Henry S. Rowe

Henry Spoor Rowe (October 11, 1851 – 1914) was an American businessman and politician. He served as the Mayor of Portland, Oregon from 1900 to 1902.

Contents

Background

Rowe was born in Bolivar, New York, 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 around age thirteen, working as a telegraph operator.[1][2] 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

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. He took office on June 4, 1900.[1][3] During Rowe's term, Portland's first Board of Park Commissioners was established.[4] Rowe also served as president of the Board of Fire Commissioners and on the city's Water Committee. [1] He is noted for his interest in developing Oregon's scenic attractions and also for reducing city expenditures.[5][6]

Later career

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.[2] Rowe and Holden constructed the Rhododendron Inn near Mount Hood in 1905.[7][8] 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.[5] Rowe died in 1914 and is buried in Lone Fir Cemetery.[6]

References

  1. ^ 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. http://books.google.com/books?id=XvYUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA314&lpg=PA314&dq=Henry+Spoor+Rowe&source=bl&ots=2BhAQrnFDt&sig=kPBDCgrjux9KyXlBC7uXc5blW4w&hl=en&ei=yUrZTpmbD-qZiQKMzczICQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CEQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Henry%20Spoor%20Rowe&f=false. 
  2. ^ a b Who's who in the Northwest , Volume 1. Western Press Association. 1911. http://books.google.com/books?id=gcAUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PT57&lpg=PT57&dq=henry+rowe+born+%22october+11,+1851%22&source=bl&ots=0HqxFsXbga&sig=R__V0ZbRaoGY_6H9NPMaCT7ofFw&hl=en&ei=0VzZTtOcBqaRiQKHooTWCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=henry%20rowe%20born%20%22october%2011%2C%201851%22&f=false. 
  3. ^ "Mayors of Portland". Directory of Current and Past Elected Officials. Auditor's Office, City of Portland. http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=4968&c=27134. Retrieved 2 December 2011. 
  4. ^ "1852-1900". About Portland Parks & Recreation. http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?a=95955&c=39473. Retrieved 2 December 2011. 
  5. ^ a b McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [First published 1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 807. ISBN 9780875952772. OCLC 53075956. 
  6. ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Park Service. 2007. p. 21 (Section 8). http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/07000824.pdf. Retrieved 2 December 2011. 
  7. ^ "Rhododendron, Oregon". MountHoodHistory.com. http://mounthoodhistory.com/towns/rhododendron.html. Retrieved 2 December 2011. 
  8. ^ Kuechle, Jeff (22 March 2009). "Community profile: RHODODENDRON". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/realestate/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/homes_real_estate/123757530319420.xml&coll=7. Retrieved 2 December 2011. 
Preceded by
W. A. Storey		 Mayor of Portland, Oregon
1900–1902		 Succeeded by
George Henry Williams