George H. Upthegrove, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of George H. Upthegrove
GEORGE H. UPTHEGROVE. United States commissioner and secretary of the Umatilla River Water Users' Association, makes his home in Hermiston and during the period of his residence in this part of the state has be come well known as a progressive. enterprising citizen, whose practical efforts accomplish good results. He was born in Valparaiso. Indiana, June 21, 1880, a son of H. J. and Lucia (Hawkins) Upthegrove, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Indiana, respectively. The father died in Valparaiso in July, 1910, when sixty-four years of age. He had been reared in his native state and at the time of the great Chicago fire in 1871 was living in that city. He was there engaged in the hardware business, but lost all be had made through the conflagration. Later he became the founder of the Upthegrove Sporting Goods Company at Valparaiso, Indiana, which is still in existence. At the time of the Civil war he valiantly espoused the cause of the Union and served for three years as a member of the Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry. On one occasion he was taken prisoner, but after being incarcerated for a month at Andersonville was exchanged. He was twice wounded and suffered all of the hardships of war, but never faltered in patriotic devotion to his country. His widow still survives him and is now living in Valparaiso.
George H. Upthegrove is the only surviving member of a family of three children. He remained with his parents in the middle west until 1906 when he came to Hermiston, Oregon. He has held the position of secretary of the Umatilla River Water Users' Association for the past five years and for one year has been United States commissioner, to which office he was appointed for a seven years' term by Judge Charles E. Wolverton, United States district judge. The appointment came to him January 17, 1911. He is faithfully discharging the duties of his positions and in addition he gives his personal supervision to a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of land which he owns under the Umatilla project.
In 1901 occurred the marriage of George H. Upthegrove and Miss Estelle M. Croup, a native of Pennsylvania, who was reared in Walla Walla, Washington, where her parents, Dr. and Mrs. E. W. Croup now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Upthegrove have two children, James G. and Georgia M. In politics Mr. Upthegrove is a republican and keeps well informed on all questions and issues of the day. Fraternally he is well known as a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and also of the Knights of Pythias lorge in which he is a past chancellor. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church and his entire life has been guided by its teachings. He stands for all that tends to promote the interests of the individual and the community at large and his influence is always given on the side of justice, progress and improvement.
Source: Gaston, Joseph. 1912. The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912. Volume III. Chicago, Illinois: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1096 p.
Page(s) in Source: 788, 791
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook