Nicholas J. Clayton facts for kids

Nicholas J. Clayton

Saint Marys Cathedral, Austin, TX

The Beach Hotel, Galveston

Bishop's Palace, postcard

Nicholas Joseph Clayton (born November 1, 1840, in Cloyne, County Cork, Ireland – died December 9, 1916) was a very important architect. He designed many famous buildings during the Victorian era, especially in Galveston, Texas.

Early Life and Moving to America

Nicholas Joseph Clayton was born on November 1, 1840. His birthplace was Cloyne, a town in County Cork, Ireland. When he was about eight years old, his father died. Soon after, in 1848, Nicholas and his mother, Margaret O'Mahoney Clayton, moved from Ireland. They traveled across the ocean to live in Cincinnati, a city in the United States.

Designing Amazing Buildings

Nicholas Clayton became a skilled architect. He designed many large and impressive buildings. These included churches and public buildings. Most of his famous work is in Galveston, Texas.

Some of his notable designs include:

• The First Presbyterian Church (Galveston, Texas) in Galveston.
• The Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Tampa, Florida) in Tampa, Florida.
• The main building of St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.
• An addition to the beautiful St. Mary Cathedral in Galveston.

Clayton's buildings often showed off the grand styles of the Victorian era. He left a lasting mark on the cities where he worked.

Famous Buildings by Nicholas Clayton

Nicholas Clayton designed many buildings. Some of them are still standing today. Others have been changed or are no longer there. Here are some of his important projects:

• St. Mary's Church in Austin (1873). This church was built in the Gothic Revival style.
• The Seeligson House in Galveston (1875).
• The Burr House in Galveston (1876).
• The Lovenberg House in Galveston (1877).
• St. Patrick's Church in Galveston (1877).
• The Eaton Memorial Chapel at Trinity Episcopal Church in Galveston (1879).
• The Beach Hotel (Galveston) in Galveston (1882). Sadly, this hotel was destroyed by fire in 1898.
• The H. M. Trueheart & Company Building in Galveston (1882).
• The W. L. Moody Building in Galveston (1883).
• The Galveston News Building in Galveston (1884).
• The Stafford Opera House in Columbus, Texas (1886).
• The Sonnentheil House in Galveston (1887).
• Temple B'Nai Israel in Galveston (1887). This building later became the Masonic Temple.
• Incarnate Word Academy (Houston) in Houston (1888–89).
• St. Edward's University Main Building and Holy Cross dormitory in Austin (1888).
• The Rudolph Kruger House in Galveston (1889).
• Sacred Heart Church in Palestine, Texas (1890–1893).
• The Ashbel Smith Building in Galveston (1891). This building is in the Romanesque Revival style.
• The famous Bishop's Palace, Galveston in Galveston (1892). This is a great example of Victorian style.
• The League House in Galveston (1893).
• Grace Episcopal Church in Galveston (1894).
• St. Francis Xavier Cathedral (Alexandria, Louisiana) in Alexandria, Louisiana (1895). This is another Gothic Revival design.
• The Hutchings-Sealy Building in Galveston (1895).
• Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dallas (1896–1902). This church is also in the Gothic Revival style.
• St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Galveston (rebuilt in 1902).
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Tampa, Florida) in Tampa, Florida (1905). This church is in the Romanesque Revival style.
• The dome of the second Sacred Heart Church in Galveston (1912).

Gallery

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  Bishop's Palace, Galveston

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  Ashbel Smith Building, also known as "Old Red Building," University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

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  Main Building, St. Edward's University, Austin

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  Sacred Heart, Tampa, Fla.-interior

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  Grace Episcopal Church (Galveston, Texas)