"Portland The Rose City, Pictorial and Biographical." Vol. 2. S. J. Clarke
Publishing Co., 1911.  p. 55.

EARL C. BRONAUGH, JR.

     For more than two decades Earl C. Bronaugh has been a representative of the
Portland bar and to an understanding of uncommon acuteness and vigor he added a
thorough and conscientious preparatory training, while in his practice he has
exemplified all the higher elements of the truly great lawyer.  While in recent
years he has largely concentrated his efforst upon corporation law, he is
constantly inspried by an innate, inflexible love of justice and a delicate
sense of personal honor which controls him in all his personal relations.  He
enjoys in large measure the confidence and respect of his fellow practitioners
and that he has the trust of the general public is indicated in the extensive
clientage accorded him.
     Mr. Bronaugh has always resided west of the Mississippi and during the
greater part of his life upon the Pacific coast.  He was born in Cross county,
Arkansas, February 26, 1866, and was only two years old when brought to Oregon
by his father, Earl C. Bronaugh, Sr., of whom extended mention is made elsewhere
in this volume.  Reared amid a home atmosphere of intellectuality and morality,
Earl C. Bronaugh came to young manhood well equipped to become the worthy
successor of an honored father.  After mastering the elementary branches of
learning in the public schools of Portland he attained the University of the
Pacific at San Jose, California, and on his graduation therefrom received the
Bachelor of Arts degree.  Three years later his alma mater conferred upon him
the Master of Arts degree.  His preliminary law studies had been pursued in the
office of Whalley, Bronaugh & Northup and his preparation for the profession was
completed as a law student in the University of Oregon, where he won his
Bachelor of Law degree in 1890.  In June of that year, he was admitted to the
bar and entered upon practice as the fourth member of the firm of Bronaugh,
McArthur, Fenton & Bronaugh.  Following the death of Judge McArthur in 1897 and
the retirement of his father the firm style became Fenton, Bronaugh & Muir, and
upon the dissolution of that partnership in February, 1900, Earl C. Bronaugh was
joined by his cousin, Jerry Bronaugh, in organizing the law firm of Bronaugh &
Bronaugh, which existed until Earl C. Bronaugh was appointed to the circuit
bench in December, 1907, by Governor Chamberlain, to succeed Judge Arthur L.
Frazer, deceased.  He was elected to the office in June, 1908, and during the
last year of his service on the circuit bench he also occupied the position as
judge of the juvenile court.  As circuit court judge he rendered decisions that
were strictly fair and impartial, his opinions being sustained in the great
majority of cases which were appealed.  Moreover, comparatively few appeals were
taken and he was recognized as one of the ablest members who have presided over
the circuit court.  As judge of the juvenile court he also did excellent work,
instituting a service that stands for a higher civilization in its recognition
of the good in each individual and the possibilities for redemption of the young
offenders.  He had many important cased come before him during his service as
judge, and altogether his was a strenuous work that included the trial of five
homicide cases in the first year, in which he was obliged to pronounce the death
sentence four times.  In June, 1910, he resigned to reenter upon the active
practice of law.
     On his retirement from the bench the Multnomah County Bar Association held
a banquet in his honor, on which occasion he was presented with a loving cup,
and in the presentation speech Charles J. Schnabel, president of the
Association, said:  "It is a remarkable fact and perhaps rightfully appreciated
that the highest honor that can be paid to Judge Bronaugh is to recall that in
the history of Oregon's judiciary, notwithstanding the multitude of judges that
have come and gone in that interval, this is the second occasion when by
unanimous and spontaneous consent a testimonial of this character has been paid
to a retiring judge.  Certainly the highest enconium of a judge's success in the
administration of hsi exalted and powerful office is not the plaudits of the
multitude but the respect and standing accorded him by the lawyers.  Men at
times who are elevated from the ranks to a position of power and influence
degenerate into tyrants but in Judge Bronaugh't case no man living and having
experienc with him would think of such an aspersion to his judicial career.  He
not only loved a square deal but was himself a square dealer."
     Since leaving the bench Judge Bronaugh has given his attention especially
to the law of real property and is regarded as authority upon this subject in
Portland.  Few men are better informed not only concerning the law of property
but also concerning realty values and the possibilities for real-estate
development here.  He is now vice president and general counsel of the Title &
Trust Company of Portland and for many yeras has been local counsel for the
states of Oregon  and Washington for the Alliance Trust Company, Ltd., of
Dundee, Scotland, Investors Mortgage & Security Company, Ltd., and for the
Western & Hawaiian Investment Company, both of Edinburgh, Scotland.  He was a
director of the Portland Trust Company of Oregon until he became circuit judge.
     On the 14th of June, 1888, Mr. Bronaugh was married in San Jose,
California, to Miss Grace L. Huggins, a daughter of Asa G. Huggins, of that
place.  Mr. and Mrs. Bronaugh were classmates in college.  Their marriage has
been blessed with four children:  Elizabeth, twenty-one years of age; Lewis J.,
nineteen years of age; Earl C., sixteen; and Polly, eleven years of age.  The
family residence is at No. 965 Front street during the winter months, and they
spend the summer seasons at Homewood, their summer residence near Oak Grove, on
the Willamette river.
     Mr. Bronaugh is connected with a number of the leading associations of
Portland.  He is a member of the State Bar Association and of the Multnomah
County Bar Association.  He was elected a member of the city council from the
seventh ward in 1900 and during his two years' service was chairman of the
committee on streets, health and police and a member of the judiciary committee.
In 1901 he received legislative appointment as a member of the charter board and
served as chairman of the committee on executive department and a member of the
committee on the legislative department.  His knowledge of the law, combined
with practical ideas and progressive and patriotic public spirit, have well
qualified him for the important work that he has done in Portland's behalf.  He
is a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he is a ruling elder, and in
various departments of the church work is helpfully interested, acting on its
board of trustees and serving for a long period as Sunday-school superintendent.
He is also a member of the board of directors of the Young Mens' Christian
Association, and no good work in the name of charity or relition seeks his aid
in vain, if he can find opportunity to render assistance thereto.
     His social nature finds expression in his membership in the Arlington and
Commercial Clubs and he belongs to the Phi Kappa Psi and Phi Delta Phi.  While a
university sutdent he became one of the organizers of Chase Chapter of Legal
Fraternity, Phi Delto Phi, of the University of Oregon.  He belongs to the
Mazamas, the mountaineering society of the northwest of which he has been an
enthusiastic member for fourteen years.  Fraternally he is connected with the
Masons, having attined the Royal Arch degree and also belongs to the Royal
Arcanum.  His interests touch the various activities which constitute important
forces in life and as is seen he is associated with those social, fraternal and
church interests which contitute an even balance to professional and business
life.  His is a well rounded nature and in the development of strong and
honorable manhood he has commanded the respect, confidence and honor of his
fellowmen.
     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2006 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.