John Frazee

Designed by Frazee as New York Customs House, the building was converted into Federal Hall National Memorial. John Frazee (July 18, 1790 – February 24, 1852) was an American sculptor and architect. The Smithsonian has a collection of many of his sculptures as well as paintings of Frazee by other artists including Asher B. Durand and Henry Colton Shumway.

He was born in Rahway, New Jersey, and worked in the Neo-Classic tradition. He is known as being one of the first successful native born American sculptors and "the first American born sculptor to execute a bust in marble". He is best known for his portrait busts, including of John Jay and Marquis De Lafayette. He carved sculptures for the Boston Athenaeum including of Chief Justice John Marshall and Daniel Webster. He also received a commission to design the New York Customs House, later used as Federal Hall National Memorial.

In 1826, he helped found the National Academy of Design.

Selected works early 1820s, Elbridge Gerry Monument 1824, John Wells (1770 – 1823) First sculpture portrait by a native born American sculptor 1827, Self-portrait sculpture 1831, John Jay sculpture 1831, John Henry Hobart (1775 – 1830) plaster sculpture 1832, Nathaniel Prime bust 1834, Daniel Webster marble sculpture 1834, Nathaniel Bowditch (1773 – 1838) marble sculpture 1834, Cadwallader D. Colden, (1769 – 1834) bas relief on tombstone 1835, John Lowell sculpture 1835, Thomas Handasyd Perkins (1764 – 1854) marble sculpture 1835, John Marshall sculpture 1836, Joseph Story sculpture 1836, Judge William Prescott marble sculpture 1836, William Prescott sculpture 1839, Monument to Thomas Paine in New Rochelle, New York, (The bronze bust of Paine by sculptor Wilson MacDonald was added in 1899) 1839, Thomas Paine memorial with bas relief 1840, William Leggett portrait on tombstone 1842, George Griswold III (1777 – 1859) bust 1847, Monument to Charlotte Canda (1828 – 1845) ca. 1850, Andrew Jackson sculpture Luman Reed sculpture William Wetmore Story (1819 – 1895) marble sculpture early 1830s, Robert R. Randall attributed to Frazee