Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 537.
 
E. HENRY McCRAKEN
 
     Among the native sons of Oregon who have contributed to the upbuilding and
progress of the state was numbered E. Henry McCraken, who continued a lifelong
resident of the northwest and throughout his entire career was actuated by the
spirit of enterprise and progress that has been the dominant factor in the
upbuilding of this section of the country. He was born at Oregon City, Oregon,
February 3, 1854, a son of Colonel John and Ada (Pambrum) McCraken, the father
being a prominent early pioneer of the state, closely associated with the
history of its pioneer development.
 
     E. Henry McCraken acquired his early education in the schools of Portland
and then went to Benicia, California, where he attended a military college. When
eighteen years of age he returned to Portland, where he engaged in the wholesale
commission business in connection with his father. In this line he continued for
many years but at length retired from that field of business and turned his
attention to the sale of building material, in which he continued until his
death in 1913. Since that time his only son, Harry S. McCraken, has carried on
the business, which is today the leading enterprise of this character in
Portland, the trade having assumed mammoth proportions. Mr. McCraken was long
recognized as one of the most progressive and successful business men of the
city. He readily discriminated between the essential and the non-essential in
business affairs and his enterprise constituted a strong force in solving
commercial difficulties and developing his interests to a point of high
efficiency and prosperity. He was a valued member of the Commercial Club and his
opinions were always eagerly welcomed when he discussed important matters before
that organization.
 
     On the 1st of January, 1874, Mr. McCraken was united in marriage to Miss
Mary Agnes Shea, a daughter of Roland and Annie (Holland) Shea. She was born in
Brooklyn, New York, and in early life accompanied her parents to California,
where the death of her father occurred in 1863.
 
     In his political views Mr. McCraken was a stanch republican and his
religious faith was that of the Episcopal church. He possessed a sunny
disposition, a genial nature and was very popular, being beloved by all who knew
him. He won friends wherever he went, but the best traits of his character were
reserved for his own home and fireside, his greatest happiness being found in
the companionship of his family.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2013 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.