Résumé

Draftsman, Todd Dry Dock and Construction Company, Tacoma, WA, 09/12/1918.

Principal, Robert Creso, Sr., Architect, Tacoma, WA, 1940-1951. Creso worked at 1521 6th Avenue in Tacoma in 1951. (SeeTacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1951, p. 1410.) The 1940 US Census listed Creso as a licensed architect and the owner of an apartment house.

Relocation

Robert L. Creso, Sr., was born in Sacramento, CA, in 1898, but moved to Tacoma, WA, as a young child. His father had lived in NE c. 1889, where his half-sister Magdalene had been born, and relocated to WA state by 1896, where his brother Carl was born. The Cresos moved to CA before 1898, and then back to Tacoma, WA, by 1900, where the US Census found them living at 3610 35th Street. Ten years later, the Cresos lived at 1801 South G Street in Tacoma, where his father lived on his "own income." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 3, Pierce, Washington; Roll: T624_1664; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0238; FHL microfilm: 1375677, accessed 05/10/2022.)

In 1920, Robert supported with his mother, father and brother at 902 South E Street in Tacoma. He was 21 and worked in an architect's office in Tacoma. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 3, Pierce, Washington; Roll: T625_1936; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 283, accessed 05/10/2022.)

At some point between 1920 and 1930, Creso erected an apartment building at 1521 6th Avenue in Tacoma. This property was a significant asset, having an approximate value of $65,000 in 1930. He lived here with his wife Marian and his son Robert, Jr., and daughter Mary E. Creso.

In 1940, Creso lived with his wife and son at 1521 6th Avenue, Apartment #4, in Tacoma. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Tacoma, Pierce, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04388; Page: 16B; Enumeration District: 42-18, accessed 05/10/2022.)

Parents

His father Peter Charles Creso (born c. 1883 in Germany-d. 08/07/1941 in Tacoma, WA), came to the US in 1883, according to the 1900 US Census. His mother had been born in Germany, his father in France. In 1900, he worked as a tinner in Tacoma, WA. He wed his Robert's mother Minnie Locke (born 03/15/1874 in WA Territory-d. 01/15/1927 in Tacoma, WA), on 05/17/1894 in Tacoma, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Washington, U.S., County Marriages, 1855-2008 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014., accessed 05/10/2022.) Peter Creso married twice, as the 1910 US Census listed Robert's half-sister Magdalene as having been the "daughter of head." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Tacoma Ward 3, Pierce, Washington; Roll: T624_1664; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0238; FHL microfilm: 1375677, accessed 05/10/2022.)

Minnie's parents Robert Locke (born 08/30/1841 in either Hesse or Saxony, Germany) and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Schaffner (born 01/26/1841 in IL-d. 07/20/1896 in Roy, WA) were married c. 1860 and lived in Chicago, IL, where Robert as a ropemaker. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Chicago Ward 2, Cook, Illinois; Roll: M593_198; Page: 216A, accessed 05/10/2022.) A decade later, he moved with his wife and eight children to the Washington Territory, where he and Elizabeth worked on a farm near Hillhurst, Pierce County, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Pierce, Washington; Roll: 1397; Page: 471B; Enumeration District: 013, accessed 05/10/2022.)

His siblings were Magdaline E. Creso Hansen (aka "Magdalena," a half-sister, born c.08/1888 in NE), Charles Creso (aka "Carl," born c. 1896 in WA-d. 03/06/1902 in Tacoma, WA) and Chester Creso (born 08/13/1902 in Tacoma, WA-d. 1964 in Pierce County, WA).

Spouse

He wed Marian Isabella Lemeke (born 05/19/1906 in Seattle, WA- d. 08/01/1965 in Tacoma, WA), who was nine years younger, on 09/23/1923 in Tacoma, WA.

Children

He and Marian had two children, a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Creso (born (born c. 1926 in Tacoma, WA-d. 04/21/1936 in Tacoma, WA), and a son, Robert L. Creso, Jr., (born c. 1925 in WA-d. 04/27/2005 in Pierce County, WA). (See Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017 - Creso - Robert - L, Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 05/10/2022.)

Mary Elizabeth died at age ten.

Biographical Notes

His World War I draft registration card indicated that Creso was Caucasian, of medium height and build, and had blue eyes and light brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Washington; Registration County: Pierce Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 05/10/2022.) His World War II draft registration card listed him as Caucasian with a light complexion, who stood 5-feet, 9-and-1/2-inches tall and weighed 200 pounds. He had blue eyes, gray hair. A note on this card indicated, Creso had "no right wrist--short arm." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 38, accessed 05/10/2022.)