Gaston, Joseph. "Portland, Oregon Its History and Builders." Vol. 3.
Chicago and Portland, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 214.
DORR E. KEASEY
With the substantial growth which Portland is now undergoing Dorr E. Keasey
has advanced to a conspicuous position in the ranks of the real-estate men of
the city, his labors constituting a potent force in the development of the
beautiful residence district that crowns the hills to the west of the city,
known as Portland Heights. His efforts in this direction have brought him a well
merited success and his achievements indicate the possibilities that are
fostered by the successful growth and progress of the Pacific coast country.
Mr. Keasey has always resided west of the Mississippi, his birth having
occurred in Fayette county, Iowa, November 11, 1874, his parents being Eden W.
and Nellie S. Keasey. He made his start in life by selling papers, little
dreaming at that time that the northwest would accord him a place among those
men whose ability and personality are dominating the city in the lines of
substantial progress. He was for a time employed in the Western Union Telegraph
office and also in the newspaper office at Fort Worth, Texas, and in January,
1889, came to Portland.
Believing that the growth of the west afforded good opportunities in the
real-estate field, Mr. Keasey spent three years as an employe in a real-estate
office and then, when the financial panic of 1893 brought suspension in
real-estate lines, he turned his attention to other business interests and was
employed in various ways until 1900, when he again entered the real-estate field
and is now handling Portland Heights property exclusively. He purchased one
hundred and ten acres at Council Crest and built the car line thereto. He also
organized the Castle Heights Company, purchasing the Seventh street Terraces,
and after the formation of the Keasey, Humison & Jeffry Company in January,
1909, of which he is the senior member, they organized the Kings Heights and
Arlington Heights syndicates, which adjoin City Park on the north
and west, involving the expenditure of many hundreds of thousands of dollars in
the development of those properties for choice residence districts. Council
Crest is a mountain peak rising twelve hundred feet above the business part of
the city, and just within the edge of the city limits, giving a grand view of
the Willamette and Columbia river valleys and the surrounding mountains for
hundreds of miles. On clear days the gaze takes in the snow caps of Mount Hood,
Mount Ranier, Mount Adams and the rounded dome of Mount St Helens.
In connection with the development of the properties Mr. Keasey built the
car line in the form of a loop up to and around the Crest, thus bringing within
the view of all Portland residents and visitors the grandest panorama to be seen
in any city in the world. Besides the scenic car road Mr. Keasey has further
developed a piece of native forest between the city and the Crest by
constructing a winding roadway of easy grades for carriages and autos which
brings all the wildness and beauties of the forest to the doors of the city. In
his efforts in this direction Mr. Keasey has done a work which should win him
recognition and gratitude from all of Portland's citizens as this car line has
brought within the reach of all one of the views which have made Portland
famous. He is also identified with a number of corporations, and each benefits
by his sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise.
Mr. Keasey was married in Portland, May 12, 1898, to Miss Evalyn Carter, a
member of the well known Carter family of Virginia, and their children are:
Mapril Bernice and Dorothy Evalyn. Mr. Keasey is identified with a number of the
leading associations and club organizations of the city. He is yet a young man,
and what he has already accomplished augurs well for further successful
attainment in the future.
Transcriber's additional notes:
Census
1880, June 1; Fayette Co, IA; Fayette, p 104
Eden Keasey, 51, OH, --, --, carpenter
Nellie S, wife, 46, OH, NY, NY
Abbie E, dau, 14, IA, OH, OH
Carroll C, son, 11, IN, OH, OH
Mary H, dau, 10, IA, OH, OH
Dorr E, son, 5, IA, OH, OH
Dorr W, son, 3, IA, OH, OH
Mary Harrington, mo in law, 76, NY, CT, VT
1900, June 2; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct # 57, Mt. Tabor, Baseline Rd, p 131
D. S. Keasey, 25, Nov 1874, IA, OH, NY, mar 4 yrs, tailor
N. G., wife, 27, March 1873, OR, IL, CA, mar 4 yrs, 2 children-2 living
M, dau, 2, May 1898, OR, IA, OR
J, dau, 0, Sept 1899, OR, IA, OR
1910; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct. # 36
Dorr E. Keasey, 35, IA, NY, NY, 2nd mar, mar 2 yrs, manager, real estate
Evalyn C, wife, 35, IA, VA, IN, 2nd mar, mar 2 yrs, 0 children
Mapril, dau, 12, OR, IA, OR
Dorothy, dau, 10, OR, IA, OR
1920, Jan. 14; Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct # 99, p 278
Dorr E. Keasey, 45, IA, OH, NY, real estate agent
Florence A, wife, 27, OR, CAN, CAN
Dick, son, 8, OR, IA, OR
Oregon State Archives
http://genealogy.state.or.us/
Marriage Record
Keasey, D E & Black, Evalyn C 11/16/1907 Marriage Lincoln Co.
Divorce Record
Keasey, Florence A. v Keasey, Dorr E. 7/29/1929 Washington County 8872
Metro Pioneer Cemeteries
http://www.metro-
region.org/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=11326
Keasey Nettie G. 4/23/1904 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Keasey Eden W. 10/4/1905 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Keasey Nella S. 2/1/1928 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Keasey Richard 1/1/1934 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Keasey Dorr K. 1/1/1936 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Keasey Florence A. 12/8/1978 Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
*******************
Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.