Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....North, Colonel William C. April 11, 1871 - ************************************************ 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 6, 2009, 6:10 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 176-177 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company COLONEL WILLIAM C. NORTH, who has long been prominently and successfully identified with the real estate interests of Portland, has also gained distinction for his effective efforts along other lines in promoting the welfare of his community, and no citizen here is held in higher esteem. Colonel North was born in Tennessee on the 11th of April, 1871, a son of James H. and Laura (Butler) North, the former a farmer and both now deceased. William C. North attended the public schools of his native state and when sixteen years of age went to Knoxville, where he worked in a sash and door factory in order to learn the trade. In 1888 he came to Portland, Oregon, and took a commercial course in a business college, during which time he worked in order to pay his school expenses. Soon afterwards he went to Vancouver, Washington, where he worked on the construction of barracks for the United States government. About that time William Turner, for whom the Colonel had worked in Tennessee, came to Portland and opened a sash and door factory at Albina. Mr. North entered his employ and became superintendent of the factory before he was twenty years of age. He had about fifty men under him, seven of whom entered a protest at having a young man who had not served his apprenticeship placed over them. However, he stuck to his job and eventually the men realized that he was in every way qualified for the position. Later Colonel North entered the employ of the East Portland Mill & Fixture Company as an outside salesman, which position he filled for one year. He then bought a sash and door factory at Albina, near Portland, but sold it in 1893 and during the ensuing three or four years was occupied in various lines of effort, including the building and selling of houses. In 1896 he took the contract for paving Russell street with wooden planks, and later took a similar contract for East Thirtieth street. During the McKinley administration wages increased to an extent that occasioned a serious loss on his contracts, but a friend financed him through to their completion, and he later repaid the obligation. The Colonel had been a member of the Oregon National Guard, and at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he enlisted, but was rejected because of overweight. However, his friend, Major C. H. Hill, was acquainted with President McKinley, to whom he telegraphed for permission to pass North, which was granted and he entered the service. When he went to the Philippines with his regiment he weighed two hundred and seven pounds, and on his return to Portland, on August 7, 1899, he weighed one hundred and thirty-nine pounds. He organized, on the advice of Major Hill and other G. A. R. men the first post of Spanish War Veterans, in the United States, known as General Summers Post, No. 1, which is now Scout Young Camp, No. 2. It was organized with eighty-five charter members and Colonel North was its first commander. During the ensuing year he was at the head of a citizens' committee to secure jobs and otherwise look after the interests of the Spanish war veterans. He was appointed an inspector in the city engineer's office, which position he held for one year, after which he served for twelve years as a deputy county assessor, being chief field deputy under Charles E. McDonald, and B. D. Sigler whom he had helped to elect. Colonel North took a leading part in the promotion and building of the Broadway bridge, and then, resigning from the assessor's office, he became the manager of the Morgan and other buildings and properties. In 1921 Colonel North and his associates bought the control of the Morgan building, of which he is now manager and treasurer. He is also handling extensive property interests of his own and does general insurance business, having his offices in the Morgan building. In all of these various operations he has shown clear headed judgment and business sagacity that has given him a well merited reputation for ability and discrimination, so that he holds an enviable place in the business circles of this city. In July, 1902, Colonel North was united in marriage to Miss Inez E. Scott, of Portland, whose father, S. F. Scott, was a pioneer of this city and one of its most highly respected citizens. Colonel and Mrs. North have four children: Helen L., William C. Jr., Kenneth and Bobbie. The Colonel is a member of Oregon Lodge, No. 101, A. F. & A. M.; Portland Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M.; Oregon Commandery, No. 1, K. T.; Oregon Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S.; Lodge No. 99, I. O. O. F., in which he has passed through the chairs; Portland Lodge, No. 142, B. P. O. E.; the Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Arcanum. He is a life member of the Multnomah Athletic Club and belongs to the Multnomah Golf Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the East Side Business Men's Club, the Northwest Portland Association and the Broadway Association. He has been an active supporter of the republican party and has been prominent in public affairs. He served as a presidential elector in 1916, and in 1921 was elected a member of the state legislature, in which he did much effective work for the ex-service men and for the National Guard. In 1925 and 1927 he was again elected to the legislature and is still a member of that body. In 1917 Colonel North reorganized the National Guard of Oregon and, as colonel of the Third Regiment (now the One Hundred and Sixty-second Regiment), put the command in first-class shape. On the return of the soldiers from France he made it a point to see that every office in the regiment should be filled by the ex-service men, and when this was accomplished he turned the command of the regiment over to Colonel John L. May. Colonel North is now retired with the rank of colonel in the National Guard Reserve. To this work of reorganization the Colonel devoted his entire time, at his own expense, and during the progress of the war he devoted himself tirelessly to recruiting and organizing work. On his resignation from the colonelcy of the One Hundred and Sixty-second Regiment he was presented with an engraved resolution of appreciation of his services, the resolution being signed by the forty-five subordinate officers of the regiment, the mayor of Portland and others. He has never abated his interest in military affairs, particularly as relating to the ex-service men, and all of them regard him as their friend. He maintains a deep interest in everything relating to the progress and prosperity of his home city and is regarded as one of its representative residents. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/north959gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 7.4 Kb