Portland Oregon

History of the Portland Banks and Insurance Agencies

The Bank of British Columbia is a branch of a London, England, corporation, which was founded in 1860 and has a capital of $2,425, 000. The Portland branch was established in 1866 with E. Russel as acting manager. It has been very successfully conducted and enjoys a liberal patronage. For several years, George Good, a financier of well recognized ability, has had charge of the business in this city. The bank building, at the junction of A, Front and Vine streets, was erected in 1882 and cost $65, 000. The Oregon and Washington Mortgage Savings Bank was incorporated in 1876, … Read more

Williams, Adele R. Lewis Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Adele R. Williams, 79, a longtime Baker City resident, died Dec. 17, 2000, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Father John R. Jasper of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Interment will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Williams was born April 27, 1921, in Baker County to Percy and Thelma (Peterson) Lewis. She received her education in Baker County, and married Chester O. Williams on May … Read more

Rachau, Jeffrey Lynn – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Jeffrey Lynn Rachau, 57, of La Grande died at his home Oct. 30 after a long illness. A memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St. Jeff was born July 26, 1950, to George E. and Beverly J. (Powell) Rachau in La Grande. He attended La Grande High School and went into military service at the end of his senior year. Jeff served two tours in Vietnam as a radio operator. He also attended three years of auto mechanic school in Portland. He married the former Jeanne Larkin in Reno, … Read more

Avery, Walt J. – Obituary

Lostine, Oregon Walt J. Avery Walt J. Avery died July 25, 2004, as the result of cancer. He was born June 29, 1927, in Lostine, to John Henry and Celia Frances (Moore) Avery. Before marrying Joy Frances Bennett of Joseph in 1948, Avery worked on several area ranches. The newlyweds moved to Portland, where Walt worked on farms and in the shipyards. They returned to Joseph in 1972 before moving to Irrigon in 1988. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, working with horses, teaching his grandchildren about his hobbies and working on cars. Survivors include his wife, Joy, of Irrigon; daughters Violet … Read more

Muller, Marilyn Rose – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Marilyn Rose Muller, 74, died of natural causes April 19 at her residence in La Grande. A celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the La Grande United Methodist Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Loveland Funeral Chapel. Marilyn was born June 7, 1932, to Roy L. and Ruby V. Skeen in Portland. She attended school in La Grande, graduating from La Grande High School in 1950. She then attended Cottey College in 1956-57 and graduated from what is now Eastern Oregon University in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and … Read more

Menolascina, Kay Sharon Phillips Mrs. – Obituary

Kay Sharon Menolascina, 68, of Baker City, died July 16, 2009, at an adult foster care home after an extended illness. At her request, her body was cremated. Private inturnment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Mrs. Menolascina was born on Nov. 17, 1940, at Oregon City to Raymond I. and Emma “Jean” Phillips. Kay graduated from Franklin High School where she sang in the choir. She also attended Business College. For more than 10 years she and her husband, Dino, operated D & K Detector Sales, a successful metal detecting and prospecting business they started together in 1968 in … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Leland

Charles F. Leland, coming to Lewiston in his boyhood, has spent almost his entire life in this beautiful and prosperous city of northern Idaho where he is now serving as general stage agent and also as agent for the Northern Pacific Express Company. He was born in Portland, Oregon, November 5, 1858, and in 1864 removed to Lewiston with his parents. His father Alonzo Leland, was born in Springfield, Vermont, July 12, 1818, and in the public schools acquired his education. At the age of sixteen he began to earn his own living by teaching, which profession he followed for … Read more

Biography of Van B. Delashmutt

Delashmutt, Van B., the present Mayor of Portland, was born in Burlington, Iowa, July 27, 1842. Ten years later the family came to the infant territory of Oregon, and settled on a farm in Polk county, in the Willamette Valley. The monotonous life of a farmer’s boy illy suited the naturally adventuresome disposition of young DeLashmutt, and at the age of fifteen he went to Salem, where he secured employment in the office of the Salem Statesman, as an apprentice to learn the printers’ trade. With characteristic earnestness and energy the apprentice served three years, and at the end of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Klosterman

John Klosterman, wholesale grocer and commission merchant of Portland, was born in Hoya, Prussia, in 1840. He was educated in the common schools of his native town and also attended an Agricultural College in Eastern Prussia. In 1858 he took charge of an estate for a large land proprietor continuing in such capacity for about ten years. In 1867 he came to America and for the first six months while acquiring the English language worked on a farm in Illinois. He then went to Cariboo, British Columbia and was engaged in prospecting and mining for nearly a year, after which … Read more

Biography of W. T. Wright

W.T. WRIGHT. – Among the many who with their parents braved the dangers and endured the hardships of the pioneer’s life, Mr. Wright whose portrait is herewith presented, deserves a prominent place. He was born in 1845 in the state of Illinois, and in 1852 with his parents came the over-memorable “plains across.” Although he was then a small lad, the terrors of that trip, over the long, dry, dusty and ofttimes dangerous roads, with slow, toiling ox-teams, are still vividly remembered by Mr. Wright, after a lapse of more than a third of a century; and their recollection will … Read more

Young, Kenneth Gordon – Obituary

Kenneth Gordon Young, 74, of Cove died March 13 at Grande Ronde Hospital of heart failure. Gravesite services will begin at 1 p.m. May 24 at the Cove Cemetery. Friends and relatives may sign the guest registry at www.danielsknopp.com. Kenneth was born May 24, 1933, to Fred and Laura Ackerman Young in Baker City. He lived in Sumpter during his childhood and completed his junior high and high school education in Baker City. He completed a bachelor of science degree at Eastern Oregon University and a master of arts degree at Colorado State University. He served in the Navy from … Read more

Hallock, Joseph Homer – Obituary

Joseph Homer Hallock, Lake Oswego, builder of Portland’s first commercial radio station and an early radio announcer died Saturday [September 17] in a Lake Oswego convalescent home. He was 85. A native of Eastern Oregon, Mr. Hallock came to Portland in 1927 and with his partners, the late Clifford Watson and Roy Young, built and sold the first commercial radio receiving sets in the Northwest. He then built the first commercial radio station KFJR (later KALE, KPOJ and now KPOK) and the first police radio station. During the 1930’s he was an announcer-actor for Portland radio stations, appearing on live … Read more

Sutherland, William Morrow – Obituary

Private family services for William Morrow Sutherland, 76, of Charleston, will be held in Heppner where he will be laid to rest in the Morrow family plot beside his father and mother. Mr. Sutherland died in Roseburg of complications of age on Jan. 19, 1995. He was born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin VanBuren Sutherland on Oct. 11, 1918. He attended Lincoln High School in Portland, then attended Reed College and majored in economics, graduated in 1941. Immediately following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, becoming a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. After separation … Read more

Reorganization of the Judicial System after the Creation of Oregon Territory

Judge William Strong arrived by water in August, 1850, and Judge Nelson in April, 1851. On the same ship with Strong came General Edward Hamilton, territorial secretary, who subsequently took up his residence at Portland and became an active member of the bar there. He was associated for some years with Benjamin Stark, under the firm name, Hamilton & Stark. Judge Strong’s district was the Third and was wholly included within the present State of Washington, and he took up his residence at Cathlamet on the Columbia. Chief Justice Thomas Nelson had the first district, but when the controversy about … Read more

Watson, Bert – Obituary

Watson Funeral To Be Tuesday The remains of Bert Watson who passed on at Portland a few days ago, arrived in La Grande this morning from Amity, where he made his home. The funeral services will take place from the Snodgrass and Zimmerman chapel on Tuesday afternoon at 3 o’clock. The body will be interred in the Masonic cemetery. William Birton Watson was born at Fairfield, Iowa, April 2, 1870. He came to the Grande Ronde valley with his father and mother in 1872 and was one of the old timers of this valley. At one time he owned a … Read more

Portland Oregon – Increase in Population and Wealth

During 1863 a long step toward improvement was the organization of the Portland and Milwaukie macadamized road, with A, B. Richardson as president, Henry Failing secretary, and W. S. Ladd treasurer of the Board of Directors. The shipping lists of the steamers show large exports of treasure, one hundred thousand dollars. two hundred and forty thousand dollars, and even seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars being reported for single steamers. Six thousand to seven thousand boxes of apples were also reported at a single shipment. The old side wheel river steamer John H. Couch for many years so familiar a … Read more

Michels, Mabel Anita Yocom – Obituary

Oregon Funeral Notice -Michels–At Milwaukie, Or., Feb. 23, Mabel Anita Michels, aged 26 years, beloved wife of Martin L. Michels, mother of Beatrice Louise Michels. The remains will be forwarded this Tuesday morning by the F. S. Dunning, Inc., 414 East Alder, to Ellensburg, Wash., for services and interment. [IOOF Cemetery] Mrs. Martin Mitchell [Michels] died at her home in Portland [Clackamas Co. not Multnomah Co.] Monday morning. The remains were shipped to Ellensburg and funeral services were held at the home of her uncle, B. A. Gault, yesterday afternoon, Rev. Lux officiating. Mrs. Mitchell was born and raised in … Read more

Redden, Carl Norman – Obituary

Halfway, Baker County, Oregon Carl Norman Redden, 74, died April 13, 2006, at Halfway. His memorial service and a celebration of Carl’s Life will be scheduled later. Carl Norman was born on Oct. 10, 1931, at Sacramento, Calif., to Phillip Carl and Hettie Martha Kulman Mansky. He was raised in Sacramento until about the age of 8. At that time, Carl and his younger brother, Paul, were adopted by Cecil and Ora Redden. Carl was a 1950 graduate of Benicia High School. After graduation, Carl served in the U.S. Air Force as an airman. He was honorably discharged in October … Read more

Frison, Donald L. – Obituary

Island City, Oregon Donald L. “Don” Frison, 62, of Island City, died March 30 at his home. Private services will be held at a later date. Don was born Dec. 10, 1945, to Joseph and Alma I. Kluth Frison in Mobridge, S.D. He grew up and attended school in Weston. After his schooling he joined the U.S. Air Force, serving from 1962 to 1966. After his discharge from the service he worked in Portland for the Teamsters Union for 10 years and later for the Operating Engineers Union for 22 years, doing various jobs. He retired from the unions and … Read more

Biography of John Dovell

JOHN DOVELL. – Mr. Dovell is one of those men who have belabored fortune, and have knocked about the world until it is sufficient to turn one’s hair gray simply to listen to their adventures. A native of the Azores, of Portuguese parentage and born in 1836, he came to Portland, Maine, at the age of fourteen, and learned shipbuilding. He left in four years and plied his trade in New Orleans, shipping thence to Liverpool, and coming as ship’s carpenter from that foreign port to San Francisco. He soon came up the coast to Portland, Oregon, and worked upon … Read more