Columbia County OR Archives Biographies.....Herman, Fred W. April 28, 1884 - ************************************************ 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 L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com June 12, 2009, 7:29 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company FRED W. HERMAN. One of the leading attorneys and popular citizens of Rainier, Oregon, is Fred W. Herman, who has been engaged in the practice of his profession here for thirteen years, during which period he has gained a large clientele and earned a reputation as a capable and reliable lawyer. Mr. Herman was born in Dakota county, Nebraska, on the 28th of April, 1884, and is a son of Charles W. and Veronica (Schmied) Herman. His father was born in Detroit, Michigan, in the public schools of which city he received his education. When fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to the printing trade and was employed on the Detroit Free Press for five years. In the early '70s he moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where he worked on newspapers until 1884, when he went to Orange, South Dakota, and established a paper, also taking up a homestead that year. In 1885 he started to break the sod on his land, but soon gave it up, deciding that he was not adapted to farming. In 1887 Mr. Herman came to the coast, locating at Uniontown, Whitman county, Washington, where he established the Uniontown Gazette, which he published eight years. In 1894 he sold that paper and, coming to Rainier, Oregon, founded the Rainier Gazette, which he conducted for a few years, after which he returned to Uniontown and reestablished the Gazette. He ran that paper until 1900, when he moved the printing plant to Rainier and resumed the publication of the Rainier Gazette, but sold it in 1903. His death occurred in Lewiston, Idaho, in 1912. In 1880, in Nebraska, Mr. Herman was married to Miss Veronica Schmied, who was born in Prague, Austria, whence she was brought to the United States when two years old. Her father was a musician, composer and orchestra leader. His death occurred at Dakota City, Nebraska. Mrs. Herman died May 1924, leaving two children, Fred W., and Mrs. Justa Williams, who resides at Kalama, Washington. Fred W. Herman received his elementary education in the public schools of Uniontown, Washington, after which he entered the Portland Law School, from which he was graduated, and was admitted to the bar in 1914. On October 1, 1915, he opened a law office in Rainier, where he has been engaged in practice continuously to the present time. He is well grounded in the basic principles of jurisprudence, is a constant student of his profession, is careful and painstaking in the preparation of his cases and is faithful to the interests of his clients. In 1916 Mr. Herman was elected city attorney of Rainier, which position he has filled to the present time and is also a justice of the peace. On September 21, 1912, Mr. Herman was united in marriage to Miss Lela Sprague, who was born in Salem, Oregon, and is a daughter of V. W. and Minnie (Coy) Sprague. Both of her parents were born in Iowa and came to Oregon in 1886. Mr. Sprague was for many years engaged in farming in the Willamette valley but is now living in Portland, where he holds a position with the municipal government. To him and his wife were born eight children, Vivian, Justin, Garnett, Wilbur, Mrs. Lottie Brooks and Mrs. Hazel Myers, both of whom live in San Francisco, California; Mrs. Vera Leiterman, of Portland, and Mrs. Herman. Mr. Herman has shown a deep interest in matters pertaining to the welfare of his city and for the past twelve years has served as clerk of the high and grade school boards. He is a member of Rainier Lodge, No. 24, A. F. & A. M.; Columbia Chapter, No. 53, R. A. M., at St. Helens, Oregon; Oregon Commandery, No. 1, K. T., at Portland; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Portland, and Rainier Lodge, No. 1435, L. O. O. M., of which he has been secretary for the past twelve years. Mrs. Herman is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Daughters of the Nile. Mr. Herman owns a pleasant and attractive home in Rainier and a summer home in the mountains. He is a man of pleasing personality and agreeable manner, is deservedly popular throughout his community and is regarded as one of Ranier's best citizens. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 863-864 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/columbia/bios/herman772gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb