Résumé

Draftsman, Caukin and Haas, Architects, Los Angeles, CA. (See Los Angeles City Directory, 1888, p. )

Draftsman, A. Page Brown, Architect, San Francisco, CA.

According to the Crocker-Langley San Francisco, 1905, California General & Business Directory, Van Trees had an office in the Crocker Building, San Francisco, CA; according to the same directory for 1905, George H. Caig and Alfred C. Hamerton were working as draftsmen in Van Trees’s San Francisco office; in 1908 according to Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California General & Business Directory for 1908, Van Trees was reported to have moved to Sacramento. He developed a upper class clientele in San Francisco, doing many house designs for wealthy clients in posh neighborhoods, such as Pacific Heights.

Relocation

Born in IN, Van Trees resided in Washington, IN, in 1870. He was the only child living in the household of Charles and Ada Van Trees. In 1870, Charles and Ada owned a modest $1,000 worth of real estate. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Washington, Daviess, Indiana; Roll: M593_306; Page: 351B; Image: 136816; Family History Library Film: 545805, accessed 07/14/2017.)

Van Trees moved a great deal while he lived in San Francisco, CA. He occupied a dwelling at 396 Weller Street in San Francisco, CA, by 1898. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 113; FHL Roll Number: 977273, accessed 07/14/2017.)

He lived at 1507 Steiner Street in San Francisco with his wife, Julia, in 1900. The US Census of 1900 indicated that he and Julia had had one child by that time, but his/her name was not enumerated. (See See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 105; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0211; FHL microfilm: 1240105, accessed 07/14/2017.) Two years later, voter records recorded that he had moved to 726 Eddy Street.

He had moved to 1369 Green Street in San Francisco by 1904, according to voter registration rolls. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 07/14/2017.)

According to the US Census of 1910, Van Trees resided at 3263 Sacramento Street in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood. He lived at this address with his wife, Nell P., and daughter Nell D. Van Trees, and a servant, Marie Dithoff (born c. 1880 in Austria). See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 39, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_100; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0209; FHL microfilm: 1374113, accessed 07/14/2017.)

He and Nellie inhabited a house at 1924 Hyde Street in 1913, the year before he died. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 07/14/2017.)

Van Trees died prematurely at age 45.

Parents

His father, Charles Van Trees (born c. 1836 in IN), operated a restaurant in 1870. His mother, Ada O. Van Trees (born c. 1839 in IN), maintained the household.

Spouse

Frank Van Trees married at least twice. He wed Julia Crawford Ivers (10/03/1867-05/08/1930), a writer, who penned fifty Hollywood screenplays. The 1900 US Census indicated that he lived with Julia in San Francisco in 1900. She was born in Los Angeles, CA, and died here at the age of 62. (The 1900 US Census put her birthdate as 10/1869.)

He married Nellie Marie Page Van Trees (born c.1871) c. 1902. As a widow, she resided at 3993 17th Street in San Francsico, CA, in 1921. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1921, p. 1495.)

Children

One child was James Crawford Van Trees, Sr., (08/13/1890-04/11/1973), a Hollywood cinematographer, who was the President of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) in 1923-1924. His grandson was another well-known movie industry figure, James Van Trees, Jr., (1912-1985), a visual effects cameraman.

With Nellie Van Trees, he had a daugher, Nell D. Van Trees Weiss (1903-1965), who, at the end of her life, worked as a buyer for the Saks Fifth Avenue Department Store. See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 07/14/2017.)

Biographical Notes

There is some disagreement over Van Trees's date of birth. The US Census of 1900 put it at 08/1866. Find a Grave.com, however, stated the date to have been 08/07/1868.

According to voter records, Van Trees, at age 31, stood 5-feet 10-and-1/2-inches tall, with a dark complexion, green eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 113; FHL Roll Number: 977273, accessed 07/14/2017.)

Van Trees joined the Bohemian Club on 12/19/1900. (SeeThe Bohemian Club San Francisco, Certificate of Incorporation, Constitution, By-Laws and Rules, Officers, Committees, and Members, [San Francisco: Bohemian Club, 1907], p. 107.)

In 06/1908, Van Trees was listed as an Architectural Editor of the Architect and Engineer of California. (See Architect and Engineer of California, 13:2, 06/1908, p. 78.)

Van Trees registered as a Republican according to voter rolls of 1913. His wife, Nellie, was listed as a Democrat. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 07/14/2017.)