A. Moorman & Co., Bank Architects & Builders
A. Moorman & Co. was founded by Albert Moorman, who was born in Germany in 1860. His parents were Adelhirt (nee Severin) and Franz Moorman. The family emigrated to the U.S. around 1864, residing in Chicago. Albert apprenticed to a woodcarver at age 12, later practicing that craft at the Iowa State Capitol.[a] He married Swiss-born Anne Juon in 1886 in Des Moines.[3] After a brief stay in Omaha, Nebraska, they settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, where directories listed Albert as a partner in St. Paul Furniture Company, making "Fixtures...Furniture [and] Interior Woodwork" for "Banks, Stores, Offices, Churches, Halls, Hotels." In 1905 he renamed the business "A. Moorman & Co.," focusing on commercial clients as "Mnfrs of Special Furniture Bank Office and Saloon Fixtures." In 1913 he expanded the company's services to include architecture and construction as "Architects Builders of Bank and Office Equipment." The firm built banks throughout the Midwest, including over a dozen projects in Nebraska, from as early as 1914 and to as late as 1952. Albert was joined in the firm by his son Albert Juon. After their father's death in 1927, Albert J.'s brother Frank S. joined A. Moorman & Co., which relocated to Minneapolis in 1929 and operated into the late 1970s.[1][2]
This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.
Contents
Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
1888, Omaha, "Albert Moorman, carver and designer"
Educational & Professional Associations [with links to Nebraska projects]
Albert H. Moorman (1860-1927), founder and president of A. Moorman & Co.
Ephraim A. Tyler, Jr. (1889-1974); "A. Morman [sic] & Co." manager, 1917 WWI draft regitr'n; (V.P. and General Manager in 1925 dir.) EAT (Sr) was in Omaha 1897, mgr of Investment Fund), is interred Wyuka (1862-1944)
Kindy C. Wright (1893-1976), (V.P. in 1925 dir.)
Albert Juon Moorman (1897-1968), studied architecture at University of Minnesota (1918 yearbook), "architect" in 1920 Census, (AM&Co. Treasurer in 1925 dir.) [6] "in charge of the architectural department" 1929
Frank Severing Moorman (1901-1981), joined firm in 1928, "in charge of purchases" (1929) [2]
Frederick C. Klawiter (1889-1983), chief draftsman for A. Moorman & Co., architect in St. Paul, Minnesota. (1917) [4][5][]
Nebraska Buildings & Projects
Dated
Remodeling Farmers & Merchants National Bank (1914), Oakland, Nebraska.[iii][iv][xa]
American Bank (1915-1916), Sidney, Nebraska.
First National Bank of North Platte (1916-1917), North Platte, Nebraska.
Farmers State Bank (1917-1918), Scribner, Nebraska.
National Bank of Commerce (1923-1924), N. 13th & O Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.[][]
First National Bank (1924), McCook, Nebraska.
First National Bank (1925-1926), Grand Island, Nebraska. K.C. Wright visits in 1925, returns to St. Paul "after completing arrangements with the board of directors of the First National bank for the immediate raising of the state bank building", followed by E. A. Tyler who "will arrive in G. I. on Monday, next, to establish an office and will have charge of the letting of the contracts, etc." Tyler spends 3 days in G.I. "in conference with the [upper floor] tenants and in letting contracts"[v][vi][vii
Remodeling of Central National Bank (1934), Columbus, Nebraska.[ix]
First National Bank (1936), Holdrege, Nebraska.[x]
Remodeling of Schuyler State Bank (1949), Schuyler, Nebraska.[xi]
Remodeling of First National Bank (1949-1950), Gordon, Nebraska.[xii]
First State Bank of Scottsbluff (1950), 1523 First Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska.[xiii]
Remodeling of American National Bank (1950), Sidney, Nebraska.[xiv]
National Bank of Norfolk (1952), Norfolk, Nebraska.[xv]
Undated
Notes
a. Reference 1. mentions Moorman's work at Iowa State Capitol. His marriage record of 1886 placed his residence as Des Moines, Iowa. By 1888 an Omaha city directory listed Albert Moorman, wood carver, in Nebraska's largest city; the next year his residence shifted permanently to St. Paul, Minnesota.[1][3]
xa. [iii]
References
1. University of Minnesota Libraries, Northwest Architectural Archives, s.v. “A. Moorman & Company,” accessed Jan. 18, 2026 at https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/8/resources/2254
2. "Moorman, Frank Severing," listed in 1956, 1962, 1970 editions, American Architects Directory, R.R. Bowker LLC. 1970 "AIA Historical Directory," page 638, accessed January 18, 2026 at https://aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AHDAA/pages/20873518/1970+American+Architects+Directory?preview=/20873518/2218688879/Bowker_1970_M.pdf
3. Ancestry.com. Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1949, s.v. "Albert Moorman," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
4. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917 1918, s.v. "F. C. Klawiter," [database on line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
5. Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2017, s.v. "F. C. Klawiter," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001; "F. C. Klawiter," in https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95227161 accessed July 25, 2019. Buried Elmhurst Cemetery, St. Paul, Minnesota, with wife Otha B. (1893-1969).
6. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Albert Moorman," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
iii. Representative Examples of the work of A. Moorman & Company in the design, construction, reconstruction and equipment of bank buildings, (A. Moorman & Co., 1918: St. Paul, Minnesota), 58, (illustrated with before & after photos of previous storefront and rebuilt, expanded bank façade).
iv. “Formal Opening of Bank Building,” Oakland (Nebraska) Independent and Republican (December 11, 1914), 1.
v. "K. C. Wright, of A. Moorman and Company, bank builders, of St. Paul, Minn., returned to his home city yesterday..." Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent (August 12, 1925), 7.
vi. "Good Progress in New Bank Building," Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent (September 28, 1925), 6.
vii. "Bank Tribute to Founders--Institution's History Timely as it Opens its New Business Edifice," Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent (April 29, 1926), 18.
viii. "H. Jalmer Johnson...construction foreman for A. Moorman and Company...arrived...to install additional cage equipment at the First National," Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent (January 8, 1930), 4.
ix. "Will Remodel Bank Building--Central National to Enlarge Bank, Improve Offices, Second Floor," Columbus (Nebraska) Telegram (October 30, 1934), 3.
x. "First National Bank Names...Opening Day, New Building," Holdrege (Nebraska) Progress (June 12, 1936), 1.
xi. "Architect Asks Bids to Remodel Building," Schuyler (Nebraska) Sun (July 14, 1949), 1.
xii. "Local Bank Is Of State's Best--Completely Modernized For Safe, Efficient Service," Gordon (Nebraska) Journal (March 29, 1950), 1.
xiii. "New First State Bank to be Constructed," (Scottsbluff, Nebraska) Star-Herald (April 6, 1950), 5, (illustrated with perspective sketch).
xiv. "$40,000 Remodeling Plan Set For American National Bank," Sidney (Nebraska) Telegraph (June 27, 1950), 1.
xv. “Architects’ Drawing of Bank’ New Nome,” Norfolk (Nebraska) Daily News (February 16, 1952), 1.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer, “A. Moorman & Co., Bank Architects & Builders,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January 27, 2026. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, January 28, 2026.
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