Spokane County WA Archives Biographies.....Strong, Edward N. November 11, 1874 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 22, 2009, 1:09 am Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 42-43 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company EDWARD N. STRONG, of Portland, who represents the National Life Insurance Company of Montpelier, Vermont, as general agent for Oregon, has gained a wide reputation for his unusual ability and noteworthy success as an insurance man and stands among the leaders in his line of business in this state. Mr. Strong was born in Manhattan, Kansas, on the 11th of November, 1874, and is a son of Horace Edward and Nellie Blanch (Norton) Strong, who were pioneer settlers in that state. His father's uncle, Samuel Pomeroy, was the first United States senator from Kansas, while the maternal grandfather, Rev. Phyneas Norton, was the first missionary of the Congregational Church in Kansas. Horace E. Strong was a harnessmaker and saddler by trade, and died a number of years ago, being survived by his widow, who still resides In Kansas, at the age of eighty-three years. Edward N. Strong received his educational training in the public schools and at Washburn College, at Topeka, Kansas. For about a year he was employed as a reporter on the Topeka Daily Capital, which is now owned by Senator Capper, and in 1898 he went to work for Swift & Company as a traveling salesman. After representing that company for five years, he became a traveling salesman for buggies, which he sold for five years, and in 1907 he came to the Pacific northwest. Locating in Spokane, Washington, he was connected with the Western Union Life Insurance Company for two years, and in 1909 came to Portland, Oregon, and joined the Oregon Life Insurance Company, having charge of agency work. In the course of his connection with that company he drove to practically every part of the state, going by horseback, team and buggy and automobile, and rendered highly appreciated service to his company. On January 1, 1923, Mr. Strong accepted the general agency for the National Life Insurance Company of Montpelier, Vermont, and some idea of the success which has crowned his efforts in this connection may be gained from the statement that out of the sixty-five general agencies of that company in the United States his ranks ninth in the volume of business sold, his sales in 1927 amounting to over two and a half million dollars. He has ten men in the field and is himself an effective salesman. His success has been based on truthful representations and honorable methods and he has won and retains the confidence and respect of all who have had dealings with him. He is a stockholder in several banks and is a director of the Benefit Savings and Loan Association. In 1908 Mr. Strong was united in marriage to Miss I. May Price, who was born and reared in Kansas. Mr. Strong gives his political allegiance to the republican party and fraternally is a member of Willamette Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M.; Portland Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Al Kader Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of which he is high priest and prophet; Portland Lodge, No. 142, B. P. O. E.; and Columbia Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., at The Dalles, Oregon. He also belongs to the Waverly Country Club, the University Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Portland Advertising Club, of which he is a past president, and the Better Business Bureau, of which he is treasurer and a director. His religious membership is with Grace Memorial Protestant Episcopal church, of which he is a vestryman. In all the relations of life he has shown integrity of purpose and strength of character which have earned for him the unqualified respect and esteem of his fellowmen and is deservedly popular among his associates. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/spokane/bios/strong103gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb