Ezra F. Kysor

Pico House, Los Angeles, CA. 1869-70.

Merced Theatre, Los Angeles, CA. 1870.

Samuel C. Foy House, Los Angeles, CA. 1872.

Los Angeles High School, Los Angeles, CA. 1872-73. Demolished.

R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana, Los Angeles, CA. 1875-76. Altered.

William H. Perry House, Los Angeles, CA. 1876.

University Building, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. 1880.

Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA. 1887. Demolished.

Palomares Hotel, Pomona, CA. 1887. Burned.

Ezra Frank Kysor (1835-1907) was an American architect from Los Angeles, California. He is believed to be the first professional architect to practice in Southern California.

Biography

Early life

Ezra Kysor was born on August 6, 1835, in Cattaraugus, New York.^[1] Around the age of thirty, he traveled west to Virginia City, Nevada.^[1]

Career

Upon his arrival in Virginia City c.1865, Kysor established himself as a carpenter.^[2] He may also have maintained an architectural office.^[1] By 1868, however, he had settled in Los Angeles, California, as an architect.^[1]

He practiced alone until March 1875, when he established Kysor & Mathews with Walter J. Mathews (1850-1947).^[3] This firm was dissolved in April 1876.^[4] He was again alone until 1879, when John F. Hennessy (1853-1924) became a member of Kysor & Hennessy.^[5] Hennessy, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1875 or 1876, left Los Angeles for Australia in late 1880.^[6]

Upon Hennessy's departure, Kysor made his chief draftsman, Octavius Morgan (1850-1922), a member of Kysor & Morgan. In 1886, John A. Walls (1858-1922) was added, the firm becoming Kysor, Morgan & Walls.^[7] It was around this time the Kysor began to withdraw from practice, to focus on real estate speculation. He retired from the firm completely in 1890, which became Morgan & Walls.

Personal life

He was married to Clara Perry. They had a son, Charles H. Kysor (1883-1954), who was also an architect.^[8]

Architectural Works

Private practice, 1868-1875

• Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 535 W. Roses Rd., San Gabriel, CA (1869–71)^[9]
• Pico House, 494 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1869–70)
• Merced Theatre, 420 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1870)^[10]
• William Workman House (Remodeling), 15415 E. Don Julian Rd., Industry, CA (1870)
• Congregation B'nai B'rith, 218 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.^[11]
• Samuel C. Foy House, 1337 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1872)^[12]
• Los Angeles High School, N. Broadway & Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.^[13]
• Ducommun Building, 304 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.^[14][15]
• Harris Newmark House, 233 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.^[16]

Kysor & Mathews, 1875-1876

• Anaheim Hotel, 182 W. Center St., Anaheim, CA (1875) - Demolished.^[17]
• Cardona Block, 118 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.^[18]
• R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana (Completion), 214 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875–76)^[19]
• Herman W. Hellman House, 125 W. 4th St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.^[20]
• McDonald Block, 129-131 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.^[21]
• William H. Perry House, 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, CA (1876)^[22]

Private practice, 1876-1878

• Joseph Mullally House, 850 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.^[21][23]
• Hellman & Mascarel Block, 230-240 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1878) - Demolished.^[24]

Kysor & Hennessy, 1879-1880

• Horticultural Pavilion, Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1879) - Burned.^[25]

Kysor & Morgan, 1880-1886

• University Building, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (1880)^[26]
• Garnier Block, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83)^[27]
• Hotel Nadeau, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83) - Demolished 1932.^[28][29]
• Child's Opera House, 110 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.^[30]
• First Baptist Church, 556 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.^[27]
• Placentia School, Placentia & Chapman Aves., Anaheim, CA (1884) - Demolished.^[31]
• Los Angeles Infirmary, 1111 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.^[32]
• Trinity M. E. Church, 522 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.^[33]

Kysor, Morgan & Walls, 1886-1890

• Law Building, 125 Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1886) - Demolished.^[34]
• Los Angeles National Bank Building, 100-104 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA (1886–87) - Demolished.^[27]
• Abstract Title & Insurance Co. Building, 203 New High St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.^[35]
• Granite Bank Building, 230 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA (1887) - Demolished.^[35]
• Hazard's Pavilion, 427 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished 1905.^[36]
• Los Angeles Orphans' Home, 817 Yale St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.^[35]
• Palomares Hotel, 350 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, CA (1887) - Burned 1911.^[35]
• Michael Sanders House, 1345 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1887)^[35]
• Turn Halle, 321 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.^[37]
• Gates Building, 215 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.^[38]
• Frank Sabichi House, 2437 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.^[38]
• Annex Building, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1889) - Demolished.^[39]
• Gymnasium, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1890) - Demolished.^[40]

References

1. "Ezra Frank Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web.
2. Collins, Charles. Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65. San Francisco: Agnew & Deffebach, 1865.
3. Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1875.
4. Los Angeles Herald 2 April 1876.
5. Howard, Rod. "Hennessy, John Francis (Jack) (1853–1924)". http://adb.anu.edu.au/. Australian Dictionary of Biography. 1983. Web.
6. Los Angeles Herald 22 Sept. 1880.
7. Los Angeles Herald 27 Oct. 1886.
8. "Charles H. Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web.
9. Farnsworth, R. W. C. A Southern California Paradise. 1883.
10. Poole, Jean Bruce. El Pueblo: The Historic Heart of Los Angeles. 2002.
11. Dinkilspiel, Frances. Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California. 2008.
12. "Foy House". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d.
13. "Morgan, Octavius". Out West April 1909: 385.
14. Los Angeles Herald 16 June 1874.
15. Los Angeles Herald 9 June 1874.
16. Los Angeles Herald 9 May 1874
17. Los Angeles Herald 22 June 1875.
18. Los Angeles Herald 10 July 1875.
19. "The New Roman Catholic Cathedral". Los Angeles Herald 12 March 1876.
20. Los Angeles Herald 25 June 1875.
21. Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1876.
22. Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1876.
23. Los Angeles Herald 11 May 1876.
24. Los Angeles Herald 18 May 1878.
25. Los Angeles Herald 4 May 1879.
26. "University of Southern California - Non-Modern Buildings". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d. Web.
27. "Plaza House, 507-511 North Main Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA". http://www.loc.gov/. n.d. Web.
28. Los Angeles Herald 14 June 1882.
29. Los Angeles Herald 22 July 1882.
30. Los Angeles Herald 31 Aug. 1883.
31. Los Angeles Herald 22 Feb. 1884.
32. Los Angeles Herald 23 July 1884.
33. "The New Trinity Church". Los Angeles Herald 21 May 1884.
34. Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1887.
35. Los Angeles Herald 20 Nov. 1887.
36. Los Angeles Herald 3 Dec. 1886.
37. Los Angeles Herald 8 April 1887.
38. Inland Architect and News Record Dec. 1888: xvi.
39. Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1890.
40. "A Muscle Factory". Los Angeles Herald 30 Aug. 1890.