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Central School in Portland, and remained there for one year, when he was elected City Superintendent of the Portland Public Schools, which high and responsible position he still occupies, this being the sixth year of his service in that capacity. He has been a prominent member of the I. O. O. F. since 1867, and in 1875 was one of the Grand Representatives to the Sov- ereign Grand Lodge, which met at Indianapolis, Indiana. During the years 1867-9 and 1876-7 he was Grand Secretary of the I. O. G. T. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. R. H. Crawford, are Sitill living, in the enjoyment of a ripe old age, at Brownsville. Prof. Crawford's educational advantages were secured mainly by his own exertions; earning means to pay his expenses by engaging in various kinds of labor during vacations and on Sattirdays. While attending the Willamette University, at Salem, he sawed wood, built fires, swept the university and acted as sexton of the old M. E. church to earn money to pay his school expenses, and during the greater part of the time "bached" in the old "third story." Among his classmates we note the honored names of Hon. J. B. Waldo, Rev. P. S. Knight, Hon. Syl. C. Simp- son, P. L. Willis, Esq., and Hon. O. N. Denny. Prof. Crawford was married to Miss Emily E. Crandall, in Salem, July 24, 1864, four children being born to the family, the first three of whom fell victims to that dread disease, diphtheria, and died within one week in 1875. his wife passing away in Au- gust of the present year, leaving a daughter of about two years of age. Prof. Crawford is a fine-looking specimen of manhood, rather tall and well- proportioned, erect, with a good-shaped head, high forehead, heavy beard and hair of auburn, prominent features and attractive face and engaging manners. He makes friends rapidly and rarely loses one. He is a pleasant speaker, and in any legislative body is listened to Avith interest whenever op- portunity occurs. His reputation is beyond reproach, and he is esteemed very highly by those who know him best.
HON. WILLIAM LAIR HILL. No attorney in Eastern Oregon stands higher in the ranks of the profes- sion than does he whose name heads this sketch. He was born on a plan- tation in McNairy county, Tennessee, August 20, 1838. His father. Dr. R. C. Hil], now of Albany, Oregon, moved to Missouri in 1848, and came to Oregon in 1853. W. Lair Hill was educated at McMinnville College, Ore- gon, and read law in the office of Hon. Geo. H. Williams and Hon. A. C. Gibbs, who, at that time, were partners in Portland; and was admitted to the bar in December, 1861. He was employed in the Paymaster's Depart- ment of the U. S. Army during the year 1862, and did duty at nearly all the military posts in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, the service in those days requiring constant travel. In January, 1863, he commenced the practice of law as the partner of Hon. A. C. Gibbs, who was then the Governor of Ore- gon. He was Judge of Grant county from 1864 to 1866. While a resident of Grant county he married the eldest daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Chand- ler, the marriage being the consummation of an attachment formed in school days, when Dr. Chandler was President of McMinnville College. He returned to Portland in 1866, and resumed practice here. His application,
