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."Ezra Frank Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web. Around the age of thirty, he traveled west to Virginia City, Nevada.

Career Upon his arrival in Virginia City c.1865, Kysor established himself as a carpenter.Collins, Charles. Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65. San Francisco: Agnew & Deffebach, 1865. He may also have maintained an architectural office. By 1868, however, he had settled in Los Angeles, California, as an architect.

He practiced alone until March 1875, when he established Kysor & Mathews with Walter J. Mathews (1850-1947).Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1875. This firm was dissolved in April 1876.Los Angeles Herald 2 April 1876. He was again alone until 1879, when John F. Hennessy (1853-1924) became a member of Kysor & Hennessy.Howard, Rod. "Hennessy, John Francis (Jack) (1853–1924)". https://adb.anu.edu.au/. Australian Dictionary of Biography. 1983. Web. Hennessy, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1875 or 1876, left Los Angeles for Australia in late 1880.Los Angeles Herald 22 Sept. 1880.

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.Los Angeles Herald 27 Oct. 1886. 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."Charles H. Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web.

Architectural works

Private practice, 1868-1875 Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 535 W. Roses Rd., San Gabriel (1869–71)Farnsworth, R. W. C. A Southern California Paradise. 1883. Pico House, 494 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1869–70) Merced Theatre, 420 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1870)Poole, Jean Bruce. El Pueblo: The Historic Heart of Los Angeles. 2002. William Workman House (Remodeling), 15415 E. Don Julian Rd., City of Industry (1870) Congregation B'nai B'rith, 218 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (1872–73) - demolishedDinkilspiel, Frances. Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California. 2008. Samuel C. Foy House, 1337 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles (1872)"Foy House". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d. Los Angeles High School, N. Broadway & Temple St., Los Angeles (1872–73) - demolished"Morgan, Octavius". Out West April 1909: 385. Ducommun Building, 304 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1874) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 16 June 1874.Los Angeles Herald 9 June 1874. Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles second building, west side of Main St. south of Plaza, Los Angeles (1874) - demolished Harris Newmark House, 233 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (1874) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 9 May 1874

Kysor & Mathews, 1875-1876 Anaheim Hotel, 182 W. Center St., Anaheim (1875) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 22 June 1875. Cardona Block, 118 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1875) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 10 July 1875. R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana (Completion), 214 S. Main St., Los Angeles (1875–76)"The New Roman Catholic Cathedral". Los Angeles Herald 12 March 1876. Herman W. Hellman House, 125 W. 4th St., Los Angeles (1875) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 25 June 1875. McDonald Block, 129-131 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1876) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1876. William H. Perry House, 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles (1876)Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1876.

Private practice, 1876-1878 Joseph Mullally House, 850 N. Broadway, Los Angeles (1876) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 11 May 1876. Hellman & Mascarel Block, 230-240 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1878) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 18 May 1878.

Kysor & Hennessy, 1879-1880 Horticultural Pavilion, Temple St., Los Angeles (1879) - burnedLos Angeles Herald 4 May 1879.

Kysor & Morgan, 1880-1886 University Building, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (1880)"University of Southern California - Non-Modern Buildings". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d. Web. Garnier Block, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles (1882–83)"Plaza House, 507-511 North Main Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA". https://www.loc.gov/. n.d. Web. Hotel Nadeau, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles (1882–83) - demolished 1932Los Angeles Herald 14 June 1882.Los Angeles Herald 22 July 1882. Grand Opera House, 110 S. Main St., Los Angeles (1883–84) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 31 Aug. 1883. First Baptist Church, 556 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (1883–84) - demolished Placentia School, Placentia & Chapman Aves., Anaheim (1884) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 22 Feb. 1884. Los Angeles Infirmary, 1111 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles (1884) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 23 July 1884. Trinity M. E. Church, 522 S. Broadway, Los Angeles (1884) - demolished"The New Trinity Church". Los Angeles Herald 21 May 1884.

Kysor, Morgan & Walls, 1886-1890 Law Building, 125 Temple St., Los Angeles (1886) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1887. Los Angeles National Bank Building, 100-104 N. Spring St., Los Angeles (1886–87) - demolished Abstract Title & Insurance Co. Building, 203 New High St., Los Angeles (1887) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 20 Nov. 1887. Granite Bank Building, 230 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia (1887) - demolished Hazard's Pavilion, 427 W. 5th St., Los Angeles (1887) - demolished 1905Los Angeles Herald 3 Dec. 1886. Los Angeles Orphans' Home, 817 Yale St., Los Angeles (1887) - demolished Palomares Hotel, 350 N. Garey Ave., Pomona (1887) - burned 1911 Michael Sanders House, 1345 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles (1887) Turn Halle, 321 S. Main St., Los Angeles (1887) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 8 April 1887. Gates Building, 215 W. 5th St., Los Angeles (1888) - demolishedInland Architect and News Record Dec. 1888: xvi. Frank Sabichi House, 2437 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles (1888) - demolished Annex Building, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles (1889) - demolishedLos Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1890. Gymnasium, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles (1890) - demolished"A Muscle Factory". Los Angeles Herald 30 Aug. 1890.

See also

Central Business District, Los Angeles (1880-1899)

References