Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Plummer, Ross M. 
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Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 24, 2009, 4:45 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 111-112
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     Among the old and reliable business houses of Portland stands the Plummer 
Drug Company, which has been in existence here continuously for over half a 
century. "Portland's Old Time Drug Store," at 260 Third street, is one of the 
landmarks of that section of the city and has always to a marked degree 
commanded the public confidence and patronage. The original store was 
established in the spring of 1877 by O. P. S. Plummer, who had previously had 
a drug store at Albany, Oregon, for a few years. The first Portland store 
remained at the southeast corner of First and Salmon streets for three or four 
years, when it was moved to the southwest corner of First and Main streets, 
and there remained until 1893, since which time it has been at its present 
location. It does a large volume of business and three experienced druggists, 
besides other clerks, are employed in caring for the trade.

     O. P. S. Plummer received a good education and graduated from Jefferson 
Medical College, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the M. D. degree. In 
boyhood he had learned telegraphy, in which line of work he had been employed, 
but desiring a change, after completing his medical course he came to the 
coast in 1864. Here he became connected again with the Western Union Telegraph 
Company and was sent to northern California, to which locality he traveled by 
mule team. He was employed in tying in and connecting all of the existing 
telegraph lines into one system, and he also built the first line installed by 
the Western Union in the northwest. During these years he was also practicing 
medicine, a fact which was greatly appreciated by the many who availed 
themselves of his ministrations. In 1866 he opened the first Western Union 
office in Portland, coming to this city on the same boat with Colonel Dosh. 
However, he eventually resigned from the employ of the Western Union and 
thereafter devoted his entire attention to the practice of his medicine, in 
which he was very successful.

     Dr. Plummer took an active interest in local political affairs and, as a 
republican, was elected to the state legislature in 1878 and later served as 
city alderman. He was a member of the city and state republican committees and 
was chairman of the county central committee. He was a member of the Masonic 
order, belonging to both the York and Scottish rites bodies, and the Nobles of 
the Mystic Shrine, while his religious connection was with the Presbyterian 
church, in the welfare of which he was constantly interested. He was a 
generous giver to all benevolent and charitable causes and was regarded as one 
of the most public-spirited and progressive citizens of Portland. It is 
claimed that the first telephone communication in this city was made over a 
Western Union line into Dr. Plummer's office. Dr. Plummer was twice married 
and by his first union became the father of three children, namely: Helen, who 
is the wife of Claude Gatch, of Oakland, California; Emma, who is the wife of 
Stephen J. Chadwick, of Seattle, Washington; and Francette, who is the widow 
of F. P. Maring and resides in Seattle. In 1875 Dr. Plummer was united in 
marriage to Miss Martha E. Kelly, who was born in Portland and was a daughter 
of Albert and N. C. (Bingham) Kelly, who were pioneer settlers of this city. 
To this union were born five children, as follows: Grace, deceased; Agnes, who 
is the wife of William Burns, of Wallowa county, Oregon ; Ross M.; Hildegarde, 
who is the wife of William Wither, of Portland; and Marian, the wife of Harold 
Povey, of this city. Dr. Plummer died in 1913 and is survived by his widow, 
who lives in a part of the old Kelly homestead.

     Ross M. Plummer attended the public schools and Portland Academy, and 
then entered the University of Oregon, in which he took the pre-medical course 
and was graduated in 1903. Previously he had one year in pharmacy in 
Northwestern University, at Evanston, Illinois, and on leaving the University 
of Oregon he became associated with his father in the drug business, and has 
given his active attention to the business to the present time, being 
president of the Plummer Drug Company.

     Mr. Plummer was united in marriage to Miss Lulu Holmes, who was born and 
reared in Portland and whose grandparents came across the plains about 1850, 
settling on French prairie. Mr. and Mrs. Plummer are the parents of two 
children, Elizabeth Ann, who is a student in the University of Oregon, and 
Louise. Mr. Plummer is a member of the Masonic order and the Portland Chamber 
of Commerce. He is an active member of the Portland Retail Druggists 
Association, in which he held official position for twenty years, serving 
several terms as president. A constant booster for Portland, he has 
consistently supported every measure calculated to advance the best interest 
of his community and his worth as a business man and citizen is widely 
acknowledged.

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