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Cyrus Abda Dolph, who for many years was a distinguished member of the Portland bar and whose name to the time
of his death was always found on the list of those whose records reflected credit and honor upon the legal history
of the state, was born near Havana, Schuyler county, New York, September 27, 1840, his parents being Chester V.
and Elizabeth Vanderbilt (Steele) Dolph. The family name was originally De Wolf but as the years passed underwent
various changes until it finally assumed the present form during the French and Indian war. The first paternal
American ancestor of Cyrus A. Dolph was Balthazer De Wolf, who came to the new world about the middle of the seventeenth
century and settled in Connecticut, residing first in Wethersfield and later at Lyme. To him and his wife, Alice,
was born a son, Edward, and through him and his wife, Rebecca, the line of descent comes down through Charles and
Prudence, Joseph and Tabitha (Johnson), Abda and Mary (Coleman), Joseph and Elizabeth (Norton); their son, Chester
V. and Elizabeth Vanderbilt (Steele). In many ways the family has been closely associated with America's history.
Abda Dolph served in the Revolutionary war with Colonel Whiting's New York troops. Another famous ancestor of Cyrus
A. Dolph was Governor Mayhew of colonial fame, who succeeded in settling the difficulties with the Indians during
King Philip's war. He was lord of Tisbury Manor and became governor of, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, in 1674.
Cyrus A. Dolph was also a great grandson of Jacob Vanderbilt, brother of the first, Cornelius Vanderbilt.
He obtained his education at Havana, New York, where he remained until 1862, and in that year made his way to the
Pacific coast in connection with his brother, United States Senator Joseph N. Dolph. They settled in Portland,
then a small town of less than five hundred population. Mr. Dolph here took up the study of law and in 1866 was
admitted to the bar. His success in the practice of his profession was marked from the beginning. He was early
accorded a large clientage that constantly increased in volume and importance as the years passed. In 1869, without
solicitation on his part, he was nominated on the republican ticket for the office of city attorney. While he accepted
the office at that time he declined subsequent nominations for the state general assembly and for the state senate
and he even refused the high office of circuit judge of the ninth judicial circuit, which was tendered him by President
Benjamin Harrison in 1891. His inflexible honesty brought him a most valuable clientage from among those who appreciated
the value of able and conscientious counsel. While he was recognized as a strong and effective advocate in the
work of the courts he was best known as a counselor and was especially valued by men of large affairs whose extensive
and diversified interests called for the most expert legal guidance. Chief among these men was Henry Villard, who
appointed Mr. Dolph his personal attorney In Oregon and the northwest and made him general attorney for all the
corporations which Mr. Villard controlled. Mr. Dolph served on the directorates of the various important railway
and subsidiary companies with which Mr. Villard was connected and was intrusted with the duty of seeing that the
great financier's policies were carried out. The many important and intrieate questions that arose during the early
history of railroad construction and subsequent operation in Oregon and Washington were handled by him with rare
judgment and to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. He was a director and the general attorney of the Oregon
Railroad & Navigation Company and the Oregon & California Railroad Company; was also consulting attorney
in Oregon for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company; was a director and for twelve years president of the Northern
Pacific Terminal Company of Oregon and thus became an active factor in connection with the development and improvement
of the railway systems of the northwest.
The law firm of which Mr. Dolph was a member was organized by him in 1873, his associates being his brother, Joseph
N. Dolph, Judge E. C. Bronaugh and Joseph Simon. Upon the election of his brother to the United States senate and
the retirement of Judge Bronaugh in 1883, Cyrus A. Dolph became senior partner of the new firm, in which he was
connected with Judge C. B. Bellinger, Rufus Mallory and Joseph Simon. Subsequently Judge Bellinger was elected
to the federal bench and was succeeded in the firm by John M. Gearin. This firm sent four members to the United
States senate - Joseph N. Dolph, John H. Mitchell, John M. Gearin and Joseph Simon - one to congress and one to
the federal bench. In personnel, in prestige and achievement it was perhaps the most distinguished law firm on
the Pacific coast. Mr. Dolph was generally recognized as an exceptionally sound business man. His own business
achievements were by no means slight. He was instrumental in the organization of the Security Savings & Trust
Company, of which he served as a director, and of various other banking institutions. He was likewise attorney
for a number of banks, though he sedulously avoided public office. Nevertheless be was prominently active in every
movement for the welfare of the city and state and it was said of him by one who knew him well that there was no
great public enterprise inaugurated in Oregon during the forty years preceding his death with which he was not
in one way or another connected. He was president of the board of trustees of the Portland Library Association;
was regent of the University of Oregon; was a member of the Portland water committee, under whose jurisdiction
were constructed the great waterworks for the city of Portland, and vice president of the board of trustees of
Reed College. Incidentally it may be mentioned that he was the personal attorney of Mrs. Reed, drafted the will
which gave the bulk of her estate to Reed College and worked out with her the plans for that institution.
Mr. Dolph was also interested in a large number of philanthropic enterprises and was president of the board of
trustees of the Old Peoples Home, to which he devoted a great deal of time and to which he rendered much substantial
service. He was also president of the board of trustees of the First Baptist church and was active and prominent
in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in the Masonic fraternity. There is a striking unanimity in the estimate
of Mr. Dolph's personality, character and attainments as expressed by the men who were in a position to know him
well. Judge Bellinger once said of him: "He has in an unusual degree those qualities which distinguish the
safe lawyer from the showy one. Steadfast in his friendship, conservative in his judgement when the conduct of
others exposes them to censure, considerate of the feelings of his fellows, scrupulously careful of the rights
of those with whom he is brought into business relations and conscientious in all that he does, he is deservedly
held in high esteem by all who know him." An identical view is presented in the memorial resolution of the
Bench and Bar of Oregon: "No lawyer at the bar has received or merited in greater degree the confidence of
the people and his associates. In his domestic life Mr. Dolph exemplified the same gentle qualities that endeared
him to all who knew him. His death has left vacant a large place at this bar. Cyrus A. Dolph was a good man, a
sound lawyer, a wise counselor and a faithful friend. As a man his ideals were grounded upon the basic teachings
of religion and his life conformed to those ideals without being spectacular, ascetic, severe or dogmatic. As a
lawyer he was quiet, serious, careful, exact and safe well trained in the great fundamental principles which, guided
by practical knowledge, made him an able adviser and wise counselor. He was steady and abiding in his friendships
and no one who ever enjoyed that relation with him could, if worthy, fail of his support at all times or under
any circumstances. His friendships were firm, genuine and lasting."
Mr. Dolph was married in Portland, Oregon, June 24, 1875, to Elise, daughter of Charles Cardinell, of Portland,
and they became the parents of four children: Joseph Norton, Hazel Mills, William Vanderbilt and John Mather. The
death of Mr. Dolph occurred in Portland, June 22, 1914, when he was in the seventy fourth year of his age. Thus
passed one whose worth was uniformly acknowledged by all who knew him, one who had used his talents wisely and
well, who had met every duty and every obligation of life with the consciousness that comes from a right conception
of things and an habitual regard for what is best in the exercise of human activity.
From:
History of Oregon Illistrated
Vol. 2
BY: Charles H. Carney
The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company
Chicago - Portland 1922
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