Henry S. Rowe
Henry S. Rowe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 33rd Mayor of Portland, Oregon | |
| In office 1900–1902 | |
| Preceded by | W. A. Storey |
| Succeeded by | George Henry Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 11, 1851 Bolivar, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 20, 1914 (aged 62) Sauvie Island, near Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Businessman, politician |
Henry Spoor Rowe (October 11, 1851 – March 20, 1914) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the Mayor of Portland, Oregon, from 1900 to 1902.
Background
[edit]Rowe was born in Bolivar, New York, on October 11, 1851[1] (another source says October 18),[2] one of the six children of John S. Rowe and Hulda Peck Rowe.[1] The family moved to Wisconsin and Henry Rowe began working for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad as a telegraph operator at the age of thirteen.[1][3] He held numerous positions in the railroad industry, working primarily in Kansas. Rowe met Agnes Hefly in Kansas; they were married and had two sons.[1] Rowe moved to Oregon in 1880, initially working for the steamship division of Henry Villard's newly established Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company.[1]
Political career
[edit]After becoming active in politics at the county and state level, Rowe was elected Mayor of Portland, Oregon, as a member of the Republican Party, defeating the incumbent W. A. Storey.[4] He was elected on June 4, 1900,[5] and took office on July 2, 1900.[6] During Rowe's term, Portland's first Board of Park Commissioners was established.[7] Rowe also served as president of the Board of Fire Commissioners and on the city's Water Committee.[1][2] He is noted for his interest in developing Oregon's scenic attractions and also for reducing city expenditures.[8][9]
Later career
[edit]Rowe returned to the railroad industry after his term as Portland's mayor.[1] He was also involved in the banking and real estate industries. Rowe later went into business with Lee Holden, a former Portland Fire Chief.[3] Rowe and Holden constructed the Rhododendron Inn near Mount Hood in 1905.[10][11] A post office was established nearby in 1909; the town was christened "Rowe" in his honor, but the name was eventually changed to Rhododendron, Oregon.[8] Rowe died on March 20, 1914, of heart disease at a duck farm[12] he owned on Sauvie Island.[13] He is buried in Lone Fir Cemetery.[13][9]
References
[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g Gaston, Joseph (1911). Portland, Oregon, its history and builders: in connection with the antecedent explorations, discoveries, and movements of the pioneers that selected the site for the great city of the Pacific, Volume 2. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. pp. 314–316.
- ^ a b "He Has Made No Pledges; Mayor-Elect Rowe On His Future Plans". The Morning Oregonian. June 7, 1900. p. 12. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ a b Who's who in the Northwest, Volume 1. Western Press Association. 1911.
- ^ "Both Parties Win: Republican Carry the City and County Offices, But Lose on the Legislature". The Morning Oregonian. June 6, 1900. p. 3. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ^ "Directory of Current and Past Elected Officials: Mayors of Portland". Auditor's Office, City of Portland, Oregon. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
- ^ "New Officers Are In". The Morning Oregonian. July 3, 1900. p. 8. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ "1852-1900". About Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ a b McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 807. ISBN 978-0875952772.
- ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Lone Fir Cemetery". National Park Service. 2007. Section 8, p. 21. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ "Rhododendron, Oregon". MountHoodHistory.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ Kuechle, Jeff (March 22, 2009). "Community profile: RHODODENDRON". The Oregonian. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ "H. S. Rowe Dies Suddenly: Ex-Mayor of Portland Drops Dead at His Duck Farm". St. Helens Mist. March 20, 1914. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
- ^ a b "H. S. Rowe Buried". The Morning Oregonian. March 23, 1914. p. 16. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
