Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 3. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 994.
 
THOMAS M. HURLBURT

     city engineer of Portland, was born in Albia, Iowa, March 28, 1860, his
parents being John Q. A. and Mary (Adams) Hurlburt. In early colonial days the
family was planted on American soil by ancestors who came from England in 1630
and settled in New England.  The father came of that branch of the Adams family
that has given to the country two of its presidents. He was born in Vermont in
1833, and his life record covered the intervening years to October, 1909, when
he was called to his final rest. He was quite young when his parents removed
with their family to Canada, where he was reared, pursued a college education
and became a civil engineer, entering upon the practice of that profession in
Iowa a short time prior to the Civil war. Following the outbreak of hostilities
between the north and the south he enlisted in the Thirty-sixth Iowa Regiment
and was wounded at Marks Mill, Arkansas, in which engagement he was captured and
held as a prisoner of war for a time but later was exchanged. Following his
recovery from his wounds he rejoined his regiment and served, until the
cessation of hostilities, when again the old flag floated over the entire south.
Not long after this he entered the employ of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad
Company, engaged as a civil engineer, locating the line of the road from
Burlington to Omaha. In 1870 he came to Portland in his professional capacity
and was employed in connection with railroad construction in the northwest,
especially on the Oregon & California Railroad. As chief engineer he built the
road from St. Joseph to Corvallis but with the death of his wife his interest in
the things of this life failed and within a year he; too, passed away. He had
gained prominence and success in his profession and his activities constituted a
valuable element in the development and progress of different sections in which
he labored. He was made a Mason in Iowa and following his removal to the west
demitted to Troutdale Lodge, F. & A. M. While living in Multnomah county he
served for three terms as county surveyor and was otherwise prominent and active
in public affairs.
     Thomas M. Hurlburt was a lad of only ten years when the family came to
Oregon and in the schools of Portland he pursued his education until graduated
from the high school. He afterward learned civil engineering under the direction
of his father, mastering not only the technical side of the profession but also
the business in its practical phases. He was associated with his father for
seven years, or until 1884, when he was elected surveyor of Multnomah county,
which position he filled from 1886 until 1891. In the latter year he was made
city engineer of Portland and served in that capacity for five years, at the end
of which time he was appointed United State's examiner of surveys in the
interior department, thus continuing until 1907. While in the employ of the
Federal government he visited every wild section of the country west of the
Mississippi. He knows what the term "roughing it" means and his life in the
wilds brought him some thrilling experiences. He and his father have been
identified with practically every important civil engineering project in
Portland and with all the important early work of this character in the state.
In 1907 on his retirement from his federal position Thomas M. Hurlburt became
district engineer for the city and filled that office until 1909. During the two
succeeding years he was the principal assistant engineer and in July, 1911, was
again appointed city engineer, so that he is the present incumbent in this
position. In 1890 he explored Bull Run from its source to its mouth and made a
report on the water supply of this stream, which now furnishes pure mountain
water to Portland. In the following year the legislature passed the Bull Run
water bill.  Mr. Hurlburt also made the first railroad survey to Astoria from
Gobel and the road was later located on the line of his survey. His work has
indeed been of a most important character, constituting an initial step in much
of the later development, progress and improvement of the state.
     In 1884 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hurlburt and Miss Clara L. Files, a
daughter of J. C. Files, a native of Portland, to which city her parents,
Candace Laidy and J. C. Files came in the '50s, settling near what is now the
northeast corner of the city on the Columbia river. Mr. and Mrs. Hurlburt have
three sons, Raymond F., Rodney A. and Ralph J. In Masonry Mr. Hurlburt is quite
prominent, being a past master of Washington Lodge, F. & A. M., a past high
priest of Washington Chapter, R. A. M., a past thrice illustrious master of
Washington Council, R. & S. M. and a past thrice illustrious grand master of the
grand council, having been its chief officer for two years. He also holds
membership in Oregon Consistory, A. A. R. R. and in Al Kader Temple of the
Mystic Shrine. He has a wide acquaintance in the fraternity not only in Portland
but throughout the state and is also well known in professional circles, holding
membership in the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Oregon Society of
Civil Engineers, while his ability has gained him extensive recognition as one
who stands high in the field of his chosen calling.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
OBITUARY
February 4, 1913; Oregonian; p 10
"Mrs. Hurlburt is Dead"
   Funeral services of Mrs. Clara L. Hurlburt, wife of Thomas M. Hurlburt, City
Engineer, who died Saturday at her home, 180 East Fourteenth street, will be
conducted at 1:30 p.m. today at the residence.  INterment will be in Columbia
Masonic Cemetery, under the auspices of Martha Washington Chapter of the Eastern
Star.
   Mrs. Hurlburt had been in failing health for the past six months, and her
condition became serious for the past few weeks, when an operation was decided
on as the only possible relief, but in her feeble condition she could not stand
the shock and died before it was completed.
   She was born in the outskirts of Portland 49 years ago, her parents being Mr.
and Mrs. J. C. Files, both pioneers of Oregon, and was educated in Portland.
Mrs. Hurlburt was actively associated with Martha Washington Chapter of the
Eastern Star, and held the post of grand marshal of the Grand Chapter of Oregon.
She is survived by her husband and three sons, Raymond, Ralph and Rodney.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2009 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.