Butte County
Biographies
HENRY WILLIAM CREW
HENRY WILLIAM CREW.--A successful druggist, whose personality has doubtless had much to do with his steady advancement to prosperity, and whose father had a pioneer’s part in the building up of Butte County, is Henry William Crew, who was born a native son at La Porte, California, on October 8, 1864. His father was Alexander H. Crew, a native of London, who established one of the first banks in Chico, having come to California as a boy about 1852, sailing around Cape Horn to San Francisco. He and young Barnett, who was afterward governor of California, were messengers for Adams Express Company at Marysville, in pioneer days; and they went into the banking business at La Porte, their partner being John Conley, of the neighboring hydraulic mine.
In 1872, with Mr. Conley, A. H. Crew came to Chico and established the Bank of Chico, associating himself with Mr. Card and Mr. Hayman. Mr. Crew was cashier, and Mr. Conley was president. Later H. W. Heath became president. Mr. Heath died at Aukland, in March, 1916. Mr. Crew continued as cashier of the bank until his death. Mr. Heath married John Marshall’s sister; and they made their money in Aukland, where they had large interests. Mr. Crew died on December 17, 1904, highly honored as a citizen, a trustee of the Chico State Normal School, a Knight Templar Mason, and an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Crew was Susan H. Heath before her marriage, a native of England, who came to California in the fifties and married here. Here she also died, on February 14, 1891. She was the mother of three children: Mrs. Canfield, Emma Crew, and Henry W., of this review.
Educated under a private tutor until he was nine years of age, Henry William Crew was brought up in Chico, where he attended the public school. When seventeen he went to San Francisco, where he took employment with P. C. Rossi, in the latter’s drug store, at the corner of Dupont and Montgomery Streets. There he studied pharmacy, and later graduated from the department of pharmacy in the University of California, receiving the degree of Ph.G., in 1887.
In 1889, Mr. Crew returned to Chico and bought out J. C. Noonan’s drug store, and in the same location on Main Street he has continued the business ever since. The store was established in 1864, the first prescriptions compounded in the town being put up in that place and under Mr. Crew’s proprietorship the establishment has well sustained its reputation for efficient service. Besides his drug store interests, Mr. Crew has real estate holdings of an important nature in Chico.
Mrs.
Crew was formerly Mrs. Mary E. (Faulkner) Billiou, born at Oroville. She was
the widow of Joseph Billiou, a prominent farmer and stockman of Glenn County.
By a former marriage Mr. Crew has one child, Dorothy. Made a Mason in Chico Lodge,
No. 111, F. & A. M., Mr. Crew belongs to Chico Chapter, No. 42, R. A. M.
and Chico Commandery, No. 12, K. T.; and he is also a member of Chico Lodge,
No. 423, B. P. O. Elks.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 3/11/08.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 797-798, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Vicky
Walker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies