"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a
compilation of this work....by a number of writers".  Chapman Publishing Co;
Chicago, 1903. p. 690.
 
HON. CHARLES W. NOTTINGHAM

     To the example of an energetic ancestry, to inherited traits and abilities
of a high order, Hon. Charles W. Nottingham owes much of the business and
political success which has characterized his career. His present position as
head of one of the largest lime, cement, building material, flour and feed
enterprises in Portland, as manipulator of all of the brick handled in the city,
as the owner of large real-estate holdings, and as the chief factor in various
interests not directly connected with his principal business, he represents a
practically inexhaustible fund of western enterprise, of thrift and well
directed energy.
     In 1760 Clark Nottingham emigrated from England to Delaware, from which
state he removed after the Revolutionary war to Cape May county, N. J. His son.
Colonel Jonathan, the grandfather of Charles W., won his rank in a New Jersey
regiment during the war of 1812, and he lived and died in his native state of
New Jersey. The second Jonathan, the father of Charles W., was born in Cape May
county, N. J., in 1808, and in that state married Hannah Smith, also a native of
Cape May county. Jonathan Nottingham became one of the very early settlers of
Sangamon county, Ill., whither he removed in October, 1837, settling on the
south side of Richland creek.  About 1840 he removed to Pleasant Plains, also
in Sangamon county, where he improved a large prairie farm, upon which his death
occurred at the age of eighty-two years. Mrs. Jonathan Nottingham, the mother of
our subject, was a daughter of Abigal and Rhoda Smith, her marriage to Mr.
Nottingham being celebrated in New Jersey. Both were firm supporters of the
tenets of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Nottingham passed away at her
home in Illinois in 1850.
     Of the eleven children in the family of Jonathan Nottingham, Reuben L., the
oldest, enlisted for the Civil war in 1863, in Company E, One Hundred and First
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and died in Cairo, Ill.  John died on a farm near
the old homestead ; Abijah is engaged in the cattle business in Indian Territory
; Francis died at Williams. Cal.; Rachel, Mrs. Corson, resides in Menard county,
III.; Almarine is living near Lawrence, Kans., on a farm;  Clark is a resident
of Los Angeles, Cal.; Jane is the deceased wife of Mr. Huff, of Colorado; James
S. is an attorney in Sangamon county, Ill.; and Elizabeth is now Mrs. Higgins,
of Las Vegas, N. M.
     A native of Pleasant Plains, Cartwright township, Sangamon county, Ill.,
Charles W. Nottingham was born June 29, 1848, and was reared on  the paternal
farm. At the age of twenty-four he bought a farm adjoining that of his
father and engaged in general farming and stock-raising and to this day the farm
of one hundred and sixty acres, surrounded by a hedge and fitted with
the improvements in vogue at the time, remains one of the pleasant landmarks in
the memory of the successful Portland business man. In the fall of 1881 Mr.
Nottingham disposed of his Illinois interests and came to Portland, and during
his first spring in the west represented an agricultural implement house in
eastern Oregon. Some time afterward he bought an interest in a lime plant in
Puyallup Valley, Wash., and while running this until 1884, engaged also in the
wholesale lime business in Portland, the present business having been
practically established there in 1882. At a later period he bought in with S. W.
Sigler, and operated as Sigler & Company, and after purchasing the interest of
Mr. Sigler changed the firm name to Nottingham & Company. The enterprise is
maintained on a scale requiring ample accommodations at the corner of Front and
Alder streets, and in addition to managing their lime cement, building material,
flour and feed interests, represent several large concerns on the coast engaged
in similar lines of work. The firm are agents for Henry Cowell & Company, lime
manufacturers of San Francisco; the Rocky Mountain Plaster Company of Wyoming;
the Big Bend Milling Company of Davenport, Wash., and the Climax Milling Company
of Hillsboro, Ore.; the Bozeman Milling Company of Bozeman, Mont ; also
Pillsbury & Washburn, of Minneapolis. In addition, Mr. Nottingham is sole agent
for all the  brick manufactured in the city of Portland, of which there are
seven large yards. He is the owner of valuable real estate in the town,
aside from his business property.
     Not only is Mr. Nottingham a remarkably successful business man, but he has
served the community with more than ordinary credit as a Legislator. In 1900 he
led the ticket of representation in the election following his nomination to the
state legislature on the Citizens ticket from Multnomah county, and during the
session of 1901 served on the committee of assessments and taxation, and took an
active part in the election of Senator Mitchell to the United States senate.
Among the bills which he introduced and secured the passage of was the
consolidating act, uniting the offices of clerk of the circuit court, clerk of
the county court and recorder of conveyances into the office of county clerk of
Multnomah county, which accomplishment will result in a saving to the county of
from $12,000 to $14,000 per annum. He also secured the passage of the flag bill,
prohibiting the use of the American flag for advertising purposes or for display
or exhibition. In June, 1902, Mr. Nottingham was elected as joint representative
from Multnomah and Clackamas counties, receiving a larger vote than was cast for
any member of either house. During the session of 1902-3 he served on the Ways
and Means committee; also introduced several important bills and was successful
in securing important legislation for both county and state. He also took an
important part in the election of United States Senator Charles W. Fulton; the
daily press stating at the time that Mr. Nottingham had the honor and
responsibility of naming the United States senator.
  In Springfield, Ill., Mr. Nottingham was united in marriage with Georgia
Pallett, of which union there have been born five children, viz.: Eleanor;
Ethel; Jessie; and Irving and Harry, who are twins. Mr. Nottingham was created a
Mason in Pleasant Plains, Ill., is also associated with the United Artisans, and
is a member of the Board of Trade and of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.