Page:Pen Pictures of Representative Men of Oregon.djvu/202

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county, New Hampshire, in 1825. He moved to Boston in 1842, where he continued to reside until 1851. He came to this coast in 1852, and settled in California, where he remained until 1857, when he came to Oregon and took up his residence at The Dalles, where he has resided ever since. He represented Wasco county in the Legislature of 1870, and assisted in carry- ing out most of the important legislation of that session. He was elected County Judge of his county in 1876, and re-elected in 1880. In this position he has displayed marked executive and financial ability, and administered the affairs of that county honestly, economically, and without fear or favor. He has made a few enemies, it is true, but his disposition of aggressive- ness would naturally create these, and being a man who always leads, and never follows, he rarely affords them an opportunity of doing him an injury. He is well thought of, however, by the better class of citizens, and none presume to question his honesty and integrity. He is an un- compromising Democrat, and a man of family.

WILLIAM A. HART, The present Chief Engineer of the Portland Fire Department, was born in Albany, New York, October 12, 1852, and is the youngest man who has been elected to that position in this city. He was educated in the schools of New York until he was eighteen years old. He came to Portland in 1870, and since that time has taken a prominent interest in fire matters. In recognition of his labors in behalf of the department, he was honored with the position of Assistant Engineer in the years 1875-6-7, and in 1881 was elected Chief Engineer by the largest majority ever given to a candidate for that office. Since he has been Chief Engineer he has had several very difficult fires to contend with, and he handled the department so ably that he has invariably won the praise of property holders and in- surance companies, and the press of the city has been unanimous in praise of his management of the department. He was presented with a hand- some gold medal for the ability he displayed in extinguishing the fire on First street, between A and B, when the department was lal)oriug under great disadvantage by reason of defective hose. Chief Hart was at one time connected with the State militia, hsving been captain of the City Rifles for many years. During the period that he had command of that company it enjoyed its greatest popularity, as it invariably won all the prizes for drilling, etc., for which it contested. He was married to Miss Maggie Lynch, of San Francisco, in December, 1880, and we may reasonably expect that he will retain his popularity in the additional responsible position of husband and father.


CHARLES P, BACON.

The subject of this sketch who to-day is considered one of the solid men of Portland, and possesses the well-merited confidence and esteem of its citizens, was born in Candor, Tioga county, New York, April 15, 1823. He moved with his parents to Coldwater, Michigan, in 1841 and to Illinois in 1847. In 1850 he crossed the plains and came to Oregon and settled in