John Hubbard Sturgis

John Hubbard Sturgis
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by Sturgis, completed 1876
Born	August 5, 1834 Macau, China
Died	February 14, 1888 St. Leonards on Sea, Sussex
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Boston Latin School
Occupation	Architect
Practice	Colling and Sturgis 1856-61 Sturgis and Brigham Partnership 1866-1888
Buildings	The Albany Building, Liverpool, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

John Hubbard Sturgis (August 5, 1834 - February 14, 1888) was an American architect and builder who was active in the New England area during the late 19th century. His most prominent works included Codman House, Lincoln, Massachusetts, and the personal residency of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Later in his architectural career he founded, along with Charles Brigham, Sturgis and Brigham. The firm lasted nearly two decades in New England and received many notable commissions such as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Sturgis was born in Macau, China, the son of the "very intelligent"Russell Sturgis, a wealthy Boston merchant active in the China trade. After attending Boston Latin School, he travelled extensively in Europe when his father became a partner in Barings Bank in London. In England, he studied architectural drawing under James K. Colling. In 1858, Sturgis married Frances Anne Codman of Boston, later to be aunt of noted interior designer Ogden Codman, Jr. Their first three years were spent in Surrey, where Sturgis tried an architectural practice, but ended with the death of their first child, Julia, in January 1861.

By 1856/7 he had joined with Colling to form an architectural partnership. It seems Colling provided the designs and detailing for the architectural work and that Sturgis supervised the work in progress.

Their first commission was the Albany erected in 1856 for the Liverpool banker Richard Naylor. The Albany was built as a meeting place for cotton brokers. It contained offices and meeting rooms, together with warehousing facilities in the basement. It seems probable that this commission came to Colling and Sturgis as a result of Sturgis‘ fathers banking connection.