Benjamin Henry Boneval La Trobe (1764 - 1820)

Born 1 May 1764 in Fulneck Moravian Settlement, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia Sellon — married Feb 1790 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, London, England

Husband of Mary Elizabeth Hazlehurst — married 2 May 1800 in Philadelphia PA

Descendants

Died 3 Sep 1820 at age 56 in New Orleans, Jefferson, Louisiana, United States

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Biography

Benjamin La Trobe is Notable.

Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764–1820), was an Anglo-American architect, artist, and engineer.^[1][2] He is widely considered to be the "father of American architecture"^[3][2] because of the sophistication and expertise he brought to the design of such buildings as the United States Capitol Building and the White House.^[1][2] He contributed more than anyone else to the infrastructure and architectural beginnings of America. Latrobe was one of the first fully trained architects in the United States and popularized Neoclassical and Greek Revival styles in his work.^[3][4] Latrobe engaged in almost every form of nation-building, ranging from designing the US Capitol, a variety of public and private buildings, and numerous public works projects, and through his prodigious output, he stamped his architectural vision forever on the nation.^[1][4] He was hired by two United States Presidents, on separate occasions, to work on the US Capitol before and after the War of 1812.^[3][2] He was hired by President Thomas Jefferson as Surveyor of Public Buildings, from 1803 until 1811.^[3][2] He was also hired by President James Madison as Architect of the Capitol to effect repairs after the building was gutted after being burned in August 1814.^[3]

Benjamin Henry Boneval La Trobe was born on 1 May 1764 in Fulneck Moravian Settlement, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, son of Benjamin La Trobe (1728–1786), a well-connected minister in London, and Anna Margaretta Antes (1728–1794), an American born in Frederick Township, Pennsylvania (now Upper Frederick).^[4][2]

His siblings were:

1. Christian Ignatius La Trobe (1758–1836)
2. Anna Louisa Eleanora La Trobe (1761–1824)
3. Justina Elizabeth La Trobe (1767–1767)
4. John Frederick La Trobe (1769–1845)
5. Mary Agnes La Trobe (1772–1848)

Benjamin (25) married Lydia Sellon (29) (born on 2 August 1760 in London, Middlesex, England) in February, 1790 in St James Church, Clerkenwell, London, England.^[2] Their known children were:^[2]

1. Lydia Sellon (La Trobe) Roosevelt (1791–1878)
2. Henry Sellon Boneval La Trobe (1792–1817)
3. Unnamed (1793)

Latrobe's wife died during childbirth in November 1793, and suffering a breakdown, he decided to emigrate to the United States in 1795.^[1][4][2] He recorded his observations during the voyage in a detailed journal and through the employment of watercolors.^[1] He settled first in Virginia, then in 1798 he removed to Philadelphia.^[2] Benjamin (36) married Mary Elizabeth Hazlehurst (29) (born on 1 January 1771 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) on 2 May 1800 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Their known children were:

1. Juliana La Trobe (1801–1801)
2. John Hazlehurst Boneval La Trobe (1803–1891)
3. Julia Elizabeth La Trobe (1804–1890)
4. Mary Agnes La Trobe (1805–1806)
5. Benjamin Henry La Trobe (1806–1878)
6. Louisa La Trobe (1808– )

Benjamin died on 3 September 1820 in New Orleans, Jefferson, Louisiana, United States, aged 56, suffering from yellow fever.^[2]

Research Notes

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} History of Early American Landscape Design contributors. " Benjamin Henry Latrobe," History of Early American Landscape Design (https://heald.nga.gov : accessed 18 April 2023).
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} Wikipedia contributors, "Benjamin Henry Latrobe," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (https://en.wikipedia.org : accessed April 20, 2023).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Holder, Kate. "Benjamin Henry Latrobe's Capitol Contributions," Architect of the Capitol (29 September 2020); online publication (https://www.aoc.gov : accessed 19 April 2023).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Hughes, Bill. "Baltimore Basilica, Its Architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe & his German-American Connections," Baltimore Post-Examiner (Baltiore, Maryland); online article (https://baltimorepostexaminer.com : accessed 18 April 2023).

See also:

• "America's first architect and engineer," Oxford Academic (28 January 2020), blogpost (https://medium.com : accessed 18 April 2023).