1701 S. Prairie

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Occupants: William G. Hibbard, American Terra Cotta Company
Location: 1701 S. Prairie (851 Prairie)
Life Span: 1868-1932
Architect: William LeBaron Jenney

Edwards’ City of Chicago Directory for 1870-71
Hibbard, William G. (Hibbard & Spencer), r. 851 Prairie av.

Lakeside Directory for the City of Chicago for the Year of 1876
Hibbard, William G. (Hibbard & Spencer & Co.), r. 851 Prairie av.

Lakeside Directory for the City of Chicago for the Year of 1884
Hibbard, William G. (Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.), 32 Lake, house 1701 Prairie av.

Lakeside Directory for the City of Chicago for the Year of 1885
Hibbard, William G. pres. Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. 32 Lake, house 1701 Prairie av.

Chicago Telephone Directory, 1892
Hibbard William G. 1701 Prairie av. . . South-355

Lakeside Directory for the City of Chicago for the Year of 1904
Hibbard, Lydia wid. William G. h 1701 Prairie av.

William G. Hibbard, president of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett and Company, had William LeBaron Jenney design his home at 851 (1701 S.) Prairie in 1868. The house was sold in 1921 to the American Terra Cotta Company, which provided free office space to architect Louis H. Sullivan until his death in 1924.

The house was razed in 1932.

1701 S. Prairie

Chicago Tribune, October 12, 1903

William G. Hibbard, president of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., died yesterday of pneumonia at his residence, 1701 Prairie avenue. He was 78 years old.

Mr. Hibbard had been ill in bed for more than a month, the disease having developed from a slight cold which he contracted early in September while driving. Although of an iron constitution, his advanced age, it was soon realized, precluded hope of recovery. The end came at 10 o’clock in the morning, with his family gathered at his bedside.

One of the oldest and best known of Chicago’s band of pioneers, Mr. Hibbard had taken great interest in the celebration of the city’s centennial, and it was a bitter disappointment to him that illness prevented his participation in the festival. In fact, the mental depression incident to this regret is thought to have hastened his death.

The funeral will be held at Grace Episcopal church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, the rector, the Rev. William O. Waters, officiating. The interment will be at Graceland.

In Chicago Since 1849.
The death of Mr. Hibbard takes one more of the rapidly passing band of men who made Chicago. Coming to the city in 1849, he made himself a leader in the financial world of that day, founded a great business, and took an active part in forwarding many of the public enterprises for which Chicago is known today. Although he never courted the regard of the public eye, his influence was felt in widely varying fields of activity. His charities were so many that their entire scope was known only to himself. He was president of the Foundlings’ home, a liberal supporter of St. Luke’s hospital, while he made his own home the center of a widely extended work among the poor. He was a member of Grace church for more than forty years, during the greater part of which time he served as vestryman.

His prominence in the world of affairs is read in his connection with a dozen or more commercial institutions on which the financial prestige of Chicago is founded. He was a director of the Illinois Trust and Savings and of the Continental National banks. He was a member of the Commercial, Chicago, Union League, and other clubs.

Begins as a Clerk.
Mr. Hibbard was born at Dryden, N. Y. His education was received at Cortland academy, and immediately on leaving school he came to Chicago. The first opening which presented itself was the hardware business, the young man obtaining a position as clerk with the pioneer firm of Blair & Stimson. In six years Mr. Hibbard had saved enough money to embark in business for himself. He formed a partnership with Fred and Nelson Tuttle and George M. Gray, the firm being known as Tuttle, Hibbard & Co. In 1857 the new firm was burned out, but 1mmediately reëstablished its business at 32 Lake street.

In 1865 the first change in the came in the retirement of Tuttle company and Gray, whose interests were purchased by Mr. Hibbard and F. F. Spencer. The new concern was known as Hibbard & Spencer until a time later, when, by the admission of A. C. Bartlett, it became Hibbard, Spencer & Co.

Quick Recovery After Fire.
The firm, then established at 84 and 86 Michigan avenue, was completely burned out in the great fire, but within twenty-four hours was doing business with in Mr. Hibbard’s Prairie avenue house, headquarters which he had bullt three years before. It was the same house in which he died. This remembered as the quickest was long business recovery of any house from the fire. Mr. Hibbard followed this feat with another, that of building a great warehouse on the lake front, between Washington and Randolph streets, within twenty-five days after the ruins of the fire had been cleared away. The permanent store was rebuilt at 32 Lake street. A few months ago Mr. Hibbard saw the firm he founded move into the great building at South Water and State streets.

In 1882 Mr. Hibbard practically all but the most general direction of business relinquished under policies, the and the of firm was then incorporated name Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.

Mr. Hibbard married in 1855 Lydia Beekman Van Schaack of Manlius, N. Y., who survives him. He left six children-Mrs. Robert B. Gregory, Mrs. John Buckingham, Mrs. William R. Sterling, Mrs. W. E. Casselberry, and Frank and William G. Hibbard Jr..

Chicago Tribune, December 16, 1920

HIBBARD HEIRS TO GIVE DUTCH ROOM TO ART INSTITUTE
A Dutch room, typical of those found found in the quaint little dwellings that dot the shores of the Zuyder Zee in the province of Fries land, is soon to become a part of the Art institute. It will be furnished by the heirs of Mrs. Lydia B. Hibbard and its furniture will be taken from the Hibbard home at 1701 Prairie avenue. Many examples of Dutch art which will be among its appointments formerly were included in the unique collection which Mr. and Mrs. William Gold Hibbard owned.

Mrs. R. B. Gregory, a daughter of the Hibbards, told of plans for furnishing the Dutch room yesterday after the heirs had filed an inventory of the Hibbard estate in the Probate court. The inventory of the estate listed numerous works of art, including 500 paintings and scores of prints.

A Great Grandmother Remembers, Addie Hubbard Gregory, 1940

As we six Hibbard children were married, my father built or bought homes for all of us near his home in Prairie avenue or near by at Calumet and Eighteenth street. The linoleum block print on page 109 will show you the locations of these homes, and of others contemporary with them.

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