Blackburn

Architect/Firm: Joseph Blackburn
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Name: Joseph M Blackburn

Birth/Established: November 25, 1823 Death/Dissolved: February 25, 1891

Biography:

Joseph M. Blackburn was born in Cudworth, Yorkshire, England. In England he served a seven year apprenticeship to William and Thomas Topam at Ackworth, Yorkshire. Blackburn worked as an architect at Ackworth for an additional four years. He came to the United States and to Cleveland in 1850. As an architect from 1850 to 1891, he worked in Cleveland throughout the Victorian era designing buildings in the Second Empire, Gothic and Italianate styles of his day. He received many significant commissions during his career including the St. Vincent's Charity Hospital, the Ohio Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Columbus, the Central Ohio Insane Asylum in Columbus, and the remodeling of Presidential candidate James Garfield's Mentor home. He was the architect of private and public buildings in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. During his career he formed many partnerships. From 1861 to 1864 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Fuller. About 1865 he moved to 471 Euclid Avenue. From 1866 to 1868 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Koehler; from 1879 to 1880 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Charlot; and finally he was with the firm of Blackburn and Daniels. When not in partnership he was listed as working alone. J. N. Richardson and Andrew Mitermiler worked in his office before they went into business in their own firms. Most of his buildings were constructed before building permits were required in Cleveland (1888) and remain unidentified. He was a member of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.

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