Oliver Marion Rousseau (1891–1977) was an American architect, home builder/contractor, and real estate developer. He worked in the San Francisco Bay Area, in particular the Sunset District of San Francisco, as well as Hayward, California. He came from a family of noted architects and co-founded the architecture firm Rousseau and Rousseau, and later the Marian Realty Co..[1][2]
Oliver Marion Rousseau | |
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Born | December 6, 1891 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Died | May 30, 1977 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Burial place | Holy Cross Cemetery |
Occupation(s) | Architect, builder, real estate developer |
Spouse | Irene Martha Caubu (married 1912–1918; divorced) |
Children | 1 |
Parent |
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Oliver Marion Rousseau was born on December 6, 1891, in San Francisco, California.[1] He had six siblings, and their parents were Frances (née Scheibli) and Charles Marion Rousseau (1848–1918).[3][4] His father, Charles M., was of Belgium ancestry and was born in Rotterdam; he was also an early architect in the city of San Francisco.[3][5] His two older brothers were Charles John Rousseau (1879–1944) and Arthur Frank Rousseau (1885–1943), were both also architects.[1][6] The Rousseau family home was located at 1903 Webster Street in San Francisco starting roughly in 1901.[3]
In 1912, Oliver Rousseau married Irene Martha (née Caubu),[7][8] they had one child; the local newspapers published the couple's separation in 1916.[9][10][11][12] By 1918, they filed for divorce.[13] The Rousseau's divorce was public and "messy", and around the same time his brother Arthur experienced a similar divorce situation.[2]
Charles M. and his son Arthur Frank collaborated and formed the firm, Rousseau and Son located at 927 Market Street (the Emma Spreckels Building), active from roughly 1901 until 1905.[3] Arthur Frank, then co-founded the architecture firm Rousseau and Rousseau with his brother Oliver, initially located in the same office at 927 Market Street[3] and primarily working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their father Charles served as the vice president of Rousseau and Rousseau, until his death in 1918.[5] The office for Rousseau and Rousseau moved to 110 Sutter Street, and later to 1141 Market Street in San Francisco in 1923.[14]
In 1922, the two brothers founded the Marian Realty Co. and focused on building hotels, office buildings and apartment houses until the Great Depression.[2][15] Oliver worked as the architect designing all of the buildings, while Arthur focused on raising money.[2] In 1930, the company pivoted to residential construction and they focused on the Sunset District of San Francisco.[2] The residential houses they designed were often English Tudor Revival, storybook, or Spanish Colonial Revival, and were described as "fairy tale"; these homes are commonly referred to as "Rousseaus".[2] Their designs were a departure from the cookie-cutter homes prevalent in the Sunset District at the time.
In 1933, Marian Realty Co. declared bankruptcy.[2] Oliver separated from his family business at that point and went on to work as a architect on a development in the East Bay, primarily tract homes and apartment buildings.[2] He also remarried.
Rousseau died on May 30, 1977, in San Francisco, California.[1] Herb Caen wrote, upon his death, "Another Memorial Day death: Oliver Rousseau, who built good houses while all about him, the pure schlock was rising."[16]