Clarence Kelley Colley

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Clarence Kelley Colley
BornFebruary 21, 1869
Wilson County, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJuly 8, 1956
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting placeMount Olivet Cemetery
OccupationArchitect
Spouse(s)Nannie Sue Molloy
Children1 son
Parent(s)Seth Colley
Fidelia Elizabeth Smith

Clarence Kelley Colley (1869–1956) was an American architect. He designed many buildings in Tennessee, some of which are on the campuses of Middle Tennessee State University and Austin Peay State University. Other buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kirksey Hall, designed by Colley.
The Perry County Courthouse, designed by Colley.

Early life[]

Clarence Kelley Colley was born on February 21, 1869, in Wilson County, Tennessee.[1] His father was Seth Colley and his mother, Fidelia Elizabeth Smith.[1] He had a brother, Homer.[1]

Colley grew up on a farm, until he moved to Nashville to work in the boiler room at Vanderbilt University as a young man.[1]

Career[]

Colley was an apprentice to architects and William Crawford Smith.[1] He established C. K. Colley & Company Architects, an architectural firm in Nashville, in 1899.[1] His son replaced his brother in 1921, when the firm was renamed C. K. Colley & Son.[1]

Colley designed two buildings on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in 1911: the President's House and Kirksey Hall.[1] Additionally, he designed the Commons Building on the campus of Austin Peay State University in 1916.[1]

Meanwhile, Colley designed the North Branch Carnegie Library in Nashville in 1915.[2] He designed the Perry County Courthouse in Linden, Tennessee.[3] He also designed the Wilkinson House in Joelton, Tennessee.[4]

Colley was a charter member of the Nashville chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1922.[1]

Personal life[]

Colley married Nannie Sue Molloy in 1894.[1] They had a son, William Clarence Colley.[1] Colley was widowed when his wife died in 1899.[1]

Death and legacy[]

Colley died on July 8, 1956, in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.[5] Several of the buildings he designed, like the Perry County Courthouse and the Wilkinson House, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3][4]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Adgent, Nancy L. (December 30, 2009). "Clarence Kelley Colley (1868-1956)". The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Tennessee Historical Society and University of Tennessee Press. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  2. ^ Hoobler, James A. (2008). A Guide to Historic Nashville, Tennessee. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 139. ISBN 9781625843630.
  3. ^ a b "Perry County Courthouse". National Park Service. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Wilkinson House". National Park Service. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Clarence Kelly "C. K." Colley". Find a Grave. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
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