A Renaissance man. Born in St. Owens, Paris. “Christened on a barricade as he came into the world during one of those lively occasions when the Parisians have fought in the streets for a new cause. Politics and patriotism were blend into the event and a tri-colored cockade was pinned upon the baby’s dress.” (N.Y. Times 7/12/1914.) His father was wounded that day. Spent his first 9 years with his grandfather, until his death. While his grandfather was in court persuading King Louis Philippe to reduce the length of French workers’ workday, little Philippe was running around and making noise; to keep him quiet, the king put him in a wastebasket and gave him a little ivory figurine to play with. At age 14, ran away to Indret, but since his grandfather had died (and his grandmother had left), he could not enjoy the comforts of the governor’s residence or the privileges of being the governor’s grandson. Worked 12-hour days as an iron worker; the first week he slept outdoors in a hammock. Then lived in a small furnished room for 2 years. A local priest started the education of the poor boy with evening lessons. To save money for books, he ate only bread and water (he marked notches on his loaf of bread to divide it into equal portions for his meals). After 2 years, he successfully passed the examinations for admission as a clerk in the government offices in Nantes. Came to America with his father and family in 1849. Studied architecture under his father in Cincinnati, Ohio. Married first CORNELIA on 22 Feb 1851 at his mother’s house in Cincinnati. Because Americans had trouble pronouncing and spelling “Gengembre,” had name officially changed to “Hubert” by a Private Act of Congress in 1865. In 1853, appointed first professor of French, Spanish and history in Girard College, Philadelphia. Moved to Boston and continued to teach; turned down an assistant professorship at Harvard. Wrote short and serial stories for magazines under pseudonyms. Wrote the play “The Witch” under the name Paul Hamilton (ran for two years from coast to coast). Did not like teaching or writing, and, while still in his twenties, when he sold an invention (the first self-fastening button) for $120,000, he returned to architecture in 1865 in New York City. Formed the firm of Hubert and Pirsson. Poineered the sky-scraper apartment building (12 stories instead of 5). In 1880, introduced the idea of cooperatively-owned apartments (“The Hubert Home Clubs”) for the middle-class (he and his father came out of the Fourier communitarian/socialist tradition). Architect for the Chelsea Hotel, Lyceum Theatre (cooperatively-owned), “The Hubert” on Central Park South, and many other buildings in New York City. Built the Navarro apartments (the “Spanish Flats” that once covered the block at 7th Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets); at the time, these were by far the largest apartment buildings in the world. Introduced such innovations as refrigerators cooled from a central plant, apartments with running water cooled and filtered for drinking, and the first fireproofing of whole apartments. Had patent on “duplex” and “triplex” apartments (the French style of small private 2-story dwellings built one over another). Although a hard worker all his life, he also tried to invent things to ease the workload of men and women (including housework). Married secondly Lily Goodall, a friend of his daughter Marie from school, on 20 Apr 1892 in New York City. Retired to California in 1893. Drove the second car ever driven on the streets of Los Angeles. His grandson, Philip Hubert Frohman, the architect of the National Cathedral, spent much time with him when he retired from his New York practice and moved to Los Angeles, CA He died there in a house he designed at 2144 [N.?] Hobart Blvd. and is buried in the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. Held over 65 patents; still others were pending when he died.
1830 - 1911 (81 years)
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