Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Grant, Frank S. May 14, 1874 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 26, 2008, 2:06 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     FRANK S. GRANT.  The official record of the city of Portland bears 
unmistakable evidence of the able and noteworthy legal services which have 
been rendered by Frank S. Grant in his capacity as city attorney, and he 
stands today as one of the honored and representative members of the bar of 
Multnomah county. Mr. Grant was born in Dubuque, Iowa, on the 14th day of May, 
1874, and is a son of Frank L. and Mary (Minniss)Grant. The family was 
established in this country by Mr. Grant's great-grandfather, Phillip Grant, 
who settled in Concord, New Hampshire, and whose son, Philip Grant, went to 
California in 1849. He was the father of Frank L. Grant, who was an engineer 
in the fire department of Boston, Massachusetts, later lived in Pennsylvania, 
and eventually went to Iowa, where he was employed as a machinist and 
engineer. His death occurred in Idaho in 1891. In the maternal line Mr. Grant 
is descended from Hugh Minniss, who came to this country from England in 1779. 
In 1891, after the death of her husband, Mrs. Mary Grant brought her son to 
Portland, where she spent her remaining years, her death occurring April 25, 
1922.

     Frank S. Grant attended the public schools and graduated from Bishop 
Scott Academy, in Portland, in 1892. He drove a truck for the Dayton Hall 
Hardware Company and during that period devoted his evenings to the study of 
law, later studying under Judge Dell Stuart. In June, 1896, he was admitted to 
the bar and opened an office in the Oregonian building. In 1901 he served as 
assistant chief clerk in the state senate and in 1907 was chief clerk of that 
body. In the latter year he was appointed deputy city attorney, serving as 
such until June 20, 1910, when he was appointed city attorney, which position 
he held until July 1. 1913. In that year he was elected city attorney on the 
same ballot that the voters used in adopting the commission form of 
government. The commission form changed the office of city attorney from an 
elective to an appointive position, and, the city council failing to appoint 
Mr. Grant, he was out of a job and resumed the private practice of law. 
However, on January 5, 1921, he was again appointed city attorney, in which 
position he is still serving. He has ably and successfully safeguarded the 
public interests, among his achievements in that direction being the removal 
of the steam locomotives from Fourth avenue, in the course of which action the 
matter was carried to the United States supreme court. He defended before that 
tribunal the constitutionality of the initiative and referendum law and 
successfully handled large bond litigations affecting the interests of the 
city. Well grounded in the law, determined and resourceful in practice, keen 
in his discriminating analysis and clear and concise in expression, his 
abilities and attainments have gained for him an enviable reputation in his 
profession, while his unselfish and public spirited interest in everything 
affecting the general welfare has won for him the uniform respect of his 
fellowmen.

     On October 14, 1903, Mr. Grant was united in marriage to Miss Belle 
Bronkey, of Woodburn. Oregon, and they are the parents of two daughters, 
Annabelle and Josephine. Mr. Grant has been a lifelong supporter of the 
republican party and has taken an active interest in public affairs. He is a 
member of Sunnyside Lodge, No. 163, A. F. & A.M.; Sunnyside Chapter. No. 42, 
R. A. M., of which he is a past high priest; Washington Commandery, K. T.; 
Portland Consistory, A. A. S. R.; AI Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.; Ivanhoe 
Lodge, No. 1, K. P., of which he is a past chancellor and a past supreme 
representative to the supreme lodge; the Woodmen of the World, the Modern 
Woodmen of America; the Neighbors of Woodcraft, of which he has been general 
counsel for the past fifteen years, and is a life member of the Multnomah 
Athletic Club. In the Shrine he has been particularly active, being a past 
potentate of Al Kader Temple and is now vice-chairman of the board of 
governors of the Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children. It was his brief that 
Mayor Baker took to the imperial council of that order and which gained this 
noted hospital for Portland. When the imperial council of the Shrine was held 
in Portland, Mr. Grant was chairman of the decorations committee, in which 
capacity he gained a national reputation, the visiting members of the Shrine 
declaring that the decorations far surpassed those of any city in which they 
had previously met. An attractive personality, with a uniformly courteous and 
affable manner, has gained for Mr. Grant a myriad of warm and loyal friends 
and he is extremely popular in his home city.


Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 527-528

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