Résumé

Draftsman, Southeast Housing Architects Associates, Los Angeles, CA, 1940. This association had its office in Room #607 of the Architects Building in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 393, accessed 01/08/2026.)

College

Graduate, Monterey High School, Monterey, CA, c. 1922. Criley was president of the senior class in 1922. (See Monterey High School, El Sussuro Yearbook, 1922, p. 6.)

B.A, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 1927. Criley attended Stanford University between c. 1923 and 1927, at least. He lived in the Room #114 of the Encina Hall dormitory in 1927. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Palo Alto, California, City Directory, 1927, p. 308.) Criley was involved in several activities at Stanford, including the Cercel Francais in 1925. (See Stanford University Quad Yearbook, 1925, p. 262.) He belonged to Los Arcos (later shortened to "Arcos") eating club in 1926. (See Stanford University Quad Yearbook, 1926, p. 346.)

M.Arch., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1930.

Relocation

Theodore Brotherton Criley was born in Los Angeles, CA, on 07/06/1905 to Theodore Morrow Criley and Myrtle Brotherton. Theodore Morrow Criley likely inherited some money from his father, Ezra Keller Criley (born 02/06/1849 in Champaign County, IL-d. 04/14/1924 in Los Angeles, CA) who had had financial interests in theatres and hotels in Lawrence, KS, Lincoln, NE, Kansas City, MO, Indianapolis, IN, and Chicago, IL, and he chose to work in his father's hotels for some of his adult life. In about 1907, the family moved to Chicago, IL, where Theodore Morrow managed the Lexington Hotel for a short time.

In 1910, Thomas B. Criley lived with his parents in a multifamily dwelling at 5555 Washington Avenue in Chicago, IL. The 1910 US Census listed no occupation for Theodore M. Criley, saying that he lived on his "own income," suggesting that he had inherited some wealth by this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 7, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_247; Page: 6a; Enumeration District: 0393; FHL microfilm: 1374260, accessed 01/08/2026.)

As a painter, his father moved the family to a world center of art production at the time, France, during the 1910s, where his younger brother was born c. 1912. Theodore Morrow Criley studied painting at Paris's Académie Julian during 1913 and 1914. A 1922 US passport application indicated that Theodore B. Criley never had resided outside of the US. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1917; Volume #: Roll 1917 - Certificates: 150226-150599, 20 Apr 1922-21 Apr 1922, accessed 01/08/2026.) This may not have been true, however, as his parents lived in Paris during 1911 and part of 1914, with a brief stay in New York, NY, during 1913.

The Crileys moved back to CA by at least 1915, where his younger sister was born. They lived briefly in Monterey, CA, and then settled in another prominent art colony, Carmel, CA, by at least 09/12/1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Monterey County 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 01/08/2026.) The 1920 US Census found them living somewhere in Carmel. (Since its inception, dwellings have not received house numbers in Carmel-by-the-Sea or Carmel Highlands, but this was changing as of 2025. As a result it is not clear if the family lived in Carmel or Carmel Highlands in 1920.) By this time, Theodore had two siblings, Richard and Cynthia Criley. The family built a notable residence in the Carmel Highlands, an unincorporated section of Monterey County.

In 1922, the Criley Family took an extended trip to Europe, visiting the British Isles, France, Italy, Monaco, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Gibraltar, beginning in 07/1922. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1917; Volume #: Roll 1917 - Certificates: 150226-150599, 20 Apr 1922-21 Apr 1922, accessed 01/08/2026.)

On 10/16/1940, Criley and his wife resided at 3745 Lowry Road in Los Angeles, CA. They lived here with their two children, Donald and Michael. The house at 3745 Lowery Road had an estimated value of $13,000 as noted in the 1940 US Census, slightly lower than that of immediate neighbors. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 393, accessed 01/08/2026 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00393; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 60-78A, accessed 01/08/2026.)

In 1960, the Crileys lived at 545 Baughman Avenue in Claremont, CA.

Parents

His father Theodore Morrow Criley (born 03/26/1860 in Lawrence, KS-d. 10/05/1930 in Palo Alto, CA) worked as a hotel manager in Chicago, IL, and relatively well-known painter during his life. Later in life, he studied art in Berlin, Germany (c. 1902), at the Art Institute of Chicago (c. 1908), Académie de la Grande Chaumière (c. 1911) and Académie Julien (c. 1914), among other places. After the mid-1910s, he became integrated into the vibrant arts community of Carmel, CA.

Theodore Morrow Criley wed Mary Myrtle Brotherton (born 07/19/1880 in Piqua, OH-d. 08/04/1955 in Monterey County, CA) on 04/13/1904 in Los Angeles, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 01/08/2026.)

He had two siblings: Richard Criley () and Cynthia Criley Williams (born 11/01/1915 in Monterey County, CA-d. 01/29/2011 in Carmel, CA)

Spouse

Theodore B. Criley married twice.

He wed Margaret Frick (born 07/09/1908 in Los Angeles, CA-d. 05/10/1969 in Los Angeles, CA). Her parents were Donald Jackson Frick (born 01/18/1874 in IL-d. 07/26/1955 in Los Angeles County, CA) and Irene Stephens (born 12/12/1877 in CA-d. 10/04/1978 in Culver City, CA). He was a successful physician, speciallizing in cardiology.

Criley married Helen H. Frampton on 05/25/1972 in Los Angeles, CA.

Biographical Notes

Criley, at age 35, was described by his World War II draft registration card as follows: Caucasian, with a light complexion, brown eyes and hair. He stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighed 150 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 393, accessed 01/08/2026.)

On 09/12/1960, Margaret Criley (and possibly her husband) traveled from Copenhagen, Denmark, aboard SAS Airlines, returning to New York, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; NAI Number: 2848504; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: A3998; NARA Roll Number: 386, accessed 01/08/2026.)

SSN: 563012517.