DAVERMAN, Jacob Harrison (1847-1914) of Grand Rapids, Michigan was among the first architects in North America to market architectural plans by mail order to clients in the United States and Canada. One of his designs, a large classically inspired residence, has been identified in Montreal (Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 656-7, illus.). Built in 1906 for John L. Taylor on Cote Ste. Catherine Road in OUTREMONT, QUE., the plan was likely adapted from a design contained in Daverman's own regular periodical entitled Art In Architecture, a '...High Class Illustrated Monthly devoted to the Home, Its Buildings, Economics and Artistic Interiors' and published between 1905 and 1908.
Daverman was born in Veendam, Groningen, The Netherlands on 10 October 1850 and emigrated to the United States in 1884. He started work in Grand Rapids as a cabinetmaker and opened his own office after 1890 with his son Herman J. Daverman as partner. In addition to successfully marketing plans for hundreds of houses, he designed several schools, churches and county buildings in Kent County and surrounding towns. He died in Grand Rapids on 30 July 1914 (obituary in the Grand Rapids News, 30 July 1914, 8; biog. in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 162; inf. from Helen Bisbee, Grand Rapids Public Library).
J.H. DAVERMAN (works in Canada)
OUTREMONT, QUE., a suburb of Montreal, Que., residence for John L. Taylor, Cote Ste. Catherine Road, 1906 (City of Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 656-7, illus.)
REGINA, SASK., residence for J. Russell Smith, Rose Street, or possibly on Hamilton Street, c. 1911 (dwgs. at SAB, Henry Black Fonds, Acc. R 2004 - 312)