Frederick Charlton photographs

Demetrius Frederick Charlton (1856-1941) was born in Wratham Kent, England, on May 9, 1856. Before moving to America he had been trained in civil engineering. He started his American career as a draftsman in the Detroit/Windsor area of Michigan in 1870, but quickly moved up to apprenticeships with major Detroit-based architectural firms.

In 1881 he became an apprentice at the firm of Gordon W. Lloyd. He is next found working as an apprentice for William E. Brown’s firm in 1883. He moved on to his final apprenticeship in 1884 with John Scott & Co. He moved up in the ranks of this firm and by 1887 he was sent to start a branch in Marquette, Michigan. At this point Charlton was made a partner of the firm.

The partnership of Scott & Charlton lasted only until 1890 when Charlton broke away and started his own architectural firm in Marquette, soon partnering with R. William Gilbert (1891). With the addition of Gilbert the newly named firm expanded to the city of Superior, Wisconsin. In 1894 the firm designed Sacred Heart Church in L’Anse. In 1895 Edward Demar joined the duo to create Charlton, Gilbert, & Demar. The firm was then able to expand once again, this time creating a branch office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

When Demar left in 1901, the firm again became Charlton & Gilbert until three years later when Gilbert moved on. At this time Charlton partnered with a young draftsman named Edwin O. Kuenzli to form Charlton & Kuenzli.

Charlton retired in 1918 and opened a small photography shop in Marquette with his wife, Alice H. Grylls. Photography was always a love of Charlton and this shop prospered by offering state-of-the-art color photography techniques to the Upper Peninsula. Charlton died January 25, 1941, in Marquette.

Biography from "Copper Country Architects," Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University, http://www.social.mtu.edu/CopperCountryArchitects/ch.htm