Henry J. Crocker

Henry J. Crocker
Henry J. Crocker
Born	1861; Sacramento, California, U.S.
Died	Error: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day; San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, Philatelist
Known for	Member of the Committee of Fifty after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake; Founder of the Pacific Philatelic Society; Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London

Henry J. Crocker (1861 – October 11, 1912) was a distinguished businessman based in San Francisco and a member of the Committee of Fifty, which was established following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He was also renowned as a philatelist.

Personal life

Crocker was born in Sacramento in 1861 and relocated to San Francisco in 1874. He was the son of Clark W. Crocker and the nephew of the influential railroad entrepreneur Charles Crocker. His siblings included one brother and three sisters, among them Lizzie Eldridge, who married the eminent judge William Cary Van Fleet.

In 1889, Crocker wed Mary Virginia (née Ives, 1863–1929), and together they had six children: four daughters—Florence, Marion, Kate, and Mary—and two sons, Harry and Clark. Tragically, Florence died at a young age, and Kate succumbed to the 1918 flu pandemic.

Following an illness during the summer of 1910 at his farm in Cloverdale, Crocker was admitted to a hospital in San Francisco that October, where he passed away on October 11.

Career

Crocker's business journey commenced in 1879 with Sisson, Wallace & Co. He later held the position of President at the Central Gaslight Company and was a Director at the San Francisco Stockyards. Together with his wife Mary Ives Crocker, he possessed extensive properties across California, including a winery.

In 1898, he co-established The West Side Flume & Lumber Company. Additionally, he served as President of both the American National Bank and the Refining and Producing Oil Company of San Francisco. In 1902, Crocker initiated legal action against his cousin William Henry Crocker and William’s brother-in-law Prince André Poniatowski concerning alleged fraudulent control over interests in the Pacific Coast Jockey Club and the Western Turf Association. Although this lawsuit was dismissed within the same year, William and Poniatowski subsequently succeeded in removing him from the board of the Sierra Railway Company in 1903.

Politics

In 1903, Crocker sought election as Mayor of San Francisco representing the Republican Party. Despite leading early polls and securing substantial backing from union labor leaders and local business figures, he was ultimately defeated by incumbent Eugene Schmitz of the Union Labor Party. The division of anti-Schmitz votes caused by Democrat Franklin K. Lane’s candidacy contributed significantly to Crocker's defeat.

Following the devastation caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Mayor Schmitz appointed Crocker to serve on the Committee of Fifty, composed of influential citizens tasked with managing relief efforts.

Philately

Crocker played a foundational role in establishing the Pacific Philatelic Society in 1884. He curated an impressive collection featuring rare Hawaiian Missionary stamps—the earliest stamps issued in Hawaii. While some pieces were lost during the 1906 earthquake, several important Missionary stamps survived as they had been exhibited in Britain at that time. In recognition of his contributions, King Edward VII appointed Crocker as a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society of London in 1907. Posthumously, he was honored on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1921 among those designated as "Fathers of Philately."

Other interests

An avid horseman, Crocker co-founded the Pacific Jockey Club. He was instrumental in rejuvenating San Francisco's Olympic Club, holding its presidency starting in 1891. His affiliations included membership in elite social organizations such as The Family and the Pacific Union Club. A committed Freemason, he attained recognition as a "Knight Templar" and was considered a proud Native Son. A stained glass window honoring him is installed at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral.

Publications

Hawaiian Numerals: An Assembly of Unofficial Information Regarding the Type-Set Stamps from the Kingdom of Hawaii. San Francisco: Henry J. Crocker, 1909.

External links

Biography of Mary Ives Crocker.