Washington County OR Archives Biographies.....Bagley, Hon. George R. January 25, 1871 - ************************************************ 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 L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 16, 2009, 12:25 pm Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company HON. GEORGE R. BAGLEY. No citizen of Washington county is more worthy of specific mention in the annals of the Columbia River valley than is the Hon. George R. Bagley, of Hillsboro, judge of the circuit court. A man of wide and varied experience, a capable and successful lawyer, a learned and just judge and a citizen of high ideals, he has long held an exalted place in public regard and commands the unqualified confidence of his fellowmen. George Robert Bagley was born in Canton, Ohio, on the 25th of January, 1871, his birth occurring about two blocks from the McKinley home. His father, William W. Bagley, was born in Stamford, England, and in 1866 emigrated to the United States. Going direct to Canton, Ohio, he entered the employ of C. Altman & Company, manufacturers of threshing engines, binders and mowers. Before coming to this country he had served as a fireman on the London Northwestern Railroad. He remained in Canton until 1885, when he came to Washington county, Oregon, and bought a farm three and a half miles northwest of Hillsboro, to the operation of which he devoted his attention until his death, which occurred in 1922. For twenty-six years he specialized in raising hops. He married Miss Sarah Robinson, who was born in Lincolnshire, England, and whose father was a railroad conductor in that country. Her death occurred in November, 1926. To Mr. and Mrs. Bagley were born five children, namely: W. H., Jr., who is a farmer at Gales Creek; Lilly, who is the widow of J. B. Hanley and lives on her farm, adjoining the home place at Leisyville; George R., of this review; H. T., who practiced law in Hillsboro, and died of influenza during the epidemic of 1919 and Nellie S. M., the widow of Ira Hord, residing in Portland. Mr. Bagley was at one time a member of the Masonic order. George R. Bagley attended the public schools of Canton, Ohio, and two terms in the district school at Leisyville, Oregon, his further education being received through much reading and study privately. On starting out in life on his own account he worked at various occupations, railroading, logging and farming until 1892, when he took up the study of law in the office of Thomas H. Tongue, Sr., and on June 1, 1895, was admitted to the bar. He entered upon the practice of law in Hillsboro, in which he was alone until 1897, when he formed a partnership with J. N. Brown, with whom he was associated for about eighteen months, after which he was alone until October, 1906, when he formed a partnership with W. G. Hare. They remained together until May, 1915, when Mr. Bagley was appointed to the bench of the nineteenth judicial circuit, embracing the counties of Washington and Tillamook, in which capacity he has served continuously to the present time. He has dignified the bench by his able and distinguished services, his decisions being noted for their soundness, their lucidity and their justice, and he has long been regarded as one of the strongest and most capable jurists of the Columbia River valley. On April 20, 1897, Judge Bagley was united in marriage to Miss Olive M. Hanley, who was born in Petaluma, California, and whose brother, J. B. Hanley, was the husband of Judge Bagley's sister Lilly. She is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Sayre) Hanley, who came to Oregon in 1875, locating on a farm adjoining that of Judge Bagley's father, and both are now deceased. To Judge and Mrs. Bagley have been born four children, namely: Clifton Sayre, who is foreman of the shop of the Union Pacific stage line at Pendleton, Oregon; Robert Neville, of Hillsboro; Valerie Gladys, who is at home; and George R., Jr., who is in high school. Clifton is a veteran of the World war, having gone overseas with the Third Oregon Regiment, in which he was a sergeant. Judge Bagley served as assistant district attorney of Washington county during 1896- 97, resigning the position in favor of his brother, H. T., who was at that time admitted to the bar. He has always been an active supporter of the republican party and in 1898 served as secretary of the campaign committee. He was one of the organizers of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, but withdrew from that organization when he ascended the bench. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has filled the chairs, and the Woodmen of the World, while his wife is a member of the Rathbone Sisters, the Ladies Auxiliary to the Knights of Pythias. The Judge has been identified with a number of business enterprises in Washington county. In 1906 he took an active part in the organization of the Tillamook Railroad, and in 1903 was one of the organizers of the Oregon Condensed Milk Company, which was later sold to the Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company. This concern in a very definite way benefited the dairy farmers of this locality. This plant is now known as the Carnation Milk Plant and Judge Bagley served as a director, secretary and attorney for the milk company as long as he was interested in it. Judge Bagley is a man of strong personality, cordial in his social relations and stanch in his integrity, and throughout this county, where he has practically spent his life, he commands sincere and uniform respect because of his ability, his splendid record as a jurist and his high personal qualities. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 709-710 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/washington/bios/bagley659gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb