John W. Priest

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John W. Priest (died July 24, 1859)^[1] was an American architect and a founding member of the American Institute of Architects whose work included Jonathan Allen's house in Berkshire County, Massachusetts known as Eagle's Nest. He died a year after its construction.^[2]

Priest was a founding member of the American Institute of Architects along with Richard Upjohn and Calvert Vaux.^[2] His design for the Eagle's Nest was a symmetrical Gothic architecture building with Berkshire limestone with stables behind the building and "manicured lawn and gardens". The rear elevation included fourth story, one more than in the front of the house, to allow a view of Mount Greylock 12 miles away.^[2]

John W, Priest, who resided and worked in the vicinity of Newburgh, New York, was one of only five architects approved by the New York Ecclesiological Society. His work is limited because of his early death in 1859, not because he was an unimportant architect. He mentored and later partnered with architect Henry M. Congdon, who had an extensive and well-documented career in church architecture after Priest's death. Two well-known and documented projects by Priest are modifications to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Carey Street, Baltimore, 1857, and the new St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Goldsboro NC also in 1857. Both churches exhibit the high standards with careful proportions and detail espoused by the Ecclesiological Society. Priest's professional attributes and the work at St. Luke's are well documented by Phoebe Stanton's “The Gothic Revival and American Church Architecture” published in 1968 by the Johns Hopkins Press. Work at St. Stephen's in Goldsboro is verified by review of the parish's records and by inspecting the extant building.

Additional Projects - 1. St. John's Episcopal Church - Canterbury/Cornwall, New York - The church's website cites John W. Priest as being the architect and that a memorial window fabricated in Munich, Germany, dedicated to J.W. Priest, is located at the west end of the nave. John died on July 24, 1859, a couple of months after the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone which was performed on May 10, 1859, one year after the starting of the church. The actual construction of the church was started in August 1859 and completed after his death with the assistance of members of his office and the first service was held on Nov. 20th, 1859. ( Per parish records and several newspaper articles at the time of his death and an article in The Cornwall Local - July 19, 1928 marking the 70th Anniversary of the starting of the church). The article states that this was his last project.

Death Notice - New York Evening Express - July 25, 1859 - DIED - On Sunday afternoon, the 24th instant, at the residence of his father in Newburg[h], JOHN W. PRIEST, in the 34th year of his age.

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