Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Elwell, P. M. May 27, 1868 - ************************************************ 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 November 12, 2009, 2:02 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 237 - 238 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company P. M. ELWELL, who has long held a place in the front rank of the real estate and insurance men of Vancouver, has been active and influential in affairs relating to the progress and improvement of his city and vicinity, and enjoys a high reputation because of his energy, ability and integrity. He was born at Prairieton, Vigo county, Indiana, on the 27th of May, 1868, and is a son of Hiram and Julia C. (Perkins) Elwell, who came to Vancouver in about 1890 and are deceased. They were the parents of six sons, of whom Homer was the first of the family to come to Washington, arriving here in 1886. P. M. Elwell received his educational training in the public schools of Indiana and in 1887 he came to Vancouver. For several years he was engaged in clerical work at the court house and in the general store of C. W. Slocum, and later had charge of the supply depot of the Bridal Veil Lumber Company at Bridal Veil. In 1890 he and his brothers, Homer and John, went into the real estate business in Vancouver. About two years later Homer entered the railroad mail service and is now chief clerk at Seattle. During the World war he was overseas in special mail service. In 1901, P. M. Elwell also entered the railway mail service but a short time later was transferred to the Alaska steamship mail service. He also served as purser on steamships, being the first civil service man granted permission to hold two positions while in government employ. He also obtained from the department the first permission to deliver mail at points other than those to which the mail was addressed, this exception being made for Alaska territory only because of the fact that many people were moving from place to place and might be met anywhere. Mr. Elwell was in the Alaskan mail service for about three years, and was then made an inspector in the post office department, with headquarters at Denver, Colorado. In 1906 he left the postal service and, returning to Vancouver, went into the real estate business again with his brother John, with whom he was associated for several years, after which John went to Olympia and P. M. Elwell has since carried on the business alone. While together they successfully handled several large additions to Vancouver, first putting on the North Vancouver addition, followed by the Columbia, and then the Arnada Park addition, comprising eighty acres. P. M. Elwell still handles real estate but is also giving much of his attention to the insurance business and is making a specialty of surety bonds, in which line he represents the Fidelity & Deposit Company of Maryland, the Metropolitan Casualty Company and the Royal Indemnity Company. He also handles loans, being local agent for the Western Loan & Building Company of Salt Lake City and the Prudential Savings & Loan Company of Seattle. He has been successful in material affairs and is treasurer of the Community Hotel Company, of which his wife is assistant treasurer, and is a director of the Pacific Coast Linen Mills. Mr. Elwell married Miss Lillian Langsdorf, who was born in Utah and is a daughter of J. M. and Katherine (Gaynor) Langsdorf, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Maryland, their marriage occurring in Utah. Mr. Langsdorf went to Utah in young manhood and became interested in the banking business in which he was successful, and organized banks at Corinne and Ogden, Utah, and Salmon, Idaho. Later he organized the United States National Bank of Vancouver, of which he was president until his death, on March 21, 1923. His wife died October 30, 1924. Mr. and Mrs. Elwell are the parents of a son, Paul M., who obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oregon June 11, 1928. He will continue his studies at the University and will graduate from the Law School in June, 1929. Mr. Elwell has always given his support to the republican party and has shown a commendable interest in local public affairs. He has served as a member of the city council and as city police judge, and was a member of the committee which conferred with a committee at Portland regarding the construction of the Interstate bridge, being active in the raising of funds for the preliminary survey. His brother John also was a member of this commission. P. M. Elwell is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, in the last two organizations having passed through the chairs, and also belongs to the Clark County Country Club, the Prunarians and the Chamber of Commerce. He is a director of the Pacific Coast Linen Mills of Vancouver. Coming to this section of the country at a period when much remained to be done in the way of development and improvement, he has contributed of his best efforts to the upbuilding of his community, having been an active and persistent booster for Vancouver and Clark county, and he has here realized a very satisfactory measure of success in a material way, while at the same time he has won and retained that which is of more value — the confidence and respect of his fellowmen. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/elwell1020gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb