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Renowned architect Cornelius Granberry Lancaster was born on March 4, 1863, in the city of Marshall. He studied architecture at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) from 1892-1895, but did not complete his degree. He returned to Marshall where he began to work as an architect. Lancaster married Donye Birdsong (1866-1954) and the two had six children together. Their son, Jesse Cornelius Lancaster (1901-1992), worked with Cornelius for a few years before moving to Tyler.
In 1895, Lancaster partnered with James Riely Gordon (1863-1937), an architect from San Antonio. The two collaborated on the beaux-arts style Harrison County courthouse completed in 1901. Lancaster then supervised the construction and was named supervisor of all improvements and repairs of the courthouse during a 1910s renovation.
Lancaster designed a variety of buildings in Marshall including the Ginnochio Hotel, city hall and Elks Club building. He also designed residential, commercial, civic and educational buildings throughout the state. Changes in architectural styles are reflected in his works, from Richardsonian Romanesque to Classical Revival and Art Nouveau.
Lancaster's business was forced to close in 1939 due to conditions brought about by the Great Depression. That same year, he went to work as a supervisor for the Work Projects Administration in Dallas. Lancaster passed away on December 1, 1947, but his legacy lives on through the many buildings he designed. (2019) |
