Queer History: Harry Allen

Way back in Ye Ole days of the early twentieth century there lived the well-loved, well-hated sensation that was Harry Allen (sometimes Harry Livingston).

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Harry was a tabloid star. After a teen pregnancy in 1898 his mother raised the child and referred to Harry as his uncle rather than parent. Due to discrimination, Harry was often fired when his biological sex was discovered. He turned to theft, prostitution, and general 'vagrant behavior.'

Harry frequented the jail cells and newspaper so often that all that was posted in the articles were "[DEAD NAME] Again" ( July 10, 1904) or "[DEAD NAME] Returning to Jail" ( Nov. 15, 1911).

In addition to theft and general gang business (yes, he was a gang member { Jan. 21, 1908} and was believed to be in a long-term relationship with notorious gang member Edward "Black Jack" Morse), Harry was constantly taken in for 'cross-dressing', vagrancy, and occupying saloons unsupervised. (Makes sense when you realize he was arrested for throwing a spittoon at a saloon man (Aug. 4, 1902), but also female born people were not allowed in saloon unattended.) Not to mention: biting an officer (July 22, 1915), riding a bike recklessly, and starting bar brawls.

One crime that could't be pinned on this mad lad? Seduction. Back in the day men could be charged for 'seducing' women without the intention to wed--facing up to five years in prison or three years of forced marriage. There were many, many women wooed by the charms of Harry Allen. (Just look at him, he's gorgeous!) Ladies were just dying without him.

Literally, dying.

• In a jealous rage Dolly Quappe, a waitress from Portland, drank carbolic acid on Dec. 26, 1901.

• In 1903, Pearl Waldon attempted suicide in Denny Park while declaring her love for Harry.

One could understand why authorities would want to restrain the man captivating young women to the point of no return. However, as the officials of that time did not recognize Harry as a man--they could do nothing!

That moment when your trans-phobia gets in the way of your homophobia...

Harry was, at one point, a 'married' man. Isabelle Maxwell was his long time partner and sometimes wife. During a raid, police found a telegram from Harry asking Maxwell to travel from Seattle to Portland. They were then taken in for violating the Mann Act (largely due to her status as a known Seattle sex worker). The investigating officer, Charles Pray, recognized and was familiar with Harry and the charges were soon dropped (Read more in Peter Boag's Re-Dressing America’s Frontier Past).

As the notorious story of Harry Allen grew throughout the first two decades of the 1900's, officials were more able to recognized Seattle's love-to-hate newspaper star. They settled on picking him up for minor charges. When asked about his insistence on wearing men's clothing, Harry simply replied that his "Features Make it Possible" and he "Ought to Have Been One" (April 27, 1908 , April 30, 1900).

Sadly, this renegades days came to a declining end starting in Spokane, Washington. In a drunken fight Harry was stabbed in the back by his father, Robert P. Pickerell aged 79, who had a history of substance and domestic abuse (Sept. 27, 1916). By the 1920's Harry developed a dependency on opium--likely due to the pain inflicted by the stab wound.

In 1922, at the young age of 40, Harry died from syphilitic meningitis.

Harry went down the way he lived--being true to himself and wooing the ladies. His memory is kept alive in the hearts of queers and a small Wikipedia page.

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Finding and learning about Queer person/figures/characters of the past is an entertaining and fulfilling hobby of mine--it has the added bonus of reviving identities that have long since been silenced or erased. If you have any names or suggestions to look into, comment below or send word via Carrier Crow (Lenore will deliver this message with the upmost urgency).

Next time someone makes unnecessary comments on your gender identity or outfit, summon the essence of Harry Allen (sometimes Livingston): bite them and steal their partner.

Fare Thee Well,

Mac Abre