Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 2.djvu/415

Rh lege, and the Portland Board of Trade. He made the first move toward holding an exposition in Portland by offering a resolution before the Board of Trade calling for a mass meeting of the citizens to plan for an exposition in 1902, which date was later changed to 1905. He organized the Portland Belt Line & Mount Hood Railroad, which brought about the construction of the Portland, St. John's Trautdale and Mount Hood lines of the Oregon Railroad & Navigation Company. Thus he has been associated with many movements in which the public has been a large direct beneficiary, his labors being on many occasions a factor in the movements which have wrought the greatest good to the greatest number. He was the first president of the Initiative One Hundred which started the movement in the city of Portland for civic betterment and for the city beautiful.

In 1884 Mr. McKenna was married in Chicago to Miss Laura Linebaugh, a daughter of Noah and Sarah (McCaslin) Linebaugh, a granddaughter of Jonas Linebaugh and a great-granddaughter of Susana Wise, of the Wise family of Rockingham county, Virginia, who were important factors in the Revolutionary war for the freedom of America. Mrs. McKenna's mother was a daughter of Cunningham and Mary Ann (Allen) McCaslin and a granddaughter of James Allen, also of Revolutionary war fame. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McKenna has been born a son, Coe A., who was born at Omaha, Nebraska, October 22, 1887, and was graduated from the George Washington University in February, 1910, and received the degree of Master of Arts in June of the same year.

Mr. McKenna has long been known as one of the most prominent members of the United Artisans. In fact he was the founder of that highly successful fraternal beneficiary society and filled the office of supreme master artisan for eleven years, and for the same length of time was editor of its official paper, The Artisan. He now holds the honorary office in the society of senior past supreme master artisan. Strong in his honor and his good name, strong in his ability to plan and perform, he stands at the present time where he did in young manhood, as the champion of earnest labor, honorable principles and progressive citizenship. His own life record proves the value of each. He has never selfishly centered his activities upon his own interests, for while laudable ambition has prompted him to labor diligently for the achievement of success, he has at the same time done that for Portland which entitles him to classification with its real upbuilders and promoters.

John McCourt, whose record as lawyer and lawmaker has gained him prominence as a representative of the legal fraternity of Portland, is now filling the position of United States attorney for Oregon, to which position he was appointed in March, 1908. He is yet a young man, his birth having occurred February 26, 1874, in Listowel, Canada. His parents were James and Emma McCourt, who resided in Canada until July, 1874, when they removed to California. Tlie father had engaged in teaching both in Canada and in this country, but in 1882 his sight failed and he turned his attention to other business pursuits.

Brought to the United States in his infancy, lohn McCourt was educated in the public schools of California and in the Willamette University at Salem, Oregon, spending a year in the literary department. He was also for two years a law student in that institution, from which he was graduated in June, 1896. The family had removed from California to Oregon in 1890, and following his graduation Air. McCourt entered at once upon the active practice of law in Salem, where he remained until May. 1900, when he removed to Pendleton, Oregon. There he followed his chosen profession until March, 1908, when he was appointed United States attorney for Oregon and removed to Portland to