"Frank E. Edbrooke (1840 — 1921), also known as F.E. Edbrooke was an early architect in Denver, Colorado who has been termed the "dean" of Denver architecture. Some of his works survive and are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, for example Brinker Collegiate Institute, built in 1880 and NRHP-listed in 1977.

His brother was nationally prominent architect Willoughby J. Edbrooke (1843 — 1896), who served as Supervising Architect for Federal buildings during 1891-92. Willoughby's son, Harry W.J. Edbrooke, worked with Frank.

Works (attribution to Frank E. Edbrooke and variations) include:

1. Brinker Collegiate Institute, built 1880, 1725-1727 Tremont Pl., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,F.E.), NRHP-listed[2]

2. Brown Palace Hotel

3. Denver Dry Goods Company Building

4. Joslin Dry Goods Company Building

5. Burlington Hotel, 2205 Larimer St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke, Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

6. Alfred Butters House, 1129 Pennsylvania, Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

7. Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,F. E.), NRHP-listed[2]

8. Denver Dry Goods Company Building, 16th and California Sts., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

9. William G. Fisher House, 1600 Logan St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

10. Hendrie and Bolthoff Warehouse Building, 1743 Wazee, Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

11. Joslin Dry Goods Company Building, 934 16th St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke, Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

12. Loretto Heights Academy, 3001 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,F.E.), NRHP-listed[2]

13. Masonic Temple Building, Richardsonian Romanesque style building from 1889, 1614 Welton St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

14. Riverside Cemetery, 5201 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO (Edbrooke, Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

15. George Schleier Mansion, 1665 Grant St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,E.F.), NRHP-listed[2]

16. Spratlen-Anderson Wholesale Grocery Company-Davis Brothers Warehouse, 1450 Wynkoop St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

17. Steamboat Springs Depot, 39265 Routt County Rd. 33B, Steamboat Springs, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]

18. Temple Emanuel, 24 Curtis St., Denver, CO (Edbrooke,Frank E.), NRHP-listed[2]"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_E._Edbrooke
∼Frank E. Edbrooke, a Civil war veteran, a distinguished architect
and a citizen of high personal as well as professional worth, was born
in Lake county, Illinois, on the 17th of November, 1840, but for many
years has been a resident of Denver. His parents, Robert J. and Mary
(Stanley) Edbrooke, were natives of England and of Perth, Canada,
respectively. The father was born in 1809 and crossed the Atlantic to
America in 1828, settling in Buffalo, New York, where he resided until
1836. He then took passage on one of the sidewheel steamers to Chicago,
the trip covering two weeks. He arrived at his destination when Chicago
contained a population of but two thousand at that time a settlement
not being made between the government and the Indians for their lands
in that locality. Mr. Edbrooke was a mechanical and structural engineer
and followed his profession in Chicago to the time of his death. His
wife also passed away there when forty-eight years of age. Their family
numbered nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom have
passed away with the exception of Frank E. Edbrooke.

In his youthful days Mr. Edbrooke of this review was a pupil in
the public schools of Chicago for a short period but his education was
largely acquired through private study whenever opportunity gave him
leisure for his textbooks. In early life he became an apprentice in
order to learn the building business and with the outbreak of the Civil
war he responded to the country's call for troops, feeling that his
first duty was to defend the Union cause. He therefore enlisted with
the first Twelfth Illinois Infantry under Colonel John McArthur at
Cairo, Illinois. He became a member of Company G and served out the
three months' term of enlistment, returning home with health somewhat
impaired. He soon recovered, however, and for about a year worked at
his trade, at the end of which time he again attempted to join the army
but decided to try some other branch of service than the infantry.
About that time Captain James R. Hyslop went to Chicago from New York
and opened a recruiting office to enroll sailors, railroad men,
mechanics, etc., for the marine service to form the First New York
Marine Artillery, a branch of the United States Navy, as the captain
called it, the purpose being to join Burnside's expedition in North
Carolina for gunboat service. Mr. Edbrooke and his brother, together
with three hundred other strong, healthy, patriotic, practical fellows,
enlisted and were sent to New York, where they were quartered in some
old marine buildings on Staten Island, where they remained for about
six weeks for organization and equipment. They passed the medical
examination, were sworn in and equipped with the regular United States
Navy uniform. They also drew two hundred and two dollars in bounty from
the city, county and state of New York and were credited to New York's
quota. There seemed to be something mysterious about all of the
proceedings in the organization but the enlisted troops asked no
questions. About two weeks after receiving their bounty they were
ordered on board a transport and taken to Newbern, North Carolina,
where they were installed on an old wooden gunboat for distribution and
remained for ten days under navy discipline. They were anchored out in
the Neuse river about half a mile from shore and thence two hundred and
twenty-seven of the men were sent down Pamlico Sound on a steamer and
landed on Roanoke island, a low, flat sandy island about two miles wide
and five miles long, which was used by the government as a base for
military and naval supplies. The men were placed there to protect the
island from invasion by the natives from the mainland, the nearest
point of which was seven miles distant. On the island there was an old
dilapidated fort, armored with tour old rusty cannons, no two of the
same caliber or design, and only one man was kept at the tort to fire a
gun to notify the troops in case of threatened invasion. For a short
time the men enjoyed their camp life but a malignant fever set in and
nine-tenths of the boys were stricken and in many cases the disease
proved fatal, so that within four weeks forty had succumbed and at one
time there were less than twenty of them able to report for duty. They
probably suffered from some form of malaria or yellow fever but the
officers could not or would not get any relief to the men. In the
meantime, through correspondence with influential friends at
Springfield, Illinois, the troops learned that they were nondescripts
as far as the United States army and navy were concerned and that no
such branch of service as the Marine Artillery had ever been a part of
the government armament. The Springfield friends brought the matter to
the attention of Governor Yates of Illinois, who promptly presented the
grievances of the troops to congress, then in session at Washington.
The boys were anxious to find out whether they were soldiers, sailors
or pirates. There was much dissatisfaction among them because of
conditions and one morning several of the leading spirits called a
meeting of all the boys who were able to attend to discuss the
situation and form some plan to better their condition. Several letters
from eminent authority at Springfield, Illinois, were read and freely
discussed and they came to the conclusion that they had been decoyed
and hookwinked in New York into this Marine Artillery business by
fraud-a scheme that the government could not and would not recognize.
They had enlisted in good faith to serve their country in the marine or
naval service and not to be placed on a desert island to starve and die
for want of proper food and medical attention. The boys placed the
blame on their officers and decided to put the officers under guard,
which they did, treating them well but guarding them closely. Of
course, this was considered mutiny on the part of the boys but it
accomplished their object of being removed from the island, for the
news of conditions there was received by General Foster, in command at
Newbern, and a steamer hove in sight with several companies of New York
Hawking Zouaves on board. The troops were ordered on board the boat and
about one hundred and fifty obeyed the command, while of the remainder
of the company, those who had not succumbed to disease were in the
hospital. When they reached Newbern they were turned over to the Third
New York Artillery. They were looked upon as mutineers and a tough lot
and about two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day they were lined
up in Fort Totten for inspection and lecture, and three companies of
armed infantry were lined up in front as their executioners. Mr.
Edbrooke tells the story as follows: "General Hawk, a very venerable
looking old gray-haired warrior, was the spokesman. After taking a good
look at us he said: 'Men, you are here as prisoners with charges of
mutiny against you, and you all know what that means. My orders are
that you he divided into small squads and set to work under guards, who
will see that you obey all orders issued to you or be punished.' He
then said: 'If there are any of you now who intend to disobey those
orders or refuse to do the work assigned to you, step two paces to the
front.' Every man in our company promptly stepped two paces to the
front, and at that the old general lost his temper and turned to the
three companies of infantry and said: 'Ready, take aim,' which they
did, and we all cheered the poor old man. 'Men, you don't know what you
are doing,' shouted the old gentleman. 'In less than five minutes half
of your number may be lying dead on the ground. Now, men, I will give
you one more chance. Will you obey orders and go to work?' We all
yelled in one voice, 'No,' and again cheered the poor old man. He was
very angry, shaking his fist at us and making profane remarks; then,
ordering the three companies to recover arms, carry arms, right face,
marched them out of the fort, leaving us standing there. His bluff did
not work. We broke rank and congratulated ourselves on being alive."

Later in the day, however, the troops were broken up in squads of
twelve and fifteen and Mr. Edbrooke, with fifteen companions, was
quartered in a large Sibley tent in the fort, in charge of Company C,
Third New York Heavy Artillery. There they remained as prisoners for
about two months. The artillery officers tried to persuade the men to
join their companies but to no avail. One day near the last of February
orders came to pack up and prepare to leave the fort, and the men were
then divided into small squads and marched off in different directions.
Two of Mr. Edbrooke's squad were H. W. Hitchcock and a Mr. Calbreath.
He and the others were marched down to the dock, ordered into a small
rowboat and taken out to an old canal boat called the Gunboat Shrapnel,
which was anchored about a half mile from shore. The guards put the
"prisoners" on board the old craft with their traps and told them to
remain there for further orders, but the guards never returned. The
only occupant of the boat was a poor old gray haired negro. The men
were left there without food and the next morning they flagged an old
fisherman in his boat, who came over and took them ashore. They had to
avoid the patrol guard and they bummed around the town for two weeks,
sleeping and eating with the soldiers and negroes or wherever they
could get anyone to take them in. They were often picked up by the
patrol guard and taken before the provost marshal, who would tell them
to join the quartermaster's department, which they would not do, and
consequently were always subject to arrest by the patrol guard. At last
they learned that congress had taken up their case and authorized the
war department to muster them out of the marine service, as is shown by
the congressional record of January, 1863, but because of red tape
orders were not promptly executed. Mr. Edbrooke and Mr. Hitchcock
learned that the Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry had arrived in Newbern
and started off to their camp three miles away, where they found
Chicago friends and were entertained through the night. The next
morning after breakfast Mr. Edbrooke went to the captain of Company K
to get a pass to go to the city and secure the baggage which they had
left on the boat Shrapnel. Their purpose if possible was to get back to
Chicago, and meeting two negro wood-choppers who seemed to have on
brand new pants, they made them exchange for the army trousers which
the soldiers wore -and paid them each seventy-five cents additional.
Then they continued into the city but were arrested by a sergeant and
three patrol guards. The officer of the day read their pass and said:
"You boys have suffered enough and you may go on." They then proceeded
to a Jew clothing store, where they purchased cheap civilian clothes.
On reaching the dock they found that the steamship Dudley Buck had just
arrived from New York and would leave for that city again the following
Saturday. They went to the steward of the boat, telling him they wanted
to work their passage back to New York. He replied: "I think you are
deserters and I know you are not sailors, but I will see the captain."
In a few moments he returned, saying: "If you will work your passage
and pay me ten dollars each, we will take you," and with instructions
to appear Saturday morning at ten o'clock, the men went away to find a
hiding place until that time should arrive. The intervening days were
spent in the loft of a small house occupied by a Rebel. They were
forced to remain in hiding all day and at night they took turns in
going out to get supplies of food. Promptly at ten o'clock on Saturday
they reported to the steward and while they were waiting for the boat
to sail the provost marshal of Newbern marched onto the boat with
thirty patrol guards hunting for deserters, but Messrs. Edbrooke and
Hitchcock had been well concealed. Various incidents, some exciting and
dangerous, occurred before they eventually reached New .York, which
they did in a heavy fog. The two "Marines" were anxious to get ashore
and finally when an old fisherman and his boy in a small boat came in
sight they hailed him and as he pulled up to the Dudley Buck the two
swung over into the rowboat by means of a rope. It was after much
protest, in which he said that he could not make his way through the
fog, that the owner of the rowboat finally took them ashore, landing
them at the south end of Jersey City in some coalyards some two or
three miles from the ferry, to which they walked, then crossed to New
York city and bought second class tickets over the Michigan Central
Railroad for Chicago. There Mr. Edbrooke reported to Captain James, the
provost marshal of Chicago, through his father, who was an old friend
of the captain's. The latter sent Mr. Edbrooke word that the Marine
Artillery had all been mustered out by order of the war department and
that he need fear no further trouble. On the 19th of December, 1863, he
again enlisted, this time joining Company E, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry,
with which he served in the southwest in Tennessee, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas, and he was honorably discharged
and mustered out on the 15th of June, 1866. At Springfield, Illinois,
General Oaks told Mr. Edbrooke that he was the last Illinois volunteer
to be discharged from the service.

Another notable event of his military experience occurred in May,
1864, after his command had returned to New Orleans following the Red
River campaign under General Banks. It was in August when Major
Clayborn came into the quarters of the company, which he had previously
commanded, and called for a volunteer to carry some important
dispatches to General Cameron, in command of troops at Tipadore,
thirty-two miles south of Napoleonville, on the bayou. He explained
that the railroad connecting Tipadore with New Orleans had been cut off
by the Rebels and was out of commission as far as the Union forces were
concerned and that the dispatches in question had been sent to him from
New Orleans by way of Donaldsonville, to be forwarded to General
Cameron at Tipadore at once. He also stated that in his opinion one man
could make the trip through the Rebel lines quicker and safer than a
squad of twenty or thirty men and that was the reason -why he called
for a volunteer to make the hazardous journey. No one offered until
finally Mr. Edbrooke raised up from his bunk and told Major Clayborn
that he would go. The Major replied: "You are on the sick-list, (which
was the truth), but since not another man has volunteered I accept your
offer it you think you can stand the trip." Mr. Edbrooke said that he
would risk it, whereupon he was handed the package of papers, which he
concealed in his jacket pocket, and in fifteen minutes he was in the
saddle and off for his destination. The day was extremely hot and
sultry and the road, which followed the bayou, was at the base of a
levee bordering the water-way on the right and standing eight or nine
feet high, with a tow-path on top where horses had traveled, hauling
the boats on the bayou. On his way he passed through several towns
where he saw tough looking men in front of saloons, who watched him as
he went by at full speed with his Seven Spenser carbine carried at an
advance, ready for business-and he was a good shot. The men probably
thought he had a squad following him as they made no demonstration
while he was in sight. He kept his horse to the pace and arrived at
General Cameron's headquarters after three hours of hard riding,
delivering the papers to him personally. When the General learned that
Mr. Edbrooke had no squad with him he said that it was a shame and that
he should have had an escort of twenty or thirty men. He then called an
orderly, whom he instructed to take Mr. Edbrooke to the soldiers' home
for the night, saying: "And tell them there, there is nothing too good
for this man and his horse in Tipadore." He then said: "Report at ten
tomorrow morning," which Mr. Edbrooke did, receiving another sealed
package, with instructions to deliver it to Major Clayborn on returning
to Napoleonville. Refusing the proffered squad escort, Mr. Edbrooke
then mounted his horse, saluted and started back alone. After traveling
about twenty miles he felt himself getting dizzy and unable to see and
"the next he knew he was lying on his back in a garden in front of a
large plantation house under a cluster of fine magnolia trees, where
his horse must have carried him. A beautiful young girl was pouring
water over his head from a gourd, with which she had restored him to
consciousness. Speaking of this incident, Mr. Edbrooke said: "I had
been sun-struck and was, of course, feeling very badly but managed to
sit up and with some surprise beheld the fair vision before me. I asked
her where I was, and she replied,-'You are at my home. Your horse came
in through the open gate and I found you lying here on the ground with
your horse watching over you. * * * But you are a Yankee soldier and I
hate you. I will save you if I can. I could hide you but I could not
hide your horse. I could put you in the attic.' 'You are very kind,' I
said, 'but I must be going.' 'Well. then, wait a moment,' she replied,
and running off and leaving me sitting on the grass, went into the
house. In five minutes she returned with a plate full of roast pork,
vegetables, etc., swimming in gravy- fine stuff for a sick man in my
condition. I thanked her kindly but could not eat. Then she told me
that twelve Rebel scouts had just left her home fifteen minutes before
she saw me and that they might be back any moment and would surely kill
me it they had the chance, since they despised and hated all Yankee
soldiers. 'You had better he going,' she said, with growing
nervousness, 'you are not safe here another minute,' and filling my hat
with magnolia leaves and water, pulled it down over my head, drenching
me. Amused at my evident shock from the cold liquid, she smilingly
assured me that it was only water. Then she helped me mount my horse,
saying: 'My best wishes go with you. Sometime come back and see me,' "
but he never saw the good little Samaritan again. He was soon on the
road, feeling somewhat better but very weak, and after traveling five
miles he again felt the dizziness coming on and dismounted under a
large shade tree by the roadside. As he sat there with his carbine on
his knee a red-headed woman came out of a cottage nearby, shook her
fist at him and said: "You damn Yankee, I would like to kill you," and
kept up her tirade until Mr. Edbrooke ordered her to go and get him
some water or he would fire. The woman then obeyed but after bringing
the water she crossed the road and five minutes later returned with
four rough looking men, whose attention as they stood on the levee she
directed to Mr. Edbrooke, who felt that under such conditions he must
make his escape. Drinking some more water from the gourd and wetting
the leaves in his hat again, he passed on by the cottage and rode upon
the levee to see what the men were doing, but discovered no hostile
movement among them. It was cooler upon the levee than upon the road,
so he concluded to take the chance of riding up there although he knew
he would be a good target for some bushwhacker's rifle. The cool air
seemed to give him new life and, putting spurs to his horse, he at
length reached camp and delivered his dispatches to Major Clayborn, who
thanked him most heartily, and the boys all congratulated Mr. Edbrooke
on his safe return and agreed that it was a chance in fifty that he
made the trip and came through alive. For five days afterward he was in
the hospital because of the sunstroke but soon after that event he and
his command left Napoleonville for Baton Rouge. As stated, he served
until the end of the war, being the last Illinoisian to be mustered
out.

After the war Mr. Edbrooke continued his work as an architect and
builder and entered the employ of T. B. Borst, a prominent contractor,
for whom he was to build hotels and stations along the line of the
Union Pacific. After completing that work he returned to Chicago and
later was detailed to go back to Denver in the year 1879 to erect the
Tabor block, which was completed in 1882, in time for the opening of
the famous Tabor Opera House, on which occasion Miss Emma Abbott, the
noted soprano, gave a concert. Since coming to Denver, Mr. Edbrooke has
erected in this city buildings, the total valuation of which is over
twenty-five million dollars, and include such famous structures as the
Brown Palace Hotel, the Denver Store, the Masonic Temple, the
Presbyterian, the First Baptist and Universallst churches, the Ernest &
Cranmer building, the Cooper building, the First National Bank
building, the Gas & Electric building, the State Museum and many other
public buildings as well as those owned by private individuals. He was
awarded the second prize in competition for the best plan for the state
capitol and was later given charge of the finishing of the building, of
which he was advisory architect. He was for twenty years advisory
architect to the state board of capitol managers. In 1892 Governor
Routt appointed him a member of the board of public works of Denver, as
it was in the hands of the governor to do at that time. He is a
director of the Denver Morris Plan Company and a director of the
Seventeenth Street Building Company. He still maintains an office in
the Tabor block, which was the first building that he erected in
Denver, but he does not actively follow his profession at the present
time having retired. He is now enjoying a well earned rest, spending
much of his time in traveling in company with his wife.

Mr. Edbrooke was married on Christmas Day of 1871, in Chicago,
Illinois, to Miss Camilla S. Gilman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. B.
Gilman, of Hallowell, Maine. They have no children of their own but
have reared and educated two nephews, Frank S. and Roy W. Cross. The
former is now sergeant-major in the United States Army, stationed at
Fort Douglas, and the latter is a prominent architect of Chicago, who
was graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Architecture. He has been
serving as a member of the government commission engaged in railroad
valuation, located at Chicago. He is also in the government service
with the Interstate Commerce Commission as United States lighthouse
inspector.

While Mr. and Mrs. Edbrooke spend much time in travel, when they
are in Denver they occupy their magnificent residence on Seventeenth
avenue, which Mr. Edbrooke built twenty-seven years ago and which has
always been the abode of warm-hearted hospitality. He is a man of
philanthropic spirit, giving generously to public movements and
charitable enterprises, and he is one of Colorado's most eminent and
distinguished citizens. His life record is indeed an interesting one
and there have been in it various thrilling chapters, especially those
which cover his Civil war service. He attained the highest professional
rank and his labors were ever of a character which contributed to the
upbuilding and progress of the city with which he has been so long
identified. Mr. Edbrooke has also attained high rank in Masonry, having
reached the thirty-second degree.

"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J.
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918) Vol. II