Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/834

594 with the world, that they come to feel and appreciate to the full, the condition of the fellow being that needs their kindly aid. And this lesson is quite as apparent in Portland as in any other city.

Quite a number of most worthy people early took notice of the duty and necessity of taking care of the aged and infirm. Prominent among these are the names of Mrs. Mary A. Knox, first president of the Patton Home, Mr. Matthew Patton, one of the founders of the home, and Peter John 'Mann and his widow, Mrs. Anna Mary Mann, founders and builders of the home for old people. These people have all labored for a common purpose in their self-sacrifice to promote the comfort of helpless aged people.

The work of Mrs. Knox, and the kind hearted women (Mary Agnes Foster, Edith F. DeLay, Mary H. Evans, and Eva Cline Smith) who have worked with her, is a great inspiration to others to go and do likewise. Commencing with nothing but willing hands to carry out the impulse of kind hearts, and the uncleared land given by "Father Patton," they have built up a home that now shelters and provides for more than eighty aged people. How much of comfort and happiness these noble women have conferred on the aged, the infirm and the helpless that have sought and found a hospitable home under the roof that they have erected can never be known or estimated.

And in the same line to the same purpose, and with the same spirit to help the helpless did John Mann and his noble wife dedicate a large fortune to the erection of the Old Peoples Home, and make provision for its sustenance and comfort. As we write the concluding pages of this history this home, a noble building worthy of its builders and noble purpose, is being furnished for occupancy, and will stand for all the future years of this city the enduring monument to honor the names of John and Anna Mary Mann.

And in the same spirit of self sacrifice, putting aside the fashions and attractions of society for the higher and greater purpose of doing good, the names of Mrs. Mary H. Holbrook, Mrs. Rosa Burrell, Mrs. Emeline Wakeman, Mrs. Susanna Wood, and the gentle Sisters of St. Vincent's Hospital, all of Portland, must ever be held in the greatest respect and highest honor. What pain, sorrow, grief and suffering these noble women have relieved by their daily round of ministration, not for a day—but for years and years. Their names should not be forgotten; they will not be forgotten. It was the Catholic sisters of St. Mary's academy on Fourth street that rendered the first of Christian charities to the poor and sick of the. little village of Portland. Let them be held in greatest veneration.

Mrs. Wakeman served as matron of the Good Samaritan hospital for nearly twenty years and only laid down the great work when her own health gave way under the long continued strain. Mrs. Susanna Woods (familiarly called "Aunty Woods") served nearly as long as the matron and foster mother of forty or fifty orphan children at the children's home in South Portland, and laid down the great load of care and labor when her own strength was well nigh exhausted. Mrs. Holbrook and Mrs. Burrell gave their lives and money to the work of doing good whenever duty called, and it called them everywhere all over the city. As managers and executive officers they were each rare examples of satisfaction to all contributors to the charities and to all their co-workers.

Another name stands out as prominent in every good work, and as a most liberal giver whenever his gifts would alleviate human suffering. Henry W. Corbett's gift to the Homeopathic hospital made that institution a possibility. Without his aid it must have waited for many years, and might never have been built. And it is a great satisfaction not only to the friends of this real philanthropist, but to the recipients of his benefactions, that no man was ever oppressed or harrassed or distressed or injured in any way to contribute to the fortune from which the gifts of Mr. Corbett were made. It is a noble record, and well may his friends be proud of it.

There are two more persons that must not be overlooked in this roll of honor. Upon reflection it would seem to be a vile slander on the white man residents of