Howard “Harry” Colley (1888 - 1956)
Harry Colley was born in Richmond, Australia. He studied mining at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Colley came to the Yukon in 1911 and prospected. In 1920, he and Joe Walsh and Harry McCrimmon staked the Calumet claim in the Mayo mining district.1)
In 1921, Colley mushed a dog team to Norman Wells to stake oil lands.2) He travelled with C.J. McDonald, D. McRae, and W. Murphy, formerly of Dawson. They came to Whitehorse from the outside, outfitted at Whitehorse, and left for Norman Wells [Fort Norman] via Little Salmon and Ross River.3) In June 1921, principally through the efforts of Yukon Councilman Robert Lowe, the Department of the Interior allowed oil stampeders to record their claims in Whitehorse instead of taking the long hard trip to Edmonton as was necessary under the old rules.4)
In 1932, Colley prospected Calumet, in the Mayo District, with Tom McKay and in the spring of 1934 with Don Morrison. They struck a rich vein and mined it out. In 1935, they sold the claim to Treadwell Yukon. Colley continued to prospect into the 1950s.5)