The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: McComb, John, 1763-1853.

Title: Architectural drawings and account book

Dates: ca.1794-1849, bulk [1820s]

Call No.: Mic. 91

Acc. No.: [none]

Quantity: 1 reel of microfilm (35 mm)

Location: microfilm cabinet

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

John McComb, Jr., was an architect in New York City. His father John McComb, Sr., had also been an architect. He was an overseer of roads from 1817 to 1821. Regretfully, many of his New York City churches have been torn down. He is chiefly known for New York City Hall, which he designed in collaboration with Joseph François Mangin.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Consists of architectural drawings, including several done for the City Hall of New York City, and designs for churches, private homes, and the Princeton University Seminary. Also included are pages from account books and a book containing drawings for the American Tract Society. A list of architecture books owned by McComb is also found.

ORGANIZATION

The drawings are in no particular order. Many of the drawings are numbered, but they are not in numerical order.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

The original drawings on this reel of microfilm are owned by the New-York Historical Society. It holds an extensive collection of McComb architectural drawings.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Princeton Theological Seminary.

American Tract Society.

Finance, Personal - New York (State) - New York.

Architecture - New York (State) - New York.

Buildings - Designs and plans.

Dwellings - Designs and plans.

Church architecture.

City halls - New York (State) - New York.

New York (N.Y.) - Social life and customs.

Architectural drawings.

Account books.

Architects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: microfilm cabinet

List of drawings, including number, if there is one. Some of the drawings bore captions; those without captions are described in simple terms.

234 building on Nassau Street

212 Tract house, Nassau Street

115 Theological Seminary at Princeton

[6 unnumbered drawings] Washington Hall (elevations and floor plans)

116 front and side elevations of a building on Broadway

18 elevation of large house or building

10b stable: elevation and floor plan

10a Middlesex County Session House [probably England; probably a print]

185 Bleeker Street Presbyterian Church, New York City: elevation

185 elevation drawing, not labeled

189 Bleeker St. Church: elevation

179 interior details of unnamed church, possibly Bleeker Street Church

188 interior details of unnamed church, possibly Bleeker Street Church

182a floor plan for Brick Pres. Church on Beekman Street,1822

[unnumbered] elevation and steeple details of Brick Presbyterian Church

128, 129 Cedar Street Church: elevation and floor plan (showing pew placement)

133 Murray St. Church: floor plan (showing pew placement)

139 elevation of unnamed church (possibly Murray St. Church)

140 Murray St. Church: details of Ionic pilasters

53 unnamed church: 3 elevations and one floor plan (possibly St. John’s Chapel)

[5 unnumbered prints from Architectural Record, March and April 1914] St. John's Chapel

52 unnamed church, probably St. John's Chapel

50 St. John's Chapel

263 St. John's Chapel

100 John B. Colis house, Whitehall St. (filmed twice)

102 John B. Colis house, Whitehall St. (filmed twice)

56 unlabeled building with small dome, identified as Government House

55 floor plan, possibly for 56

58 floor plan, possibly for 56

54 floor plan, possibly for 56

57 floor plan, possibly for 56

267 floor plan for a bank, possibly Mechanics Bank

165 two church elevations

164 elevation for church on Wall Street

169 church elevation

170 church elevation and floor plan

171 church elevation

176 church pew and floor plan

177 church pew and floor plan, 1823

178 church pew and floor plan

175 church pew and floor plan

99a, b elevation of a house, probably an octagonal house [identified as being Rufus King house]

98 floor plan of a house [identified as being for Rufus King house]

241 Rufus King House

236 Dominic Lynch house, Westchester

[unnumbered] Floor plan of Rev. Benjamin Moore house, Greenwich

265 fire house: elevation and floor plan

113 not labeled, identified as being Princeton University Seminary

196 an academy of the fine arts

197 circular building

[Unnumbered] floor plan, 1818

[unnumbered] elevation of large building, identified as plan for alteration of the Alms House

[2 unnumbered drawings] Tontine City Tavern

74 elevation of a theater

70 St. Peter's Church

114 large building with cupola

72 building elevation and floor plan of a library

73 building with small dome and statues

141, 142, 143 unlabeled building: wall details

46 church elevation

42a, b church elevation and fllor plan

45 floor plan of a large building with a meeting hall (possibly a church)

44 floor plan of a circular meeting hall, possibly a church or theater

239 floor plan

104 house elevation

247 house floor plan

96 twin house elevation

107 house or building elevation

106 Salem Court House floor plan

105 house elevation and floor plan

109 house elevation and floor plan

254 circular house elevation and floor plan

238 large house or building elevation, possibly Dominic Lynch house

17a, b elevation and floor plan for large house or building

[unnumbered] “Plan for Improving John McComb's Lot, 1832 Caroline St.,” floor plans for house and store

[unnumbered] details of columns and sills

224 plan of theater

219, 220 North Dutch Church: front and side elevations, floor plan

[unnumbered] west elevation of large building

34 architectural details [identified as being for City Hall]

45 wall details [identified as being for City Hall]

55 ½ cupolas for City Hall;

83 wall details [identified as being for City Hall]

74 wall details [identified as being for City Hall]

77 wall details [identified as being for City Hall]

67 cross section of domed building [identified as being City Hall]

63 floor plan and wall details [identified as being for City Hall]

58 statue [of Justice] for top of City Hall

51 civic coat of arms, not executed [probably for City Hall]

Several pages from account books

4 pages of plans for a building designed for the American Tract Society, New York, 1825

Specifications for a building

More accounts

List of books on architecture owned by McComb