Rolland Holbrook Hess (1885-1951), Architect
DBA: Hess & Ferrier, Lincoln, Nebraska; Rolland H. Hess, Los Angeles and Rolland H. Holbrook, Los Angeles; Holbrook & Inglis, Los Angeles (1922); Rolland H. Holbrook, Denver, Colorado
Rolland Holbrook Hess was born in Springfield, Sarpy County, Nebraska in 1885 to Gottlieb and Flora Hess.[1][2] The family moved to Lincoln in 1891.[3] Rolland was listed in the Lincoln city directories as a student in 1905 and 1906, and as an architect as early as 1907. A Lincoln newspaper noted in April 1907 that Rolland and his mother had returned from spending the winter in California, where they "made their headquarters in Los Angeles" so "Mr. Hess...an architect...[could] make a study of the mode of constructing buildings on the western cost."[4] He associated in Lincoln with Arthur Leonard Ferrier (1881-1937) as Hess & Ferrier, Architects in 1908 and 1909. Hess married Lula Q. Meyers in 1909 and the newlyweds soon relocated to Los Angeles.[5] Rolland Hess and Arthur Ferrier shared an address (519 Maple) in the Los Angeles city directory of 1911, with the former listed as a salesman and the latter as a draftsman. Hess was subsequently listed primarily as an architect.
In 1918, Hess petitioned a California court to change his name to "Rolland Hall Holbrook," assuming his mother's family name and "eliminating a name of Teutonic origin." His wife Lulu and their son Leslie also changed their surname to Holbrook.[18] Rolland Holbrook practiced as an architect and house-builder in Los Angeles through the 1920s. He was listed as an "architectural engineer" in the 1930 census and a draftsman in 1933 in Long Beach, California.[13] In 1934 he married Gertrude C. Copeland in Denver,[14] where he managed an apartment building. The 1940 census listed him in Colorado as "Resident Eng. Inspector, Public Works Administration," and his WWII draft registration card listed his residence as Lakewood, Colorado and his employers as the FWA, Office of Chief Engineer, in Denver. He died in Colorado in 1951 and is interred at Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.[16][17].
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
Hess & Ferrier, 1908-1909
Educational & Professional Associations
c. 1905-1906: student, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.[15][c]
1907-1908: partner with A. L. Ferrier as Hess & Ferrier, architects, Lincoln.
1910: "professional estimator...buildings," Los Angeles.[20]
1912: Weber Show Case & Fixture Company, designer, Los Angeles.
1918: "arc[hitect] & Builder," employed by Frank Melvin, Los Angeles.[2]
1921: architect in association with sculptor Federico Giorgi (1878-1963).[6][7]
1922: partner, Holbrook & Inglis, architects, Los Angeles.[8][b]
1940: "Resident Eng[ineering] Inspector, Public Works Admin.," Denver, Colorado.
Other Associations
1917: Apollo Club, publicity chairman, Hollywood, California.[9]
Buildings & Projects
Dated Projects
Whiting-Hartley Bungalow (1909), 2345 R Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[10]
Obtains patent for "illumination" (1915).[11]
Residence (1920), 1601 Ogden Drive, Hollywood (Los Angeles), California.[12]
Producers Direct Market (1926), 233 S. Broadway and 232 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, California.[15]
Undated Projects
"five public school buildings for the Los Angeles Board of Education" (pre-1926).[15]
Notes
a. Hess signed his WWI draft registration card "Rolland Hollbrook Hess" on September 7, 1918.[2] Before the end of that year, he legally changed his name to "Rolland Hall Holbrook," noting that this change aligned with his mother's maiden surname. His mother's marriage certificate recorded her name as "Flora Arabella Holbrooke" and her father's name as "Augustus L. Holbrook."[19] The draft registration is the only instance (currently known) in which he spelled that surname with the double "ll."
b. Holbrook joined only briefly with William A. Inglis, with their partnership announced in February 1922 and its dissolution in mid-March of the same year. "This change has become necessary from the fact that Mr. Inglis will hereafter devote all of his time to his picture interests. He is a member of the firm of Willis & Inglis, well known picture producers."[8]
c. Lincoln city directories list R. H. Hess as "student" in 1905 and 1906, usually an indication of enrollment at University of Nebraska. A 1926 description of R.H.H.'s background and education mentioned that he had come to California "after completing the course of mechanical engineering in the University of Nebraska."[15] However, the 1940 census listed his education as a single year of college, so "completing the course" probably was hyperbolic.(EFZ)
References
1. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, s.v. "Rolland Hall Holbrook," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
2. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, s.v. "Rolland H. Hess," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
3. Death notice of G. J. Hess, (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (June 1, 1909), 11.
4. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (April 17, 1907), 18.
5. "Marriage Licenses," Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (September 22, 1909), 2; Account of wedding, Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (September 23, 1909), 9.
6. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (December 17, 1918), 9.6. Advertisement "Rolland H. Holbrook Designer and Builder of Fine Structures that Express the Ideals of Their Owners[.] Federico Giorgi Associate Sculptor and Artist," Los Angeles Evening Express (Hollywood, California (February 19, 1921), 80.
7. Find A Grave, s.v. "Federico Giorgi," (database on-line); Ancestry.com. Biography & Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
8. "Holbrook & Inglis--Specialists in Architecture," Los Angeles Evening Express (Hollywood, California) (February 27, 1922), 77; "Inglis Withdraws," (March 18, 1922), 8.
9. Los Angeles Evening Citizen News (Hollywood, California) (September 28, 1917), 1.
10. City of Lincoln Building Permit #3225, issued July 13, 1909, and associated application.
11. "Pomona man granted patent...," Pomona (California) Daily Review (August 5, 1915), 5.
12. "Rolland H. Holbrook, Designer and Builder of Artistic Homes...The House at 1601 Ogden Drive is one of them," Los Angeles Evening Citizen News (Hollywood, California) (October 15, 1920), 9; "Rolland H. Holbrook Architect, U. N. C....My New Home at 1601 Odgen Drive is Now Open for Inspection...," Los Angeles Evening Citizen News (Hollywood, California) (Dec. 10, 1920), 8; "For Sale--Price $26,000," Los Angeles Times (February 6, 1921), 77 (illustrated).
13. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Rolland Holbrook," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.
14. Ancestry.com. Colorado, County Marriage Records and State Index, 1862-2006, s.v. "Rolland H. Holbrook," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
15. "Holbrook's Record As Architect Told," Los Angeles Daily News (April 24, 1926), 12.
16. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Rolland Holbrook," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
17. Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, s.v. "Rolland Hall Holbrook," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
18. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (December 17, 1918), 9.
19. Ancestry.com. Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908, s.v. "Gottlieb Hess," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.
20. Ancestry.com 1910 Unites States Federal Census, s.v. "Rolland H. Hess," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Acknowledgements
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer, “Rolland Holbrook Hess (1885-1951), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, May 19, 2021. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, April 19, 2024.
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