John Goddard Stearns (1843-1917)

He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, but grew up in New York City. He was educated at the Lawrence Scientific School in Cambridge before starting his architectural career in the offices of Ware & Van Brunt before going into partnership with Robert Peabody, a gifted draftsman and designer, to form Peabody & Stearns. Stearns was the engineer of the firm and theirs became one of the leading architectural firms during the Gilded Age, particularly in association with several of the mansions in The Berkshires. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Colby Abbott, First President City Bank. They lived at Brookline and had two children (listed).