WAUConoverCTPHColl503.xmlGuide to the C.T. Conover Photograph Collection circa 1880-1957Conover (C.T.) Photograph CollectionFunding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2003 (Last modified: 11/27/2017)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0503Conover, Charles Tallmadge, 1862-1961C.T. Conover Photograph Collectioncirca 1880-1957 12 photographic prints (1 box) ; sizes varyEphemera: 2 items ; sizes varyCollection materials are in English.Late 19th-century images relating to the career of Charles Tallmadge Conover, a Seattle Post-Intelligencer editor and co-owner of Crawford and Conover real estate company.

Businessman and newspaper columnist, Charles Tallmadge Conover (1862-1961), was born in Esperance, New York, on August 7, 1862, the son of Abram and Harriet M. (Tallmadge) Conover. After working as a journalist in New York State for two years, Conover moved to British Columbia. He then worked briefly for the Tacoma Ledger (1887-1888) and even more briefly as the city editor for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. In 1888, he formed Crawford & Connor with another P-I reporter, Samuel L. Crawford. Crawford & Conover were real estate and financial brokers, and after a slow start, became quite successful. In 1891, Conover married Mary Louise Burns. They had one child, Tallmadge. After Mary Louise Burns' death in 1914, Conover married his second wife, Idelle M. Conkling, in 1931. Crawford & Conover were responsible for a national campaign, advertising Seattle and Washington State, and Conover is credited with coining "The Evergreen State" as Washington's nickname. He also advocated for the name Mount Rainier in 1917 before the United States Geographic Board, and actively campaigned for the continued use of the name Mt. Rainier in 1924 when a resolution was put before Congress to change the name to Mt. Tacoma. After retiring from real estate in 1941, Conover returned to writing, penning a column, "Just Cogitating" for the Seattle Times. Conover also authored several books, including Mirrors of Seattle (1923) and a biography of Judge Thomas Burke. He was a member of the Rainier Club, the Holland Society, the Sons of the American Revolution, and was active in the foundation of the Seattle Humane Society. Conover died in August, 1961.

The photographs document the early business activities of Conover, including his work for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and his career with Crawford and Conover Real Estate, as well as travel photos. Most of the photographs date from the 1880s and 1890s.

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Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Source: 3a, 10, 11, 12; The Booksellers, 2006.

Processed by Tracy Mehlin and Jocelyn Spicer, 2002.

Conover, Charles Tallmadge, 1862-1961--PhotographsLa Roche & Co. (Seattle, Wash.)Crawford & Conover Inc. (Seattle, Wash.)Newspaper editors--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsReal estate agents--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsReal estate business--Washington (State)--SeattleJournalists--Washington (State)--PhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)SeattlePhotographsJournalism

 

Portraits1/11Charles T. Conovercirca 1893Sarony, New York

Written on verso: Postmarked May 15, 1893. Charles T. Conover, formerly of Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

1/12Photograph of a drawing of Charles T. ConoverundatedGulbransen 1/12aMrs. Conoverundated

Written on verso: Mrs. L. Conover, 1922 N. Oaks, Tacoma, Washington. Mother dead. Pro 2479. Ida Lyon.

 Journalists at Territorial Legislature1/23Correspondents at the last session of the Territorial Legislature, Olympia, Washington TerritoryDecember 1887-January 1888

Included are: C.T. Conover of Tacoma Ledger, S.R. Frazier of Seattle Post-Intelligencer, M.M. Picken of Seattle Times, S.W. Wall of Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Captain P.B. Johnson of Portland Oregonian, J. Miller Murphy of Washington Standard, and Geo. H. Ward of Tacoma Ledger.

Clark Photo, Olympia 1/23aGroup of men playing cards and drinking beer at table1887-1888

Printed on photo: Seance of the Press Representatives-Territorial Legislature, Olympia, Washington Territory. Geo. H. Ward of Tacoma Ledger, C.T. Conover of Tacoma Ledger, Portland News, Spokane Falls Review, J. Miller Murphy of Washington Standard, P.B. Johnson of Portland Oregonian and Walla Walla Union, S.R. Frazier of Seattle Post-Intelligencer, S.W. Wall of Seattle Post-Intelligencer, M.M. Picken of Seattle Times.

Rogers, Olympia, Washington Territory Crawford and Conover Real Estate Company1/34C.T. Conover and S.L. Crawford, founders of the Crawford and Conover Real Estate Company, in a carriage on 5th Avenue between Columbia and Cherrycirca 1880s-1890sLa Roche & Co., Seattle 1/35-6Office staff of Crawford and Conover, Real Estate and Financial Brokerscirca 1889La Roche & Co., Seattle 1/47-8Office staff of Crawford and Conover, Seattle, Wash.1890La Roche & Co., Seattle Ephemera1/59Printed place card with signatures on versocirca 1892-1893

Note with card reads: Place card for dinner given by C.T. Conover for John H. McGraw, newly elected governor, and Frederick J. Grant, Editor of the Post Intelligencer, newly appointed Minister to Bolivia. McGraw's Campaign was bitterly fought by Tacoma, led by Nelson Bennett, hence the cartoon. Some interesting autographs on back.

 1/510Crawford & Conover Real Estate business cardundatedTravel1/611People at logging camp in Port Moody, British Columbia1886

Written on verso: Partial view of the camp, Port Moody, British Columbia. [Numbered identifications correspond to numbers written on front of photo]: 1. Miss Melanie Dockrill; 2. C.T. Conover; 3. Miss Nellie Dockrill; 4. Mrs. Joseph Dockrill; 5. Joseph Dockrill; 6. Jos. S. MacDonald, timber inspector; 7. George McLacklan; 8. Frank Dockrill; 9. Henry Smith; 10. Jack Parks; 11. Hop Sing; 12. Will Harvey; 13. Cook house; 14. Office and C.T. Conover's room; 15. Scow loaded with lumber; 16. Commencement of wharf; 17. Flume and penstock; 18. China cabins; 19. End view of mill; 20. Susan Ericson. Dockrill's house and half a dozen cabins for the men do not show.

J.A. Brock, Vancouver City, B.C 1/612People in horse-drawn wagonundated

Written on verso: CTC in front seat. Louise in 2nd seat, at Liberty Cap at end of Yellowstone trip. This picture used on N.P. literature the following year.

F. J. Hayes & Bro., St. Paul. Official Photographers, N. P. R. R