44th Inspector General
“During the forty-three years of his residence in Portland, Eldridge Hill Thompson firmly wrought himself into the very fabric of the city’s life and left behind him the imperishable monument of splendid dreams realized. A natural leader of thought and action, he had a genius for organization and an aptitude for successful management which made his work of lasting value. Although his industrial activities made heavy demands upon his attention and energy, Mr. Thompson found time for legislative service and was one of Oregon’s most prominent Masons, filling many high offices in the order, of which he was an exemplary representative. A native of Killingworth, Middlesex County, Connecticut, Mr. Thompson was born January 16, 1846, and was of Scotch lineage. His father, Hiram Thompson, was born November 22, 1816, in Killingworth, and on November 28, 1839, was married there to Marilla Hill, a native of the same town. She was born March 24, 1818, and was also of English parentage.”[1] Hiram was the son of Charles Thompson and his wife Lydia Nettleton of who little was found. Marilla the wife of Hiram was the daughter of Arden and Flora Davis Hill. Arden Hill born in 1796, can be traced back to John Hill born in Northamptonshire, England in 1615. John came to Connecticut prior to September 26, 1649 when he married Katherine Post of Cambridge, Massachusetts, they settled in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut and the family remained there for the next five generations. James Hill born February 28, 1712, married Hannah Nettleton on November 15, 1744 and they settled in her home town of Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut. James and Hannah Hill had a son also named James born on November 30, 1749 and he was the father of Arden Hill born in 1796.[2]
Hiram and Marilla Hill Thompson “had a family of seven children: Flora Eliza, who was born August 3, 1841; Eldridge Hill; Elmore Washington, born July 6, 1849; Ella Maria, born February 27, 1852; Elbert Addison, born October 8, 1854; Fannie Marilla, born April 3, 1857 and Frank Edson, born August 12, 1860. Eldridge H. Thompson, the eldest son, attended the public schools of Killingworth and when a boy of twelve went to Illinois with his parents, who settled in the town of Cherry Valley, in Winnebago County, June 27, 1858. During the Civil war he espoused the cause of the Union and enlisted at Rockford, July 4, 1862, when a youth of sixteen, as a private in Company C, Sixty-seventh Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.”[3] “In May of 1862 rumors that the enemy in great force was advancing on Washington, resulted in an urgent call on the governors of States to forward immediately to Washington all the volunteer and militia forces in their States. In response to this call the Sixty-seventh, Sixty-eighth, Sixty-ninth, Seventieth and Seventy-first Illinois Infantry Regiments were organized and mustered into United States service for three months. These Regiments relieved the veteran forces at Camp Butler and Camp Douglas, which were sent to the front. The Sixty-seventh Regiment was organized at Camp Douglas, Chicago, June 13, 1862, where it remained during its term of service doing guard duty. Company C of the 67th Illinois Infantry was commanded by Captain Hiram R. Enoch who received his commission on June 13, 1862.”[4] Eldridge H. Thompson remained with that company until October 4, 1862, when he was honorably discharged at Chicago. According to the Surgeon Lewis Westfall in a letter dated 1865, during this service Thompson suffered from chronic diarrhea and although he spent much of his time in the hospital, he did complete the terms of his service.
He reenlisted on January 1, 1868, becoming a private in Renwick’s Elgin Battery, afterward known as the Fifth Illinois Independent Light Artillery. The Independent Battery was organized in Elgin, which is half way between Eldridge’s home in Cherry Valley and the city of Chicago, by Captain George W. Renwick. This Battery was posted to the Department of Kentucky in December of 1862. After enlisting in January of 1863 Eldridge, now 17 years old was sent to join the unit in the District of Western Kentucky where the company remained until April 1863. They were then transferred to the 23rd Army Corps until August 1863. During that time Capt. Renwick resigned on May 27, 1863 and the 1st Lt. Andrew M. Wood was promoted and took command on June 30, 1863. As part of the 23rd Corps the Battery took part in operations against Confederate General Morgan in Kentucky between July 2-26, and was part of Burnside’s Campaign in East Tennessee August 16 – October 17. At some-time during this period Eldridge Thompson suffered a reoccurrence of his battle with dysentery. On September 1, 1863, he was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky, as a private in Company A, attached to the Seventeenth Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps. He entered the sick list on January 15, 1864. Soon after his 18th birthday his health again improved. He was transferred June 4, 1864, at Cairo, Illinois, as ordinary seaman to the United States Navy and assigned to the Mississippi Squadron. On July 15, 1864, he was appointed acting master’s mate on the U.S.S. Siren. Again dysentery took hold on February 3, 1865, but he was able to return to duty on February 18. Surgeon Westfall sent a letter from the Steamer Siren to W. Grier Surgeon, “you are hereby requested to receive E. H. Thompson Act. Masters Mate, affected with Chronic Diarrhea in the hospital under your direction, and to provide for him according to the rules and regulations of the Navy. Lewis Westfall Surgeon located Memphis Tennessee. Dr. Westfall later reported that “since coming to this boat his diarrhea has seemed to be checked several times, but a slight error in diet has always caused it to return.” Eldridge Thompson finally resigned from the service on April 4, 1865.
Five days later General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox, having served in the army, artillary and navy of the United States for the suppression of the rebellion for a period of two years six months and six days.[5] Navy records tells us that Eldridge H. Thompson was 5 foot 10 inches, with blue eyes, light brown hair and a light complexion. Eldridge H. Thompson applied for a pension for his service in the Civil War on July 14, 1908. A couple of years later fellow Scottish Rite Brother and U.S. Senator the Hon. George E. Chamberlain sent a letter to inquire about the state of the pension of E.H. Thompson of Bridal Veil pension #40300. The pension was accepted on April 23, 1913.
“Having proved his valor, patriotism and devotion to country in unmistakable terms, Mr. Thompson returned to his home in Illinois and remained in that state until 1882, when he came to Oregon, settling in Portland. Soon afterward he established the Portland Iron Works in association with Orlando Clark. He prospered in business and in 1888 turned his attention to the lumber industry, in which he achieved the full measure of success. Mr. Thompson organized the Brower-Thompson Lumber Company at Brower, Oregon, becoming manager of the business, in which he held a majority of the stock. For years he controlled the industry, maintaining a high standard of production, and kept the firm not only in line but also in the lead of its competitors. The plant was modern to the ultimate degree and furnished employment to a large force of men.”[6]
In 1887 the Latourell Falls Wagon Road and Lumber Company acquired the sole right to build a tram road, railroad, and logging road and flume or aqueduct over section 15. In return the owner had the right to travel over the road and also to work on the construction, receiving for his work, one share of stock for each day’s work. The Latourell Falls Wagon Road and Lumber Company built a wooden plank wagon toll road that started on the western slope of Larch Mountain and extended to the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company railroad line, which was located near the shores of the Columbia River. The construction of the railroad was viewed as an excellent opportunity to ship the mill products to the ports in Portland. The Latourell Falls Wagon road completed its construction to Latourell Falls in 1888. A wooden flume was constructed the same year to get the timber down the mountain to Latourell Falls. Logs or rough cut lumber could be sent down the flume to a small mill operated by Brower and Thompson. Brower and Thompson operated a small mill on Larch Mountain about three miles southwest of the Larch Mountain summit at an elevation of 1800 feet. From the Brower and Thompson mill, lumber was sent by wooden flume down Young Creek to Shepherds Dell before it reached the rail yard at Latourell Falls. The Latourell Falls logging camp consisted of a barn, a cookhouse, an office and warehouse, and 2 bunkhouses, and was located on Pepper Mountain. (Woodward 1975) The construction of the Latourell Falls Wagon Road and the development of the flume were responsible for the development of large scale logging in the dense forests on Larch Mountain
However trouble soon arose for Mr. Thompson. On June 21, 1894 Brower and Thompson Lumber Co. conveyed all of its property, real and personal by deed and bill of sale absolute in form to one E. H. Thompson in trust. The Declaration of Trust was never placed on record but Thompson immediately took possession of all property of the lumber co. and continued to manage, control and dispose of the same according to the Trust until removed by the Court in a law suit. On Aug 14, 1894 the Latourelle Falls Wagon Road and Lumber Co. commenced action to recover $4,865.63 from the Lumber Co. started a suit claiming that the transfer to Thompson was for the purpose of delaying and defrauding creditors. On April 22, 1895 the Wagon Road Co. recovered by judgment $2,000. Other suits were started on Aug. 23, 1895 by additional creditors. In January of 1896 the court ordered Thompson removed and the assets were transferred to Mr. Malcolm and sold off by Sept 19, 1899. The case went to the Oregon Supreme Court on October 28, 1901. Here a ruling came down stating that the Wagon Road Co. could not claim entitlement to the benefits of the property acquired and disposed of under the Trust and at the same time deny the validity of the deed from the lumber Co. to Thompson. The Court charged Thompson with repudiating his trust and violating his duties as trustee and had him removed, but the assignment to Thompson was valid and the transaction was not illegal. There was no evidence that Thompson’s intention was to defraud.[7]
By the 1900 census Eldridge Thompson and his wife was living in Portland in the home of their daughter Bertha, the wife of John Edward Werlein a member of Portland Lodge #55. Eldridge was listed as a travelling salesman, but every indication is that this was with the Lumber industry. In 1910 the census shows that the Thompson’s were still living in the household of their daughter Mrs. Bertha Werlein, but now Eldridge is shown to be an Employer at a Lumber Dealer. Later Mr. Thompson was connected with the Bridal Veil Lumber Company at Bridal Veil, Oregon. The company was begun in 1886 and lasted until 1960, at which time it was one of the oldest Lumber Mills in Oregon. In 1896 Mr. Thompson was removed from the control of Brower and Thompson Lumber Co. It is not clear when he started working for Bridal Veil Lumber Company. But he operated in the same region as Bridal Veil and probably had many connections. In 1906 the Bridal Veil Lumbering Co. made a huge timber deal acquiring 7,000 acres of the finest firs and larch. As the Lumbering Co. grew it also had investments and offices in Portland. Here Eldridge H. Thompson began working for the Bridal Veil Co. and in June 1910 he is found as the Superintendent of the Mill. In 1911 the Company opened a business in Portland as part of their expansion process. The managers of the Company were busily traveling around the country looking for people interested in purchasing Bridal Veil products. In June of the same year the logging railroad was extended into the woods. A new Mershon resaw was installed within the planing mill, “the planing mill was cutting an average of 100,000 board feet during a l0 hour shift with 12 men working on the floor of the mill. In April the box factory increased its output to 15,000 apples boxes per day on the advice of Nelson Emery, manager of the Company’s Hood River outlet, who expected the fruit growers to produce over 1,000,000 boxes of apple in 1912”..(Carr: 1991) By 1920 the box mill was producing 40,000 board feet of box shook each day. Most of the shooks (short, thin pieces of lumber) were used to manufacture meat crates and fruit boxes. [8]
Bridal Veil Lumber Mill 1910
The 1920 census shows that Eldridge Thompson, now a widower, was a boarder in the home of 27 year old Carl Oldham, who was also a widower. There were six people living in the residence, all workers at the mill. Carl Oldham was the Book Keeper, Eldridge Thompson Superintendent at the mill. Ernest Thompson age 26, a Stenographer at the mill, Jay W. Hepner the saw mill Foreman, age 24, Lawrence E. Dunaway the 25 year old Efficiency man at the mill and Fred A. Jones age 27 the mill Time Keeper.
“Mr. Thompson was married May 14, 1866, in Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana, to Miss Marguerite Jenkins, by whom he had two children: Lenora, who was born April 6, 1868, and is the widow of H. E. Nesne, of Fargo, North Dakota; Bertha, who was born September 3, 1872, and is Mrs. Edward Werlein, of Portland. The family left Rockford, Illinois, in 1882 and arrived in Portland on July 13 of that year. Mr Thompson’s first wife passed away November 20, 1910, in the Rose city and his second union was with Miss Lorena Posson, to whom he was married July 28, 1924, in Portland. Mr. Thompson was called to public office June 4, 1894, when he was elected to the Oregon legislature as a representative from Multnomah county, and served during the eighteenth biennial session thereof. He closely studied all questions brought before the house and his support of a measure was an indication of his firm belief in its value as a factor in good government. On May 12, 1888, he was mustered into the Grand Army of the Republic as a charter member of Farragut Post, No. 44, Department of Oregon, at Latoureil Falls and served successively as quartermaster, junior vice commander, senior vice commander and commander. After the disbandment of the post he joined George Wright Post, No. 1, G.A.R., at Portland and was honorably discharged from the Grand Army of the Republic, April 19, 1891, but rejoined that post August 28, 1918. Mr. Thompson’s Masonic activities constitute one of the most important chapters in the record of his life. He was initiated as an entered apprentice in Cherry Valley Lodge, No. 173, F. & A. M., at Cherry Valley, May 9, 1873; passed to the degree of Fellowcraft, July 11, 1873, and raised to the sublime degree, of Master Mason, August 8 of the same year. On September 26, 1873, he was dimitted from Cherry Valley Lodge and became affiliated with Star in the East Lodge, No. 166, F. & A. M., at Rockford, Illinois, January 16, 1874. He was dimitted from Star in the East Lodge, November 2, 1877, and on January 20, 1881, became affiliated with Rockford Lodge, No. 102, F. & A. M., with which he was connected until February 15, 1883. On December 6, 1886, he became a member of Willamette Lodge, No. 2, A.F.&A.M., of Portland. He was advanced in Free Masonry, March 12, 1895, by being elected in and admitted to Oregon Lodge of Perfection, No. 1, A.A.S.R, at Portland, at which date the following degrees were conferred: secret master (4th); perfect master (5th); intimate master (6th); provost and judge (7th); intendant of the building (8th); elected knights of the nine (9th); illustrious elect of the fifteen (10th); sublime knights elect of the twelve (11th); grand master architect (12th); and knights of the ninth arch (13th). Mr. Thompson was shown further preferment April 2, 1895, when he received the degree of grand elect perfect and sublime Mason, the fourteenth degree of the Scottish Rite, “Virtus junxit mors, non separabit.” His next advancement in the Scottish Rite was on July 16, 1895, when the degrees of knight of the east (15th), prince of Jerusalem (16th) and knight of the East and West (17th) were communicated, and the degree of prince of Rose Croix (18th) was conferred in Ainsworth Chapter of Rose Croix, No. 1, at Portland. On January 28, 1896, he received the degrees of grand pontiff of Sublime Croasis (19th); venerable grand master of all Symbolic Lodges (20th); noachite or Prussian knight (21st); knight royal axe or prince of Libanus (22d); chief of the tabernacle (23d); prince of the tabernacle (24th); knight of the brazen serpent (25th); prince of mercy or Scottish trinitarian (26th); knight commander of the temple (27th); knight of the sun or prince adept (28th); grand Scottish knight of St. Andrew or patriarch of the Crusades (29th) were received by communication and the degree of knight of Kadosh (30th) was conferred in Multnomah Council of Kadosh, No. 1, at Portland. On November 30, 1897, the degree of inspector inquisitor (31st) was communicated and that of master of the royal secret (32d)[9] was conferred in Oregon Consistory, No. 1, at Portland.
Mr. Thompson was initiated into the mysteries of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and received the seal of Mahomet in Al Kader Temple Oasis of Portland, January 20, 1900. On March 2, 1908, he was shown further Masonic preferment by being elected knight commander of the Court of Honor by the Supreme Council of the thirty-third degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the southern jurisdiction of the United States. Mr. Thompson attained the ripe age of seventy-nine years, passing away in Portland, December 14, 1925, and his death was mourned throughout the state. The elements were happily blended in the rounding out of his nature, for he was one who in signal degree united the refinements of life with the sterner qualities of manhood. Gifted with keen powers of discernment and a broad grasp of affairs he had a career of unusual activity, of varied experience and marked usefulness, and in contemplating his many admirable traits in the bright light which things of good repute ever invite his name and character stand revealed and secure.”[10] Brother Hill received the degree of 32° Knight Commander of the Court of Honor on October 24, 1907. He was elected Inspector General Honorary 33° on October 20, 1915 and was Coroneted 33° in Portland December 4, 1915. He died December 14, 1925 in Portland, Oregon and was buried at Greenwood Hills Cemetery in Portland Oregon.
- [1] History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 847-849
- [2] Genealogy derived from Ancestry.com
- [3] History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 847-849
- [4] History of the 67th Illinois Infantry 1862
- [5] Civil War Records of Eldridge Hill Thompson, Fold3.com Pension index, Navy records and unit service records.
- [6] History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 847-849
- [7] Oregon Supreme Court Case Oct. 28, 1901
- [8] History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 847-849
- [9] Degrees received 4th-13th March 12, 1895 – Lodge of Perfection; 14th April 2, 1895 – Lodge of Perfection; 15th-18th July 16, 1895 – Rose Croix; 9th-30th January 28, 1896 – Council of Kadosh; 31st-32nd November 30, 1897 – Consistory.
- [10] Oregon Supreme Court Case Oct. 28, 1901
About the author:
Michael D. Robinson 32° KCCH, was the second Master Mason Raised in Esoterika Lodge #227, and the first member Raised in that Lodge to serve as Worshipful Master. He was elected Master in 2013 and 2014, and currently serves as Historian. He is also Historian for Research Lodge #198 and Eugene Lodge #11 and District Deputy of District #13. Brother Robinson was appointed Historian of the Scottish Rite Orient of Oregon in December of 2014. He was the recipient of the “Novus Astorum” from the Portland Valley Scottish Rite in 2010, and the Hiram Award from Esoterika Lodge in 2012. In March of 2015 he was made Secretary of the Eugene Valley, and Director of the Work for that Valley in January of 2017.
