Jory, Stafford L., 1889-1968

Biographical Note

Stafford Jory was born in Stockton on August 24, 1889 to parents of English background. He moved to Berkeley in 1907, graduated high school, and entered UC Berkeley, where he became one of John Galen Howard's first students. After receiving his B.S. in 1912, he continued under Howard's tutelage, earning a Masters in 1913 and the discontinued Graduate in Architecture degree in 1914. In these early years he often worked creating beautiful color renderings for Howard. These degrees earned Jory a professor's position at Berkeley; however, World War I interrupted this development, and he ended up teaching artillery school in Virginia until the end of the war. His brother Arthur Jory also attended the Berkeley Architecture Program and they worked on a number of projects together.

After the war, he married Grace Weeks, a former classmate in architecture, and returned to his teaching position at Berkeley where he would teach until his retirement in 1956. During these years, he was also a practicing architect. He was responsible for a number of residences in the Berkeley area, including the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity House, Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority House, and the house of his friend Farnham Griffiths. His professional relationship with Howard continued throughout his career as they collaborated on many university buildings, including Wheeler Hall, Hilgard Hall, parts of Doe Library, Edwards Track Stadium, and the School of Law built in 1950.

In addition to architecture, Jory was also active in floriculture, where he found international recognition for his work in the hybridization of geraniums and the iris. His "William Mohr Crossing" led to the revolutionary development of the tall bearded garden iris. His other love was the photography of landscapes, gardens, and architecture. He was a member of the American Iris Society, the Aril Societe Internationale, and the Photographic Club of America. Jory passed away in 1968.

Sources:

Goodman, M.A., Jeans, R. W., & Perry, W.C. "Stafford Lelean Jory." Photocopy - No other information, p. 52.

From the guide to the Stafford L. Jory collection, 1904-1960, (Environmental Design Archives College of Environmental Design)