Page 5
Friends Pay Loving Tribute to Memory of George Clayton Brownell
By W. W. Woodbeck
OREGON CITY ENTERPRISE, FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1921.
george Clayton brownell
Born August 10, 1859.
Rested from Earth's Labor May 29, 1921
"He is gone but his memory liveth.
He is gone but his example is here.
And the sweetness and fragrance it giveth
Will linger through many a year."
Those who have known. Mr. Brown
ell, without a dissenting voice, join
in paying . tributes to his ability as a
lawyer, his sterling integrity and to
those attributes that made him loved
by. those with whom he came in daily
contact .
Judge J. U. Campbell.
"I knew Mr. Brownell well. Have
been closely associated with him
since 1S93.
Mr. Brownell possessed more lov
able traits of character than any man
I ever saw. As a public man h.:3
sympathies were always with the u.i
iortunate. His heart was in constant
rebellion against the inequality of the
rules of society. He despised the con
ventional and nearly always acted rn
Impulse. His knowledge or intuition
of the psychology of everts was al
most vncanny. He loved children with
the heart of a child- He ased to say
that, "I love them clean or dirty iai
pudent or well-behaved, well clothe.l
or ragged ,in all their moods aid
fancies, because they are the natur:J
expression and true index to human
ity." He never harbored hatred, had no
desire for revenge.
In his political' life no matter ho-v
strenuous the fight might be it was
never conducted ' with bitterness ou
his part. He had a master mind be
cause he never allowed t to be oc
cupied my mean and small things. He
was human and of course had his
faults but it truly may be said of hii'i
that, "Even his failings leaned to vi.
tue's side."
Gilbert L. Hedges.
"I first made the acquaintance of
Mr. George C- Brownell in 1S9P Sini'i
that time. I have known mm o.uite in
timately, and have probably tried
more cases with him in court than h-.is
any other attorney here.
"During the eight years in which 1
served as prosecuting officer of the
Fifth Judicial District, I was irequeci-
Iv brought in contact with Mr. Brown
ell in the court room. He defended
most of the crimnal cases and during
that length of time we were together
in court on opposing sides in as many
as one hundred and fifty cases.
"Mr. Brownell was an eloquent
sneaker and, when appealing to a jury
fr.r ovmnathv. he was almost irresist
ible. During the past two years,
I have noted his failing healvTi
and in the last few cases we tried to
gether in court, he aid nor ai&iJiajr
that same vigor and alertness, which
was his at former trials.
"He was always courteous and fair
in matters in court and I always en
joyed trying a case with him, for I
knew fairness was. one of his chier
characteristics. He always gave his
clients in these trials the full benefit
of his knowledge and eloquence, ana
on several occasions, while listening
to him plead before a jury, I have
found some difficulty in rising to re
ply, so masterful had been his presen
tation of his side of the case"
stant command. He not infrequently
appealed to patriotism and was able to
offer illustrations by his wide knowl
edge of the development and history
of America, and the lives tf great
Americans.
"His thoughs were not always
clothed in perfect, or might I say
classical, English, but he was able
to make them to appear to emanate
from a warm heart and sympathetic
cr appreciative souL He reminded one
in this respect of r- Dwight L.
Moody, whom in this way, he ap
proached but did not equal.
"Each of us knows something of h's
generosity, but none has more than a
Fhadow of knowledge of his great ag
gregate gifts which were almost limit,
less within his ability to give.
"Some will criticise him, but why
ehould I? How can I properly judge
him since I cannot look out from the
center of his soul and perceive as he
saw? Very possibly many things that
I have done did not seem ri?ht as he
viewed them. Lpt us number his
virtues on enduring tablets, but write
any criticisms on the sands, that to
morrow they may be forgotten."
E. J. Noble.
"It is with regret that I did not
know George C. Brownell more inti
mately, but as my membership in the
Clackamas County Bar Associtation
has been brief, my professional inter
caurge wih him was limited although
in that short time I always found him
courteous, considerate and obliging,
and nt knowing him so well except
as one knows any man in public life,
I do not think that anything I might
say will express the esteem in -which
he was held by his felow men so well
as was expressed by the abundance ol
floral tributes and the 'great gathering
of people who stopped their daily vo
cation for a brief period to pay their
last respects to the memory of their
friend on Tuesday last, and these acts
of sincerity speak better than words
and best express the true feeling, al
though coming too late to be appreci
ated by the one upon whom they are
bestowed."
Gordon E. Hayes.
"He sprang from the body of the
common people and he was truly a
representative American. During the
term of eighteen years' service in the
senate of this state in legislative mat
ters he consulted the people's rights
and much of the reform legislation
that has been passed In this state was
put into effect through his influence
"As a lawyer he was learned, skill
ful, tactful and fearless.
"As an orator, he had equals
in the state an no superiors
"As a man he was possessed of a
noble character and as a friend he was
true and loyal."
. ! ST x.- - J tV 1 s K 1 '
' if K-f - .
'
uons than is accorded most men.
During the thirty years of his res
idence in Clackamas county he has
played a leading role in the life of the
community.
Serving three terms as state sena
tor from Clackamas county he has
awarded him, during shrd hrdlurdiu
been the center of many a stormy po
litical fray. Signal honor was awar
ded him during his last term in the
senate, when he was chosen presi
dent of that body. He served one
term as a member of the lower house
having been elected to that office in
1916.
A political honor that came to him
in 1910. when he was chosen mayor
of Oregon City in a contest that wiil
be long remembered. He prized this
as his greatest victory. His political
career began in Kansas, when 25
years cf age, he was mayor of his
home city. Later he was county at
torney of the county in which he liv
ed. When active in Kansas he made
a stirring campaign for the prohibition
ticket when St. John was the nominee
of that party for president.
He had Irttle patience with the dal
lying tactics of his party in dealing
with the liquor traffic and in 1914
planned to make a campaign for the
office of governor with a prohibition
plank in the platform.
The condition of his health, the ne
cessity of making a stade-wide ex
pensive campaign and not wishing to
call upon his friends or to involve him
self in debt, led him to a decision to
abandon the campaign.
His home at Concord Station was
his greatest pride. Several years ago
he set out a tract .of 1 acres to
holly. The severe winter of 1919
severely damaged the trees just at
the time they were beginning to bring
in a substantial revenue. This was
one cf the little tragedies that caus
ed him regret.
He was a pioneer breeder of milk
goats and was among the first to
bring these animals to the county.
ing tribute to the character of their
associate. In part he said: "In his
business dealings he was scrupulously
honet. He seemed to delight in do
ing generous deeds. Charles D; La
tourette in .teulogizing' his memory,
said: "I believe he used to lay awaks
night, devising means to bring hap
piness to some unfortunate."
Other speakers were Grant B. Dini
ick, Joseph E. Hedges, Livy Stipp,
William M- Stone, Chris iSchuebel,
William Hammond and Arthur G-Beattie.
Friend of Roosevelt
During the year of 1917 after we
had entered into the World War. he
corresponded regularly with Theo
dore Koosevelt and exchanged letters
at frequent intervals. He deeply re
gretted that Roosevelt was not al
lowed to go overseas. When Am
brose Brownell enlisted and was ent
to Prance, Mr. Roosevelt wrote him
a letter of congratulation from Oyster
Bay, in which he said: ''Good for your
noble son. I am delighted to hear
of his action. When you write him
convey to him my best wishes."
The letter is signed, "Faithfully
your friend, Theodore Roosevelt."
Touching Scenes
' There were several touching scenes
at the funeral services at the Elks
Temple, but none more pathetic than'
an aged man from a remote part of
the county, who paused when passing
the casket and reaching out grasped
the iifeless hands while tears stream
ed down his furrowed cheeks.
"As
E. G Caufield.
an orator with power to in-
Arthur G. Beattie.
"In my short two years acquaintan.-e
with George C- Brownell I have found
many things in him an inspiration to
the younger members of the bar of
Clackamas County. I have learned to
admire him as a master orator, respect
him as an able attorney, and cherish
him as a worthy friend.
Oscar D. Eby.
"Some men use public position to
exalt themselves among their fellow
men, but not with Mr. Brownell, he
only used as a tower of strength with
which to - accomplish the things he
had set out to do, and no man how
ever poor, or low his station in life
ever nassed his attention in friendship
or business: this was the chief ele
ment of his strength and greai popu
lariti .
"B7 his every day life he has builded
a monument that will last long as the
memory of man.'
Upper George Clayton Brownell. Lower Left The Brownell home at Concord Station. Lower Right His
fluence an audience and gain their (two pet dogs, the upper one Dr. Benjamin Franklin, (Doc), the lower one, Lord Roberts (Bob). These dogs met
sympathy fbr his cause he has prob- Poisoning and died within an hour of each other.
ably never had his equal in Oregon.
His patriotism, his fidelity to his
friends and his neverfailing supply
of kindness and generoity to the poor
and needy will cause his name to be
long remembered and honored. I am
glad to have been numbered among
those whom he called his friends.
Alberta L. Dunn.
(County Treasurtr)
His loyalty and keen personal in
terest in his friends make hig loss to
them a doubly severe one.
William M- Stone.
"In looking back over the years of
my a-ssoqiation with Mr. Brownell,
five years of which were in partner
ship, my pleasantest recollections of
the m&n were his unfailing good
humor, his kindly nature, his hatred
of sham and hypocrisy, and his won
derful love for his fellow man."
J. E. Hedges.
"His power and much o' hig success
were due to application of a keen per
ception of the forces that impel men
generally and his audience particular
ly, and a boundless ambition to win.
"He exercised his knowledge that
people like to be flattered, and that a
communication given in confidence Is
a species of happy hidden flattery.
Hence in nearly all conversation,
spoke in confidential tone. And his
attitude toward the listener while he
spoke was one evidencing confidence.
He recognized the power of prejudice,
and used it to convince all of his hear-
e-rs when all were influenced or im
pelled alike; and did at times inject
into an argument more than ou
thought for the purpose of. convinc
ing, when one hearer might be con
vinced by one such thought, ana an
other or others by a different thought
- "He had read omnlvorously, and had
much of the history of the world and
Was Master Orator.
As an orator George C- Brownell
had few equals It was one of thK
pleasures cf his life to speak, at pa
triotic gatherings, and he pave freely
of his time and talent.
He was always in demand as an or
ator at celebrations n honor of our
Independence day.
.fudges of the art or oratory believe
that the supreme efforts cf his life m
this line was made when he placed in
nomination for the United States Sen
ate, Joseph Simon, c. W. Pulton and
John H. Mitchell.
The address that will always be a
part of the historical records of thu
state was made when as president of
the Oregon State Senate Ma7 22, 1903,
be was chosen to deliver the address
welcoming President Theodora Roose
velt to Oregon. Senator Brownell was
at his best and in the following well
chosen words welcomed the President
to the state:
"Mr. President: In behalf of the
Legislative Assembly of the State of
Oregon, we welcome you t;, this state.
I know that I express the welcome of
both houses of our Legislative Assem
bly irrespective of political creed. We
welcome you as President pnd Chief
Executive of the greatest people anil
greatest country jn the civilized world.
We welcome you also because we be
lieve you stand for the highest ideals
or American citizenship.
"We welcome you because we be
lieve that in your personality you
represent more sirongly than any
other public character in America th.'
pnergy, the pushing aDd progressive
spirit of all Americans.
"We welcome you became we be
lieve that you repersent and stand for
the high and legitimate claims of labor
and capital to unite without repres
sion from either in the upbuilding and
development of the material resources
of this Republic
We weicome yon because we feel.
Mr. President, that we can see in you
that same spirit tbxi his been illus
trated so m'J.ny time, by ur fathers
in this, that whereever we go as a
peop!e, whereever we stand we stand
for the right and a higher civilization
it shall stay put."
"We welr.omp you because we be
lieve that you stand for the idea that
a Nation or a people can never stand
still, that they must go forward anJ
upward o relse the race will retro
grade.
"We welcome you because we be
lieve that whatever pr.liJuins we as a
people have to meet, whether they be
in the coal fields of Pennsylvania, ir
on the Pacific sea or in the Orient,
that you will meet them as the Chi3f
Magistrate of this country in a ppint
of high liberal statesmanship, all th
time-governoj with the idea that what
is right for us to hr ve that we shall
have-
"And again, I assume the responsi
bility here of welcoming you in be
half of the Second Oregon Regiment
of Volunteers vhe served M00 milos
across the sea ir. the Philippine Is
lands to uphold the same flag that
was fo upheld by you and those unritv
you on that Jjly day on San Juan hill."
Cured of Using Notes
In his earlier days Mr. Brownell.
wrote his speeches in full, and depend
ed on his notes, referring to them fre
quently. An experience when deliver
ing a Fourth of July oration shortly
after his arrival in Oregon, completely
cured him of the habit. He had gone
to one of the country districts, and
had placed his notes on tho table bo
fore him. A sudden .gust of win I
when the reader of the declaration of
independence had nearly completed
his part of the program. : arried hs
notes to the four corners of the count 7.
Spurred by the necessity of the occi
sion, he rose when introduced with a
feeling of goneness. He looked across
to where the flags were flying and, ic
spire(J by the faces of his audience, de
livered an extemporaneous oration
that wil rank as among his Dest ef
forts. In speaking cf the experience he
paid, "I have never since that time
made use of notes. I took no more
chances.
There are hermit souls that live with
drawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dweil
apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze
their paths
Where highways never ran
But let me live by the side of .the
road k
And be a friend to man.
Let me live in a house by the side cf
the road
Where the race of men go by
The men who are. good an the men
who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit In the scorner's seat
Or hurl the cynic's ban
Let me live in a house by the Side of
the road
And be a friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of
the road,
By the side of the highway of life
The men who press with the ardor
of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife;
But I turn not away from their smiles
nor their tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan
Of Deeply Religious Nature
George C. Brownell was of a deeply
religious nature. For creeds and
conventionalities he cared little, but
was moved by the deeper
things that moved men's souls. Mr.
Brownell would have made a great
evangelist. His power to move men
was such that he would have ranked
with Moody had he given his great
talent to this line of endeavor.
Two days before his death when l-.e
realized the end was approaching, he
was visited by his son Ambrose, auu
in voice faint from the exertions of
the day, he said : "I have fought so
hard, but I know the end is near. I
shall breathe my last prayer and when
you come again I will not be here."
Loved His Dogs
Mr. Browueu was a great lover cf
dogs. Since the death of Bob and
Doc, the two dogs in the pictdre, his
pet has been Peter, a fox terrior. Two
days before Mn Brownell passed away
Peter was taken to the hospital to vis
it his master. He recognized Peter
and petted him for a few minutes.
Asked afterward if he knew Peter had
been to see him, he answered, "Of
course I knew Peter was here,
shall never forget him."
Funeral Services
i!.very business house in this city
closed Tuesday afternoon during the
nour of the funeral. Judge J. V
Campbell dsinissed the circuit court
jury at noon. The courthouse flag
floated at half mast.
Elks temple, where the service was
held, was filled to overflowing. Men
and women from every walk of life
an,j from all parts of the county gath
ered to say a last farewell to a loy
al friend.
The services were simple but Im
pressive, conforming to the wishees
of the deceased. The floral tributes
were profuse, being from the different
organizations with which ho had bee
connected, as well as .from friends.
Judge Henry McGinn close person
al friend since the arrival of Brown
ell in Oregon, paid eloquent tribute
to the memory of his friend, to tho
generous qualities and the deeds that
had bound his friends so close dur
ing his active life.
The Rev. Melville T. Wire read the
ninetieth Psalm and the fifteenth
chapter of the First Corinthians; Mrs.
E. E. Brodie sang, "Beautiful Isle of
Somewhere."
The concluding services were held
for the family at the Portland crema
torium ,the Rev. E. H. Penee, of Port
land, officiating.
v The pall bearers were, with one ex
ception, of the Clackamas county bar,
being Grant B Dimick, Chri.o Schue-
bel, William M Stone- Oscar D. Eby?
Livy Stipp and B. Thompson. Mem
bers of the Clackamas County Bar as
sociation attended in a body.
Bsr Association Holds Meeting
The members of the Clackamas
County Bar association met at the
court house Friday morning at 9
o'clock to take official recognition of
his death. Judge J. U. Campbell was
called to preside. O. D. Eby, Gilbert
L. Hedges and Charles D. Latourette
were appointed a committee on reso
lutions. Charles D. Latourette pro
nounced the eulogy and paid a glow-
His Family
Mr. Brownell is survived by his wi
dow and two adopted sons, Ambroso.
residing at the home at Concord Sta
tion, and Howard M., an attorney of
Eugene, Oregon; a sister Miss Flor
ence Brownell resides in Portland.
Mr. Brownell's generosity made it
impossible to accumulate a fortune
but he has left that larger heritage,
a richness not measured in' dollars.
Elks Eulogize
At the regular meeting of the Elks
lodge Tuesday evening, Judge J. U.
Campbell paid an eloquent tribute to
his departed friend, to whom he feels
he owe3 much of the success to which
he has attained.
Held Progressive Ideas
Judge Campbell states that Mr.
Brownell was responsible for the ad
option of the initiative and referen
dum and through his action in the sen
ate made it possible for its adoption
at a time, when had he taken other
action it would have been delayed for
years.
Valued Friends
It has been the privi'ege of the
writer to meet and - know Mr Brown
ell during the past five yeais. In
that time I have learned to prize those
traits of character emphasized by Ui3
friends. Many times, we have drop
ped into his office for a brief chat
aad never left without having a hap-
.pier feeling than when I entered. Ha
gave o? his great hearc to his friend3
and no one spent five minutes in his
company that he did nt receive
something worth while A kindly,
courteous gentleman one who loved
his brother man, has gone. We shall
miss the hearty hand-clasp. We ..-ill
delight in remembering him as when
here
If it be true that the spirits of those
whom we love and who leved us are
ever near in time of .stress and
tiouiJe. then I know tha' the s; m
V.-..OC of George C. B.vwnoll will
sometimes speak to those he loves
oTiiug, as a bene j'otion as Ti breath
es the words, "Be brave! Be brave.'
. Was Friend of Soldiers
Mr. Brownell wanted to heln the
boys, who saw service in the World
Let nie live in a house by the side cf .War, in securing the passage of the
the road (soldier's bonus bill. He had planned
Ana oe a mena io man. to make several speeches In the coun
ty favoring the bill. He had made a
I know there are brooic-gladdened . draft of a portion of the address he
meadows ahead, jhad nlanned to make. In the address
And mountains of wearisome height ihe proposed to show that the soldiers
That the road passes on through the) of th American Revolution had fat
long afternoon the close of the war receive back
One of Mr. Brownell's favorite poems
often heard in his
public addresses.
In thinking of Washington's love for
his fellow men, of the sprit of brother
hood that dominated his life end left
It's impression upon the hearts and
lives of those with whom he came it.
And stretches away to the night,
And still I rejoice when the travelers
rejoice,'
And weep with strangers that moan
Nor live In my house by the side of
the road
Like a man who dwells alone.
Let me live in my house by the side
of the -road,
It's here the race of men go by
They are good, they are bad, they are
weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish so am I.
Then why should I sit hi the sconer s
: seat.
Or hurl the cynic's' ban?
l.iet me live In my house by the sldo
of the road,
r n - - 11 11 rn 1 ' -----
pay and a bonus of one-half pay for
the following seven years. One note
reads "Speak of the fortunes that
nearly all business men have made
through the war."
Another notation, "Di'av.- a picture
of the Republic as it stood when it
was founded and its present status.
A i.iure ni the boys leavng Oregon
City. to go to the Spanlsn American
War. and the ?"orld War.
When the words came, announcing
the passing of George Clayton Brown
ell, a feeling of deep sorrow touch
ed every heart, and a silent prayer
was wafted heavenward for the re
pose of the soul of the statesman, law
yer and loving friend, who had laid
New Price Set
By Ford Motor Co.
DETROIT, Mich.. June 7. The Ford
Motor compan3' today announced an
other reduction in the list price of
all types of Ford cars' and the . Ford
trucks to take effect immediately. The
list prices, f. o. b. Detroit, now are as
follows:
Touring car, $415; runabout. $370;
coupe, $69o; sedan. $760; chassis,
$345- and truck chassis $195.
A statement accompanying the re
ductions says:
"The big reductions last fall werc
mado in anticipation of . low material
costs which we are now getting the
benefit of, and this fact, together with
increased manufacturing efficiency,
and the unprecedented ' demand tor
Ford -cars, probably during the last
three months permitting maximum
production, have made possible an
other reduction immediately."
Wages of Ford workmen will not be
reduced the statement says.
PORTLAND MAN IS ROBBED
SPOKAXE. Wash., June 4. W. A.
Boyle, 22, who started frm Portland
recently for Chicago in his touring
car, arrived here today minus his car,
camp equipment, provisions, money
and part of his clothing', as the result
he told the police, of two encounters
with men whom he Invited to ride
with him
A man to whom he gave a 'lift"
shortly after leaving Portland, Boyle
said, held him up with a gun and
took part of his clothing, his money.
extra tires, part of his camping out
fit and his provisions. When he reach
ed Washtucna, Wash., he picked P
three other men. he said, and when
nearly to Spokane he allowed them
to take his car for a short side trip.
Woolworth Store Says
It Pays to Advertise
The Woolworth 5, 10 and 15 cent
store of this city, has found that It
pays to advertise in the Morning En
terprise. This was proven by ad
vertisements appearing announceing
a recent sale, which was In charge of
Miss Ella Cross, head clerk, who was
given the privilege of conducting the
sale under the local managers.
B. Landis, made a record tor the
store, when it was awarded the first
prize in the contest with other stores
of the company competing in the fifth
class. As a prize Miss Cross was
given a week's salary. The business
had increased 100 per cent of that cf
last year.
"I can .truthfully say that our bus
iness came largely through the ad
vertising we carried in the Morning
Enterprise" said Miss Cross when
telling of her luck. She selected
her goods to be placed on sale and
well arranged them to attract much
attention to the many patrons during
the sale.
Miss Cross has been with the com
pany for over four years and is one
of the most obliging and competent
young women iriSts-emplbj .
THOMAS JONES
Thomas Jones, well known resident
of Beaver Creek, died at his home, Fri
day night, at the age of 79 years.
Mr. Jones, who was a widower, has
been making his home with his son,
Charlie Jones, a "bachelor of Beaver
Creek, and had been 111 for some time
before his death. He was a native
of Wales and had resided m the Beav
er Creek country for many years.
The remains are at the Holman
Pace undertaking parlcrs and funeral
services will be held from the Beaver
Creek Welsh church Sunday morning
at 2 o'clock, with Rev. Griffith, of
fl" " f i. . r " in" r Lit-mm i .1.