Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Lehigh, Daniel F. February 3, 1847 - May 16, 1928 ************************************************ 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 August 15, 2010, 11:58 pm Source: California and Californians, Vol. IV, Published 1932, Pages 80 - 81 Author: The Lewis Publishing Company DANIEL F. LEHIGH was a lawyer and a pioneer of the West, was one of the native sons of California who throughout a long and worthy career occupied a place of extraordinary importance in California affairs. He was a native son, born prior to 1850, and in the span of his life the marvelous development of the West was compassed. He himself was quick to sense the opportunities of this section of the great national domain. He had faith in the future of the Pacific Coast territory, and by his own life, his fine presence and his many business successes he contributed to the growth and prosperity of the West, the while he shared in the working out of its destiny. Mr. Lehigh was born February 3, 1847, at Fort Sutter, California, a son of parents who had driven the overland route in a covered wagon. Daniel F. Lehigh received his early education in local schools. While still very young he entered the employ of the Western Union Telegraph Company in San Francisco and remained with this organization until 1866. For two years thereafter Mr. Lehigh resided in Fort Vancouver, Washington, and he then went to Portland. Oregon. to enter the employ of the Oregon Steamship & Navigation Company, of which he eventually became superintendent, directing its affairs with the utmost competency and efficiency. He resigned this place only to accept a similar position with the Western Union Telegraph Company. In returning to the organization for which he had first worked, in San Francisco, he became superintendent of the entire northwest division, comprising the territories of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and to the duties of this office he devoted himself for a period of years. At Portland, Oregon, in 1879, Mr. Lehigh organized the American District Telephone Company, the first telephone organization of the Northwest. In 1890, however, he returned to San Francisco, there to become superintendent of the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company, in which position he remained fourteen years — until 1904. Coming to Los Angeles, he began the general practice of law, in which he was joined in 1910 by his son, J. Vincent Lehigh, who gradually took over the larger responsibilities of the work. In every phase of his varied career Mr. Lehigh displayed the same remarkable ability and fine capacity for executive control which made him uniformly successful in whatever occupation he chose to devote himself. His absolute integrity and the high ideals that he set for himself in his relations with others won him the complete confidence of all those with whom he came in contact, while his personal charm, his ready tact and quick intelligence made him indeed a man of few acquaintances but many friends. On July 29, 1873, Daniel F. Lehigh married Mary A. Harvey, who died in the year 1897. Of this marriage there were three sons: J. Vincent, who later became associated with his father in law practice; William F., who died in 1926 and who was for many years a prominent California real estate operator; and Daniel Harvey, who was born July 5, 1874, and died December 29, 1882. Daniel F. Lehigh died at his home in Los Angeles on May 16, 1928. It is impossible to explain the charm of his character, the strength of his integrity, or to estimate either the value of his presence or the vital influence of his example. His was a life of achievement, success and honor. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/lehigh1224gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb