Notes
Note for: William M Woollett, 6 JUL 1850 - 17 OCT 1880 Index
From an article by Austin O'Brien.
"William M. Woollett was born in Albany and after attending RPI he went
on to MIT where he was awarded high honours at graduation in 1870. Back
in Albany he joined his fathers practice, and assumed full charge of the
office after his fathers death.
In his brief ten year career, William attracted national attention
through the wide publication of his designs. He published two
influential books - Villas and Cottages or Homes for All (1876) with
plans, elevations and views of twelve villas and ten cottages, and Old
Homes Made New (1878) showing modernisation of older houses to 1870's
styles. A number of his designs for town houses, store fronts, cottages,
villas (including one under construction in central new York State), and
architectural details were included in A.J. Bicknell's Wooden and Brick
Buildings With Details (1875), and two of his three houses on Englewood
Place in Albany were published in the American Architect and Building
News in 1879. Although he probably designed a number of houses in Albany
(especially in the Washington Park area, which was rapidly developing in
the 1870's), the only known surviving building in the city by William
Woollett is the Benjamin Wooster House (1 Englewood Place), an imposing
free standing brick villa with a corner tower.
Woollett was made a Fellow of the AIA at the age of twenty five and died
of consumption in 1880. At the time his Calvary Baptist Church was under
construction on a prominent site on State Street next to the new State
Capitol. The church was probably completed by Franklin H Janes,
Woolletts partner who purchased the business.
Woollett left his widow with a large family of small children to raise."
His obituary in "The Argus", Albany 10 Oct 1880, says he had five
children, all boys, the eldest of whom is seven.
An entry in "History of the County of Albany" says he died age thirty
leaving four children. William Lee, the eldest moved to Los Angeles and
his son, William Woollett currently maintains an office there.
Another reference is also to four children.
Notes
Note for: William Lee Woollett, 1872 - 1953 Index
From an article by Austin O'Brien.
"Following in his fathers footsteps William Lee Woollett studied
architecture at MIT and after working for the Boston firm Fehmer and
Page, he returned to Albany in 1896 to set up his own practice. In 1905,
he was joined briefly by John W. Woollett, one of his brothers, who was
also an architect.
After the fire and earthquake in San Francisco, William Lee went out to
investigate the prospects of starting an office there in 1909. He stayed
in California and later gained considerable recognition for his State
Armories in San Francisco and Los Angeles, numerous schools, office
buildings, theaters and houses as well as the Hollywood Bowl."
William Lee Woolletts son, William Woollett, and grandson Joseph L.
continue to practice in California.
Notes
Note for: John W Woollett, - Index
From an article by Austin O'Brien.
"John Woollett went out to California a few years after his brother and
became California State Architect. "
Notes
Note for: Mary Mills, - Index
Obituary of William L Woollett refers to his brother in law Mr Woodward.
History of the County of Albany gives wife as Mrs Mary (Mills) Woollett
and that they had one son, William M.
Notes
Note for: Joseph Nelligar, - Index
History of the County of Albany shows Joseph Nellegar (spelling), the
well known druggist of Albany.
Notes
Note for: William Woollett, - Index
Said to be in architectural practice in Los Angeles.
According to the U.S. Social security index a William Woollett who lived
in Santa Barbara, California was born 20 February 1901 and died 13
October 1988.
Notes
Note for: Charles Town, ABT. 1873 - Index
1881 census