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law under ex-Governor A. C. Gibbs, and was admitted to the bar of the Su- preme Court in December, 1876, and afterwards went into partnershij) with Governor Gihbs, remaining with him about a year. He then opened an office and practiced alone for about a year, and in January, 1879, he was appointed Police Judge of the city of Portland, and having been re-elected he held that responsible position for some three years and a half. In the discharge of his official duties in that capacity he never failed to give satis- faction to all lovers of law and order, while at the same time it cannot be said that lie failed to temper justice with mercy. He was prompt and effi- cient on the bench, and adtled dignity and precision to the sessions of a court wherein some of our moat hardened criminals are arraigned and ex- amined prior to their appearance in the courts above. His re-election was a flattering endorsf^ment of his official acts as Police Judge, and while serving in that capacity he won the admiration and esteem of not o7ily the members of the bar, but of the public generally, who felt a great degree of confidence and security in the integrity and faithfulness of the judicial offi- cer who first presided over the trials of the desperadoes, then so numerous in that city. Upon his resignation a4; the close of his term he was elected City Attorney, which position he filled until June, 1882, when he was elected County Judge of Multnomah county, which imi^ortant position he still oc- cupies and is filling in a matter highly satisfactory to the tax-payers of that county, observing the established rules of economy without practicing those little schemes of parsimony so prevelent on this coast in county affairs. In 1878 Judge Stearns was elected a member of the House from Multnomah county, and as such served his constituency faithfully, watching carefully the interests of Multnomah county and the State at large. He served on several of the most important committees and proved an important factor in that organization. He is a well-built and well-preserved, rather short and heavy built, with features of a pleasant cast, a winning smile, expansive forehead, heavy mustache and brown hair. He is at present unmar- ried, but with him it is a case of "Barkis is willin'," and he is considered a ladies' man.
GEORGE H. HIMES,
Oldest son of Tyrus and Emeliue Himes, whose progenitors were Puritans, coming from England to America in about 1670, and oldest of eight chil- dren, was born in Troy, Bradford county,Pa.,May 18, 1844, and removed with his parents to Lafayette, Stark county, Illinois, in May, 1847. Began school in same town at age of five, continued three to six months a year until March 21, 1853, when with parents he began the journey across the pLiins. Walked most of the way. Reached destination, Olympia, Washington Ter- ritory, October 21, 1853, by the way of Nachess pass, leaving the old emi- grant ^'oad at or near the present town of Pendleton — a perilous journey, full of narrow escapes from floods, starvation and Indians. Attended three months country school taught by a " boarding-around" school master, each year from 1854 to 1858. In October 1855, with his parents was compelled to flee from home on accoimt of Indians, and remain in forts until late in
