LONGSTAFF, Thomas William (1820-1902), recorded in central New Brunswick as one of the first professional architects to live and work in Woodstock, N.B. from before 1860, and later in Digby, Nova Scotia where he was credited with the design of the Digby Academy, Queen Street, Digby, N.S., 1891-92; demol. 2017.
Longstaff was born at Yarmouth, N.S. on 22 October 1820 and was raised by his mother who relocated to Boston, Mass., and it was there that he learned the building trades. He returned to his hometown in 1845, working as a builder and contractor in Yarmouth until c. 1858 when his family moved to Florenceville, N.B. His occupation as “architect” was consistently recorded in Woodstock, N.B. from 1862 until 1878 (Freemason’s Membership Register, Woodstock Lodge, Carleton County, N.B., Folio 205) and he then moved to Digby, N.S. in 1878. Two years later, he appears to have moved his entire family to the Dakotas, USA, taking up residence in Missoula, Montana in 1880 where he continued to work as an architect and builder. His obituary published in a local Missoula newspaper in 1902 referred to Longstaff as “the architect who designed some of the principal buildings in the city“ . He returned to the Maritimes in 1889 and once again took up residence in Digby, N.S., continuing his work as a professional architect. Longstaff died in a fire at German’s Hotel, Meteghan, N.S. on 10 August 1902 (obituary Daily Missoulian [Missoula], 12 Aug. 1902, 5; obituary Digby Weekly Courier, 15 Aug. 1902, 2; obituary Gazette [Montreal], 18 Aug. 1902, 11; inf. Garry D. Shutlak, PANS, Halifax; inf. Yarmouth County Museum, Yarmouth, N.S.).
MISSOULA, MONT., Roman Catholic Academy, for the R.C. Sisters, 1884 (Missoulian [Missoula], 30 June 1941, 3, historical article on the Longstaff family)
MISSOULA, MONT., Florence Hotel, North Higgins Avenue at Main Street, 1888; burned 1913 (Helena Independent [Helena, Mont.], 13 May 1888, 1, descrip.; North West Tribune [Stevensville, Mont.], 1 Jun 1888, 4, detailed descrip.; Missoulian [Missoula, 30 June 1941, 3, historical article on the Longstaff family)
MISSOULA, MONT., The Missoula Mercantile Department Store Co., South Higgins Avenue at East Front Street, 1888; demol. 2017 (North West Tribune [Stevensville, Mont.], 1 Jun 1888, 1 and 4, and advert. for the architect, with list of references)
MISSOULA, MONT., Missoula National Bank, 1888 (North West Tribune [Stevensville, Mont.], 1 Jun 1888, 1, and advert. for the architect, with list of references)
MISSOULA, MONT., E.L. Bonner & Co., 1888 (North West Tribune [Stevensville, Mont.], 1 Jun 1888, 1, and advert. for the architect, with list of references)
MISSOULA, MONT., The Eddy Block. c. 1885 (Missoulian [Missoula], 30 June 1941, 3, historical article on the Longstaff family)
MISSOULA, MONT., The Bennett Block, c. 1885 (Missoulian [Missoula], 30 June 1941, 3, historical article on the Longstaff family)
DIGBY, N.S., Digby Academy, Queen Street, 1891-92; demol. Sept. 2017 (Morning Herald [Halifax], 17 Feb. 1892, 1)
DIGBY, N.S., a large residence for J. Chaloner, Water Street, 1894 (Weekly Courier [Digby], 13 July 1894)