James Hoban was born in Kilkenny, Ireland in c.1755 and until the 1770s lived on the estate of the Earl of Desart in Cuffesgrange, near Callan, County Kilkenny, where he worked as a carpenter and wheelright. In c.1779 he studied architecture under Thomas Ivory at the Royal Dublin Society’s School of Architectural Drawing. in c.1785 he emigrated to America. He settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he established an architectural practice. He later relocated his practice to Charleston, South Carolina. His reputation as an architect was made when in 1792 he won the competition to design “best plan for a Presidential Mansion.” (the White House) in Washington, D.C. Following his success in the competition, in 1792 Hogan moved his practice to the capital city to supervise the construction of the building. He was later commissioned to supervise the rebuilding of the house following its near destruction by British forces in 1814 during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). Hoban died in Washington, D.C., on December 8, 1831.