Edward Brickell White facts for kids

Huguenot Church, Charleston, South Carolina

St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church original sanctuary 1842, Charleston, SC

Edward Brickell White (born January 29, 1806 – died May 10, 1882) was a talented American architect. He was known for designing many important buildings, especially churches, in the South Carolina area. He often used popular styles like Gothic Revival and ancient Roman and Greek designs in his work.

Edward Brickell White's Life

Edward Brickell White was born on January 29, 1806. His family lived on a plantation called Chapel Hill in South Carolina. His father, John Blake White, was a planter and an artist.

Early Training and Career

In 1826, Edward graduated from the United States Military Academy. Here, he studied engineering, which is about designing and building things. After West Point, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army artillery.

In 1832, he married Delia Adams. He left the Army in 1836. After that, he worked as a surveyor for several railroads. A surveyor measures land and helps plan construction. Later that year, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina. There, he started his own business as an architect, engineer, and surveyor.

Designing Famous Buildings

One of Edward Brickell White's first big projects was the Market Hall in Charleston. This building uses the Greek Revival style. It is now a very important historical place.

He designed many churches, often in the beautiful Gothic Revival style. Some of these include:

• The Huguenot Church in Charleston.
• The Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbia.
• The wooden Church of the Cross in Bluffton.
• The tall steeple of St. Philip's Church in Charleston.

In 1842, he designed the main part of St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church. He also designed Grace Church Cathedral and Centenary Methodist Church in Charleston. In 1841, his design for St. Johannes Lutheran Church was built.

Other Important Projects

Edward Brickell White also worked on other interesting projects. He designed a large granite column for the Daniel Morgan Monument in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He designed the Charleston High School building, which is now a private home.

He also added a grand entrance with columns and wings to the main building of the College of Charleston. He even designed an expansion for a building at South Carolina Military College.

He helped supervise the building of the new Custom House in Charleston. This large building was designed by another architect, Ammi Burnham Young. Construction stopped for a while but was finished in 1879.

Later Life and Legacy

During the Civil War, Edward Brickell White joined the Confederate Army. He served as a lieutenant colonel, leading the 3rd South Carolina Artillery.

After the war, he helped repair St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Charleston. He also designed a building for the Charleston Gas & Light Co. He designed several homes too, like the William Gatewood House.

In 1879, White moved to New York. He passed away on May 10, 1882. He was buried in Charleston at St. Michael's Episcopal Churchyard.

What He Built

Here are some of the notable buildings Edward Brickell White designed:

• High School of Charleston (1841)
• Old St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church (1842)
• Centennary Methodist Church (Charleston, South Carolina) (1842)
• Market Hall and Sheds (1840s)
• Huguenot Church (1844)
• Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Columbia, South Carolina) (1847)
• Grace Church Cathedral (1848)
• Church of the Cross (1857)
• St. Andrew's Church (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) (1857)