PIPHER, Abraham B. (1849-1930) was first active in the area of Stouffville, north of Toronto, Ont. where he was recorded as "the carpenter" who built (and likely designed) the impressive 2 storey brick house still standing at 30 Albert Street in that town in 1884 (inf. Stouffville Historical Society, Walking Tour No. 8, 1998). By 1888 he had moved south to Toronto, where he was active in the village of West Toronto Junction, which was then centered around the intersection of the present Keele Street and Dundas Street West in Toronto, Ont. A brief biography of Pipher appeared in 1891, and noted that " For the past four years Mr. A.B. Phipher has made his headquarters at Toronto Junction, and during that time has prepared plans for, and superintended the construction of some of the best buildings in the town. For upwards of 18 years Mr. A.B. Pipher has been a contractor and architect" (Saturday Globe [Toronto], 25 July 1891, 4).
He moved to the United States in 1892 and was active in Buffalo, N.Y. as an architect until after 1900 (Buffalo City Directory, 1896, 1205; U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York State: Erie County: Buffalo City, Ward 5, District 45, Sheet 5A). By 1908 he had returned to Ontario, taking up residence in Aurora and advertising his services as "Architect and Builder" (Aurora Banner, 17 July 1908, 7; and 8 April 1910, 4). There, he built (and presumably designed) at least three houses on Temperance Street and on Rueben Street, and continued to work in the town until at least 1914 (advert. Aurora Banner, 18 Sept. 1914, 1). Pipher later died at Buffalo, N.Y. on 24 February 1930 (death notice in Newmarket Era, 28 Feb. 1930, 7; inf. Jacqueline Stuart, Aurora, Ont.)
TORONTO JUNCTION, block of stores for William Hepinstall, Dundas Street West at May Street, 1888, addition, 1891 (C.R., ii, 30 May 1891, 2, t.c.; inf. Diana Fancher, West Toronto Junction Historical Society)
TORONTO JUNCTION, a residence for the architect, Lakeview Avenue near Evelyn Crescent, 1891 (Globe [Toronto], 25 July 1891, 2, illus.)
TORONTO JUNCTION, two brick houses on Murray Avenue, for an unnamed client, 1892 (C.R., iii, 26 March 1892, 2)
TORONTO JUNCTION, a large three storey hotel with 30 rooms, for Millar & Firm, 1892 (C.R., iii, 26 March 1892, 2)
AURORA, ONT., residence for the architect, at 110 Temperance Street, later sold to Arthur Bonisteel (Aurora Banner, 19 July 1912, 5)
AURORA, ONT., residence for the architect, at No. 119 Temperance Street, later purchased by Arthur Cockerill, 1911-12
AURORA, ONT., residence for the architect, at No. 121 Temperance Street, later purchased by Arthur H. Green, 1911-12
AURORA, ONT., residence for the architect, at 23 Rueben Street, later purchased by the Methodist Church for use as a parsonage, 1913
AURORA, ONT., rebuilding of residence at 88 Kennedy Street West, at George Street, 1913 (Aurora Banner, 30 May 1913, 8, t.c.)