Bio of BOOCO, Phil A. (b.1865), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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PHIL A. BOOCO - Vol II, pg 338-341
Phil A. Booco, president of the E. B. Crabtree Company, the largest tobacco
Jobbing concern west of Chicago, is one of the most substantial and progressive
citizens of Minneapolis. He was born in Anderson, Indiana, on the 3d of
September, 1865, a son of Isaac and Catherine (Stultz) Booco, the former a
native of Indiana and the latter of Germany. In 1865 Isaac Booco removed to
Independence, Missouri, and engaged in farming until 1870, when he located in
Kansas City and established a mercantile business. In 1876 he moved to Denver,
Colorado, and was active in mercantile circles there until 1878, when he removed
to Leadville, continuing in the same line of busi­ness there until 1880, when he
located in Twin Lake and in 1890 he left Twin Lake and took up residence at
Steamboat Springs. At the present time Isaac Booco is en­gaged in ranching. On
the 13th of October, 1922, he passed the ninety-fourth milestone on life's
journey, and is enjoying the best of health, being spryer than many a younger
man. He has been busy all his life and has no desire to retire, although for a
good many years he has had sufficient wealth to enable him to do so. Mrs. Booco
died in 1888. To them two sons and six daughters were born, Phil A., whose name
initiates this review, being the seventh in order of birth.
In the acquirement of his education Phil A. Booco attended the public schools of
Denver and Leadville, Colorado, and at the age of fourteen years made his
initial step into the business world. He worked at various things until he was
twenty-one years of age, when he went in the mercantile business at Gilman,
Colorado, for two years. He was successful in the conduct of that enterprise and
during his residence in Gilman, also held the office of postmaster. Later he
removed to Kansas City, Missouri, and was active in the retail grocery business
there for two years, and subsequently was with the J. G. Butler Tobacco Company
of St. Louis, for three years. He was then in the employ of the American Tobacco
Company up to and including the year 1914, holding various positions with that
company, being sent to its many branch houses throughout the country, his close
application to business and inherent ability winning for him constant promotion.
At the time of his resignation he was sales manager for the district west of the
Mississippi river, including thirteen states. In October, 1915, he came to
Minneapolis and purchased the interest of E. B. Crabtree, assuming control of
the business as president of the company. On the 1st of September, 1922, he
pur­chased the assets of the W. S. Conrad Company of St. Paul, which concern is
the oldest wholesale cigar house in the Northwest. Through this purchase the E.
B. Crab-tree Company of Minneapolis becomes the largest exclusive tobacco jobber
west of Chicago.
The W. S. Conrad Company was organized in 1869 and later incorporated for two
hundred thousand dollars. At one time it maintained branches in Minneapolis and
Duluth. The Conrad company had for many years specialized in pipes and cigars,
and desire of control over lines of cigars for which the St. Paul company had
exclusive distribution rights in Minnesota was one reason for the purchase,
according to Mr. Booco. Another reason was, desire of favorable entry into the
St. Paul field. The per­sonnel of thirty employes of the Conrad company was
taken over and William H. Whit-aker, formerly its vice president, is now manager
of the St. Paul house of the Crabtree organization, and David K. Murphy, former
president of the Conrad company, is on the road for the company.
The E. B. Crabtree Company now has in constant use ten salesmen's rigs and
nine­teen trucks. Five salesmen are employed to cover the state outside of the
Twin cities and extension into North and South Dakota is planned. Part of
Wisconsin is covered already.
According to Mr. Booco the company handles nearly eleven thousand pounds of
snuff in an average week, and it is the largest wholesale snuff house in the
United States. The E. B. Crabtree Company was organized in 1885 and was
incorporated in 1908 for one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, which is
now two hundred thousand dollars. The recent merger constitutes one of the
biggest deals in the wholesale tobacco trade in many years, as the combined
business volume of the two houses is more than two and a half million dollars a
year.
Although the greater part of Mr. Booco's time and attention is given to the
tobacco business he is interested in various other enterprises in the city. In
his busi­ness life he has been a persistent, resolute and energetic worker,
possessing strong executive powers, and added to a progressive spirit, ruled by
more than ordinary intelli­gence and good judgment, has been a native justice
which has expressed itself in correct principle and practice.
At Atchison, Kansas, in 1898, was celebrated the marriage of Phil A. Booco to
Miss Frieda Brandtner, a daughter of Gustavus and Margaret Brandtner. Her father
was one of the pioneer jobbers of tobacco and cigars in Atchison. Mrs. Booco's
demise occurred on the 1st of January, 1921, and was a severe blow to her family
and many friends. She was an unassuming woman of charming personality and took a
prominent part in the club and social circles of this city.
Since attaining his majority Phil A. Booco has maintained an independent course
in politics, giving his support to the man he thinks best fitted for the office
without regard for party principles. His religious faith is that of the Baptist
church and he is a generous contributor to its support. Fraternally he is a York
Rite Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. As a public-spirited citizen, who
is ever interested in the development and improvement of the city, he holds
membership in the Civic & Commerce Association and other organizations of like
nature. Socially he is a member of the Kiwanis Club, Minneapolis Athletic Club,
Interlachen Country Club, and Minne­apolis Automobile Club. For recreation he
turns to the great outdoors and is an enthusiastic golfer. Mr. Booco enjoys the
confidence and esteem of all with whom he has come into contact. His record
indicates that, after all, no matter what the advan­tages furnished by the
schools or early environment, each individual must formulate, determine and
shape his own character and career. This Phil A. Booco has done and through
careful utilization of opportunities has steadily progressed to a prominent
position in business circles.