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APPENDIX C:
Chronology of George Russell Tolman

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APPENDIX C — Chronology of George Russell Tolman
1848, Dec 5 Born in Boston, MA to Joseph & Elizabeth Tolman
1860 Living in Boston Ward II, Suffolk, MA with parents, age 11
1870 Living in Boston with sister's family, the Ulmans, brother & father; employed as a draftsman
1870s Partners with George F. Moffette to form Boston firm, Moffette and Tolman
1876 Moffette and GRT design Charlestown Savings Bank
1879, Nov 22
GRT illustrates “Entrance to the Old Seton House” published in color in AABN1
1880, Jun 9 Living in Boston with sister's family, the Ulmans, brother & father; brother Albert & George
both listed as architects, Albert specifically with the U.S. Treasury
1882
Illustrates “12 sketches of old Boston buildings”
1887
Illustrates for Porter’s Rambles in Old Boston, New England
1887
GRT is wrongly accused of embezzling drawings from a client, Captain Phelps. He is
arrested and taken to a Washington, D.C. jail for one night. Tolman then files suit against
Phelps for remainder of payment owed, wins, then files suit for wrongful imprisonment, and
wins. He is hailed as a “hero” and gains “the sympathy of the whole profession in his
unmerited trouble.”2
1888, Oct Marries Eva Frances Tolman in Boston, MA
1889, Jun Leaves Boston (and wife), possibly for Kittery, ME
1889 Works for Treasury Department as a draftsman on Kittery, ME Navy Yard
1889 Designed the Marine Barracks for the Norfolk, VA Navy Yard
1890 Living in Washington, DC
1891, Jan 2 succeeds Albert Bibb as architect for the U.S. Life Saving Service
1892 Designed a Life-Saving Station for Quonochontaug at Charlestown, RI
1892, May 2 Eva F. Tolman files suit for alimony
1892, Jul 26 Passport issued, residing in Washington DC
1893, May A modified plan of the Quonochontaug station included in the Government exhibit at the
Chicago World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 3
1893
2nd “Duluth” Life-Saving Station prototype designed
1893, Nov Living in Washington, DC, appeals against alimony ruling and denies paternity of their
deceased child
1895, Apr-May Trial forcing GRT to pay alimony, he does not, and is ordered into custody of the warden.
1896, Jul 16
GRT leaves U.S. Life Saving Service regarding a personal matter “for taking a sudden and
unapproved leave of absence to escape a warrant for his recommitment to jail.4
1900 Jun 12 Possibly living in Wayne, IN with a Sam Stuckay, according to 1900 U.S. Census
1902 Arrives in Richmond, VA
1902
Westover additions w/ Marion J. Dimmock as “associated architects”
1 These Washington, D.C. house plans were published November 22, 1879 in American Architect & Building News.
2 “Tolman V. Phelps.” The American Architect and Building News. 73-74.
3 York, “The Architecture of the United States Life-Saving Stations.”
4 Ibid, “The Architecture of the United States Life-Saving Stations.”

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APPENDIX C — Chronology of George Russell Tolman, continued.
1902
Virginia Capitol expansion submission w/ Marion J. Dimmock as “associated architects”
1903 summer GRT surveys Clifton site, making detailed drawings for publication in AABN
1904, Jan
Survey of Clifton published in 1904’s American Architect and Building News 5
1930 Age 82, living with Ulman nieces & nephews in Plymouth, MA
5 “Construction of an Old Virginia House.” American Architect and Building News.