Clark-Columbia County WA Archives Biographies.....Atkinson, J. B. 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com September 20, 2009, 10:56 am

Source: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     J. B. ATKINSON.  When J. B. Atkinson located in Vancouver the community 
gained a useful and public-spirited citizen, as has been repeatedly attested 
by his constant efforts to promote the interests of the city and county. 
Intensely practical in his methods, he has shown a progressive and unselfish 
spirit that has enabled him to accomplish definite results along lines that 
have contributed to the growth and development of Vancouver, and he is today 
regarded as one of its most enterprising and influential citizens. Mr. 
Atkinson was born in Belvidere, Illinois, and is a son of E. Y. and Anne 
(Holmes) Atkinson, the former born in the same house in Illinois in which his 
son was born, while the mother was born in Lancashire, England. Both parents 
are deceased, the mother dying when her son was thirteen years old and the 
father’s death occurring in Vancouver in 1916. The family is of English 
origin, the paternal grandfather having come from the north of England to this 
country in 1836 and settled in Boone county, Illinois, where some members of 
the family still reside. E. Y. Atkinson followed the occupation of farming, 
and in 1880 he brought his family to Portland, where he went into business 
with Pennoyer & Raymond, who operated a small lumber mill. He followed that 
line of business for three years, when he sold out and returned east

     J. B. Atkinson attended the Faling and Harrison Street public schools in 
Portland and completed his education at Belvidere, Illinois. His first work 
was as a farm hand, for which he received eight dollars a month. Later he took 
a commercial and bookkeeping course in a business college at Rockford, and 
then engaged in railroad work, being employed in the train yard service. His 
first work was in the checking of cars at night, and for awhile he had charge 
of the night yard. He was ambitious to get into the active train service, but 
eye trouble caused him to give up that plan, and he was assigned to railroad 
office work. In 1904 he came west and entered the employ of the Oregon Western 
Railroad & Navigation Company east of the mountains, where he became chief 
clerk of the mechanical department, which position he held until 1907. He was 
at that time located at Starbuck and during the evenings he had written some 
fire insurance, he liked that line of work, which eventually led him into life 
insurance, and later he also began dealing in real estate. He found this so 
much to his liking that he quit the railroad business and devoted his entire 
attention to these lines of effort. He remained in Starbuck until 1910, 
meeting with encouraging success, and he also acquired a half interest in a 
livery stable and a fuel business there. In 1910 he came to Vancouver and 
established a real estate, loan and insurance business, with which he has 
remained identified continuously since. Sometime after coming here he admitted 
to a partnership H. A. Porter, whose interest he bought later, and was alone 
until 1923, when he and Fred Wark formed a partnership under the name of J. B. 
Atkinson & Company, and this has proven a very successful combination. They 
have handled a large amount of city and country property, have successfully 
put on several subdivisions and have made extensive improvements on properties 
of their own.  A man of broad views and a clear vision of future needs, Mr. 
Atkinson has wisely devoted much of his time and effort to providing means 
whereby people may acquire homes and be enabled to pay for them comfortably. 
To this end, in January, 1921, he organized the Vancouver Savings and Loan 
Association, which has proven a successful concern, now having resources of a 
half million dollars the officers being W. E. Carter, president; Fred Wark, 
vice-president; J. B. Atkinson, secretary,  treasurer and manager; and W. C. 
Bates, counsel. Most of the loans of this association are made in Clark 
county, though a few are made in neighboring counties. The association is a 
member of the state and national loan associations and is regarded as one of 
the solid and substantial financial concerns of this city. Mr. Atkinson has 
prospered in his material affairs and, with Dr. Ryan, is the owner of a well 
improved farm north of Vancouver, on which they have twenty-one acres in 
prunes, pears, cherries and alfalfa.  They are operating this place largely as 
a demonstration farm, showing the possibilities open to the farmers of this 
section of the state. Mr. Atkinson is also president and looks after the 
financial end of the business of the Vancouver Foundry and Machinery Company, 
manufacturers of furnaces and stoves. They also do job work. He is laying 
plans to promote the industrial interests of Vancouver, hoping to induce 
industries to locate here or to encourage the people of this community to 
establish them. Wide-awake and alert in business matters, he has shown himself 
a man of genuine worth to his community and stands among its leading men of 
affairs. He is a delegate to the 1928 meeting of the National Association of 
Savings and Loan Societies, which meets at Dallas, Texas.

     In 1906, at Starbuck, Washington, Mr. Atkinson was united in marriage to 
Miss Mildred O’Neil, who is a native of Indiana and a daughter of A. L. and 
Della O’Neil, who brought their family to Walla Walla, Washington, when Mrs. 
Atkinson was but a child. Mr. Atkinson has taken an active interest in local 
civic affairs and served seven years as a member of the Vancouver city 
council. He is a York Rite Mason and Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and belongs 
also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rotary Club, the Clark 
County Country Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Portland Realty Board. 
His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal church. His 
activities have been of a varied nature and as a business man his standing is 
of the highest. His time has been well spent, characterized by a correct 
understanding of life’s values and purposes and by the proper utilization of 
opportunities, so that he is well worthy of the high place which he holds in 
public confidence and regard.

Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 454-455

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