Biography of David P. Thompson, 1899, State of Oregon
Surnames: Thompson, Meldrum
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Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
W. David Samuelsen - December 2001
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Oregon Native Son, Vol. 1, May 1899, page 51-52

DAVID P. THOMPSON.

Hon. D. P. Thompson was born in Cadiz, Ohio, November 8, 1834. He is of
Scotch-Irish descent, his father being of Irish extraction, his mother of
Scotch. He received his education in the public schools and the leading high
school in Harrison county, Ohio. He then learned the trade of blacksmith, but
was subsequently engaged in railroad surveying with General Blickensdorfer. He
crossed the plains to Oregon in 1853, driving sheep, and walking every step of
the way. Soon after arriving he got a job of cutting cordwood, which lasted
through the winter. He was appointed United States deputy surveyor to survey
the public lands of the territories of Oregon and Washington, serving in that
capacity until 1863. He was first a lieutenant then captain in the First
Oregon cavalry, and offered his services under the call of President Lincoln
to the governors of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively, but his offer was
declined on account of the expense of sending troops via the Isthmus of
Panama. He built the first railroad in Oregon, around the Willamette falls at
Oregon City. In 1866 he became manager of the Oregon City Manufacturing
Company, then the largest concern of the kind in the Northwest, and served two
years. In 1866 he was elected to the state senate from the twelfth district,
which office he held until 1872, when he was appointed by the interior
department to survey and allot Indian reservations in Oregon and Washington.
He served in the lower house of the state legislature in 1878, again in 1882
and 1889, and was the republican candidate for speaker of the house in 1878.
In 1874 President Grant appointed him Governor of Idaho, which position he
resigned in 1876 and removed to Portland, where he has resided ever since,
serving two terms as mayor of the city. In 1876 he was a delegate to the
national republican convention that nominated Hayes, and served on the
committee appointed to notify him, and in 1884 was a presidential elector. He
has been largely interested in railroad construction in Oregon and California,
and was president of the Oregon Construction Company, which built most of the
Oregon Railway & Navigation Company's lines, and at the present time is
president of the latter corporation, and a director of the Oregon Railroad &
Navigation Company. In 1890 he was the republican candidate for governor, but
was beaten by a combination of democrats, populists and dissatisfied
republicans. At one time he was president or director of a number of banks,
but retired from the banking business in 1891. In 1892 President Harrison
appointed him minister to Turkey, at which time he showed wonderful tact,
together with energy and firmness, in dealing with the Armenian difficulties
that for a time threatened to cause serious complications between this country
and Turkey. American lives had been sacrificed and American property destroyed
by the sultan's subjects, and it seemed impossible to unravel the difficulty
or get any satisfactory settlement. However, Mr. Thompson pushed matters with
such vigor that the guilty parties were finally discovered and punished, and
the destroyed property paid for by the Ottoman empire, besides which unusual
privileges were granted to Americans. The lesson thus taught the sultan will
result in great good to this country. In 1893 Mr. Thompson resigned. and upon
his return to Washington was introduced to his successor by Secretary of
State, Gresham, who said: "You take the office of minister to Turkey with a
perfectly clean record. Mr. Thompson has effectually settled every difficulty,
and you should have no trouble."

Throughout his entire life he has been noted for activity and energy. A man of
firm and positive character, tenacious of purpose, active in business and
successful in his undertakings. He has accumulated a fortune by persistent,
hard work, and is devoting the shady side of his life to a wise use of his
accumulation. He is a close observer, has traveled extensively, is thoroughly
patriotic and particularly interested in the welfare of his adopted state and
city. This interest is shown in many ways, but notably by his long and
unselfish labor in the interest of public education. For a number of years he
has been a regent of the Oregon State University, is president of the Portland
Business College, and for ten years was a member of the Portland school board.
His interest in such matters did not cease with the expiration of his term of
service as a director, but has continued to manifest itself by the bestowal of
medals, personal work among teachers and students, and frequent lectures
before them descriptive of foreign countries, both ancient and modern, as also
the ways and customs of their people. Not only have Mr. Thompson's efforts
been directed to the dissemination of knowledge in our public schools, but to
the proper construction and management of the buildings and the procuring of
the latest improved methods and appliances for the advancement of education,
as well as the preservation of the children's health. His labors in this line
are appreciated by the public, and in recognition thereof the directors have
named one of the recently completed buildings the D. P. Thompson school, to
which he has presented a library, a piano and other things of value. The
building is provided with every convenience that modern engineering skill can
devise, and is presided over by a competent corps of instructors, who use the
best methods obtainable.

In 1861 he married Miss Mary R., daughter of John and Susan Meldrum, of Oregon
City, to whom have been born three children.