Gaston, Joseph. "Portland, Oregon Its History and Builders." Vol. 2. Chicago and Portland, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 307. FRANK DEKUM The history of Frank Dekum, now deceased, is the story of laudable ambition, unfaltering activity and earnest endeavor to reach a high standing in the business field, and that those qualities were the salient features in his commercial career through many years of his connection with the trade interests of this city is indicated by the more than local fame which he won as a progressive and enterprising merchant He became equally well known in banking circles and through his investment in property, and as a thorough-going business man gained honor and admiration through his commercial integrity and laudable conservatism that made his judgment sound and his activities of a most reliable character. : Mr. Dekum was a native of Bavaria, Germany, his birth having occurred at Deiderfeld, Rheinfalz. He was one of a family of two sons and four daughters, who accompanied their parents to America in 1837 and settled on a farm near Belleville, St. Clair county, Illinois. Subsequently they removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where both the father and mother died. In the latter city Frank Dekum served as apprentice to the confectioner's trade. In 1851 with a comrade, Fred Bickel, he started for San Francisco, by way of the Panama route, and for a year sought wealth in the gold mines. Search was extended all along the Pacific coast, resulting in gold discoveries in various places, and at the time of the Colville excitement of 1852 Mr. Dekum went by the way of Portland to Idaho. Soon afterward, however, he returned to this city with the determination to seek success in commercial lines rather than in mining. He therefore established the first bakery and confectionery shop in the town and when joined by Mr. Bickel organized the firm of Dekum & Bickel, which continued for many years. The old building which they occupied on Front street near Stark is still standing, being one of the land marks of the city. Later they erected a building between Stark and Oak streets, and Mr. Dekum continued in the business until selling out to his partner, when he established a banking enterprise on First and Ash streets. Not long afterward he incorporated the Portland Savings Bank, of which he was president. This was one of the institutions which felt the wide-spread financial panic of 1893, and temporarily closed its doors but later business was resumed and continued along growing and successful lines until after the death of Mr. Dekum, when the bank was honorably liquidated and the business discontinued. He was also one of the organizers of the Commercial National Bank and served as its president until it was sold to the Wells Fargo Company. He was also connected with a number of banks in Oregon and Washington as president and vice president, and acted as president of the old Vancouver Railroad until it was sold to the Portland Railway Company. Not only in the field of finance and commerce did Mr. Dekum contribute to the business growth and upbuilding of Portland, however, for in building operations he materially aided the city, ever having firm faith in its future. Many of the early buildings of Portland owed their inception to his energy and progressive spirit. He was the builder of the first brick structure of any size on Front street, and the Gadsby block on First and Washington streets came into being through his efforts. He afterward erected the old Council building on Third and Washington streets, and later the Commercial block on Second and Washington. It is an interesting' and noteworthy fact that he was connected with the construction of every building in whole or in part between First and Third on Washington street, and thus his labors were of the utmost benefit in the material improvement of the city. As executor of the Waldo estate he bad charge of the erection of the Waldo building on Second and Washington streets, and in 1892 he began the erection of the Dekum building, regarded as one of the finest business blocks of Portland, It is eight stories in height and built of brick and stone with the first three floors of granite. All of the material used in its construction came from Oregon, the stone and granite being quarried in this state, the lumber used from native timber and the brick made of native clay. Mr. Dekum might have reduced the cost of construction, which was three hundred thousand dollars, had he consented to use other than Oregon material, but he was so desirous of developing the state's resources that he held to his original plan of making it purely an Oregon building. Throughout his life the impelling force in his business career was a comnosite of service and success. He sought to benefit the community as well as to advance his individual prosperity and cooperated in every movement which he deemed of benefit to the city. As president of the Portland Exposition Company he superintended the erection of the exposition building on Washington and Eighteenth streets. In a review of his life it is seen that banks, business blocks, railroads and other meritorious projects owe much to his encouragement He became one of the original stockholders of the Hotel Portland and his judgment concerning investment and in the management of business affairs in general was most sound and reliable. He seemed to possess almost intuitive perception concerning the value and utility of any project and was quick to discriminate between the essential and the nonessential. Mr. Dekum was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Reinig, a sister of Michael Reinig, a prominent business man of Helena, Montana, also of Charles Reinig, of the same state, and of Leonard Reinig, formerly prominent in the business circles of Seattle but now owner of a large ranch near Snoqualmie Falls, Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Dekum became parents of eight children: Edward, who is interested in the Commercial Advertising Company in Honolulu ; Mrs. John Gill, a resident of Portland; Otto C., with the General Electric Company of this city; Adolph A., engaged in the hardware business in Portland; George P., with the Charles K. Henry Company; Frank, an actor, making his headquarters in New York; Rosina, the wife of T. T. Strain, of this city; and Clara, who wedded J. R. Myers, a sugar planter of Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaiian islands. While business affairs naturally constituted a large and important element in the life of Mr. Dekum, his interests, nevertheless, were of a wide and varied character, and were ofttimes prompted by a most helpful spirit. He was among those who introduced German song birds into Oregon. As president of the German Song Bird Society he contributed a half of the money necessary to secure a shipment of birds from the fatherland. The first shipment, however, did not arrive in good condition and another was ordered, for which he build a large aviary. The importation included goldfinches, thrushes, starlings, greenfinches and nightingales. He was a erreat lover of the feathered songsters and in fact a lover of all nature, having great appreciation of its beauties. His political allegiance was given to the republican party, and though he was unfaltering in its support, he would never consent to become a candidate for office. For years he was president of the German Aid Society of Portland and his generous spirit prompted his ready response whenever a case of need or destitution came to his attention. He gave generously and freely, thus following the mandate, "Bear ye one another's burdens," and his helpful, hopeful spirit was such as shed around him much of the sunshine of life. He passed away October 19, 1894, after a residence of more than forty years in this city. He was ever constant in honor, fearless in conduct and stainless in reputation, and his record proved the value and force of honorable as well as progressive business methods. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.