B. M. Duncan, an attorney born on June 30, 1879, in Millersburg, Ohio, was the son of John and Isabel Jameson Duncan. He pursued his education at St. Laurence University and Ohio State University, focusing on law. Duncan became a partner at the law firm Howell, Roberts & Duncan and was affiliated with several fraternities, including Alpha Tau Omega, Phi Delta Phi, and Phi Beta Kappa.
John E. Brooks, born on October 29, 1822, in New York, had a diverse early life as a farmer and carpenter before entering the teaching profession. In 1852, he married Julia A. Ray and embarked on a cross-country journey to Oregon, where they settled in Portland. Over time, Brooks developed a successful lumber and farming enterprise in Yamhill County. An active community member, he contributed to local education and infrastructure. Throughout his life, he was committed to social causes and political movements, ultimately becoming a prominent Republican-Prohibitionist.