Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Williamson, E. L. 
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Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com November 6, 2009, 5:10 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 164-167
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     E. L. WILLIAMSON has become one of the best known distributing dairymen 
in Portland and from a small beginning has, through his industry, perseverance 
and good management, gained a very flattering measure of success. He was born 
in Iowa and is a son of W. I. and Mary (Marshall) Williamson, the former of 
whom followed the vocation of farming. He was reared on the home farm and 
received his education in the public schools of his native state. In 1903 he 
came to Portland and worked for the Portland Dairy Association as a milk 
peddler, later entering the employ of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation 
Company. After several years of railroad work he returned to the dairy 
business and entered upon a partnership with P. J. O'Donnell. Two years later 
he sold his interest in the business to his partner and returned to railroad 
work for one year. Again he resumed the milk business, being an employe of his 
former partner for several years, and then bought an interest in the business, 
the control of which he took over in 1920, and in 1923 became sole owner. The 
plant was first located at 73 Sixth street north, at which time practically no 
milk was bottled. He had one delivery wagon, which handled sweet milk only, 
delivering from ten to twenty gallons a day. Eight months later the business 
was moved to 327 Davis street, but the larger quarters there were outgrown 
inside of six months, and in 1909 Mr. Williamson came to his present location, 
where he excavated under a standing building and there installed his plant. In 
the spring of 1914 the present building was erected, affording about six 
thousand square feet of floor space, but this is now insufficient, to such an 
extent has the business grown. The City Dairy, under which name the business 
is run, now handles everything in the line of milk and milk products, as well 
as eggs, employs five men on the inside and operates seven trucks, which cover 
a large part of the city, selling at both wholesale and retail. The products 
are sold under the trade name of "Hygea," and the company daily disposes of 
two thousand gallons of milk and one hundred and forty gallons of sweet cream. 
Mr. Williamson has devoted his attention tirelessly to the building up of the 
business, in which he has shown a high type of executive ability.

     In 1909, in Portland, Mr. Williamson married Miss Harrie Hudson. He is a 
member of the Accepted Masonic fraternity, the Chamber of Commerce and the 
International Association of Milk Dealers. He is a man of integrity in every 
relation of life, is cordial and friendly in manner, and commands the sincere 
respect of all who have had dealings with him.

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