8".
THE DALLES TIMES-MOUNTAINEER.
:..))S ft;: ;
- fx - , . .
r : v v s J V . . ... ... 7 .v
lisi -Am.
- .
SMITH FRENCH.
The sterling citizen whose every thought is for the good
of the community in which he has reared his home and
cemented his associations, must always command the res
pect and esteem of his fellow citizens. Of such metal and
commanding such respect, is he whose name is inscribed
above. Mr. Smith French was born in Vermont in 1837,
and is virtually a self-educated man, as he lost his parents
early in life. He arrived in The Dalles in 1877, and went
into merchandising with E. B. McFarland, under the name
of McFarland & French, and his business qualifications
were such that he was enabled to sell out in 1892 with a
competency. He is still, however, largely interested in
-,
'
t t - ..
V "
i t.
WM. H. BIGGS.
other enterprises, being secretary of the Gilman-French
Land and Live Stock Company, whose interests are in Gil
liam1 and Grant counties, and being heavily stocked with
cattle, is today one of the largest ranches west of the
Rockies. He is also a director in the Wasco Warehouse Co.
and The Dalles Electric Light, Telephone and Power Co.,
acting as secretary of the latter. In 1861 he married
Miss Esther B. Magee, of Canada, and they have three
children. His home, an illustration of which is presented
elsewhere, is considered "one of the most attractive in the
city.
'
1
i .
i
i
' 0
1
1
Wasco county's favorite son is probably Robert Mays,
County Judge, and member of the firm of Tease & Mays.
We all "pick at him," more or less, but we like him .in
spite of it. When anything goes wrong in the county,
there is always a man the people complain to, in the hope
that he will "do something." Mr. Mays is that man in
Wasco county, and while he is unable to fix it when there
is a lack of rain, or high water in the river, he does all he
ian, and does, it cheerfully.
Although Mr. Mays is one of the most prosperous men
in The Dalles, and is getting along in years, he is universal
ly known as "Bob. Mays." We believe this fact is to his
credit; if he was generally known as "Mays," or "Mr.
Mays," it would be fair evidence that the people didn't
like him.
Mr. Mays was born in 1830, in Tennessee, moving with
his father's family at an early age to Illinois, and received
his education there, marrying Miss Lowdema Fowler at
the age of 22. Witn his wife and chila he crossed the plains
in an ox team, the journey consuming six months. Arriv
ing here with limited means, he began stock raising, and
met with gratifying success, and is still to-day largely in
terested in fanning and stock raising.
In 1891 he embarked in mercantile life, in connection with
Edward C. Pease, succeeding McFarland & French. Polit
ically he has been a Republican since the war, and is a con
sistent upholder of the principles of that party. He was
elected a member of the legislature in 1874, Mayor of the
city in I860, 1891 and 1892, and County Judge in 1895.
He has raised six sons and two daughters, and is more
proud of the fact that they are all. good citizens than of
anything else.
Wm. H. Biggs, Receiver of the United States Land Office
in The Dalles, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 12,
1831. His father was a ship carpenter, and moved to Lewis
county, Missouri, when William was nine years old. On
coming to manhood his occupation was that made so fa
mous by Mark Twain, of piloting on the Mississippi river.
At the beginning of the war, and during the early portion
of it, he was sheriff of his county, a position that at that
time and place required a determined man to fill, after
wards his services was tendered to the naval department
for Mississippi river work.
Coming to the coast in 1874, he farmed and was in the
grocery business in California for six years. He then
came to Oregon, and settled in Wasco county in that por
tion now known as Sherman county, being among the first
to raise wheat and build wire fencing in that section. He
owns several hundred acres adjoining the town of Wasco,
sixty of which are a portion of the town, and in fact carried
a chain when the townsite was first surveyed in 1883.
Since the war he has been a consistent democrat, and is
influential in his party in the State. He was a member
of the legislature in 1887 and 1888, and was nominated for
the Scate Senate in 1889, but living in a district overwhelm
ingly Republican Avas defeated. In 1890 he was appointed
Railroad Commissioner by Governor Pennoyer.
In 1894 he was appointed Receiver of the Land Office by
President Cleveland, which position he now noids, and hav
ing demonstrated through long years a capacity to manage
his own business successfully he naturally has transac
ted the public business with safety and honor.
D. M. FRENCH.
In this, our republican form of government, men who
earn a national reputation, as a general thing indulge in
a greater or less degree in the politics of our country. There
are some men, however, who possess remarkaole business
sagacity, and as such acquire an enviable reputation that
is far more lasting and of greater consequence. Such a
man is the subject of this sketch. Born in Orleans county,
Vermont, June 16, 1828, his education was that of the tal
low dip and district school. He arrived in San Francisco
in February, 1853, being one of 1400 souls blown ashore
near San- Diego on the steamer Golden Gate. He then
for a period of about ten years was actively engaged in
merchandising, etc., in the southern mines in Calaveras
county. In 1862 he came to The Dalles, and was engaged
in merchandising until 1874. He then became the senior
member of the firm of French & Co., bankers, and although
they began in a small way, yet by judicious and conserva
tive management they have reached a position! today ac
corded to but few of our banking institutions by the com
mercial world. Mr. French is also president of the Arling
ton National Bank, the Gilman-French Land and Live Stock
Company, the Dalles Electric Light, Telephone and Power
Company, and is also interested in a number of other en
terprises. As a financier he has been very successful and
when properly approached has given liberally towards any
enterprise leading to the advancement of The Dalles. In
1864 he married Miss Gee, of Sam Francisco, and some
years after her death married Miss Carter, and has four
children living.
JAMES F. MOORE,
Register of the United States Land Office at The Dalles,
was bora in Bloomington, Monroe county, Indiana, in 1848,
and accompanied his parents at the age of four to the
southern part of Iowa, in Jefferson county, where he re
ceived his preliminary education in the public schools. He
also attended Fairfield University, in the same state. Af
ter his arrival in Oregon he renewed his studies at the Wil
lamette University during the winters of '71 and '72. He
had located in Lake county in the spring of 1872, and spent
his time teaching school. Going to California in the sum
mer of 1875, he spent a year there, and then again returned
to Oregon, settling in, Coos county, where ne remained five
years, engaged partially in teaching school and partially
reading law in J. M. Siglin's office. He also served as
superintendent of schools for one term, but. declined re
election. In 1881 he moved to Lakeview, Lake county, and
again took to reading law, this time in ex-State Senator
Coggswell's office, and was admitted in October, 1884. Mov
ing then to Prineville, Crook county, he remained there un
til he was appointed Register of the Land Office by Presi
dent Cleveland, in 1894.
He has always been an earnest Democrat, and has con
siderable influence in his party in this section. He has
made an excellent official, and has hosts of warm friends.
D. M. FRENCH.
J.W.FRENCH.
Whatever of praise may be due to the man who has, with,
the advantages of a collegiate education, and abundant leis
ure for after study, risen to a position of honor and-trust,
among his fellow men, we must accord a greater meed of
praise to him who, without these advantages, has by sheer
force of ability and integrity, elevated himself into a posi-1
tion in the financial world held by but few men in the In
land Empire. J. W. French started in life without, any of
these advantages, and is indebted to no man or institution;
for the mental gifts he possesses. They have all been r
culled from the practical field of every-day life. He was
born in Vermont in 1830. In 1852 he came by the Isthmus
route to California, where for twelve years he was engaged
in various enterprises. In the spring of 1864 he came to
7
i
JUDGE ROBERT MAYS.
The Dalles, and at once established himself in the mer
cantile business in connection with D. M. French, J. M.
French and G. B. Gilman, under the firm name of French &
Gilman. In 1868 the firm became French & Co., and con
tinued so until 1875, when they sold out to Brooks & Mc
Farland. He then, in connection with his brother, D. M.,
seeing the need of the community for a bank, established
that of French & Co., and from that small venture of 1875
the present financial bulwark has grown. He also has large
:.. : s " !
.-v ... .. . i
.. i
' ' -.v. '
".. . ... - ! '
...... . .... v -
5 3 - H
i I'? J
JAMES F. MOORE.
interests outside, being treasurer of the Gilman-French
Land and Live Stock Company, and others too numerous to
mention. Mr. French is a member of the Masonic frater
nity, belonging to Wasco Lodge, No. 15,
He is marriea to Miss Laura E. Burk, of Maine, and has
three children, his daughter being the wife of the late Vir
gil G. Bolton, who was so well known as cashier of the
bank; his oldest son is connected with the General Elec
tric Company in Lynn, Massachusetts, and his youngest is
employed in the bank.
v .- v ' .' - ' . ; -.....
v .: , , - .; ,
. - i-. i
.-I?,"'1" .,... ; ' 1 , ....
. . " -
:.'t".x r.! -'. '. .-'-!
' J
r. !. -. ,. ; - .
; f .. - i, ...... ....... ,
.. ... ? '. -
T i
: r v -
v-'-:-;Ks. C
v i
T i.
' ' X - i
J. W. FRENCH.