Henry Augustus Sims


Henry Augustus Sims was an American architect from Philadelphia.

Biography

Sims was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 22, 1832, the second son of John Clarke Sims and his wife, Emeline Marion Clark. He was educated at Philadelphia's Central [High School (Philadelphia)|Central High School] where he studied civil engineering. In 1851, he moved to Canada to work for the Bytown and Prescott Railway during the initial construction of the railroad, which was completed in 1854. In 1856, he changed his profession to architecture. By 1858, he had established a successful architectural business in Ottawa, Canada. He returned to Philadelphia in 1866 and continued to have a successful architectural business. He was joined by his younger brother, James Peacock Sims, and together they established the H. A. & J. P. Sims firm, which flourished until the elder Sims' death.
An auction catalogue of Sims' valuable collection of architectural books survives.
Sims mentored architects T. Roney Williamson and James Peacock Sims. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Philadelphia chapter of the AIA, and the Philadelphia Sketch Club.
He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 10, 1875.

Selected works

United States