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Henry Cassie “Harry” Best

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Henry Cassie “Harry” Best

Birth
Mount Pleasant, Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada
Death
14 Oct 1936 (aged 72)
San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA
Burial
Colma, San Mateo County, California, USA Add to Map
Plot
Cremated
Memorial ID
View Source
Harry's daughter, Virginia, married photographer Ansel Adams

He was the Royal Grand Musician for ECV.

Harry Cassie Best was born in Mount Pleasant near Petersboro, Canada in 1863. As a young man, Harry and his brother Arthur traveled around the countryside of Oregon and California earning a living by playing instruments in a band. In 1887 Harry was inspired to become an artist by seeing the beauty of the changing seasons of Mt. Hood in Oregon.

When the band broke up, Best moved to San Francisco in the 1890's with his brother, who also was an aspiring artist. They both studied painting with Alfred Rodriquez. He also worked on improving his cartooning ability, as he had been encouraged to do by cartoonist Homer Davenport whom he met while he still lived in Oregon. Harry started submitting political cartoons to the San Francisco newspapers in 1891, and eventually worked for five years as a cartoonist. Harry's brother Arthur started the "Best Art School" with Harry teaching the basic sketch class.

Around 1900 the successful landscape painter, Thaddeus Welch, asked Harry to accompany him on a painting trip to Yosemite. He was so taken with the beauty of this valley, he immediately declared his intention to move there and went about getting permission to construct a home and studio at the foot of Bridal Veil Falls. At that same location, he married Anne Rippey and lived there for the remainder of his life. From 1910 on he spent his winters in Arizona. He also painted and traveled in Paris, Italy and Hawaii.

In 1907 Best had a one-man exhibit at the exclusive Washington D.C. Cosmos Club. President Theodore Roosevelt bought a Mt. Shasta scene and had it hung in the White House. Some of Best's most notable paintings were the sunset colors on Mt. Shasta and of course his beloved Yosemite National Park. Harry's daughter, Virginia, married photographer Ansel Adams and the Best studio later became Ansel Adams Gallery. Best died in 1936.
Harry's daughter, Virginia, married photographer Ansel Adams

He was the Royal Grand Musician for ECV.

Harry Cassie Best was born in Mount Pleasant near Petersboro, Canada in 1863. As a young man, Harry and his brother Arthur traveled around the countryside of Oregon and California earning a living by playing instruments in a band. In 1887 Harry was inspired to become an artist by seeing the beauty of the changing seasons of Mt. Hood in Oregon.

When the band broke up, Best moved to San Francisco in the 1890's with his brother, who also was an aspiring artist. They both studied painting with Alfred Rodriquez. He also worked on improving his cartooning ability, as he had been encouraged to do by cartoonist Homer Davenport whom he met while he still lived in Oregon. Harry started submitting political cartoons to the San Francisco newspapers in 1891, and eventually worked for five years as a cartoonist. Harry's brother Arthur started the "Best Art School" with Harry teaching the basic sketch class.

Around 1900 the successful landscape painter, Thaddeus Welch, asked Harry to accompany him on a painting trip to Yosemite. He was so taken with the beauty of this valley, he immediately declared his intention to move there and went about getting permission to construct a home and studio at the foot of Bridal Veil Falls. At that same location, he married Anne Rippey and lived there for the remainder of his life. From 1910 on he spent his winters in Arizona. He also painted and traveled in Paris, Italy and Hawaii.

In 1907 Best had a one-man exhibit at the exclusive Washington D.C. Cosmos Club. President Theodore Roosevelt bought a Mt. Shasta scene and had it hung in the White House. Some of Best's most notable paintings were the sunset colors on Mt. Shasta and of course his beloved Yosemite National Park. Harry's daughter, Virginia, married photographer Ansel Adams and the Best studio later became Ansel Adams Gallery. Best died in 1936.

Gravesite Details

Ref: Cemetery Records



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  • Maintained by: Luna and Me
  • Originally Created by: Graves
  • Added: Mar 29, 2012
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87567321/henry_cassie-best: accessed ), memorial page for Henry Cassie “Harry” Best (22 Dec 1863–14 Oct 1936), Find a Grave Memorial ID 87567321, citing Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, San Mateo County, California, USA; Maintained by Luna and Me (contributor 50129314).