San Joaquin County
Biographies
JOHN BOYD LO ROMER
JOHN BOYD LO ROMER, an
architect of Stockton, was born in New York city in
1844, a son of James A. and Eliza (Boyd) LoRomer, who
were both natives of the same city. The grandparents, who both lived to a ripe
old age of about ninety years, were of the old Knickerbocker
stock of the early settlers of New York and New Jersey. J. B. LoRomer, after receiving the usual public-school education,
was sent to Princeton College, New Jersey, and after two year’s course went
into the Novelty Iron Works in the designing department, having evinced a
special talent for drawing. While there he availed himself of the opportunity
afforded to the youth of New York by the Cooper Institute, and after his taste
finally settled on a professional architectural firm, and continued to use
freely the aids of that institution in perfecting himself in his art. He was
thus engaged for a few years, when he enlisted in the First New Jersey Cavalry
Volunteers, in 1863, at the age of nineteen, and served under Sheridan in
active service until mustered out at Trenton, New Jersey, June 5, 1865, after
the Grand Review at Washington, District of Columbia. He carries the mark of a sabre cut received at Five Forks, Virginia, and was shot
twice in other battles. He had two horses killed under him in one morning, the
day after starting on the Richmond raid, May 7, 1864, but escaped unhurt on
that occasion. He left New York November 20, 1867, for California by the
Nicaragua route and arrived in San Francisco shortly after and found employment
as a draughtsman in his profession. He spent the years from 1868 to 1873 in San
Diego and Los Angeles at this profession. Returning to San Francisco in 1873 he
opened an office on his own account and continued until 1878, when he went to
Portland, where he remained (with the exception of a brief sojourn in Seattle
and Walla Walla, Washington Territory) until coming
to Stockton in February, 1885. The subject of this sketch has built many public
buildings and private residences throughout the coast, many of which are noted
for their substantial appearance, as well as their architectural beauty. Among
the most noted is the handsome court-house of Clackamas County, Oregon, besides
many business blocks and private residences in the city of Portland, Oregon.
There are several worthy of mention in the city of Stockton, such as the
business blocks of R. Gnekow, Simpson & Gray,
Sheriff Cunningham, and the Sperry Mills office, besides the private residences
of Frank Davis, A. B. Sperry, P. B. Fraser and many others. He recognizes a
marked improvement here since 1885, and a still greater one since his first
visit to the city in 1873.
Mr. LoRomer was
married in Santa Rosa, of this State, to Miss Minnie G. Raab,
a daughter of the late George and Minnie (Cassington)
Raab, a well-known citizen in the early days of
Stockton. Mrs. LoRomer (nee Raab) was left an orphan at an early age. She was reared in
this city, where she received a public school education, graduating with
honors; and she is an excellent penman and musician.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Page 399. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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