Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Van Gorder , C. C. October 1887 - ************************************************ 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 7, 2009, 1:06 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 189-190 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company Van Gorder's Delikatessen stores are numbered among Portland's best known business institutions and stand in the front rank of stores of their kind on the coast. The Van Gorders have given a type of service which has commended itself to discriminating people and have built up a patronage which has necessitated establishing several branch stores. C. C. Van Gorder, president of the Van Gorders Delikatessen Stores, was born in Logan county, Ohio, in October, 1887, and is a son of F. L. and R. A. (Shoe) Van Gorder, both of whom were natives of Ohio, of which state their respective families were pioneers. In early life the father was a teacher but later turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, which he followed to the time of his death. The mother came to the Pacific coast and located in Seattle, Washington, in which city, at Fifth and Pike streets, she opened a small candy and cigar shop. Later she began cooking and serving home dishes to clerks and shoppers, but in 1908 discontinued that business and, coming to Portland, established a delicatessen store at 466 Washington street. Her total space there was sixteen by one hundred feet, of which sixteen by thirty-five feet was devoted to the storeroom, the remainder being the kitchen. She was successful in this venture and in 1909, when her son, C. C., came to visit her she persuaded him to join her in the business. He had been educated in the east, was now twenty-one years of age, and was well qualified to take on business responsibilities. He took active charge of the store, while his wife helped to manage the kitchen, and three years later the mother retired from the business, her death occurring in March, 1925. C. C. Van Gorder carried the business on alone, with the assistance of his wife, until 1923, when his brother, G. D. Van Gorder, joined the firm. In 1920 the business had grown to a degree that necessitated more space, and a room, twenty-five by one hundred feet, was added to the original store. In September, 1924, a branch store was established in the Egyptian theater building, on Union avenue, and this proving successful, another store was opened at Twenty-first and Flanders streets in 1925. In April, 1927, a fourth store was opened at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson streets, and in May of that year, the fifth store was established at Forty-second street and Sandy boulevard. The latter, which is twenty-five by sixty feet in size, is one of the finest delicatessen stores on the coast, being thoroughly up-to-date in its equipment and arrangements. All of the stores have modern refrigeration systems and are attractive in their arrangement and furnishings. Over twenty- five people are employed in the stores, but no deliveries are made. The company makes a specialty of home cooking, its pies, cakes, rolls and potato chips being generally recognized as the best to be found anywhere. This is the only chain line of delicatessen stores on the coast and the firm's efforts to meet the desires and wants of the public have brought a cordial response. The business was incorporated under the name of Van Gorder's Delikatessen stores on January 1, 1925, and the officers of the company are, C. C. Van Gorder, president; G. D. Van Gorder, vice president; E. K. Van Gorder, secretary. In December, 1909, C. C. Van Gorder was united in marriage to Miss Eva K. Bergschicker, of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and they are the parents of two children, Ruth, who is now sixteen years of age, and John, aged nine. Mrs. Van Gorder has always been active in the business and still superintends the making of all jellies, jams and preserves, having general charge of the kitchen operations. She has specialized in making orange marmalade, which has been sold by mail in every state of the Union. Some idea of the growing popularity of this delectable product may be gained from the fact in 1916, she made and sold six hundred and ninety-seven pounds, whereas in 1928 the production amounted to eight thousand eight hundred and thirty-two pounds. Mr. Van Gorder is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has received the degrees of both the York and Scottish rites, and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is independent in his political views and he and his wife are members of the First Christian church. G. D. Van Gorder was born in 1890 and received a good public school education. He was engaged in general mercantile business in Ohio until 1923, when he came to Portland and joined his brother in the present business. He was married to Miss Mona Corbett, whose father, Rev. A. S. Corbett, was a minister of the Protestant Episcopal church. To him and his wife have been born three sons, Bob, aged thirteen years, Stewart, aged twelve years, and Dick, aged six years. Mr. Van Gorder is a member of the Masonic order, in which he has attained the fourteenth degree of the Scottish rite. The sons give the major portion of the credit for the successful start of the business to the tireless and effective efforts of their mother, who placed the business on a firm foundation, and to whose wise counsel and timely suggestions they are greatly indebted for their later success. They take a justifiable pride in the superior quality of their products and in the prompt and efficient service which they render and they are well established in the confidence and respect of the people of this city. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/vangorde970gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb