Orlo Epps
| Orlo Epps | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1864 Elkhart, Indiana |
| Died |
June 2, 1926 (aged 61) Oneonta, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Known for | Architect, socialist |
| Notable work | Julius I. Foust Building, Orlo Epps House |
Orlo Epps (1864 – June 2, 1926) was an American architect, mathematician, physicist, and a Socialist writer.
Epps was born in Elkhart, Indiana, the son of Edward Epps and Helen (Blanchard) Epps. He moved to Oneonta, New York at age 16. He graduated from high school in Oneonta and thereafter studied architecture at Cornell University, graduating in 1888. After receiving his degree from Cornell, Epps associated with builder Lyman H. Blend and practiced as an architect in Oneonta. He moved to Greensboro, North Carolina in approximately 1890 and became known as "one of Greensboro's principal architects around the turn of the 20th century. Epps was also a professor of mathematics and physics at the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Greensboro.
Epps returned to Oneonta in 1905. He operated a hardware business under the name Epps & Kerr from 1905 until 1908. After the "Wooden Row fire of 1908," Epps returned to the practice of architecture, assisting Lyman Blend in designing a row of brick structures to replace the ones destroyed in the fire. He opened an architectural office in Oneonta in 1911, which he continued until his death. He was also a member of the Fortnightly Club and a Royal Arch High Priest in the Masons.
At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Epps was living in Oneonta with his wife Charlotte and his mother Helen. His occupation was listed as an architect with his own office. At the time of the 1915 New York Census, Epps was living in Oneonta with his wife Charlotte, mother Helen and five-year-old son Max. At the time of the 1920 U.S. Census, he was living in Oneonta with his wife Charlotte and son Max. Epps died in Oneonta in June 1926 at age 61.
Epps was also outspoken on political and economic matters. He was known as "a Socialist in a day when a member of that political party was held in suspicion by the average citizen." In 1903, Epps also published a book on economic theory through The Epps Publishing Co. of Oneonta. The book was titled Economic Liberty vs. The Warfare of Wealth. Epps also became a leader of the local Socialist Party in Oneonta, and he advocated for women's suffrage, direct election of senators, and the referendum and recall.
Among Epps' designs are the following:
Some of his buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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