Oregon based architect Johannes Frederick Robert Tegen designed several notable building in Washington state in the early 20th century. Proffesionally Tegen used the name Robert and a middle initial “F”. Note that in a variety of records his last name issometime misspelled as “Tegan.” However on documents that bear his signature, such as his World War I draft registration card, the name is spelled with two e’s, and thus that is the spelling used in this biography.
Born in Hamburg, Germany in 1879, Robert F. Tegen immigrated to the United States in 1883 as a four-year-old child with his father, Hans Christian (also an architect) and mother Ida Oehlen. After debarking in New York City, the family moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin for two years. After a stint in Milwaukee, WI for six years, and they returned to Manitowoc. The elder C.H. Tegen had developed a wide-ranging, and successful architectural practice in Manitowoc which helped foster Robert’s education. Robert’s attended the University of Illinois’ Preparatory School from 1899-1900. Described in the college catalog as being an appropriate college preparation for “young men and women, who on account of advanced age or prolonged absence from school, are out of touch with the high school,” Robert continued his education there, graduating with an engineering degree in 1901. While at school he served in the campus military battalion and in 1900, was awarded the university’s 1900 Hazelton Medal for excellence in military drill.
Upon graduation, Robert went to work with Milwaukee architect A.E. Eschweiler, but had moved to Chicago by 1903. There he worked for an undisclosed architectural firm, and married Dublin-born Winifred F. Sweeney (1883-?) in 1904. In late 1908, he returned to Manitowoc for several months to manage his father’s firm while the latter was in Europe.
For reasons unknown by April, 1909, Tegen had moved west setteling in Portland, OR . Upon his arrival he formed a partnership with Francis J. J. Berndt. Joint projects included a $15,000 frame and brick Tudor Revival-style home for Elizabeth Cadwell in the Portland Heights neighborhood (1909), and a garage on Portland’s east side (1910) - a $23,000 project.
For reasons unkown, Berndt relocated to Oakland, CA, and the partnership ended in 1911. With several project on the drafting table, by 1912, Tegen had brought in a draftsman, George Harold Smith, to the office. He also took on Berndt’s son, Cyril, as an apprentice. Cyril remained in the office for a couple years. Projects during the later part of his career include Sacred Heart Hospital (1911) in Medford, OR; Lipman-Wolfe department store’s warehouse (1912, now the East Bank Lofts) in Portland, OR; St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Yakima, WA (1914); Ringler’s Cotillion Hall (1914, now McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom and Ringlers Pub) in downtown Portland, OR; and St. Mary’s Hospital in Walla Walla (1916).
Tegen had sufficient work in Canada to justify opening a branch office in Vancouver, BC in c. 1912; which he may have used until as late as 1916. Among his international commissions were Vancouver, BC’s St. Paul’s Hospital (1912); and the Parish Hall and School for Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church (1913).
While living in Portland, Tegen was socially and professionally active. The newspaper society columns contained numeous mentions of events he and his wife Winifred attended. Tegen was an automobile enthusiast, and the media often documented his family travel activities, including among the latter a 4,200-mile car trip to Mexico and back. In 1913, he served on the American Institute of Architects Oregon Chapter’s Interstate Bridge Committee, and in 1918, on the Entertainment and the Ethics and Competition for Public Buildings committees for the same organization.
Tegen remained in Portland until around1919. His wife had already moved to San Francisco. They divorced in 1920 and Tegen remarried the following November. He and his new wife Peral, moved back to Manitowoc, WI and later moved to Detroit, MI. By 1930, Tegen had relocated his architectural practice to New York City and was living in Bayside, Queens, New York by 1942. Reportedly for a period of time in the 1940s, he worked for New York City architect Frederick P. Wiedersum. Tegen passed away in New York on October 19, 1948.
