Henry Adams | |
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| Born | (1858-02-11)February 11, 1858 |
| Died | December 9, 1929(1929-12-09) (aged 71) |
| Occupation | Mechanical Engineer |
Henry Adams (February 11, 1858 – December 9, 1929[1]) was an American mechanical engineer. He emigrated at age 22 to Baltimore fromDuisburg,Kingdom of Prussia, having been educated as abuilding engineer. He later worked with theDistrict of Columbia government buildings, and established a longstanding private practice inBaltimore, Maryland.
In Baltimore, he first worked for builder Benjamin F. Bennett. In 1886, he became aheating andventilating engineer with theOffice of the Supervising Architect of theUnited States Department of the Treasury. In 1894 he joined theAmerican Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE) as one of 75charter members. He served on the organization's Compulsory Legislation committee.[2] He later served as ASHVE president (from 1899 to 1900), on the board of managers, and participated on their council.[3][4]
He was president of the board of the Maryland Institute in Baltimore, currently known as theMaryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He taught at the institute for 12 years then he participated as aboard member and later as president of the board (until his death 45 years later).[1] Adams served as aFederal Fuel Administration engineer for Maryland and Delaware duringWorld War I.[1]
The press of his work was great, but it did not prevent him paying a great deal of attention to matters of public interest. He was a charter member of the Engineers' Club of Baltimore and a touching tribute was paid him in that organization's official organ,The Baltimore Engineer. "Henry Adams," the memorial article said, was a good citizen, a just man, a capable engineer, full of charity, and died beloved by all who knew him. Baltimore, therefore, mourns his loss and will always cherish the thought and belief that the world was better for his life."
Henry Adams received his early education in Germany but came to the United States to seek a wider field of activity in 1880. In a short time he had won a position of prominence in his chosen profession, engineering. He was appointed Chief Engineer of the Office of the supervising Architect of the United States Government in Washington, DC which was a position he filled with distinction for 18 years. Upon his resignation, he opened business office in Baltimore in 1898; the company became Henry Adams, LLC which still exists today inTowson, Maryland. He practiced as a consulting engineer until the time of his death.
Over the course of his career, he completed important work for the United States Government, the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore and many corporations of national scope.
His engineering design is also found in several Baltimore buildings: theBromo Seltzer Tower, Maryland Institute and theBaltimore Museum of Art, Belvedere Hotel,[2] and the first renovation of the Baltimore Courthouse.[5] As a federal engineer, he designed the mechanical system forEllis Island.[6] He oversaw mechanical equipment design for thePeking Union Medical College inChina, and designed equipment for theMasonic temple inManila.[1]
Married to Mary Elizabeth Klingelhofer, whose parents, John E and Mary Klingelhofer, were Baltimore bakers who had emigrated from Hessen, Germany. Adams had three sons:Otto Eugene Adams (architect), Ernest H. Adams and Clarence T. Adams (engineers).[7][8]
A college scholarship was established by the firm, Henry Adams, LLC, in the memory of Adams. The endowment is coordinated byASHRAE.[9]