Cutting, Carleton & Cutting

Amos P. Cutting
Amos P. Cutting
Born	Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age; Lyme, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	6 February 1896 (aged 56); Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Architect
Years active	1868–1896
Known for	Designing churches and civic buildings in Worcester, Massachusetts

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Cutting, Carleton & Cutting, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 2025

Amos P. Cutting (September 13, 1839 – February 6, 1896) was a prominent American architect who practiced in Worcester, Massachusetts. Launching his architectural career in 1868, he focused primarily on the design of churches and civic structures. Just prior to his passing, he established the firm Cutting, Carleton & Cutting, which upheld his architectural vision and remained active for more than three decades.

Life and career

Born to Hiram and Harriet Newell Cutting on September 13, 1839, in Lyme, New Hampshire, Amos Porter Cutting spent part of his childhood in Newport, Vermont. He trained as a carpenter in both Newport and Springfield, Massachusetts before relocating to Worcester in 1862. There, he was employed by Russ & Eddy, manufacturers specializing in millwork. His older brother George H. Cutting later gained recognition as a successful general contractor within Worcester. During his carpentry work, Amos pursued architectural studies independently.

In 1868, Cutting established his own architectural practice in Worcester. He partnered with John E. Holman under the name Cutting & Holman from to , and later collaborated with Walter R. Forbush as Cutting & Forbush between 1890 and . In 1895, he co-founded the firm Cutting, Carleton & Cutting alongside Elbridge S. Carleton and his son Frank H. Cutting.

Throughout nearly thirty years of practice, Cutting was responsible for designing a variety of churches, public facilities, office buildings, and private residences. Among his significant projects near the end of his life were the New Hampshire State Library (1895) and the Kellogg-Hubbard Library (1896), both located in Montpelier, Vermont. He also took part in the 1895 architectural design competition for Worcester City Hall, although he did not win.

Cutting became a member of the Western Association of Architects (WAA) in 1887, representing one of its easternmost affiliates. Following the merger of the WAA with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1889, he was honored as a Fellow (FAIA). In 1892, he played a key role in founding the Worcester chapter of the AIA.

Personal life

In 1868, Cutting married Lora Jennie Smith from Worcester. Together they had ten children—five sons and five daughters—with seven surviving into adulthood.

During his fifties, declining health led him to spend consecutive winters (1894–95 and 1895–96) recuperating in Los Angeles. He passed away there on February 6, 1896, at the age of 56.

Legacy

The firm Cutting, Carleton & Cutting continued operating until Elbridge S. Carleton's death in 1932. Frank H. Cutting maintained his architectural work until his own passing in 1957.

Several distinguished Worcester architects worked under Cutting’s guidance, including C. Leslie Chamberlain and Walter B. Nourse—associated with notable firms such as Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain and Barker & Nourse. Architect J. William Patston, recognized for designing the Quinsigamond Firehouse, was also among those who collaborated with him.

At least seven buildings designed by Cutting are listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, along with four additional works credited to Cutting, Carleton & Cutting. Other projects contribute significantly to various designated historic districts.

Architectural works

All years denote the year of completion.

A. P. Cutting, 1868–1876, 1878–1890 and 1891–1895

1872 – Dresser House, 72 Main Street, Southbridge, Massachusetts (no longer standing)
1872 – Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Walnut Street, Worcester, Massachusetts (demolished)
1874 – Methodist Episcopal Church of Hyde Park, located at Central Avenue and Winthrop Street, Hyde Park, Boston (demolished)
1874 – Plymouth Congregational Church at Pearl and Chestnut Streets, Worcester, Massachusetts (no longer extant)
1874 – Franklin Wesson House, 8 Claremont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts (listed on NRHP)
1875 – Warren First Congregational Church-Federated Church, 25 Winthrop Terrace, Warren, Massachusetts (NRHP-listed)
1876 – First Congregational Church, 177 North Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire (largely reconstructed after a 1935 fire)
1879 – Uxbridge Town Hall, 21 South Main Street, Uxbridge, Massachusetts (included on NRHP)
1881 – Hotel Wilson, situated at 6 North Main Street, Uxbridge, Massachusetts (part of Uxbridge Common District NRHP)
1883 – First Congregational Church, 2 Main Street, Hopkinton, Massachusetts (demolished)
1885 – Leicester Inn, 1019 North Main Street, Leicester, Massachusetts (no longer standing)
1885 – New Hampshire Savings Bank Building at 116 North Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire (contributing property in Downtown Concord Historic District NRHP)
1885 – William H. Sawyer residence, 107 Lincoln Street, Worcester, Massachusetts (demolished)
1887 – J. Frank Quinn residence at 900 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
1888 – Frederick G. Davis residence located at 78 Burncoat Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
1888 – Southbridge Town Hall, 41 Elm Street, Southbridge, Massachusetts (NRHP-listed)
1889 – Former David Prouty High School building at 195 Main Street, Spencer, Massachusetts (part of Spencer Town Center Historic District NRHP)
1890 – George H. Cutting residence at 67 Cedar Street, Worcester, Massachusetts (contributing to Lincoln Estate–Elm Park Historic District NRHP)
1890 – Renovation of Eagle Hotel located at 110 North Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire (NRHP-listed)
1890 – First Congregational Church at Main and School Streets in Newport Vermont (demolished)
1890 – Warren Public Library, situated at 934 Main Street in Warren MA (NRHP-listed)
1891 – Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 69 Main Street in New Britain CT (NRHP-listed)
1891 – YMCA facility at 96 State Street in Newburyport MA (demolished; formerly part of Newburyport Historic District NRHP)
1892 – Former New Hampshire Centennial Home for the Aged at 96 Pleasant Street in Concord NH
1893 – Former Charlton City United Methodist Church at16 Stafford Street in Charlton MA
1893 – Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church at1555 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge MA (contributing property to Cambridge Common Historic District NRHP)
1893 – Wesley United Methodist Church located at56 South Main Street in Waterbury VT (part of Waterbury Village Historic District NRHP)
1894 – First Congregational Church at1 Concord Street in Nashua NH
1894 – Northborough Free Library situated at34 Main Street in Northborough MA
1895 – New Hampshire State Library located at20 Park Street in Concord NH (contributing to Concord Civic District NRHP)
1896 – Kellogg-Hubbard Library at135 Main Street in Montpelier VT

Cutting & Holman, 1876–1878

1876 – Expansion of the Lyman School for Boys, located on Lyman St, Westborough, Massachusetts
1876 – Residence of Addison Macullar at 2 Oread St, Worcester, Massachusetts
1880 – Millbury Town Hall situated at 95 Elm St, Millbury, Massachusetts
1882 – George M. Kimball residence, 266 N Main St, Concord, New Hampshire

Cutting & Forbush, 1890–1891

1890 – Daniel N. Bates residence at 66 Cedar St, Worcester, Massachusetts
1891 – Lothrop's Opera House, found at 17 Pleasant St, Worcester, Massachusetts