J. J. R. Randall

Jean Jacques Rousseau Randall, usually known as J. J. R. Randall, was an architect, civil engineer and politician from Rutland, Vermont. He was one of the first professional architects to practice in the state, after Ammi B. Young (1830-1838) and his brother, Gurdon P. Randall (1845-1850).

Life and career J. J. R. Randall was born in Braintree, Vermont in 1828 to Gurdon and Laura Scott Randall, natives of Litchfield, Connecticut. His siblings included Francis V. Randall, Union Army officer of the American Civil War.

Randall initially worked with his brother, Gurdon P. Randall, in his office in Rutland. When his brother relocated to Syracuse, New York in 1850, he succeeded to the practice. He would continue in this business for much of his life. In 1864 his practice suffered a major setback when the building in which he kept his office was destroyed in a fire.

In 1869 Randall became associated with Kellogg, Clarke & Company, iron bridge manufacturers of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. He and another new partner, James E. Bagley, established a branch for that firm at Springfield, Massachusetts. The following year he severed his connection with that firm and returned to Rutland. In 1877 the Imperial government of Russia approached him with an offer of employment to design a system of railroad bridges in the empire, though it is not clear if he accepted.

He was a member of Rutland's board of school trustees for many years. Randall was active in Democratic politics, and in 1876 he was a candidate for the United States Congress. When Grover Cleveland was elected president in 1885, he appointed Randall national bank examiner for Vermont. He held this position until suffering paralysis in 1887. He died in West Randolph, Vermont on September 4, 1891.

Architectural works + Year Building Address City State Notes Image Reference 1854 Landon Block 51 Merchants Row Rutland Vermont A contributing property to the Rutland Downtown Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1980. 1856 "Clementwood" for Charles Clement Clement Rd Rutland Vermont Attributed. Listed on the NRHP in 1980. 100px 1861 Rutland Savings Bank Building 71-75 Merchants Row Rutland Vermont 1867 Academy Building Middlebury College Middlebury Vermont Now known as Alexander Twilight Hall. 100px 1867 Building 110 Merchants Row Rutland Vermont Attributed. A contributing property to the Rutland Downtown Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1980. 1869 Rutland County Courthouse 83 Center St Rutland Vermont A contributing property to the Rutland Courthouse Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1976. 100px 1870 Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company Building 110 State St Montpelier Vermont A contributing property to the Montpelier Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1978. Has been a state office building since 1953. 1878 Howe Scale Works 1 Scale Ave Rutland Vermont Now known as the Howe Center. 100px 1881 Ripley Opera House 67 Merchants Row Rutland Vermont A contributing property to the Rutland Downtown Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1980. 1882 Crescent Valley House 141 School Pawlet Vermont Demolished. 1884 Richardson Block 36 Center St Rutland Vermont A contributing property to the Rutland Downtown Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 1980.