Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Henderson, Milton Fillmore August 29, 1848 - October 5, 1926 ************************************************ 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 May 26, 2007, 4:45 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company MILTON FILLMORE HENDERSON. Among the most valuable citizens of a community are the industrial leaders, who, in seeking a market for their products, attract commerce to their city and furnish to others the means of earning a livelihood. In this classification belonged Milton Fillmore Henderson, a well known lumberman, who was long a dominant figure in business circles of Portland. He was trained in that rigorous school which develops strong, self-reliant manhood and his success was the reward of a life of industry and rightly directed endeavor. A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Henderson was born in Washington county on the 29th of August, 1848, and was reared on the farm of his parents, John and Margaret (Trussell) Henderson. He attended the rural schools in the neighborhood of the home and assisted his father in tilling the soil. For a time he was a carpenter’s apprentice, becoming proficient in the work, and at the age of sixteen enlisted in the Union army. After the close of the Civil war he migrated to the west and located in Denver, Colorado. Later he journeyed to California and for several years was prominently identified with building operations in San Francisco. During that time he became familiar with the lumber industry and made a study of timber conditions on the Pacific coast. From San Francisco he went to the redwood district of California and built and operated a number of mills in Humboldt county. All were of substantial construction and the Korbell Mills are still in operation in Humboldt county. Although untrained he was a fine draughtsman and drew the plans for the mills as well as the machinery. In 1889 Mr. Henderson was induced to come to Portland by Mr. Therkelson of the North Pacific Mills, with which he was connected for six years, and then built the Western Mill, which was later destroyed by fire. In the latter venture he was associated with W. B. Ayer and in the meantime the Eastern Mill had been erected. After the fire the two industries were consolidated under the name of the Eastern & Western Lumber Company and this has become one of the largest lumber firms of Portland. Mr. Henderson continued active in the business until 1916 and instituted well devised plans for its development, displaying the poise, vision and keen sagacity of the true executive. Ten years before his death he purchased a ranch near Bridal Falls, on the top of a mountain overlooking the majestic Columbia, and there spent the remainder of his life. He was thoroughly appreciative of the beauties of nature and the attractiveness and value of his property were enhanced by many varieties of hardwood trees, which are rarely seen in Oregon. Mr. Henderson took much pride in his home, which became one of the show places of the valley and was appropriately named Sunset Gables. Among his most intimate friends was George M. Cornwall, whom he induced to come to Portland and start The Timberman, which now ranks with the foremost lumber journals of the world. The only advertisement carried by The Timberman is that of the Eastern & Western Lumber Company, whose name has appeared on the front cover of the magazine from the time of its first issue. Mr. Henderson was married February 3, 1879, in Oakland, California, to Miss Sarah Frances Bonney, a native of the Benton district of Mississippi and a daughter of C. E. and Cynthia Rebecca (Hall) Bonney. To Mr. and Mrs. Henderson were born three children. The son, Milton B., married Miss Cynthia Johnston, of Portland, in which city they make their home. Their family numbers three children: Margaret, Milton F. (II) and Sara Jane. May H., the second in order of birth, is the wife of Dewey L. Carpenter, whose sketch is published elsewhere in this history. Bonney, the younger daughter, was united in marriage to W. H. Muirhead and also lives in Portland. Death entered the family circle on October 5, 1926, when Milton F. Henderson was called to his final rest at the age of seventy-eight years. His widow resides in Portland at No. 1133 Cumberland road and enjoys the esteem of many friends. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Henderson was an ideal one and their home was noted for its generous hospitality as well as its beauty. A model business man and citizen, a devoted husband and father, a loyal, sincere friend, Mr. Henderson played well his part on the stage of life and his memory is revered by all who knew him. At the time of his death the following testimonial to his worth appeared in The Timberman: “Another of our old friends has left us—another one of those old friends who lent encouragement to the idea of founding a lumber trade publication in the great Columbia river basin in the later years of the ‘90s. It was such men as Mr. Henderson who made The Timberman possible and who throughout all the years of its existence gave it real support in all that it undertook to accomplish. The real tribute to Mr. Henderson we leave to the pen of W. B. Ayer, president of the Eastern & Western Lumber Company, with whom he was associated for more than three decades: “‘Mr. Henderson was one of the most satisfactory men that I have ever known. I attribute this to his even disposition, remarkably sound judgment and his absolute loyalty and devotion to our joint effort. He was a man of unusual depth, constancy of feeling and sympathy, not only in personal matters but in business matters as well. “‘There are few men who have ever been affiliated with the lumber industry of Oregon or Washington who could match his profound knowledge of profitable manufacturing methods, and in fact the success of the Eastern & Western Lumber Company is due in large measure to his ability, even more so than I can express. “‘It is just thirty-one years ago that we started in business together in the small plant which we called the Western Lumber Company, situated on leased ground, where terminal No. 1 in Portland now stands. We allowed our profits, small as they were, -to remain in the business, and later built the Eastern mill, with other associates, which was finally consolidated into the present Eastern & Western Company. “‘It is impossible for me to adequately express my feelings of personal love for Mr. Henderson, but I am very grateful that his death came suddenly, without long and painful suffering.’” Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Pages 320-323 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/photos/bios/henderso370gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/henderso370gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb