Clackamas County OR Archives Biographies.....Meldrum, David T. 1879 - ************************************************ 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 October 21, 2007, 1:59 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company DAVID T. MELDRUM. Development work in the Columbia River Valley has been materially furthered by David T. Meldrum, of Oregon City, who has made a notable record as county engineer and surveyor. He is a worthy son of an honored sire and represents one of the old and prominent families of Oregon. His great-grandfather, William Meldrum was of Scotch-Irish lineage and settled in Kentucky in 1804, later moving to a farm near Carrollton, Illinois, where he spent the remainder of his life. His son, John Meldrum, was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, in March, 1808, and became a stone mason and builder. He married Susanna Depew Cox and in 1845 they started for the Pacific coast with their family of two children. At Council Bluffs, Iowa, they joined a wagon train, with which they came over the trail to Oregon, first locating near Lebanon, and about a year later John Meldrum entered a donation land claim in the vicinity of Ilwaco, Washington. His son, John W. Meldrum was born December 17, 1839, near Burlington, Iowa and at an early age experienced the hardships and privations of pioneer life in the Pacific northwest. He received his early instruction in a primitive log schoolhouse near Ilwaco and assisted his father in clearing and cultivating the ranch. About 1856 he located in Oregon City and later taught school. For two years he read law and for some time worked in the mines of Idaho and eastern Oregon. At the close of the Civil war he turned his attention to surveying, becoming associated with D. P. Thompson. For about twenty years John W. Meldrum was a deputy surveyor employed by the United States government in Oregon and Idaho and aided in designating the boundaries of the Oregon country, having an escort of soldiers for protection from Indian attacks. In the execution of engineering contracts he journeyed from Harney lake to the coast, as well as to other parts of Oregon, and gained an intimate knowledge of the topography of the country. In January, 1871, he bought the north half of the Peter M. Rinearson donation land claim on the east bank of the Willamette river, and there laid out the townsite of Meldrum, on the Oregon City car line, ten miles from Portland, retaining a tract of fifty acres for his home. In 1888 he was elected surveyor of Clackamas county, of which he became county judge in 1890, and he also served as chairman of the board of county commissioners. His knowledge of engineering greatly assisted him in improving the condition of the country roads, and as soon as possible he effected the change from the labor system of road taxation to a money tax system, which he found much more practicable. In order to do this it was necessary to have the Oregon City charter changed, as it provided that all of the money collected by taxes in the city for road improvements should be spent inside the city limits. For the first two years he was opposed by the other members of the board and the residents of the southern part of the county but finally, with the assistance of Richard Scott, another commissioner, he succeeded after a long struggle. Later several other counties, including Yamhill and Polk, adopted the same plan of taxation and found it much more effective than the old method. In 1898 Mr. Meldrum was special agent in the general land office and acted in that capacity for ten months, examining surveys in Nevada and Wyoming. On September 25, 1872, John W. Meldrum was married in Oregon City to Miss Georgiana Pope, a niece of Governor Abernethy and a daughter of Captain Charles Pope, who sailed around Cape Horn about 1850, becoming one of the early settlers of Oregon City. To Mr. and Mrs. Meldrum were born three children: Charles E., part owner of the business of the Lakin Brass Company of Milwaukie, Oregon; Eva S. deceased; and David T., of this review. John W. Meldrum was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and served for years on its board of trustees. A stalwart republican, he stood for sound money and was delegate-at-large from Oregon to the national convention at St. Louis, which nominated William McKinley for president. He was identified with the Pioneer Society and the Oregon Historical Society. In 1869 he joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, becoming a charter member of his lodge, in which he filled all of the chairs, and was also active in the affairs of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Meldrum was a man of fine character and played well his part, leaving the impress of his individuality upon the pages of Oregon’s history. He responded to the final summons in 1920 and is survived by Mrs. Meldrum who still resides at Meldrum Station. It was there that their son, David T. Meldrum, was born in 1879 and his early education was acquired in the public schools of Oregon City. His studies were continued in Cornell University, where he specialized in civil engineering, and also had the benefit of instruction in the Colorado School of Mines, where he became a member of Gamma Eta Chapter of Sigma Nu fraternity. For about a year he was a member of the staff of engineers employed by the Paris Mining Company, operating in the Leadville district of Colorado. After his return to Oregon he built a transmission line for the Klamath Falls Power & Light Company, devoting about a year to that task. In 1909 he established his home in Oregon City and at that time was made county surveyor. For eighteen months he has ably discharged the duties of this responsible position and since 1920 has been county engineer as well. During his tenure of office the roadbuilding program has been completed and other public improvements of importance have been made. He possesses exceptional qualifications for these branches of public service, and his work has received high commendation. In 1908 Mr. Meldrum was married at Klamath Falls to Miss Josephine Hammond, a daughter of R. I. and Frances Hammond, who were early settlers of that locality, where she was born. Mr. and Mrs. Meldrum have two children: David H., who is taking an engineering course in the Oregon Agricultural College; and John W., who is attending the public schools of Oregon City. Along fraternal lines Mr. Meldrum is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He has little time for outside activities, as his interest centers in his work and in his profession. His ability and industry have placed him with the leading civil engineers of Oregon, and his worth as a citizen is uniformly conceded. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 376-377 File at:http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/clackamas/bios/meldrum415gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb