Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 3.djvu/198

192 In politics Mr. Holman is a censervative democrat. He was national committeeman for Oregon from 1904 until 1908 and was a delegate at large to the national conventions in the presidential campaign years of 1892 and 1904. He was made a member of the charter commission for framing a new charter for the city of Portland in 1902-3 and again in 1908-9. He stands for all that is most helpful and progressive in the public life of the city and is now regent of the University of Oregon, the term of his regency extending from 1903 until 191 5. He is a director of the McLoughlin Memorial Association and is the author of a biography of Dr. John McLoughlin, together with numerous historical articles, including one on Oregon counties. He was president of the Oregon Historical Society from 1907 to 1911, the president of the Oregon State Bar Association in 1909-10, and president of the Oregon Pioneer Association in 1909-10. He is a member of the Washington Historical Society of Seattle and of the American Historical Association, belongs to the National Rose Society of England and is a member of the American Bar Association and other national and local public organizations. He is a member and ex-president of the Arlington Club and a member of the University Club, Commercial Club, Waverly Golf Club, Portland Rose Society, Portland City Improvement Association and other social organizations.

Mr, Holman is well known because of his connection with rose culture, in which he has been engaged as an amateur for many years. He won the amateur gold medal in the exhibition of roses at the Lewis and Clark Exposition and also at the Alaska Yukon Exposition in Seattle and has won many first prizes at Portland Rose shows. He has aroused local interest in rose growing by his numerous contributions on the subject to local publications and also by the publication of a pamphlet on the same. He was also one of the organizers of the Portland Rose Society, of which he served as president for several years. He gave Portland the name of the Rose City. Mr. Holman resides at No. 500 Taylor street, at the corner of Lownsdale, which has been his home for over forty years. He is a man of wide and varied interests and while known as one of Portland's successful lawyers, his efforts have also been a vital force in the growth and development of the city along many lines. He has left the impress of his individuality upon municipal affairs, upon the political and economic situation and upon the social life of Portland, which honors him as one of its pioneer residents and as one whose efforts have been most effective and resultant factors in the promotion of public progress.

Prosper van Fridagh, well known among the older residents of Portland, where from 1861 until 1887 he was engaged in the dry-goods and millinery business, had a most interesting history and through the period of his residence in this city his good qualities commended him to the confidence and regard of his fellow townsmen. He was born in Holland, July 24, 1824, and was a son of an officer in the Dutch army, who died in Dutch Java during the early boyhood of Prosper van Fridagh. The mother was of German birth and after the death of her husband she returned to the fatherland, accompanied by her young son, who was, therefore, reared in Germany.

Upon reaching military age he joined the army, with which he was connected in 1849 during the revolutionary period in that country. He took a decided stand in support of the revolutionists and because of his liberal education was appointed secretary to some of the officers who commanded the fort at Rastatt, in which a number of revolutionists were confined as prisoners. His position as secretary to the officers made it possible for him to locate some papers upon which were drawn maps and plans showing secret passages from