Carey, Charles Henry. "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1922. p. 328. VICTOR MARDEN Victor Marden, president of the Motor Service Company of The Dalles, is a native son of Oregon, born in Wasco county in 1874. His father, John M. Marden, was born at Georgetown, N.C., a descendant of an old and distinguished southern family, who had been prominent in Virginia from the earliest colonial days. He was educated at private schools and later entered Columbia College, Washington, D. C. He crossed the plains in 1849 at the head of a company of daring pioneers, and in October of that year he took up mining, first at Bidwell Bar, California, and some time later at Marysville, where he assisted in the erection of the first houses in that town. After having lived for about a year in Marysville, he removed to Shasta, California, where he worked as a miner with considerable success, and for about eight years altogether he engaged in mining in most of the camps from Marysville to British Columbia. In 1859 he came to Oregon and located in what is now Wasco county. As a pioneer in California he had demonstrated his sturdiness, and upon settling in Oregon he found himself in the midst of the Snake River war, in which he took a prominent part. In 1883 he moved his family to The Dalles, where they have since continued to reside. Victor Marden was educated in the graded schools of The Dalles, at Bishop Scott's Academy at Portland, and at Pacific University, Forest Grove. He took up the trade of a saddler and harnessmaker, and from 1900 to 1916 he conducted an establishment along that line in The Dalles. He then became associated with the firm of Cates & Company, dealers in sporting goods. In 1919, Mr. Marden disposed of his saddlery business and at the same time reorganized the firm of Cates & Company, merging the latter Into the Motor Service Company, of which he is the president. To properly house the new enterprise, Mr. Marden had erected upon property owned by himself a handsome concrete storeroom and garage. The plant contains some twelve thousand square feet of floor space, which is admirably divided into departments for the conduct of the large business handled by the company. In the auto salesroom several cars of established repute, by various makers, ate on display, and also trucks of standard build. In the rear of the building are a fully equipped repair shop and service station, where expert mechanics are employed. In addition, there is an accessory department and a department given over to the sale of sporting goods, the company having an extensive connection in this line. In 1910 Mr. Marden was married to Miss Kate Tillard, a daughter of William Tillard, one of the earliest pioneers of Douglas county. Three children have been born to this union: Amelia, John Victor and Susanne. The two elder children are pupils of The Dalles school. Mr. Marden is a Mason; is a past master of the blue lodge; is a member of the Chapter; and is a Knight Templar and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He has earned for himself a prominent place in the commercial life of The Dalles, in the affairs of which he takes a warm and practical interest, ever giving the benefit of his influence and name to all projects calculated to advance the civic welfare of the community in which he resides. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.