Riley Hansard Crabb was born on 2 April 1912 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In early December 1934, during a Christmas shopping trip to downtown Minneapolis, Riley discovered the library of the Theosophical Society. Perusing the vast selection of esoteric books, Riley was fascinated by the treasure trove of knowledge dealing with the mystic arts and how one can develop the latent extrasensory powers pertaining to each individual. Riley brought some literature and a membership application from the Theosophical Society home with him; and upon his next visit to that library one week later, he had joined the organization. As it turned out, Riley discovered that his mother, Eunice Crabb, was also a student of metaphysics and philosophy. She was an avid follower of the then prominent researcher and writer of esoterica, Manly Palmer Hall, the founder of the Philosophical Research Society. As the country was in the throes of the Great Depression, Riley would take advantage of the nearness of the Theosophical Society library and enjoy many visits there. While the Theosophical Society charged yearly dues, there was no charge for anyone to just come and read the books on the premises; and members could exercise the privilege of checking them out and taking them home.