Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. 1893. pp. 636-637. GEORGE H. DURHAM George H. Durham, one of the best known and most able members of the bar of the State of Oregon, was born in Springfield, Illinois, on December 4, 1843. When he was four years of age his parents came across the plains to Oregon. His father, Albert A. Durham, was a native of Genesee county, New York, and his grandfather, Silas Durham, was a native of Massachusetts, his ancestors having came from Durham, England, and settled in the Colony of Massachusetts. From there they spread north and south. Both of these branches participated in the Revolutionary struggle for independence, from the northern branch of which the subject of this sketch is descended. His father married Miss Miranda A. White, a native of St. Lawrence county, New York. They had four children, three of whom are still living. The family, later on, removed to the Western Reserve in Ohio, and thence to Springfield, Illinois, in which place they had as neighbors for many years the illustrious President Lincoln and renowned General John A. Logan. In 1850, after arriving in Oregon, they settled on a donation claim, where the town of Oswego now stands. Two years later, in 1849, the father went to the gold mines in California, where he was successful, and where re remained a year, returning to Oregon by water on the Undine, bringing with him his bag of gold dust. They were shipwrecked on Shoalwater bay, but escaped safely with their effects, and on his return, built a large sawmill, becoming one of the leading lumbermen of the Northwest. He built one of the finest houses in the county and became the owner of several ships. He continued in business until 1862, when he sold out, and located on a farm ten miles south of Portland, where he still lives in retirement from active business pursuits. He was at one time a member of the Territorial Legislature; was a staunch Republican, and during the war was as firm as a rock for the Union. While the family resided in Oregon, our subject attended public schools, and in 1858 was sent to the Willamette University, where he was when the war broke out, when he, with others of the students, enlisted in Company B, First Oregon Cavalry. The regiment was organized at the instigation of General Baker, with the desire to show the South that ORegon could furnish as good cavalry as any they could produce, and the regiment was enlisted to go to the front; after they were mustered in, they were sent to fight the Indians. General Baker was killed in the battle of Ball's Bluff, after which they made application to the President to have the conditions of their enlistment complied with; but his reply was, that they were not needed, and they were better fitted for the service in which they were engaged than any regiment he could send, and there would be the expense of removal for both regiments, and hoped they would see the force of his reasons for continuing them where they were. Their regiment was one of the many splendid companies that participated in the great war. On being mustered out of the service, he entered the Pacific University at Forest Grove, graduating from that institution with honor with the class of 1866. He then taught school, and began the study of law. Later he entered the office of Hon. Lansing Stout, being admitted to the bar in 1869, after which he began the practice of law in Portland. In 1871 he was appointed Register in Bankruptcy, by the District Court of the United States; and in 1872 he was nominated by the Republican party for the office of District Attorney of the Fourth Judicial District, to which position he was elected. After serving for two years, his partner, H.Y. Thompson, was elected to the position. Mr. Durham continued his law practice, meeting with marked success, until 1882, when he was appointed by the United States Judge as Master in Chancery of the United States Court, which position he still holds. Mr. Durham is interested in several of the business enterprises of Portland, having been one of the first organizers of the first motor line, running out of the city of Portland. He was also instrumental in starting the Commercial National Bank of Portland, and was previously connected with the Portland Savings Bank, and is still a director of and attorney for both banks; besides which he is interested in a number of other corporations. He also interests himself in the success of the Republican party, having served as Chairman of the Republican County Committee; and was also a member of the Building committee, which built the Portland Savings Bank Block. In 1866, Mr. Durham was married to Miss S.E. Clark, a native of Oregon, and daughter of Rev. Harvey Clark, who was one of the pioneers of this country as a Congregational missionary, and who was one of the founders of Pacific University of Forest Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Durham have four children, all born in Portland. Their daughter, Nellie, is now Mrs. H.G. Platt; the other children are Mary, George Clark, and Margery. Mr. Durham is a Grand Trustee of the A.O.U.W., and a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, of both the Commandery and the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the G.A.R. The law firms of which he was a member comprise some of the most prominent and representative practioners of the bar of this State, viz., Messers. Williams, Hill, Thompson and Mays. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2009 by Jennifer Dorner. Jennifer has additional information on this family and is happy to share Please email her at: dorner -at- comcast.net