The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Frank F. Tingley

Title: Plans for Monuments and Fountains

Dates: 1876-1884

Call No.: Col. 732

Acc. No.: 79x144

Quantity: 32 items

Location: Map case 2, drawers 3-4

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Frank F. Tingley was an architect and an agent for the Smith Granite Co. in Providence, Rhode Island. He wrote a couple of pamphlets about the Westerly granite quarries in Rhode Island. He may be the Frank Foster Tingley who is buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence. That man was born in 1844 and died on September 28, 1921.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

A collection of 31 pages of architectural drawings and sketches and one photograph of a granite worker. Most of the plans are for tombstones, sepulchral monuments, and mausoleums, usually with the name of the deceased indicated. One plan is noted as being for a monument to be erected in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island. Another monument is for a man in Evansville, Indiana. In addition to tombs, Tingley also designed curbing to be used around family cemetery plots. As well, the collection includes several plans for fountains and for monuments in honor of Civil War soldiers. One fountain was located in Taunton, Massachusetts, and another was executed for R.W. Park. One of the soldiers’ monuments was designed for Galena, Illinois. The photograph is of a worker in the Rhode Island Westerly Granite Works of Providence.

ORGANIZATION

For the most part, the items are arranged by size.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from Charles B. Wood, III.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Goddard, R. H. I.

Topics:

Rhode Island Westerly Granite Monuments.

Architects – Rhode Island.

Curbs.

Fountains – Designs and plans.

Granite industry and trade – Rhode Island.

Lampposts.

Mausoleums – Designs and plans.

Sepulchral monuments – Designs and plans.

Soldiers’ monuments – Designs and plans.

Stonemasons – Rhode Island.

Sketches.

Blueprints.

Architectural drawings.

Photographs.

Architects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: Map case 2, drawers 3-4

[note: all accession numbers begin with 79x144]

Drawer 3:

.1 “Fountain at Taunton, Mass., April 1884” – four attached pages of sketches

a a plain urn set on a pedestal, sitting on a pile of rocks; lions’ heads decorate the sides of the pedestal and water gushes from their mouths; the measurement of each section is given, and the height of the entire monument is 10 feet, 9 inches; includes a small floor plan of the fountain

b a further development of the fountain on the previous page (a), with a decorated urn and a column coming out of the urn from which water spouts; this fountain is 14 feet, 3 inches high

c a different fountain design, with a ball on top of a basin sitting on top of a pedestal decorated with dolphins and tridents; water spouts from the mouths of the dolphins; the fountain is 13 feet, 6 inches high, and the basin is 12 feet across

d an incomplete sketch of a fountain, a basin set on top of an octagonal pedestal, with a scallop shell on the basin and a flower stalk on four sides of the pedestal; a column (incomplete drawing) arises out of the basin; no measurements given

.2 “Fountain, etc. (R.W. Park)” – three pages of sketches

a a drawing for a neoclassical gazebo set in a fountain; on back: sketches of several sarcophagus tombs, a section of a wall, and a raised planter (could be a fountain)

b sketch of the gazebo, with some of the ornamental details drawn in; on back: beginning of a sketch of the base of the gazebo

c partial floor plan of the fountain

.3 pencil sketch of a fountain, with a lamppost and flower urns on pedestals, includes a floor plan of the project and calculations of the cost, part of which was to be born by the U.R.R. Co. and part by an unnamed city

.4 “Soldiers mont.[monument], Galena, Ill.” – two sketches on the same paper; each monument is an obelisk on a pedestal; the left hand sketch shows details of the lower part of the monument – to include bas reliefs of Generals Grant and Rawlings, an American shield, and a kepi over crossed bayonets and an inscription “To the Soldiers of Jo Daviess County Who Served in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865.”

The right hand sketch shows that battles are to be inscribed on the shaft of the obelisk, including Antietam, Shiloh, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. The name Mrs. Sarah C. Harris, Galena, Jo Daviess County, Ill., is written at the bottom of the sheet of paper, perhaps the contact person for this work.

.5 Sketches of four monuments, plus part of a fifth monument, and diagrams for two others. Three of the monuments have war themes; one shows a figure of Liberty atop a globe with a banner reading “Army & Navy”; eagles and the inscription “In Memory of Our Sons” decorates the base of this monument. The monument drawn next to this one could be a side view of this monument, but without the figure of Liberty. Another monument contains the statue of a soldier. The fourth monument includes what appear to be guns arranged in pyramids.

.6a “Miss Webster’s Statue – Prov., R.I. – Dec. 9, 1881” – a sketch of the front and side views of a sepulchral monument to Miss Webster. The monument includes a statue of a seated woman, inverted torches, and the inscription “Quia Ego vivo vos etiam vivetis.” Heights of the different parts of the monument are given, along with notes that “skin work text sent to quarry Apr. 18, 1881” and “ornament left off Provost Dubuque Iowa, Mar. 1882.” The initials H.L., S.G. Co., and C.S.E. also appear – presumably those of people working on the monument.

.6b this sketch was attached to .6a and is presumably a variant of the base for the statue; it includes the inverted torches, but has an oval space for the inscription, and rather than the lengthy inscription as above the simple words “In Memoriam.”

.7a-b “Robert Abell – Swan Point, June 1882, No. 2,” two views of a sepulchral monument to Robert Abell; the details show only the base, but one sketch specifies that the Wilson’s statue of memory is to be place on top of the base.

[Swan Point Cemetery is in Providence, Rhode Island]

.8a-b “William H. Greene, Oct. 10^th, 1883” – views of the sepulchral monument to Mr. Greene; the first page shows front and side views of the base; the second page shows a statue of a woman atop the base.

.9a-b “Alfred Smith, July 10, 1884” – so labeled, but this sepulchral monument is actually for Ann Maria, the wife of Alfred Smith; the first page shows sketches of the front and sides of the monument, with a spray of foliage and grain on the side, and the inscription “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” Calculations show the monument will cost $4000. The second page shows a complete view of the monument, including a statue of a seated woman in classical dress.

.10 “C. Preston – Evansville, Ind.” – five pages of sketches and drawings

a-b front and side views of a sepulchral monument to Cyprian Preston. It is surmounted by a statue of a seated woman, includes the inscription “Faith, Hope, Charity,” and is decorated with wreaths and a spray of laurel; this is a finished ink drawing

c a pencil sketch of the base; part of the base is decorated with foliage scrolls, but an arrow points to that decoration and a note reads “wreath instead”

d rough pencil sketch of side of monument

e pencil sketch of front of front of the monument, with the wreaths in place

f rough pencil sketch of the monument, from an angle so one sees both front and side

.12 “Sketch No. 3,” on reverse: “Frank F. Tingley, Architect, Manufacturer” – paper is torn;

an ink sketch of a fairly simple monument surmounted by a small cross, with the name Fitz James Rice on the tomb; this looks like an illustration, perhaps for a catalog

.13 two illustrations on one sheet, both fairly simple grave markers, both with the name John R. Balch, and both shown with plants growing around them; the marker on the left has the Greek letters for Alpha and Omega as decoration

.17 ink sketch for a sepulchral monument to Mathewson, in the form of an obelisk decorated with the letter M inside a laurel wreath.

[note: in large folder with .32]

.20 blueprint for a sepulchral monument to Davis, in the form of an obelisk decorated with the letter D and stalks of wheat(?) (in large folder)

.21 blueprint for a fairly simple tombstone, decorated with three crosses, the middle one of which is draped with fabric; the word “Name” indicates where the deceased’s name would go. (in large folder)

.22 blueprint for a fairly simple tombstone, decorated with a cross; the word “Name” indicates where the deceased’s name would go; “A-1” is in the lower left corner. (in large folder)

.23 front elevation, floor plan, and cross section of a mausoleum, which is surmounted by a Celtic cross decorated with flowers, and has above the door the inscription “Out of darkness into his marvelous light”; signed by Frank F. Tingley and R.H.I. Goddard. (in large folder)

.24 front elevation of a mausoleum, surmounted by a Celtic cross decorated with Celtic knotwork and flowers; above the door is the inscription “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” (in large folder)

.25 design for a very large sepulchral monument, surmounted by a cross, including the statue of a woman. (in large folder)

.26 floor and sectional plans for a mausoleum; the paper is embossed “Frank F. Tingley, Providence, R.I.” (in large folder)

.27 a sheet of sketches; one side has a sketch of trees and what appears to be part of a fence; a cross partially underground, captioned “idea for cross”; and an incomplete sketch of a castle; on the reverse is a sketch of trees

.29 “Design for Curbing” – showing the front elevation and a side section, with steps and balustrade; includes flower urns as part of the balustrade

.31 design for curbing, possibly for a cemetery plot, showing entrance view, and designs for posts and ends of buttresses, signed F. F. Tingley, 4 Exchange Street, Providence, R.I.

.32 design for curbing for Winsor family cemetery plot, showing section, plan, and elevation, with detail of entrance post and steps; added note reads “From F. F. Tinlgey, Agent Smith Granite Co., 29 Exchange Place, Providence, R.I., June 1876, scale 1 in. = 1 foot”

[note: in large folder with .17]

.33 photograph of a stone cutter with a machine, embossed “A. Del Gludice & Son, R.I. Westerly Granite Monuments, 703-705 Atwells Ave., Providence, R.I.”; photo is mounted on linen

Drawer 4:

.11 pencil sketch of a sepulchral monument to the Hagar family, to be inscribed with the names of Josiah Bigelow Hagar, Elizabeth Cushing Hagar, and Mary Ann Hagar; a note indicates that the wife lived Jan. 13, 1840 to Aug. 14, 1860, but her name is not given. Also depicted are several styles of small individual head stones, two with the name Josiah Bigelow Hagar.

.14 wash drawing of a sepulchral monument for Benjamin Bourn, in the form of an obelisk decorated with the letter B, on top of a pedestal; the sketch is labeled 109

.15 wash drawing of a sepulchral monument for Brown, in the form of an obelisk on a pedestal; labeled “Design by F. F. Tingley, 29 Exchange Place, Providence, R.I.”

.16 ink sketch of a sepulchral monument for Irons, in the form of an obelisk decorated with flowers; a pencil note says “make 22 ft.,” another note reads “1450” – perhaps the price or a stock number

.18 pencil design for the Sturtevant sepulchral monument, surmounted by an angel carrying a horn (Gabriel?), decorated with a monogram and a spray of lilies

.19 part of a wash drawing of a sepulchral monument to Wilbur; the base is surmounted by the statue of an angel; the pedestal is decorated with a bas relief of a woman with children and a cross (the page is torn)

.28 rough sketch, probably of a sepulchral monument; the name John F. Lawrence is clear, and the design is topped with two angels; the monument itself seems to be set into a rock wall

.30 pencil sketch of curbing, probably around a family cemetery plot; includes two large covered urns decorated with flowers