Gaston, Joseph.  "Portland, Oregon, Its History and Builders."  Vol. 3.  Chicago
- Portland: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 353.
 
PATRICK RALEIGH

     Patrick Raleigh was one of the pioneer merchants and former business men of
Portland, who early had the prescience to discern what the future held in store
for this great and growing country, so that he invested largely in real estate
and thus founded a fortune for his family that includes a large proportion of
the valuable business property of the city. He is yet remembered by many of
Portland's residents of the middle of the nineteenth century.
     He was born in the parish of Buff, in the county of Limerick, Ireland,
January 1, 1817, and it is supposed that he is descended from Sir Walter
Raleigh.  He emigrated from Ireland and came to the United States when about
twenty-one years of age, landing at New York, where he obtained employment in
the dry-goods house of Lord & Taylor, which is still in existence. Later,
removing westward to Dubuque, Iowa, he there opened a dry-goods store, which was
destroyed by fire about the time of the gold excitement in California, and he
joined the westward stampede, hoping, like thousands of others, to attain wealth
on the Pacific coast, which was being so rapidly developed. He made the journey
by way of the isthmus of Panama, arriving at San Francisco in 1851. He did not
seek wealth in the mines, thus turning his attention to pursuits with which he
was utterly unfamiliar, but continued in the field of labor with which he had
acquaintance and experience.
     Prior to leaving the east, Mr. Raleigh purchased a stock of goods in New
York, which he shipped on the sloop Mathew Vassar direct to Portland, it
requiring six months to reach here. In the meantime he and his family also
traveled by sea, but reached their destination some time before the arrival of
the sloop. At length when he received his goods, he opened a general mercantile
store and from the beginning prospered in the undertaking, soon building up a
substantial, growing and profitable business. Extending his efforts about 1861,
he opened another store near the Grand Ronde reservation.  As he prospered in
business he invested his increasing capital in land. The growth of Portland has
shown the keen insight which he displayed in making such investments, some of
which now constitute the highest priced realty in this city. He purchased and
platted what became known as Raleigh's addition to the city of Portland, and it
constitutes one of the most important districts, as much of the retail business
center of the city is now located thereon.  It was in this addition that
Portland had its first baseball grounds. In all of his business affairs he
displayed remarkable discernment and sound judgment, and carried to successful
completion everything that he undertook.  There is still standing on First
street a brick building which he erected in early days, and another on the
southeast corner of First and Stark streets, which is a three-story structure
and was considered very large and imposing when built.
     Mr. Raleigh was a Catholic in his religious faith, and on the 2d of
February 1844, in accordance with the rites of the church, he was married in New
York city to Miss Mary Louisa Kain. He died in 1868, leaving eight children:
Mrs. C. A. Trimble; John S. Raleigh; Albert C. Raleigh, since deceased; Mrs. M.
M. Gearin; Mrs. Ella E. McCormick; Mrs. F. E. Kelly; William T. Raleigh; and
George M. Raleigh, since deceased. The family from the beginning of their
residence have been prominent in the city, and the increasing value of their
real estate holdings have given them place among the wealthy residents of
Portland.

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