Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 720.
 
WALTER L. TOOZE, JR.

     is one of the successful members of the legal profession in Dallas, where
since 1908 he has held the office of city attorney, while for two years of this
time, he also discharged the duties of the same office in Falls City. He is a
native son, his birth having occurred in Butteville, Marion county, on February
24, 1.887, and his, parents are Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Tooze, of Salem, Marion
county, Oregon.
     When he was an infant of eight months his parents removed to Woodburn,
Marion county, this state, in the public schools of which place he obtained his
early education. He subsequently spent one year in Mount Angel College and three
years in a military school at Portland, being graduated from the latter
institution in 1904. Having decided to become an attorney, he then matriculated
in the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, that state,
being awarded his degree with the class of 1908. Immediately following his
admission to the bar of Oregon he opened an office in the Wilson building in
Dallas, but he is now located in suite 8 and 9 of the new First National Bank
building. He has very attractive and appropriately furnished offices here and is
building up a most excellent practice. His preparation has been very thorough,
in addition to which he has a pleasing address, discernment and quick reasoning
powers, so essential in this of all professions. He gives very careful attention
to the preparation of his cases, and takes infinite pains to arrange his
arguments in logical sequence, his deductions invariably being true and firmly
established.
     In 1908, at Somerset, Hillsdale county, Michigan, Mr. Tooze was united in
marriage to Miss Ruth Belden Smith, who was born in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, on
the 1st day of July, 1887. She is a daughter of Delos and Harriet (Belden)
Smith, both natives of Somerset township, Hillsdale county, Michigan. The father
was born on the 10th of September, 1849, and was a well-to-do and prosperous
farmer, and for fourteen years was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Eaton
county, Michigan, but later removed to the old Belden homestead, where his wife
had been born and reared. He passed away in Somerset, November 3, 1908, and was
deeply mourned throughout the community, where he had spent the greater part of
his life. Public affairs always engaged much of Mr. Smith's attention, and he
took a deep interest in local politics. During his early manhood he was a stanch
republican, but during his latter years he indorsed Bryan's principles,
believing that their adoption would solve many of the great problems before the
American people at the present time. During his life time, he held various
offices of trust in his township. Fraternally he was an Odd Fellow, being past
grand of that order, and also a member of the Maccabees. He was a man of high
ideals and exalted standards of citizenship, whose irreproachable character and
incorruptible integrity fully entitled him to the esteem he was accorded by all
who knew him. His parents were Joseph P. and Martha (Grinnell) Smith, the father
a native of Webster, New York, whence he removed in his early manhood to
Hillsdale county, Michigan. He was married at Adrian and subsequently located on
a farm in Eaton county, that state. Seven children were born of the marriage of
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Smith: Montraville, Washington, Marshall, Delos, Carlos,
Eugene and Rosette. Mrs. Harriet (Belden) Smith, the mother of Mrs. Tooze, was
born in Hillsdale county, Michigan, on August 10, 1857, and is a daughter of
Levi and Abigail (Walsh) Belden. Levi Belden was born in Whaley township,
Massachusetts, on the 16th of February, 1823, whence he removed as a lad of
twelve years with his parents to Hillsdale county, Michigan, where they acquired
some government land, which was held in the family until after the death of
Delos Smith. Levi Belden was a son of Jeremiah and Anna Belden, while his
paternal grandfather was Joseph Belden. Abigail (Walsh) Belden, the wife of Levi
Belden, was also a native of Massachusetts, her birth occurring on November 23,
1835. To Mr. and Mrs. Delos Smith were born two children: Floyd Elmer, whose
birth occurred on the 6th of November, 1880; and Mrs. Tooze.
     Mr. Tooze's fraternal connections are confined to his membership in
Friendship Lodge,. No. 108, I.O.O.F., and Marmiom Lodge, No. 6, Knights of
Pythias. He is a captain of infantry in the Oregon National Guard, commanding
Company G, Third Infantry, and is secretary of the Dallas Commercial Club, which
position he has filled for two years. He is also attorney for the state land
board for Polk county. His attention is almost entirely devoted to his practice,
in which he is meeting with such excellent success. However, he is an ardent
republican and finds time occasionally to devote to politics, and is now the
republican nominee for the office of joint representative in the state
legislature for the counties of Lincoln and Polk. As a public speaker of some
merit, he is called upon very often to deliver speeches, and has already
acquired a reputation as a forceful public speaker and campaigner. Mr. Tooze's
future in both his profession and public life gives every assurance of being
most promising, as he possesses those powers that invariably pave the way to a
successful career in any vocation.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.