Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Powell, George July 5, 1889 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 26, 2009, 8:45 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     GEORGE POWELL.  Among the water transportation agencies of Portland and 
the Columbia River district, the Oregon-Pacific Company is one of the largest 
and most important, and under the judicious management of its president, 
George Powell, is enjoying a remarkable success. Mr. Powell was born in Pana, 
Christian county, Illinois, on the 5th day of July, 1889, and is a son of 
William Wood and Sarah McEachin Powell, of whom the former was engaged in the 
grain business in St. Louis, and both are now deceased. George Powell received 
his educational training in the public schools of St. Louis, Missouri, and 
then went to work in the traffic department of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas 
Railroad, with which company he remained for nearly ten years. In 1917, when 
the United States became involved in the World war he enlisted in the Signal 
Corps and went into training at Langley field near Hampton, Virginia. In the 
fall of 1917 he was transferred to Portland, Oregon, detailed to the Spruce 
Production Division of the Army as officer in charge of traffic. He performed 
his duties in a faithful and efficient manner and in 1919 was honorably 
discharged with the rank of major in the Air Service. He decided to remain in 
Portland and early in 1919 organized the Oregon-Pacific Company, of which he 
has since been president, with R. Macgill secretary and treasurer. This 
company acts as steamship agents for the North Pacific Coast Line, a joint 
service of the Holland-America Line and The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company; 
the Nelson Steamship Company, the Transmarine Corporation and the Nippon Yusen 
Kaisha, the services being European, coastwise, intercoastal and Oriental in 
the order named.

     Mr. Powell, with T. B. Watson, also organized — in 1927 — the Oceanic 
Terminals at Portland, operating three piers for ocean going vessels and a 
large refrigerated warehouse with capacity for three hundred fifty thousand 
boxes of apples. The three dock houses have two hundred and eighteen thousand 
square feet of floor space, and railroad trackage for fifty-two cars. Mr. 
Powell is president of the Oceanic Terminals, T. B. Watson vice president and 
general manager, Commander R. C. Brennan secretary, treasurer and 
superintendent.

     Mr. Powell is a director and past secretary of the Portland Chamber of 
Commerce. He served for three and one-half years, 1923-26, as president of the 
Water-front Employers, served three terms as director of the Portland 
Merchants' Exchange and is a member of the Portland Steamship Operators' 
Association. He is also a member of the Pacific Coast committee of the 
American Bureau of Shipping and an arbitrator of the American Arbitration 
Association.

     In September, 1927, Mr. Powell was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor 
McClaine of Silverton, Oregon, a daughter of Fielding and Sophronia (Cavanagh) 
McClaine, the former having been a pioneer banker of that city and both are 
now deceased.

     In his political views Mr. Powell is a democrat, while fraternally he is 
a member of Columbia Lodge, No. 114, A. F. & A. M., of Portland, Oregon, and 
belongs also to the Arlington Club, Multnomah Athletic Club and the Multnomah 
Golf Club. A man of strong character and marked individuality, he is energetic 
and active in manner, possesses sound and clear-headed judgment in practical 
affairs and has the courage to undertake and carry forward large undertakings. 
He has been very successful in his individual affairs, through which he is 
contributing in very definite measure to the commercial prosperity of his 
section of the country, and he commands the confidence and respect of all who 
know him and have knowledge of his operations.

Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 755-756

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