J. Williams Beal, Sons, successor to the office of J. Williams Beal, was a successful architectural firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1920 by the sons of the late architect Beal, it remained in business into the 1980s.
History In 1888, J. Williams Beal established what became a successful architectural practice in Boston. He had three sons, the elder two of which came to work for him. These were John W. Beal and Horatio W. Beal. A third son, Robert Washburn Beal, was a landscape architect.Commonwealth Shoe & Leather Co. NRHP Nomination. 2014.
The firm of J. Williams Beal, Sons was established in early 1920, following the death of J. Williams Beal. The Beal brothers were the sole partners until 1960, when they added H. Story Granger and Raymond W. Dyer, as which point the firm became known as J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Dyer. After Dyer's departure a new partner, Edward A. J. Poskus, was added. Horatio Williams Beal died in 1964. J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Poskus was dissolved upon the death of Granger in 1969. John Woodbridge Beal died in 1971, after which Poskus managed the firm alone. J. Williams Beal, Sons & Poskus lasted at least until the mid-1980s.
Partners John Woodbridge Beal was born on July 11, 1887, in Hanover, Massachusetts. Beal worked in his father's office for a number of years, until his father's death in 1919. At this point he established the firm of J. Williams Beal, Sons with his brother, Horatio. After Horatio's death in 1964, Beal managed the firm with H. Story Granger and Edward A. J. Poskus. He was active until the firm until his death in 1971.
Horatio Williams Beal was born on September 1, 1889, in Hanover, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1911, and earned a master's degree from the school of architecture in 1915. After his graduation he entered the office of his father, J. Williams Beal. In 1917 he enlisted in the U. S. Navy for service in World War I.Harvard College, Class of 1911: Decennial Report, June 1921. Boston: Four Seas, 1921. In 1919 he returned to Boston, and went back to work in his father's office.Harvard Alumni Bulletin 10 April 1919: 551. Cambridge. Upon his father's death, he and his brother established J. Williams Beal, Sons. Beal remained active in the firm until his death in 1964.
Harold Story Granger attended Columbia University, graduating in 1912.Catalogue of Officers and Graduates of Columbia University. New York: Columbia University, 1916. He worked for Nelson & Van Wagener in New York,American Contractor 8 May 1915: 44. Chicago. before embarking on an architectural career in Albany, New York. He later worked in New Haven, Connecticut for the architectural firm of Davis & Walldorff.Olean [NY] Times Herald 1 May 1926: 3. There he served as the vice-president of the Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architects.American Art Annual 1930: 76. He later moved to Boston, where he became associated with the firm of J. Williams Beal, Sons. In 1960 he and Raymond W. Dyer became partners in the firm, which became known as J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Dyer. Dyer soon withdrew, and the firm was briefly known as J. Williams Beal, Sons & Granger, after which Edward J. A. Poskus became a partner. J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Poskus was dissolved after Granger's death in 1969."H. Story Granger" . http://public.aia.org/. n.d.
Raymond Wallace Dyer was born circa 1918 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He attended the University of New Hampshire, class of 1941,Granite Yearbook. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, 1941. after a public school education. He came to Massachusetts around 1947, settling in Hingham, after service in World War II. He entered the Beal office at an unknown date, but was experienced enough to be made a partner alongside H. Story Granger in 1960. His time at the firm of J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Dyer was brief, as he left to practice on his own in Hingham. He died in 1976.Portsmouth [NH] Herald 12 Feb. 1976: 11.
Edward Alphonse John Poskus was born on January 21, 1921. Like Dyer, he fought in WWII. He joined the Beals at an unknown date, but held a position of high responsibility by 1959.Progressive Architecture 1959: 241. In 1962, after the departure of Raymond W. Dyer, he became a partner in J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Poskus. Upon Granger's death, Poskus was the sole partner of what became J. Williams Beal, Sons & Poskus. In 1980, he relocated the office to Brockton. He retired a few years afterward, and served as building inspector for the town of Ipswich.Town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, 1995 Annual Report. North Andover, MA: Town Printing, 1996. He died in 2007.
Architectural works J. Williams Beal, Sons, 1920–1960 1922 – Dean Emery house, 18 Quissett Harbor Rd, Falmouth, Massachusetts"FAL.780". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1924 – Elks Building, 1218 Hancock St, Quincy, Massachusetts"QUI.155". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. NRHP-listed in 1989. 1924 – Hyannis Trust Company Building, 307 Main St, Hyannis, MassachusettsBankers Magazine (1924): 339. Demolished. 1924 – Lowell Cooperative Bank Building, 18 Hurd St, Lowell, Massachusetts"LOW.456". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1924 – Masonic Temple, 357 Main St, Hyannis, MassachusettsMoore, William D. "The Masonic Lodge Room, 1870-1930". Gender, Class, and Shelter. Ed. Elizabeth Collins Cromley and Carter L. Hudgins. Vol. 5. 1995. 1925 – Repertory Theatre of Boston, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts"The New Repertory Theatre, Boston, Mass". Architecture 1926: 43. Now home to the Huntington Theatre Company. 1925 – Rockport High School (former), 4 Broadway, Rockport, Massachusetts"RCP.222". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. NRHP-listed in 1997. 1926 – Baptist Temple, 205 S Main St, Fall River, Massachusetts"FLR.406". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1926 – Barnstable Town Hall, 397 Main St, Hyannis, MassachusettsArchitectural Forum 1928: 546. Now the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum. 1926 – Masonic Temple, 1170 Hancock St, Quincy, Massachusetts NRHP-listed in 1989. 1926 – Peoples Savings Bank Building, 181 Main St, Marlborough, Massachusetts"MRB.105". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1927 – Bethany Congregational Church, 10 Spear St, Quincy, MassachusettsDomestic Engineering 1927: 96. NRHP-listed in 1989. 1927 – Leroy Clark house, 503 Sippewissett Rd, Falmouth, Massachusetts"FAL.763". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1927 – Edmund Q. Sylvester School, 495 Hanover St, Hanover, Massachusetts"HNV.390". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1927 – Whitman High School, 20 Essex St, Whitman, MassachusettsAmerican School and University 1932: 407. Demolished in 2007. 1928 – Athol Savings Bank Building, 444 Main St, Athol, Massachusetts"ATH.88". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1928 – First National Bank Building, 1 King St, Northampton, Massachusetts"First National Bank Building". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1928 – Rockland High School, 100 Taunton Ave, Rockland, Massachusetts Demolished. 1929 – Granite Trust Company Building, 1400 Hancock St, Quincy, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (1929): 1412. NRHP-listed in 1989. 1929 – Guay's System Bakeries Building, 1455 Hancock St, Quincy, Massachusetts"QUI.1435". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1930 – Abington Savings Bank Building, 533 Washington St, Abington, MassachusettsUnited States Investor 1930: 2126. 1930 – Norfolk County Bank Building, 1319 Beacon St, Brookline, Massachusetts"BKL.1439". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1931 – Abington Mutual Fire Insurance Company Building, 536 Washington St, Abington, Massachusetts"ABI.143". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1932 – Dyer Memorial Library, 30 Centre Ave, Abington, Massachusetts"ABI.132". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1933 – Melrose High School (former), 350 Lynn Fells Pkwy, Melrose, MassachusettsIron Age 1931: 922. Demolished in 2005. 1933 – United States Post Office, 39 Webster St, Rockland, MassachusettsBridgemen's Magazine (1932): 481. 1935 – Central Fire Station, 6 Taylor St, Saugus, Massachusetts"SAU.59". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1935 – Franklin School, 169 N Franklin St, Holbrook, Massachusetts"HLB.156". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1936 – Norwell High School (former), 322 Main St, Norwell, Massachusetts"NRW.394". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1937 – Abington High School (former), 1071 Washington St, Abington, MassachusettsIron Age (1935): 74. 1937 – Athol High School (former), 494 School St, Athol, Massachusetts NRHP-listed in 2011. 1938 – Hunnewell Elementary School, 28 Cameron St, Wellesley, MassachusettsBridgemen's Magazine 1937: 206. Indianapolis. Demolished in 2022. 1939 – Burlington High School (former), 61 Center St, Burlington, Massachusetts"BUR.23". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1941 – Northampton High School, 380 Elm St, Northampton, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (January 19, 1939): 125. 1945 – South Shore Hospital, 55 Fogg Rd, Weymouth, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (May 27, 1943): 219. 1950 – Chatham Elementary School, 147 Depot Rd, Chatham, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (January 29, 1948): 164. 1950 – Ella F. Osborn Elementary School, 345 Main St, Norwell, Massachusetts"NRW.398". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. 1950 – Woodland Hall, Lasell University, Newton, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (October 27, 1949): 87. 1951 – Cold Spring Elementary School, 25 Alden St, Plymouth, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (March 23, 1950): 289. 1952 – West Junior High School, 271 West St, Brockton, MassachusettsArchitectural Forum (1954): 29. 1954 – Deer Hill School, 208 Sohier St, Cohasset, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (1953): 63. 1957 – Rockland Senior High School, 52 MacKinlay Way, Rockland, Massachusetts 1959 - East Junior High School, 464 Centre St, Brockton, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (1956): 92.
J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Dyer, 1960–1962 1962 – Franklin High School (former), 224 Oak St, Franklin, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record 167, no. 1 (July 6, 1961): 65.
J. Williams Beal, Sons, Granger & Poskus, 1962–1969 1966 – Fox Hill Elementary School, 196 Fox Hill Rd, Burlington, MassachusettsBurlington town report, 1966 1968 – Mansfield High School, 250 East St, Mansfield, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record 180 (January 4, 1968): 48. 1971 – Rupert A. Nock Middle School, 70 Low St, Newburyport, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (1969): 46.
J. Williams Beal, Sons & Poskus, from 1969 1977 – South Shore Vocational Technical High School addition, 476 Webster St, Hanover, MassachusettsCohasset town reports for 1973 and 1977 1984 – Northbridge Elementary school addition, 30 Cross St, Whitinsville, MassachusettsEngineering News-Record (1982): 41.
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