Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 671.
 
MARTIN WINCH

     Martin Winch, deceased, was associated with agricultural and railroad
interests in Portland and Oregon but was perhaps best known through his work as
administrator of the Amanda W. Reed estate, Mrs. Reed being his aunt.  He was
born in Quincy, Massachusetts, December 15, 1858, and is a son of Martin and
Frances (Wood) Winch.  In 1871, when twelve years of age, he accompanied his
mother and his brother upon their westward journey to Portland, Oregon, the
father having previously passed away in Massachusetts.
     After reaching this city Martin Winch attended the public schools until
sixteen years of age and then started out to provide for his own support by
obtaining
employment with the Oregon Steamship & Navigation Company.  He continued in the
employ of that corporation for several years.  When it became the Oregon
Railroad & Navigation Company he was ticket agent and later general baggage
agent of this company and of the western division of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company.  He continued to act in that capacity until 1884 when he took
the management of the varied interests of Mr. Simeon G. Reed and filled these
positions with great credit to himself and satisfaction to those whom he thus
represented.  In May, 1904, his aunt, Mrs. Amanda W. Reed, died and he was
appointed, according to the terms of her will, executor of her estate and one of
the five trustees of Reed Institute.  He labored for years in the courts to
establish the institution and deserves great credit for accomplishing this, as
the heirs fought hard to prevent it.  It was this strain which in a certain
degree hastened his death.  Reed College was founded in 1911 at Portland,
Oregon, as the result of the bequest of Amanda W. Reed, who left a sum,
estimated unofficially at the time as three million dollars, for a nonsectarian
institution of learning in Portland, the object of which was the increasing and
diffusion of practical knowledge among the citizens of Portland and the
promotion of literature, science and art.  The five trustees named in the will
decided to begin with a college of liberal arts and sciences and after
surmounting great difficulties the task was accomplished.  Mr. Winch was also
keenly interested in agricultural affairs and owned and operated a fine dairy
farm near Gresham until his death, which occurred on December 17, 1915.
     It was on March 8th, 1882, that Mr. Winch was united in marriage to Miss
Nellie Amelia Wygant, a daughter of Theodore and Margaret Glen Wygant.  One son
was born of this marriage, Simeon Reed, who is a graduate of Princeton
University and is now a resident of Portland.
     Mr. Winch was a member of the Masonic fraternity, also a member of the
Unitarian church.  He was a man who stood at all times for what he believed to
be right and has an enviable record for honesty and uprightness.  He aided many
a young man financially at a time when such assistance was most needed, yet only
those whom be befriended knew of his transactions in this way.  He closely
followed the Biblical injunction:  "Let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doeth."  He was entirely free from ostentation and display but his entire
life was guided by high ideals and a sense of justice that made his record one
of the great worth in the community in which he lived and labored.

 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2006 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.