Clatsop County OR Archives Biographies.....McGregor, William Farquhar October 8, 1859 - November 8, 1926
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Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 513 - 514
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     WILLIAM FARQUHAR McGREGOR.  To enter fully into the interesting details 
of the career of the late William F. McGregor, touching the struggles of his 
early manhood and the successes of his later years, when he ranked among the 
leading business men and influential citizens of Astoria, would transcend the 
limits of this article. He filled a large place in the ranks of the 
enterprising and progressive men of his day and the memories which attach to 
his name and character form no inconsiderable chapter in the commercial and 
industrial history of his locality, where he worthily did his work and 
achieved well merited success. His career was a long, busy and useful one, and 
his activities added materially to the prosperity of his community, while his 
personal relations with his fellowmen earned for him their loyal esteem. Mr. 
McGregor was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 8th of October, 1859, and was a 
son of William Farquhar and Elizabeth (McKenzie) McGregor, who were natives of 
Scotland. He was a direct descendant of the clan McGregor, one of the most 
noted chiefs of which was Rob Roy McGregor, who has been immortalized in song 
and story, particularly by Sir Walter Scott in his "Waverly" novel. Mr. 
McGregor's father came to the United States in the early '50s and lived in 
Cincinnati and other places in Ohio for several years, but eventually returned 
to Cincinnati, where his death occurred. The mother died in Aberdeen, 
Washington, which town was named by her daughter, Mrs. Jean Stuart, some years 
later.

     William F. McGregor received his early educational training in the public 
schools of Cincinnati and when fourteen years of age came to Astoria, Oregon, 
where he learned the trade of a blacksmith and wheelwright. He was ambitious 
for an independent business career and, in order to equip himself for it, 
returned to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he attended a business college for 
one year. In 1877, when nineteen years of age, he built a sawmill at Astoria, 
which he ran for many years, and also established a box factory, in which he 
converted much of the product of the sawmill into box lumber for the big 
canneries in Astoria and other parts of Oregon and Washington. This enterprise 
steadily grew in importance and today is one of Astoria's leading industries, 
its products being shipped to all parts of the world. The original box factory 
was destroyed by fire in 1916, after which Mr. McGregor bought the old Clatsop 
mill at Astoria, which he greatly improved and enlarged, continuing actively 
at the head of the business to the time of his death, which occurred November 
8, 1926. Subsequently the Astoria Box and Paper Company was organized and 
incorporated, with a capital stock of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, 
and a new board of directors. The present official roster is as follows: 
William F. McGregor, Jr., president; W. P. O'Brien, vice president; J. B. 
Kearney, secretary and treasurer; W. C. Tremblay, manager; and Mrs. W. F. 
McGregor, William F. McGregor, Jr., W. P. O'Brien, W. C. Tremblay, J. L. Hope 
and C. H. Callander, all of Astoria, directors. The capacity of the sawmill is 
now one hundred thousand feet for each eight-hour daily run, fifty per cent of 
which is made into box shooks, which are shipped to practically every part of 
the globe, besides supplying the local trade. The company employs about one 
hundred and twenty-five men in the mill and box factory, and the concern is 
now one of Astoria's most substantial industries. In addition to his mill 
interests, Mr. McGregor was president of the Altoona Packing Company and was 
president of the First National Bank of Astoria from 1912 to the time of his 
death.

     On June 2, 1891, Mr. McGregor was united in marriage to Miss Augusta 
Rosenquist, who was born in Sweden and is a daughter of Olaf P. and Elisa 
(Norberg) Rosenquist. They became the parents of three children, namely: Mrs. 
W. E. Church, of Portland, who is the mother of two sons, Dudley C. and 
William; Mrs. C. H. Gray, who lives in Maine and is the mother of two sons, 
McGregor and Carlisle; and William Farquhar, who is now president of the 
company. Mr. McGregor was a member of Temple Lodge, No. 7, A. F. & A. M., at 
Astoria; and Oregon Consistory, No. 1, A. A. S. R., and Al Kader Temple, A. A. 
O. N. M. S., at Portland. He was appointed and served four years as collector 
of customs for the port of Astoria. He was keenly interested in matters 
concerning the material, civic or moral welfare of his community, while his 
generosity led him to assist many less fortune than he. His marked success in 
the world of business was achieved by close attention to and intelligent 
direction of his affairs, and by an honorable and consistent course he rose to 
a worthy position among the enterprising and influential men of the city with 
which his interests were so long identified, his death being regarded as a 
distinct loss to his community.

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