. He grew up in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. He was the son of Joel Hutton, a Quaker carpenter, and Ann Mains. At an early age, he became fond of the "solid necessities of building" and enjoyed working alongside his father. Like his father, Addison would vary between carpenting and school. A young man named Robert Grimacy gave him lessons in architecture; it was then that Addison Hutton considered it to be a possible direction in his own life.
, Swarthmore, PA. Named in honor of Swarthmore's first president, Edward Parrish, Parrish Hall contains the admissions, housing, and financial aid offices, along with dormitories on the upper floors.

Career

Addison Hutton studied architecture with Samuel Sloan, who was a leading Philadelphia architect and author of books on house designs. He supervised construction of the Sloan-designed Longwood in Natchez, MS, until construction was abandoned during the American Civil War. He became Sloan's partner in 1864 and was able to bring numerous commissions to their office due to his Quaker connections. By 1868, he had established his own office.
In November 1901, the American Institute of Architects denounced the design competition for the Pennsylvania State Capitol at Harrisburg and strongly urged its members not to participate. Hutton was one of nine architects who submitted designs, and he was expelled from the AIA in February 1902.

Marriage and children

On October 10, 1865, Addison married Rebecca W. Savery, daughter of William Savery and Elizabeth H. Cresson. They had one child, a girl named Mary, who was born September 1, 1869; Mary married James Garrett Biddle. In 1876, Hutton built a house for his family in Bryn Mawr, PA, near those of several of his clients. It still stands at the southwest corner of Montgomery and Morris Avenues.

Death and afterward

Addison Hutton died on June 26, 1916, and was buried at Short Creek Meeting House, Jefferson Co., Ohio. His granddaughter has written a biography: Elizabeth Biddle Yarnall, Addison Hutton: Quaker Architect, 1834–1916.

Architectural Works (Partial Listing)

Colleges, libraries and cultural institutions