Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 3.djvu/620

 614 THE CITY OF PORTLAND

The first sawmill was built by Abrams in the south end of the city and later a sawmill was erected near the present site of the gas works, but after a few years it was burned. Then the firm of Estes & Stimson built a sawmill, which they later sold to Ben Holladay for the sum of sixty thousand dollars. Mr. Holladay had the mill removed a mile down the river, where a double mill was erected as well as a sash, door and blind factory. As millwright Mr. MacMillan had charge of this work for eleven years and was thus closely associated with the lumber industry of the city at an early day. At that time a few enterprising merchants were meeting the wants of customers of this district, Northrop & Simon conducting a store on Front street, while W. S. Ladd had a store near the Stark street ferry on the west side of the street, Mr. MacMillan seeing him clear his land where he built his house. Mr. MacMillan was also well ac- quainted with Hugh O'Brien, Portland's first mayor, who crossed the plains in 1845, and he also knew Anthony L. Davis, the first justice of the peace. As the city developed a newspaper made its appearance in Portland, published by John Orvis Watterman, and soon afterward T. J. Dryer began the publication of the Oregonian. The litigated interests of the city were intrusted to Judge Hamilton, the firm of Olney & McEwan and other early lawyers, while Drs. Davenport and Chapman attended to the physical ills. "Uncle Jimmy" Stevens donated land for school purposes and the Rev. Lyman built the first Congrega- tional church, while Rev. Wilbur had the Methodist church erected. Among the notable weddings in the early days was that of the daughter of T. J. Dryer, who became the wife of a nephew of Peter Skeen Ogden, who at that time was the chief factor at Vancouver and was better known as the "kind-hearted man" who purchased the women and children held prisoners by the Cayuses.

Mr. MacMillan in early pioneer times carried dispatches from The Dalles Mission to Governor Abernethy at Oregon City. Night came on about the time he reached Portland. A dance was being held of which Mr. MacMillan became a spectator. It was conducted by Charlie McKay, who was then called "Old Scissors" for scissors was his greatest swear word. This dance was held on the last night of 1847. The following day Mr. MacMillan walked to Oregon City, where he delivered his despatches. When East Portland organized a city government, by act of the legislature Mr. MacMillan at the first election was chosen councilman and served for four years. Dr. Hawthorne being the presi- dent of the village. It seems a long distant period from the primitive past to the progressive present, from the Portland of 1845 to the city of the present day. Mr. MacMillan has ever rejoiced in the development that has been carried forward and it is his honest belief that Portland will yet become the largest city on the Pacific coast.

CINCINNATI BILLS.

The life of Cincinnati Bills was largely spent upon the frontier as from time to time through the period of his youth and early manhood he removed west- ward. He was one of New England's native sons, his birth having occurred in Vermont in 1825, his parents being Captain Lemuel and Liddie Bills. His father was an Indian fighter and also one of the first settlers of Oregon. The son acquired his education in the common schools of his native state and when still quite young learned the shoemaker's trade. He also mastered the trade of pump-making. He was a young lad when he removed with his parents to Ohio and subsequently accompanied them to Indiana, the family home being estab- Hshed at Covington, where he assisted his father in the pump-making business. His youth was largely a period of earnest and unremitting toil, during which time he came to a full realization of the value of industry and energy as effective forces in life's work. The great, great, great grandson of Bills, The Honorable Gregory V. Smith, serves as the longest serving member in the Oregon House of Representatives(2001 - 2023).