Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/472

 440 T. C. Elliott his trade. Not long after commencing his business, and just as he was beginning to gather the fruits to which his industry entitled him, a fire destroyed the property which he had accumulated during three years of toil, and left him "poor indeed." When his misfortune occurred he was in ill health, but did not waste a moment in idle re- grets, and set about immediately in repairing what acci- dent had deprived of, and in a little time he was again advancing in a prosperous career. From the frankness of his disposition and natural goodness of heart, Thornton Grimsley had always made himself hosts of friends, and in 1826 was elected as al- derman, and introduced into that body the subject of grading the wharf in front of the city, and strongly ad- vocated that the western edge should be raised three feet higher than its present grade. Had his proposition been acceded to, Front street would not be inundated at every high flood of the river, and its property would be much more valuable. In 1828 Colonel Grimsley was called to the legislature of the state, where he was a useful and efficient member. He used his efforts to have completed the national road to Jefferson City, and advocated other important measures. In 1835 he was again elected alderman, and did much settling satisfactorily the important claim of the St. Louis Commons. From this tract was selected Lafayette Park, and the spacious avenues about it. From the liberal di- mensions of this park, some of the short-sighted citizens, in derision, called it Grimsley's folly — now it is one of the chief ornaments of our large and growing city. So useful was Colonel Grimsley in his political life, that in 1838 he was sent to the State Senate, and lent all of his influence for the passage of the bill for the con- struction of the Iron Mountain Railroad, and also for the establishment of a workhouse. Though Colonel Grimsley was so liberally rewarded with civic honors he was not unmindful of military glory.