Clackamas County OR Archives Biographies.....Cross, Harvey E. June 6, 1856 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com January 30, 2011, 2:09 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 813 - 815 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company HARVEY E. CROSS, who represents one of the old families of Clackamas county, is the dean of Oregon City's legal fraternity and an attorney of high standing. Formerly he was county judge and as a law maker he rendered important service to Oregon, formulating measures which have proven of benefit to the commonwealth. He has also achieved prominence in other connections, becoming a power in constructive development and evolution. Mr. Cross was born June 6, 1856, in Canby, Oregon, and is of English lineage in the paternal line. His father, Lorenzo Dow Cross, was born in Ohio and learned the carpenter's trade, becoming what was termed a "barn framer." Near Amboy, Illinois, he married Miss Dorcas Fairman, a native of that state, who was descended from one of the colonial families of Rhode Island and was eligible to membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1852 Mr. and Mrs. Cross started for Oregon and on reaching The Dalles they proceeded down the Columbia river to Portland. They decided to settle in Clackamas county and Mr. Cross filed on a donation land claim of three hundred and twenty acres in the vicinity of Canby. Through patience and industry he cleared the place and brought it under cultivation. After the flood of 1861 he moved to Oregon City and here spent the remainder of his life. As an itinerant Methodist preacher he traversed the county in his efforts to uplift his fellowmen, asking no pecuniary reward for his service to the Master, and during the week earned a livelihood by working at his trade. His labors were terminated by death in 1872 and his widow long survived him, passing away in 1896. Their family numbered ten children: Caleb E., who makes his home in Oregon City and has lived in this state since he was a year old; Jasper Melvin, who died when about eight years of age; Harvey E.; Thomas Milton, whose demise occurred at Molalla, Oregon; Martha Jane, whose life was terminated at the age of three years; Elmer Ellsworth, a resident of Hebo, Oregon; William Adelbert, who lives in Canby; Truman Dow, who was killed by a falling limb when passing under a tree; Charles Ulysses, whose home is in California; and Francis H., of Oregon City. All of the children were born in Clackamas county except the eldest, who is a native of Illinois. In the acquirement of an education Harvey E. Cross attended the public schools of Oregon City and afterward turned his attention to educational work. In 1874 and 1875 he taught a country school, receiving one hundred dollars a quarter, and boarded at the homes of his pupils. For a time he recorded mortgages in the county clerk's office, later acting as deputy sheriff, and during 1875-76 collected toll on the old Barlow road. Meanwhile he had been reading law and his start in the profession was gained in the office of Johnson & McCown, well known attorneys of Oregon City. In 1879 he was admitted to the bar and opened an office in Oregon City, practicing alone. He displayed keen sagacity in solving intricate legal problems and his ability led to his selection for the office of city attorney, which he filled for many years. Subsequently he was elected county judge and presided over the probate and juvenile courts. In the administration of the law he was guided by sympathy and kindness but these qualities were admirably combined with firmness and a strong sense of right and his rulings were just and impartial. He also acted as chairman of the county board and from January, 1921, until January, 1927, was largely instrumental in carrying out the good roads program, for which an appropriation of one million, seven hundred thousand dollars had been made. Judge Cross had closed his law office during that period, as his public duties made heavy demands upon his time and energies, but is now practicing and has been retained as counsel in much important litigation. His knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence is comprehensive and exact and many young lawyers have been trained in his office, benefiting by his wisdom and experience. Judge Cross' largest business venture was in 1883, when he purchased the F. C. Casey donation land claim of six hundred and forty acres and on this tract founded the town of Gladstone, of which he became mayor. About 1893 it was incorporated and now has about twenty-five hundred inhabitants. In 1894 he joined Charles H. Dye, George A. Harding and others in starting the Willamette Valley Chautauqua Assembly and has given this organization a free lease of Gladstone Park for fifty years. At first the Chautauqua was held here for three days and the assembly is now continued for thirteen days. During the thirty-four years of its existence this educational association has secured the best talent obtainable and the meetings are attended by persons from all parts of Oregon and Washington. From a monetary standpoint the Willamette Valley Chautauqua has been a decided success and its cultural value is inestimable. Judge Cross was the first ground manager of the association, of which he was later secretary, then president, and is again filling the post of ground manager. In 1886 Judge Cross was a prime factor in forming the first board of trade in Clackamas county. The association had its inception at Oregon City and was the first business men's organization in the state. Judge Cross was the first secretary of the board of trade and John Myers became its first president. The organization was chiefly responsible for the construction of the suspension bridge across the Willamette river at Oregon City and next started the project which resulted in unlocking the locks at this point and the later development of hydro-electric power for manufacturing purposes. The board of trade offered to raise money for the building of one road a year out of Oregon City, provided that the county would bear an equal share of the expense and this plan proved very effective, leading to the building of about two hundred and fifty miles of paved roads in Clackamas county. Judge Cross was married June 10, 1879, to Miss Orpha F. Tingle, a native of Michigan and the only child of Nathan and Julia J. (Allen) Tingle, the last named a descendant of a soldier who fought for American independence during the Revolutionary war. Nathan Tingle brought his family to Oregon in the '60s and settled in Columbia county. Judge and Mrs. Cross became the parents of seven children, some of whom were born in Oregon City, and others are natives of Gladstone. Percy Allen, the eldest, lives at Seliwood, Oregon, and has a wife and two children, Harvey and Marian. Dorothy N. is the wife of F. W. Garlough and resides in Los Angeles, California. Marcelline was united in marriage to William Hammond, who is a prominent lawyer of Oregon City, and they have four children: William Harvey, Philip Kemp, John Hayne and Marcelline Dorothy. Juliet is the wife of Thomas A. Burke; manager of the Lyceum Bureau at Cleveland, Ohio. Georgia is Mrs. Eugene N. Good, of Gladstone, and has a family of three children: Eugene, Richard and Jane Ann. Stella M. is the wife of Theodore Leaper, New York manager for the Paramount Pictures, and they are the parents of two daughters, Barbara Frances and Judith Anne. Frances, who completes the family, married Aaron Vigus, now of White Salmon, Washington, and they have one child, Shirley. Judge and Mrs. Cross are adherents of the Baptist faith and his affiliation with the church covers a period of fifty-one years. Both are identified with the Community Club of Gladstone and Mrs. Cross is also connected with the Woman's Club of Oregon City and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The Judge is a member of the Greater Union of Clackamas County Clubs and in 1879 was captain of the Amateur Baseball Club of Portland, which won the championship in that year. In politics he is a stanch republican and in 1891 became a member of the state senate. He at once made his influence felt in its affairs and in 1891 introduced the bill creating the office of state attorney general, working earnestly and successfully to secure its passage. An ardent advocate of good highways, in 1893 he sponsored the bill for putting the state road business on a cash basis and thus inaugurated the modern road system. Up to that time only one-fourth of the public highways in Clackamas county were graded and the remainder were mud roads. While in the state senate he introduced eleven bills and his support of a measure was an indication of his firm belief in its value as a factor in good government. His term expired in 1893 and in 1919 he was elected to represent his district in the lower house of the general assembly of Oregon. He espoused the moral side of every issue and displayed rare qualities as a public servant. At all points in his career Judge Cross has been governed by a strong sense of duty and honor, and an exemplary life has enabled him to win and retain the esteem of his fellowmen. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/clackamas/bios/cross1434gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 9.7 Kb