Hawthorne, Julian.  "The Story of Oregon."  Vol. 1. New York: American
Historical Publishing Co., 1892.  p. 267.
 
PHILIP A. MARQUAM

     Among Portland's best-known and most respected citizens, Judge P. A.
Marquam, the subject of this notice, occupies a distinguished position. His
popularity is based upon his kindly, genial temperament, his fine business
qualities, his public spirit, and his lifelong record as an upright, honorable,
and conscientious man. Possessing refined literary tastes and a love of natural
beauty, he is a delightful conversationalist, whom cultured people are always
happy to meet. He has had a complete training in the school of experience, and
very few members of the community are better fitted to instruct and delight the
social circle by illustrations drawn from actual life. The judge's father,
Philip W. Marquam, came from England at the age of twenty, and settled in
Maryland. He was by occupation a cabinet-maker. Miss Charlotte Mercer Poole,
daughter of a wealthy planter became his wife, and Providence blessed them with
ten children, of whom the future judge was the eighth.  The latter was born near
Baltimore, February 28th, 1823.  Reverses of more than one description compelled
the family to seek a new home, and they naturally decided on settling in the
West. Locating first in Ohio, they soon afterward moved to Tippecanoe County,
Ind., where Mr. Marquam entered an eighty-acre tract of Government land. It was
virgin forest, and numerous obstacles presented themselves on all sides ; but,
with stout hearts and vigorous muscles, the father, mother, and ten children
went to work with a firm determination of conquering all difficulties. By
liberal use of axe, spade, and shovel, they soon were enabled to bring one half
of their farm into a state of cultivation. It was a wonderful achievement,
considering the imperfect facilities for performing such work that existed in
those, early days. There were six daughters in the family, and they all received
the benefits of all excellent education. When of suitable age, they married and
settled near their old home and in adjoining States. Of the four boys, William
went to Missouri and engaged in agriculture ; Alfred worked westward, and
eventually made a home in Clackamas County, Ore., at the place now known as
Marquams, where he died in 1887 ; Henry P. became a physician, and Philip, the
youngest of the boys, was kept at home to run the farm and superintend things
generally. Though he performed his numerous home duties faithfully and well, all
his time was not spent at farming. He was naturally thoughtful, and, moreover,
he possessed a strong desire to improve his mind by acquiring as much knowledge
as possible. With this laudable object in view, he devoted alternate hours to
labor and study. It was an excellent plan, inasmuch as it enabled Philip to
accomplish two results at one and the same time. He not only did all the farm
work that was necessary, but he read books, laid in a stock of valuable
information, and cultivated his mind to a very creditable degree. It did not
take him long to master the usual English branches, and he made such progress in
Latin as to enable him to translate easily the simpler forms and specimens of
that language.  He also studied general literature, and gained a wide reputation
as a young man of more than ordinary culture.  The legal profession had many
attractions for Philip Marquam, and he resolved on becoming a lawyer.  He
devoted his spare money to the purchase of elementary works, which he studied
assiduously while guiding the plough.  He soon attracted attention, and much
encouragement was extended to him by professional men, who recognized in the
young farmer the makings of an excellent lawyer.  Under the direction of the
late Hon. Godlove S. Orth, for many years a member of Congress, and at one time
United States Minister to Russia, Mr. Marquam went through a regular
three-years' course of legal study at home, and afterward attended the law
school at Bloomington, Ind., paying the usual expenses out of his savings while
on the farm.  He passed a creditable examination in due time, and was admitted
to practice at the Bar.  Wabashtown was the scene of his first professional
efforts, but after a few months he removed to the county seat of Jasper County,
and there remained, working hard and successfully as a lawyer, until the spring
of 1849.  the rush for the California gold fields occurred during that year,
and, notwithstanding for his love for his profession, young Lawyer Marquam made
up his mind to try his luck on the shores of the Pacific.  With three comrades,
he started on the most tedious journey of his life.  They had an ox-team with
them, and progress was necessarily slow.  However, they finally reached the
western slopes of the Sierra, and were amply compensated by the softness and
luxuriousness of the climate and the splendor of the scenery, for the toils,
troubles, and privations which they had experienced.  Early in the spring of
1850 Mr. Marquam settled at Fremont, then the county seat of Yolo county, and
resumed the practice of his profession.  At the first election under the new
State constitution he was nominated for Judge, and was chosen to that office.
The organization of the counties caused much labor to fall on county officers,
and the new judge rendered important services to the community. In August 1851,
he began to entertain the idea of returning to his old home in the East; but
before taking any steps in that direction, visited Portland, in order to see his
brother.  Much impressed by the freshness, beauty, and verdure of Oregonian
climate and scenery, he determined on making Portland his permanent residence.
Having settled up his affairs in California, he returned to Portland, and went
into the active practice of his profession as lawyer. He soon acquired a large
business, made money rapidly, and invested his savings in real estate. Being a
shrewd and sensible man, with clear foresight, he readily perceived that the
future had great things in store for Portland, and that investments in real
property would bring profitable results. He purchased a block in the city,
bounded by Morrison, Alder, Sixth, and Seventh Streets. The Marquam Grand Opera
House covers almost the entire space of this block, and is one of the finest
specimens of architecture in Oregon ˜in fact, it would be an ornament to any
city in the Union. Judge Marquam acquired a donation claim on the east side of
the Willamette, some four miles distant, and in 1858 he purchased three Hundred
and ninety acres of land on the hill south of Portland. This property bears his
name, and he is gradually improving it as his permanent home. Judge Marquam has
always taken a deep interest in matters relating to the welfare of the
community. Fully estimating the advantages of education, he is an earnest
supporter of the public school system. He is known to be a man of progressive
ideas, wonderful energy, and great tenacity of purpose.  When these qualities
are combined with purity of life, strict integrity, and a high order of
intelligence, as they certainly are in the case of the judge, the possessor
naturally assumes a conspicuous position in the community in which he lives.
Self-educated men who, by pure force of will, dauntless courage, and steady
perseverance, raise themselves from poverty to affluence, and from obscurity to
prominence, must have within them, in a greater or lesser degree, the germs of
greatness.  Such a man is Judge Marquam, as the events of his career fully
prove.  He is remarkable for the determination with which he pursues his
objects.  Fortunately these objects are always laudable.  Yet he has not sought
office, for whenever honors of a public character have been bestowed upon him,
they have come to him through the good-will of his fellow-citizens, and not as
the result of any special effort on his own part.  In 1862 he was elected Judge
of Multnomah County, and having served a term of four years, was chosen for a
second term.  At the expiration of the second period of service he refused a
third nomination.  While on the bench he was noted for strict justice and
impartiality.  He devoted himself with assiduity to the onerous duties of judge,
and the celerity with which he dispatched court business gained him the approval
of the entire community.  Judge Marquam was originally a Whig in politics, and
has earnestly supported the Republican Party since its organization.  In 1882 he
represented his district in the popular branch of the State Legislature, and
proved himself active, intelligent, and patriotic in the performance of his
functions as law-maker.  Judge Marquam was married in 1853 to Miss Emma Kern, a
daughter of William Kern, a well-known pioneer, formerly of Peoria, Ill.  She is
a lady of education and refinement, and the judge attributes to her industry,
economy, and foresight a large measure of his prosperity.  They have eleven
children, several of whom already hold responsible positions in the community.

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