Personal Data

John Calvin Spofford was born on November 25, 1854, in Webster, Maine, the son of Phineas Moody Spofford and his wife, Mary Ellen Wentworth.

He married on July 7, 1881, to Ella M. Fuller (b. 1852 in Paris ME; d. 19Feb1936 in Brookline), daughter of Alden Fuller and his wife, Sarah Ann Hart Walker.

John Spofford died on August 19, 1936, in Brookline.

Career

In 1879, John Spofford entered the offices of architect H. J. Preston in Boston.  In 1881, he joined the firm of Sturgis and Brigham as a draftsman.  Sturgis and Brigham dissolved their partnership in 1886, and in March of 1887, Spofford and Willard M. Bacon became partners in the firm of Spofford and Bacon.  The firm lasted about one year, and in 1888, Spofford joined with Charles Brigham, formerly of Sturgis and Brigham, in the firm, of Brigham and Spofford.

While a draftsman with Sturgis and Brigham, Spofford had charge of the construction of several major buildings in Boston, including the Commonwealth Building (at 65 Bowdoin) and the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company building (50 State Street).

Among Brigham and Spofford works were the City Hall in Lewiston, Maine; Foxborough State Hospital; Memorial Hall in Belfast, Maine; the Fairhaven Town Hall; and Roxbury Presbyterian Church (1891) at the corner of Warren and Waverly Streets.  The partnership also secured the contract to enlarge the Massachusetts State House.

In February of 1892, Brigham and Spofford dissolved their partnership and both men continued as sole practitioners.  The contract for expanding the Massachusetts State House remained with Charles Brigham.

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