Primary Name: Raymond, Harry J.

Filed as: Raymond, Harry J.

Also known as: Harry J. Raymond

Occupation / Association: Merchant; businessman; Charter Member, Pioneers of Alaska Juneau Men's Igloo; civic leader

Associated places: Juneau, Alaska; Sum Dum, Alaska; San Francisco, California; Baranof, Alaska; Bell Island Hot Springs, Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska; New York

Keywords: Harry J Raymond Juneau Alaska, H J Raymond Company Juneau, Sum Dum Mining Company storekeeper, Baranof Hot Springs merchant, Bell Island Hot Springs resort, Juneau Elks Lodge member, Juneau City Council member, Alaska pioneer merchants

Biography

Harry J. Raymond was a charter member of the Pioneers of Alaska, Juneau Men's Igloo. He was born in New York State in 1871 and spent his early life there. Raymond trained as a pharmacist but did not pursue that profession after moving west.

In 1895, he went to San Francisco, California, where he met and became associated with Mr. McBride. Through that connection, he came to Sum Dum, Alaska, in 1897 as a storekeeper for the Sum Dum Mining Company.

Raymond returned to San Francisco in 1898, where he married. He then brought his wife back to Sum Dum.

In 1901, he moved to Juneau, Alaska, where he would make his long-time home. There, he represented Alaska for one of the largest wholesale hardware firms on the Pacific Coast. In 1912, he organized the H. J. Raymond Company, which operated in Juneau until 1917. He was later associated with the Alaskan Hotel.

In 1923, Raymond went to Bell Island Hot Springs near Ketchikan, where he opened a health resort. After selling the property in 1925, he returned to Southeast Alaska and moved to Baranof, where he opened a general merchandise business and operated the hot springs there.

While living in Baranof, he took an active role in civic and business affairs. He served several terms on the City Council and was also active for many years in the Elks Lodge.

Harry J. Raymond died in Juneau on Wednesday, December 26, 1928, from blood poisoning resulting from a minor injury received about two weeks earlier. He was fifty-seven years old and was survived by his wife.

Sources

Daily Alaska Empire, December 26, 1928.

Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers 1850-1950, Volume 1, pp. 260–261, Ed Ferrell, May 1, 2009.