Rufus Mallory
Encyclopedia
Rufus Mallory was an American educator, lawyer, and politician in the state of Oregon
. A native of New York, he was a teacher in Iowa
before moving to Oregon where he became an attorney. He was a district attorney before he served in the Oregon House of Representatives
in the early 1860s. A Republican, he served as U.S. Representative
from Oregon for a single term from 1867 to 1869 and then returned to the state house where he was Speaker of the Oregon House. Later he worked for the U.S. Treasury Department, while the Hotel Mallory in Portland
was commissioned by him. Portland has additionally honored his memory via Mallory Avenue in the Albina District.
, 1831 on either June 10 or January 10 to Samuel and Lucretia Mallory (née Davis). One of nine children, he attended the local schools in Allegany
and Steuben
counties, first at Scio from 1835 to 1837, followed by school in Greenwood from 1837 to 1845. In 1845 he started at Alfred Academy (now Alfred University
) in New York, spending a single term each year in 1845, 1846, and 1848. Mallory left at age 16 to begin teaching and reading law
. He moved to New London, Iowa
, where he taught school from 1855 to 1858.
by way of the Isthmus of Panama
route. He arrived on the first day of 1859 and settled in the Southern Oregon
town of Roseburg
in Douglas County
where he continued teaching for 15 months. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
in 1860, and was selected as the district attorney for Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine counties. Mallory married Lucy A. Rose, the daughter of Roseburg founder Aaron Rose, on June 24, 1860, and they had one son.
In 1862, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives
as a Republican. Mallory represented Douglas County and continued in office until 1864. Late in 1862 he moved to Salem
along with his law partner James M. Pyle. There he was again selected as a district attorney, for Oregon's the third district, in office from 1862 to 1866. As a prosecutor in Salem, he gained fame for securing the conviction of George Beale and George Baker for the murder of farmer Daniel Delaney in one of Oregon's first sensational trials. The convicted men were hanged in front of thousands of onlookers in downtown Salem on May 17, 1865.
A year later, Mallory's fame led him to win election as Oregon's representative in the United States House of Representatives
. Mallory defeated his opponent James D. Fay by 600 votes. His term in Congress coincided with the impeachment of Andrew Johnson
. Mallory, a Republican
, voted against the first failed attempt at impeachment in the fall of 1867, but in the second attempt in February 1868, gave an impassioned speech on the House floor, and voted with his party to impeach the President. He would serve one term as a from March 4, 1867 to March 3, 1869, and did not seek re-election in 1868.
, British Malaya
, and after completing the necessary business, continued around the world in 78 days to Portland, where he resumed his law practice. Mallory joined the firm of Dolph
, Bellinger
, Mallory & Simon
in November 1883.
In 1887, Mallory was one of the incorporators of the Willamette Bridge Railway Company. The first Morrison Street Bridge
was completed in April 1887 and Mallory's company operated a steam-powered streetcar across the bridge, expanding into the Sunnyside
neighborhood in 1888 and then to Mt. Tabor
in 1889. In 1890, he became one of the founding members of the Oregon Bar Association.
Rufus Mallory died in Portland on April 30, 1914, at the age of 83, with his cremated remains placed in the vaults of the Portland Cremation Association. The Hotel Mallory
in Portland
, built in 1912, was commissioned by Mallory. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, renovated, and renamed the Hotel deLuxe that same year.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of New York, he was a teacher in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
before moving to Oregon where he became an attorney. He was a district attorney before he served in the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
in the early 1860s. A Republican, he served as U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Oregon for a single term from 1867 to 1869 and then returned to the state house where he was Speaker of the Oregon House. Later he worked for the U.S. Treasury Department, while the Hotel Mallory in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
was commissioned by him. Portland has additionally honored his memory via Mallory Avenue in the Albina District.
Early life
Rufus Mallory was born in Coventry, New YorkCoventry, New York
Coventry is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 1,589 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Coventry, Connecticut by settlers from New England....
, 1831 on either June 10 or January 10 to Samuel and Lucretia Mallory (née Davis). One of nine children, he attended the local schools in Allegany
Allegany County, New York
Allegany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,946. Its name derives from a Delaware Indian word, applied by settlers of Western New York State to a trail that followed the Allegheny River. Its county seat is...
and Steuben
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
counties, first at Scio from 1835 to 1837, followed by school in Greenwood from 1837 to 1845. In 1845 he started at Alfred Academy (now Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
) in New York, spending a single term each year in 1845, 1846, and 1848. Mallory left at age 16 to begin teaching and reading law
Reading law
Reading law is the method by which persons in common law countries, particularly the United States, entered the legal profession before the advent of law schools. This usage specifically refers to a means of entering the profession . A small number of U.S...
. He moved to New London, Iowa
New London, Iowa
New London is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,937 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New London is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, where he taught school from 1855 to 1858.
Oregon
In 1858, he left Iowa to move to the then Oregon TerritoryOregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
by way of the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
route. He arrived on the first day of 1859 and settled in the Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area, which consists of the...
town of Roseburg
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
in Douglas County
Douglas County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Crater Lake National Park * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Siuslaw National Forest * Umpqua National Forest * Willamette National Forest -Adjacent counties:* Lane County, Oregon -...
where he continued teaching for 15 months. He studied law, was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1860, and was selected as the district attorney for Douglas, Jackson, and Josephine counties. Mallory married Lucy A. Rose, the daughter of Roseburg founder Aaron Rose, on June 24, 1860, and they had one son.
In 1862, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
as a Republican. Mallory represented Douglas County and continued in office until 1864. Late in 1862 he moved to Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
along with his law partner James M. Pyle. There he was again selected as a district attorney, for Oregon's the third district, in office from 1862 to 1866. As a prosecutor in Salem, he gained fame for securing the conviction of George Beale and George Baker for the murder of farmer Daniel Delaney in one of Oregon's first sensational trials. The convicted men were hanged in front of thousands of onlookers in downtown Salem on May 17, 1865.
Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. Mallory defeated his opponent James D. Fay by 600 votes. His term in Congress coincided with the impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the United States, was one of the most dramatic events in the political life of the United States during Reconstruction, and the first impeachment in history of a sitting United States president....
. Mallory, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, voted against the first failed attempt at impeachment in the fall of 1867, but in the second attempt in February 1868, gave an impassioned speech on the House floor, and voted with his party to impeach the President. He would serve one term as a from March 4, 1867 to March 3, 1869, and did not seek re-election in 1868.
Later years
After serving in Congress, Mallory resumed his Salem law practice. In 1872, he was again elected to the Oregon House of Representatives from Marion County, and served as Speaker of the House. After one two-year term, he was appointed as United States district attorney in 1874 and served until 1882. He was then appointed as a special agent of the Treasury Department in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, and after completing the necessary business, continued around the world in 78 days to Portland, where he resumed his law practice. Mallory joined the firm of Dolph
Joseph N. Dolph
Joseph Norton Dolph was an American politician and attorney in the state of Oregon. A native of the state of New York, he immigrated to Oregon over the Oregon Trail and settled in Portland where he became the state's federal district attorney...
, Bellinger
Charles B. Bellinger
Charles Byron Bellinger was a federal district court judge in Portland, Oregon, United States. A native of Illinois, he also served as a state circuit court judge in Oregon, fought in the Modoc War in 1873, and was a newspaper editor...
, Mallory & Simon
Joseph Simon
Joseph Simon was a German-born politician and attorney in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Bechtheim, Germany, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was one year old, settling in Portland, Oregon. A Republican, Simon served on the city council before election to the Oregon...
in November 1883.
In 1887, Mallory was one of the incorporators of the Willamette Bridge Railway Company. The first Morrison Street Bridge
Morrison Bridge
The Morrison Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.The original Morrison Bridge was a wooden truss swing span bridge completed on April 12, 1887 as the first Willamette River bridge in Portland and the longest bridge west of the Mississippi River...
was completed in April 1887 and Mallory's company operated a steam-powered streetcar across the bridge, expanding into the Sunnyside
Sunnyside, Portland, Oregon
Sunnyside is a neighborhood in the south east section of Portland, between SE Stark St. and SE Hawthorne Blvd. and from SE 28th Ave. to SE 49th Ave....
neighborhood in 1888 and then to Mt. Tabor
Mount Tabor, Portland, Oregon
Mount Tabor is the name of a volcanic cinder cone, the city park on the volcano, and the neighborhood of Southeast Portland that surrounds it, all in the U.S. state of Oregon. The name refers to Mount Tabor, Israel. It was named by Plympton Kelly, son of Oregon City pioneer resident Clinton...
in 1889. In 1890, he became one of the founding members of the Oregon Bar Association.
Rufus Mallory died in Portland on April 30, 1914, at the age of 83, with his cremated remains placed in the vaults of the Portland Cremation Association. The Hotel Mallory
Mallory Hotel
The Mallory Hotel is a hotel located in southwest Portland, Oregon listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, built in 1912, was commissioned by Mallory. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, renovated, and renamed the Hotel deLuxe that same year.