Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Thompson, Eldridge Hill January 16, 1846 - December 14, 1925
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Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com June 11, 2009, 12:24 am

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     ELDRIDGE HILL THOMPSON.  During the forty-three years of his residence in 
Portland, Eldridge Hill Thompson firmly wrought himself into the very fabric 
of the city's life and left behind him the imperishable monument of splendid 
dreams realized. A natural leader of thought and action, he had a genius for 
organization and an aptitude for successful management which made his work of 
lasting value. Although his industrial activities made heavy demands upon his 
attention and energy, Mr. Thompson found time for legislative service and was 
one of Oregon's most prominent Masons, filling many high offices in the order, 
of which he was an exemplary representative.

     A native of Killingworth, Middlesex county, Connecticut, Mr. Thompson was 
born January 16, 1846, and was of Scotch lineage. His father, Hiram Thompson, 
was born November 22, 1816, in Killingworth, and on November 28, 1839, was 
married there to Marilla Hill, a native of the same town. She was born March 
24, 1818, and was also of English parentage. They had a family of seven 
children: Flora Eliza, who was born August 3, 1841; Eldridge Hill; Elmore 
Washington, born July 6, 1849; Ella Maria, born February 27, 1852; Elbert 
Addison, born October 8, 1854; Fannie Marilla, born April 3, 1857 and Frank 
Edson, born August 12, 1860.

     Eldridge H. Thompson, the eldest son, attended the public schools of 
Killingworth and when a boy of twelve went to Illinois with his parents, who 
settled in the town of Cherry Valley, in Winnebago county, June 27, 1858. 
During the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Union and enlisted at 
Rockford, July 4, 1862, when a youth of sixteen, as a private in Company C, 
Sixty-seventh Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He remained with that 
company until October 4, 1862, when he was honorably discharged at Chicago, 
and there reenlisted January 1, 1863, becoming a private in Renwick's Elgin 
Battery, afterward known as the Fifth Illinois Light Artillery. On September 
1, 1863, he was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky, as a private in Company 
A, attached to the Seventeenth Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps. He was 
transferred June 4, 1864, at Cairo, Illinois, as ordinary seaman to the United 
States Navy and assigned to the Mississippi Squadron. On July 15, 1864, he was 
appointed acting master's mate and resigned April 7, 1865, having served in 
the army and navy of the United States for the suppression of the rebellion 
for a period of two years six months and six days.

     Having proved his valor, patriotism and devotion to country in 
unmistakable terms, Mr. Thompson returned to his home in Illinois and remained 
in that state until 1882, when he came to Oregon, settling in Portland. Soon 
afterward he established the Portland Iron Works in association with Orlando 
Clark. He prospered in business and in 1888 turned his attention to the lumber 
industry, in which he achieved the full measure of success. Mr. Thompson 
organized the Brower-Thompson Lumber Company at Brower, Oregon, becoming 
manager of the business, in which he held a majority of the stock. For years 
he controlled the industry, maintaining a high standard of production, and 
kept the firm not only in line but also in the lead of its competitors. The 
plant was modern to the ultimate degree and furnished employment to a large 
force of men. Later Mr. Thompson was connected with the Bridal Veil Lumber 
Company at Bridal Veil, Oregon.

     Mr. Thompson was married May 14, 1866, in Jeffersonville, Clark county, 
Indiana, to Miss Marguerite Jenkins, by whom he had two children: Lenora, who 
was horn April 6, 1868, and is the widow of H. E. Nesne, of Fargo, North 
Dakota; Bertha, who was born September 3, 1872, and is Mrs. Edward Werelin, of 
Portland. The family left Rockford, Illinois, in 1882 and arrived in Portland 
on July 13 of that year. Mr. Thompson's first wife passed away November 20, 
1910, in the Rose city and his second union was with Miss Lorena Posson, to 
whom he was married July 28, 1924, in Portland.

     Mr. Thompson was called to public office June 4, 1894, when he was 
elected to the Oregon legislature as a representative from Multnomah county, 
and served during the eighteenth biennial session thereof. He closely studied 
all questions brought before the house and his support of a measure was an 
indication of his firm belief in its value as a factor in good government. On 
May 12, 1888, he was mustered into the Grand Army of the Republic as a charter 
member of Farragut Post, No. 44, Department of Oregon, at Latourell Falls and 
served successively as quartermaster, junior vice commander, senior vice 
commander and commander. After the disbandment of the post he joined George 
Wright Post, No. 1, G. A. R., at Portland and was honorably discharged from 
the Grand Army of the Republic, April 19, 1891, but rejoined that post August 
28, 1918.

     Mr. Thompson's Masonic activities constitute one of the most important 
chapters in the record of his life. He was initiated as an entered apprentice 
in Cherry Valley Lodge, No. 173, F. & A. M., at Cherry Valley, May 9, 1873; 
passed to the degree of Fellowcraft, July 11, 1873, and raised to the sublime 
degree of Master Mason, August 8 of the same year. On September 26, 1873, he 
was dimitted from Cherry Valley Lodge and became affiliated with Star in the 
East Lodge, No. 166, F. & A. M., at Rockford, Illinois, January 16, 1874. He 
was dimitted from Star in the East Lodge, November 2, 1877, and on January 20, 
1881, became affiliated with Rockford Lodge, No. 102, F. & A M., with which he 
was connected until February 15, 1883. On December 6, 1886, he became a member 
of Willamette Lodge, No. 2, F. & A. M. of Portland. He was advanced in Free 
Masonry, March 12, 1895; by being elected in and admitted to Oregon Lodge of 
Perfection, No. 1, A. A. S. R., at Portland, at which date the following 
degrees were conferred: secret master (5th); perfect master (5th); intimate 
master (6th); provost and judge (7th); intendant of the building (8th); 
elected knights of the nine (9th); illustrious elect of the fifteen (10th); 
sublime knights elect of the twelve (11th); grand master architect (12th); and 
knights of the ninth arch (13th). Mr. Thompson was shown further preferment 
April 2, 1895, when he received the degree of grand elect perfect and sublime 
Mason, the fourteenth degree of the Scottish Rite, "Virtus junxit mors, non 
separabit." His next advancement in the Scottish Rite was on July 16, 1895, 
when the degrees of knight of the east (15th), prince of Jerusalem (16th) and 
knight of the East and West (17th) were communicated, and the degree of prince 
of Rose Croix (18th) was conferred in Ainsworth Chapter of Rose Croix, No. 1, 
at Portland. On January 28, 1896, he received the degrees of grand pontiff of 
Sublime Croasis (19th); venerable grand master of all Symbolic Lodges (20th); 
noachite or Prussian knight (21st); knight royal axe or prince of Libanus 
(22d); chief of the tabernacle (23d ; prince of the tabernacle (24th); knight 
of the brazen serpent (25th); prince of mercy or Scottish trinitarian (26th); 
knight commander of the temple (27th); knight of the sun or prince adept 
(28th); grand Scottish knight of St. Andrew or patriarch of the Crusades 
(29th) were received by communication and the degree of knight of Kadosh 
(30th) was conferred in Multnomah Council of Kadosh, No. 1, at Portland. On 
November 30, 1897, the degree of inspector inquisitor (31st) was communicated 
and that of master of the royal secret (32d) was conferred in Oregon 
Consistory, No. 1, at Portland. Mr. Thompson was initiated into the mysteries 
of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and received the 
seal of Mahomet in Al Kader Temple Oasis of Portland, January 20, 1900. On 
March 2, 1908, he was shown further Masonic preferment by being elected knight 
commander of the Court of Honor by the Supreme Council of the thirty-third 
degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the southern jurisdiction 
of the United States.

     Mr. Thompson attained the ripe age of seventy-nine years, passing away in 
Portland, December 14, 1925, and his death was mourned throughout the state. 
The elements were happily blended in the rounding out of his nature, for he 
was one who in signal degree united the refinements of life with the sterner 
qualities of manhood. Gifted with keen powers of discernment and a broad grasp 
of affairs he had a career of unusual activity, of varied experience and 
marked usefulness, and in contemplating his many admirable traits in the 
bright light which things of good repute ever invite his name and character 
stand revealed and secure.

Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 847-849

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