Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 3.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 456.
 
ELMER RANDAU LUNDBURG

     Elmer R. Lundburg, who has been actively engaged in the practice of law in
Portland for twenty years and is one of the most highly respected members of his
profession in this city, has led an eventful life, varied in its experiences. He
was born in Paxton, Ford county, Illinois, on the 10th of June, 1873, and is a
son of Peter and Nellie (Randau) Lundburg. His father was born in the northern
part of Sweden about 1840 and when about seven years of age was brought to the
United States by his parents, who bore the family name of Pearson. He went to
Minnesota and made his home with a family by the name of Lundburg, whose name he
adopted as his own. When seventeen years of age, he enlisted in Company D, Third
Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served throughout the Civil war and
the Indian war against the Chippewas,—five years altogether. He entered the
service as a private, but was brevetted a lieutenant for his bravery in action.
During an engagement in Arkansas he was captured by the Confederates and while
in a box car en route to a military prison, he managed to escape. He traveled at
night, slept in the brush during the daytime, and eventually rejoined his
regiment. After the war he joined the Chicago police force, being located at the
Hyde Park station, and while in the performance of duty received a pistol shot
in the neck. He was by trade a carpenter, but after locating at Paxton engaged
in farming and merchandising. In 1885 he went to Wayne county, Nebraska, where
he was employed at the carpenter trade until 1908, when he came to Portland, and
here his death occurred in 1909, at the age of sixty-nine years. Nellie (Randau)
Lundburg was born in the southern part of Sweden and in her infancy was brought
to this country by her parents, who settled in Galesburg, Illinois. She was
there reared and educated, became the wife of Mr. Lundburg at Paxton and is
still residing in Portland, at the age of seventy-eight years.
     Elmer R. Lundburg attended the public schools and a normal school in Wayne
county, Nebraska, after which he taught school for three years. He also learned
the printing trade, at which he worked until the outbreak of the Spanish-
American war, when he enlisted in Company F, First Nebraska Regiment, with which
he went to the Philippine islands, where he served one year. He enlisted as a
private, but his great ambition was to be a bugler, as he was musically
inclined, and he was very much elated when he received the promotion. On his
return to this country he was honorably discharged and then entered the law
school of the University of Nebraska, from which he was graduated with the
degree of Bachelor of Law, in 1902. Being short of funds, he again worked as a
printer, being employed on the Wayne Herald, of which he later became editor,
and eventually part owner. In 1908 he sold his interest in that paper and came
to Portland, where he entered upon the practice of law, being alone for awhile,
but later formed a partnership with his brother Edward. Eight years later the
latter returned to Chicago, where his death occurred in 1924. Mr. Lundberg has
always been a close student of his profession, is loyal to the interests of his
clients and uniformly successful in practice, so that he well merits the high
place which he holds in the esteem of those who know him.
     On June 9, 1903, in Atkinson, Nebraska, Mr. Lundburg was united in marriage
to Miss Eva Blanche Bennett, who was born in Malone, New York, and graduated
from the normal school at Wayne, Nebraska, where she met Mr. Lundburg. She is
president of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the United Spanish War Veterans. Mr.
Lundburg belongs to the Masonic order at Winside, Nebraska, and the Knights of
Pythias lodge, in which he has passed through the chairs. He belongs to Scout
Young Camp of the United Spanish War Veterans, of which he is a past commander,
and is also a past commander of the department of Oregon. He has been secretary
of the Retail Meat Dealers Association since 1921. He is very partial to outdoor
life and finds great enjoyment at Devil's lake, being president of the Devil's
Lake Association. He is a great lover of music and is a proficient player of the
alto horn, which he has played in a number of bands as a matter of personal
enjoyment. Kindly and affable in manner, he easily makes friends and is held in
high esteem wherever known.

 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2010 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.