William B. Ditmars

William B. Ditmars - not to be confused with Isaac Ditmars, partner of Schickel.

Ditmars was a prolific architect in German parts of the Eastern District. Circa 1873, Ditmars designed the new Eastern District Turn Verein on Meserole Street, with Theobald Engelhardt as his apprentice (and Theobald's father, Philip Engelhardt the contractor/builder).

"At 7 o'clock yesterday morning William B. Ditmars, a well-known Brooklyn architect, was found dead by his housekeeper, Mrs. McGuire, in the bath-room at his home, No. 224 Quincy-street. Mr. Ditmars had hanged himself, and was suspended by a rope fastened to a hook in the wall. Several times recently he had threatened to take his life, and those who had opportunities of observing his conduce during the past few months say that his mind had apparently given way under domestic and financial troubles… He was about 50 years old and had lived the greater part of his life in Brooklyn." 1 "Farnam L. Oakley, surviving partner in the firm of Ditmars & Oakley, manufacturers of knit goods at Wallabout-street and Myrtle-avenue, Brooklyn, Eastern District, made an assignment yesterday to John O. Heald, preferring the employees. William B. Ditmars, the principal capitalist of the firm, committed suicide by hanging on Nov. 1. The business was started in January last, but was not successful." 2

  • 1"Hanging in the Bath-room: A Brooklyn Architect Driven by Family Troubles to Commit Suicide", New York Times, November 2, 1883, p. 8.
  • 2"City and Suburban News", New York Times, November 11, 1883, p. 7
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