Harry A. Crosley (1866-1953) (Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Independence)
Fritz & Crosley
Crosley & Pope
Chronology
1888 Independence
1889 Hillsboro Fritz & Crosley
1890-1901 Forest Grove
1917-1921 Tacoma WA
1929 Auburn WA
1930 Snohomish WA
Crosley’s father was W. H. Crosley, a civil war veteran and Postmaster of Forest Grove. Crosley’s gallery was upstairs in the post office building. Their home was several doors west of the gallery.
Directory Listings
1889 POWI pg. 262 Hillsboro “Fritz & Crosley, photographers”
1891 POWI pg. 259 Forest Grove “Crosley, Harry A., photographer”
Official Records
“State of Washington, Department of Health. Certificate of Death. Washington State Department of Health Public Health Statistics Section. State File Number:22627; Registrar’s No.: 1797; Reg. Dist No.: M-1; 1) Place of Death: a. county: Pierce; b. city: Tacoma; c. length of stay;
Photographer’s Imprints
“H. A. Crosley, Photo” cabinet card printed front (no city indicated), ms date July 4th, 1890 (WCM #LP 72-808/861-72)
“H. A. Crosley, Independence, Or.” cabinet card printed front.
“H. A. Crosley, Photographer, Independence, Oregon” 6.5×8.5 school group.
“Fritz & Crosley, over the Post Office, Forest Grove, Oregon” cabinet card printed front (WCM #LP 72-129/126-16)
“H. A. Crosley, Photographer, over the Post Office, Forest Grove, Oregon” printed back of mount, 7 x 9 1/4″ print (WCM #LP 72-1254/1314-16)
“Crosley & Pope, Photo” printed front, cabinet card (WCM #LP91-26.1/16371)
News Items and Advertisements
1891: “SONS OF VETERANS Chickamauga Camp No. 14 meets alternate Wednesday evenings at I. O. O. F. hall. Wm. Bond, Q. M., Harry Crosley, Capt.” Forest Grove Times, 15 May 1891. (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1893: “CROSLEY’S PHOTO STUDIO. is the neatest, and best-equipped, west of Portland. All kinds of photographic work done with neatness and dispatch. Special attention also given to enlarged portraits in crayon and water colors. I employ none but the best artists to do this line of work and do not handle any botched up work, but furnish the best as prices within the reach of all. Why send your work away, when you can get better, and cheaper here. A poor picture is dear at any price. OVER THE POST-0FFICE, FOREST GROVE, OR.” The Index, (Forest Grove, Pacific University periodical) Vol. 1, No. 2, February 1893. (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1895: “The New Band Orchestra… Harry Crosley, bass… ” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 12 April 1895 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1896: “Mrs. Harry Crosley will leave Thursday to join her husband in Ilwaco, Wash. where he is engaged in business as a photographer”, “Mr. E. A. Jerome has moved into Harry Crosley’s home” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 20 February 1896. (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1896: “Mr. & Mrs. Crosley, who are now residents of Ilwaco, Wash., are visiting Mr. W. H. Crosley” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 23 April 1896 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1896: “Tuesday afternoon a lamp exploded in the photograph gallery over the Post Office and set fire to a half gallon can of asphaltum which was setting near. Harry Crosley, who is again in charge of the studio, rushed in and tried to smother the burning liquid, now running over the floor, with a rug. Finally he succeeded and then threw the blazing rug out of the window. An alarm had been turned in and hosecart and truck brought out quickly, but there was no occasion for their services. Loss is under $15, but it was a narrow escape from an expensive fire.” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 3 September 1896. (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1896: “H. A. Crosley, the photographer, has rented his old stand over the postoffice and is now prepared to do all kinds of photographing with neatness and dispatch. Mr. Crosley needs no recommendation, having built and run this same gallery for a number of years, and the quality of his work has always been equal to the best.” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 3 September 1896. (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1896: “Harry Crosley is doing some carpentry work for Mr. Brown adding to his residence in the north part of town” Washington County Hatchet, 22 October 1896
1896: “Forest Grove Tent No. 21 Knights of the Maccabees at its review Friday elected officers for the first term of the coming year:… Record Keeper- H. A. Crosley…” Washington County Hatchet, 17 December 1896 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1897: “H. A. Crosley has employed Mr. Fritz to take charge of his studio while he is busy on the outside. All work will be promptly attended to, and finished in short order.” Washington County Hatchet, 8 April 1897 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1897: “Harry Crossley is busy on a thousand feet of fencing he is putting in on his own place and those of his father, Mr. W. H. Crossley and Mr. John Anderson.” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 17 June 1897 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1897: “Officers of the Forest Tent No. 21 K. O. T. M., elected Tuesday were:… H. A. Crosley, record keeper…” Washington County Hatchet, (Forest Grove) 17 December 1897
1919: “Mrs. Florence Bell Crosley, age 46, wife of Harry, a photographer on 11th. St. between I and J, died Thursday…” Tacoma News Tribune, (Tacoma WA) 23 May 1919 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1919: “Word was just received of the death of Mrs. H. Crosley, who died at Tacoma after a long illness. She was a niece of Mrs. W. R. Whitney of this city and a daughter of G. W. Hines who formerly lived here, the family leaving Forest Grove about 18 years ago…” Forest Grove News Times, 29 June 1919 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
1953: “HARRY A. CROSLEY, 87, of 4912 N. 33rd. St., died Sunday in a local hospital. Born in Henry, Illinois, he had lived in Tacoma for 52 years and was a retired photographer. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife Harriet, a son, Neil, of Tacoma; a sister Mr. A. H. Treleven, Sr., of Tacoma, a granddaughter and three great-grand-children. Services will be held Wednesday at 2 p. m. in the Cassedy and Allen Chapel, with the Rev. Aubrey C. Splawn officiating. Cremation will follow.” Tacoma News Tribune, (Tacoma WA) 30 December 1953 (courtesy Eric Stewart)
Bibliography
Crosley, Tom, Family Genealogy, 1990, files of Washington County Historical Society (with corrections) “Harry A. Crosley. Born 11 May 1866, Henry, Illinois. Came west 1872? at age 6. Died 27 December 1953.
Location of Photographic Studios from family pictures:
Independence OR, picture of sister who died in 1888
Forest Grove OR, over the Post office circa 1890-1900
Tacoma WA, 1109 1/2 S. K st. circa 1917
Tacoma WA, 11th & J st. circa 1921
Auburn WA, October 1929
Snohomish WA, 1930
Bjork, Maren, House History of 2125 A. St., files of Washington County Historical Society. “…Harry A. Crosley was the second eldest son of William Crosley, postmaster of Forest Grove in the 1890s. Harry was a photographer in town with a studio above the old post office… It is not known why the Crosleys left the house only three years after completion. They moved to Washington sometime between 1898 and the early 1900’s. All of the brothers and sisters except Jesse left Oregon after the death of their parents in 1898 and 1899.”