Clayton Backus Strong was born January 27, 1869 in Hebron, Tolland County, Connecticut just southeast of Hartford. His family had lived there for five generations. The Strongs had come to America in 1635 from Somerset, England, and originally settled in Northampton, Massachusetts.
During the Civil War years Clayton's dad moved to Douglas, Massachusetts. He married there in 1864 and then a couple years later returned to Hebron. In the late 1870s the family moved to southern New York near the border with Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. The Strongs took up residence in the small town of Owego. At the age of 15 Clayton graduated from the Owego Free Academy.
Owego Free Academy in the 1880s
Apparently not content to be a farmer Clayton left to attend Cornell University in Utica, New York. In 1888 he graduated with a special Lumber Business Degree.
Cornell University in Clayton's Days There.
Going there was fortuitous for Clayton. Also attending Cornell at the time was Alice Blanche Hadley. Alice had come from the small village of Sand Creek, New York, to get a degree in Agriculture. The courting began.
But, after graduation, Clayton headed west to make his fortune. His destination was Helena, Montana.
But, after graduation, Clayton headed west to make his fortune. His destination was Helena, Montana.
Helena, Montana, in 1890
Clayton may have read an article from an 1888 edition of Harpers New Monthly Magazine that described the splendor of Helena at the time:
"To the younger generation Helena is a Parisian-like center which he hopes in time to see. Capitalists may make their money at Butte or elsewhere, but are moderately sure to spend it at Helena; and the miner or ranchman is never so happy as when he finds himself in what, without question, is the metropolis of the Territory. I know of no city in the extreme middle west that could so well satisfy one who had learned to appreciate Western life as Helena.
It's climate, its surroundings, even its society, largely composed of Eastern and college bred mean and young wives fresh from older centres, are delightfully prominent features. The city has a population of nearly 15,000 and considering its great wealth, it is not surprising that it should have electric lights, a horse-car line, and excellent schools."
History would prove that Helena's fortunes reached a peak in 1883, but it was said that there were more millionaires per capita in Helena than anywhere in the world.
"To the younger generation Helena is a Parisian-like center which he hopes in time to see. Capitalists may make their money at Butte or elsewhere, but are moderately sure to spend it at Helena; and the miner or ranchman is never so happy as when he finds himself in what, without question, is the metropolis of the Territory. I know of no city in the extreme middle west that could so well satisfy one who had learned to appreciate Western life as Helena.
It's climate, its surroundings, even its society, largely composed of Eastern and college bred mean and young wives fresh from older centres, are delightfully prominent features. The city has a population of nearly 15,000 and considering its great wealth, it is not surprising that it should have electric lights, a horse-car line, and excellent schools."
History would prove that Helena's fortunes reached a peak in 1883, but it was said that there were more millionaires per capita in Helena than anywhere in the world.
Just a couple months after getting his degree Clayton was in Helena incorporating a mining business. The Spring Hill Gold and Silver Mining Company was formed by Clayton, William C. Winwood (an Englishman) and Florense C. McCarty/McCarthy (an Irishman). Their capital was a million dollars sold in five dollar shares. Their success, or failure, is unknown. The company dissolved in 1909. Clayton was still dabbling in mining in the Northwest.
Winwood would go on to form other companies in Helena. Florense was soon killed by lightning while riding his horse in a storm. The horse died also.
Just a couple months after getting his degree Clayton was in Helena incorporating a mining business. The Spring Hill Gold and Silver Mining Company was formed by Clayton, William C. Winwood (an Englishman) and Florense C. McCarty/McCarthy (an Irishman). Their capital was a million dollars sold in five dollar shares. Their success, or failure, is unknown. The company dissolved in 1909. Clayton was still dabbling in mining in the Northwest.
Winwood would go on to form other companies in Helena. Florense was soon killed by lightning while riding his horse in a storm. The horse died also.
In a side note
Clayton was there at the time that railroad magnate Charles Arthur Broadwater opened his Hotel Broadwater and Natatorium was just outside of Helena. The Natatorium was home to the world's first indoor swimming pool. The natatorium was the most important example of Moorish architecture in the Northwest. It housed the largest indoor "plunge" in the world. A rectangular nave covered the 300 foot by 100 foot pool. The hot-spring water for the complex was delivered via redwood pipes from the source 1.5 miles to the west. Over one million gallons per day of hot and cold mountain spring water flowed through the system. The pool had a maximum depth of 12 feet. I mention this because it would later be featured in the souvenir deck of Montana and Yellowstone as the 6 of clubs (S33, The Photo Card Co., Butte, c1898.)
Clayton was there at the time that railroad magnate Charles Arthur Broadwater opened his Hotel Broadwater and Natatorium was just outside of Helena. The Natatorium was home to the world's first indoor swimming pool. The natatorium was the most important example of Moorish architecture in the Northwest. It housed the largest indoor "plunge" in the world. A rectangular nave covered the 300 foot by 100 foot pool. The hot-spring water for the complex was delivered via redwood pipes from the source 1.5 miles to the west. Over one million gallons per day of hot and cold mountain spring water flowed through the system. The pool had a maximum depth of 12 feet. I mention this because it would later be featured in the souvenir deck of Montana and Yellowstone as the 6 of clubs (S33, The Photo Card Co., Butte, c1898.)
By 1893 Clayton ended up in Spokane, Washington, and started working for the Red Cross Employment Agency. The company found jobs for workers all over the Northwest United States and Western Canada. Having maintained his relationship with Alice Blanche he returned to New York to marry her on January 1, 1894. The local paper stated that the enterprising business man and his new bride would tour the eastern cities and Chicago on their way to their home in Spokane.
Returning to Spokane Clayton soon changed jobs and started a travel ticket agency. After a couple years he quit that and bought, and managed, the Grand Hotel. In 1899 a well known hotel man, Alex Guinnean, from Portland, Oregon, purchased the hotel from him for $11,000. That may not sound like much, but in today's dollars it would be about $350,000. Clayton began focusing on his mining interests and became a mining broker.
Blanche, as Mrs. Strong preferred to be called, was just not sitting around. She was becoming a well known artist around Spokane. One of her paintings, called Spokane Falls, was originally commissioned for postcards promoting Spokane. Today it is the oldest painting in City Hall and is a look back in time to what Spokane Falls looked like in the past. It hangs now in the City of Spokane’s permanent art collection under her artist's name Blanche Hadley Strong.
"Spokane Falls" by Blanche Hadley Strong
In 1900 Clayton had another business idea. He would make his own souvenir cards about the state of Washington. For almost ten years state souvenir cards were being made in the West so why not one for his home state. In January 1900, after patenting a deck of Washington State souvenir cards, he has a meeting at the Hotel Butler in Seattle.
Hotel Butler in 1900
On January 10th Clayton met with Seattle businessmen A. M. White and F. R. Flynn. Strong had promised the men he would deliver 10,000 decks of the new cards to them in September the previous year. After the sale at 75 cents a deck, and the split, the men would make a profit of $2,500. (Almost $80,000 today). But after Clayton gave them the cards, of which they thought they were the sole sellers, he went out and found other jobbers to sell the cards for a dollar a deck. The gentlemen wanted more money and sued him. Clayton settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
The American Encyclopedia of Playing Cards entry;
S68 WASHINGTON STATE SOUVENIR PLAYING CARDS, Souvenir Card Co., Seattle & Spokane, 1899. The back has a portrait of George Washington around which are inscribed the words ‘The Seal of the State of Washington 1899’. The cards come with Type A photo scenes.
S68 WASHINGTON STATE SOUVENIR PLAYING CARDS, Souvenir Card Co., Seattle & Spokane, 1899. The back has a portrait of George Washington around which are inscribed the words ‘The Seal of the State of Washington 1899’. The cards come with Type A photo scenes.
Tax stamps on the decks are from The United States Playing Card Company which apparently made them for Clayton.
Even the Hotel Butler Made His Deck
Clayton also got in early on a mining success called Britannia in British Columbia, Canada. He is called a major stockholder in the local newspapers. Britannia was discovered in 1888, began production in 1905, and after nearly 70 years of underground operation produced more copper than any other mine in British Columbia. At one time it was the largest copper mine in the British Empire. Britannia survived the Great Depression, labor shortages brought on by two world wars, and several natural disasters. For most of its life Britannia was owned by the Howe Sound Company of New York, which was formed in 1903 for the purpose of financing the development of the mine. Clayton sold some shares for several thousand dollars each in 1905.
Britannia Mining Operation
Interestingly, another mine Clayton had in Kootnenays, British Columbia, was called The Jack of Spades.
By 1910 he was doing really well and moved to Oakland, California. In 1910 he is listed in the census as having no occupation and living on his own income. In 1915 he builds a new home for him and Blanche. At the time it was worth over $120,000. Today it is listed at $1.2 million.
In 1915 Clayton, Blanche and their son, Lester, opened the Strong Realty Company a few blocks from their home. It was successful for many years.
In March 1920 Clayton became ill and passed away. Blanche stayed in their home 45 more years until she passed away at age 96.
In 1915 Clayton, Blanche and their son, Lester, opened the Strong Realty Company a few blocks from their home. It was successful for many years.
In March 1920 Clayton became ill and passed away. Blanche stayed in their home 45 more years until she passed away at age 96.
I would like to thank 52+Joker member Matt Schacht for the pictures from the deck.