William J. Brinkmann

William J. Brinkmann (1874 - 24 February, 1911, Chicago) was an architect most well known for his work designing Chicago area churches. A son of German immigrants, he received his architectural training at the firm of Burnham and Root ["Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago by McNamara, Denis, (2005 Liturgy Training Publications) p.24] ., where he eventually supervised the construction of Chicago's Masonic Temple, a skyscraper that was the world's tallest building at the time of its completion in 1892. After a tour of Europe to further his architectural knowledge, Brinkmann settled in California where he designed homes for political and industrial notables such as Ulysses S. Grant Jr. ["Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago by McNamara, Denis, (2005 Liturgy Training Publications) p.70] . His contemporaries described him as a "staunch Catholic", and with his return to Chicago he made a name for himself designing churches, among which are most notably St. Josaphat's, St. Michael's in South Chicago, St. Mary's in Buffalo Grove, the Mausoleum Chapel for the Archbishops of Chicago in Mount Carmel cemetery as well as being one of the hree architects involved in the design of Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica. He also designed exhibits for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 as well as some of the earliest large steel frame buildings in Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago ["Heavenly City: The Architectural Tradition of Catholic Chicago by McNamara, Denis, (2005 Liturgy Training Publications) p.24] .

Brinkmann's mangled, decapitated body was found on train tracks near 73rd street in February of 1911. The intrigue surrounding his death fed front page newspaper accounts for several days, positing theories that Brinkmann had perhaps committed suicide after several years of illness. His funeral was held at St. Leo's church on 78th street, a church he had himself designed in 1905.

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[http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/browse/bioB.html#section8 Encyclopedia Chicago entry]