Parris, Alexander, 1780-1852

Engineer and architect.

From the description of Letter, 1812 Nov. 12, Boston, to Jonathan Richards, New York. (Boston Athenaeum). WorldCat record id: 190870981

Alexander Parris (1780-1852), architect and builder, began as an apprentice to a carpenter in Pembroke, Me., and worked as an architect in Portland, Me., before his enlistment as captain of a company of engineers during the War of 1812. Afterwards, Parris settled in Boston, where he performed his most important work, such as St. Paul's Church and Faneuil Hall's market hall. In 1847, he was appointed civil engineer of the Portsmouth, N.H., navy yard.

From the description of Sketchbook, 1806-1812. (American Antiquarian Society). WorldCat record id: 191259596

Alexander Parris was born 24 November 1780 Halifax, MA. He married Silvina Bonney Stetson in 1800 and soon after moved to Portland, ME where he designed and built Federal-style houses. In 1810, Parris went to Richmond, VA where he constructed several houses including the governor's mansion. During the War of 1812, he served as a superintendent of the Corps of Artificers. After the war, he returned to Boston and became one of the city's leading architects. He also worked designing and constructing lighthouses and beacons for the U.S. Treasury Dept. and several important structures for the Boston Navy Shipyard (Charlestown, MA). His final employment was as chief engineer of the Portsmouth Navy Yard. He died 16 June 1852 Pembroke, MA.

From the description of Alexander Parris papers, 1812-1816, 1839-1853. (New England Historic Genealogical Society). WorldCat record id: 185060914

Architect/engineer, of Boston, Mass.; responsible for designing and/or superintending the construction of many significant buildings in Massachusetts and elsewhere; involved with many federal engineering projects between 1815-1827 and in 1824 began an association with Boston Naval Shipyard which would endure for 20 years. Within this time he designed a number of substantial granite structures, including dry docks and lighthouses.

Subjects include beacons in Connecticut and New York State; Matinicus Rock Lighthouse, Minot's Ledge Lighthouse, Matinicus Rock Light, Mount Desert Rock Light, Monhegan Island Light, and others in New England and New York State; New York Naval Shipyard, Charlestown Navy Yard, Pensacola Navy Yard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, U.S. Marine Hospital at Boston (Chelsea Naval Hospital), Edward Preble House (Portland, Me.), David Sears House (later Somerset Club, Boston), Gosport Navy Yard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Rainsford Island, Mass. Persons represented include Samuel Turell Armstrong, William Bainbridge, Loammi Baldwin, Gridley Bryant, Gridley J.F. Bryant, Robert E. Lee, Albion K. Parris, Stephen Pleasonton, Thomas W. Sumner, Ithiel Town, Solomon Willard, and Martin Van Buren.

From the description of Papers, 1823-1851. (State Library of Massachusetts). WorldCat record id: 70975172