Harry V. Gates
Encyclopedia
Harry Verner Gates was an American
engineer and politician in the state of Oregon
. A native of Massachusetts
, he later lived in Iowa
worked on the railroads before settling in Hillsboro, Oregon
, where he shifted to water projects. A member of the Republican Party, he served a single term in the Oregon House of Representatives
. His former home in Hillsboro is the historic Rice–Gates House
, and his former ranch in Central Oregon
is now the Crooked River Ranch
.
, to John M. and Lydia S. (née
Bowker) Gates. He grew up in Iowa
where he attended the local public schools in DeWitt
. In 1862, he enlisted with the 6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
during the time of the American Civil War
. Gates was a private, later serving as bugler, and spent three years in the military, leaving in 1865. His unit fought against Native Americans on the Great Plains
.
Following his time in the army, he worked for the Davenport and St. Paul Railroad as a leveler in 1869 and then in 1870 was placed in charge of building track and bridges on the Callao, Lima & Oroya Railway in Peru
. Gates married in 1871 to Helen Melvina Batcheller, and they had three children, Oliver, Helen, and Samuel. In 1880, he worked for the Northern Pacific Railway
where he was responsible for the locating party through the Cascade Range
. The next year Gates started working for the Oregon & Pacific Railroad in Corvallis
, first as their locater then as superintendent of construction, and in 1886 he was the railroad's superintendent. Gates continued to work for the railroads, and was responsible for the construction of over 2,000 miles of track from 1891 until 1922. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad
as superintendent of construction from 1887 until 1891 when he moved to Hillsboro, Oregon
. Gates was also the chief engineer for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
for a time.
in the 1860 presidential election, and remained a Republican the rest of his life. In 1894, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives
from Washington County. Gates represented District 56 and served only in the 1895 legislative session.
Following his main career with the railroads, Gates began a second career as an engineer for water projects. In 1896, he and George T. Baldwin built the Linkville Light & Water Plant on the Link River
near Klamath Falls, Oregon
. Gates also served as the engineer for the Heppner Light & Water Company in Eastern Oregon
in addition to his duties as engineer, superintendent, and president of the Hillsboro Electric Light & Water Company at the turn of the century.
Gates was selected as the Commander of the Oregon Department of the Grand Army of the Republic
in 1899. He served three more terms as Commander of the Oregon chapter in the 1930s. In 1903, he purchased a new residence south of the downtown area on Walnut Street. The Second Empire style home had been built in 1890, and Gates lived there until 1927. In 1903, the Governor of Oregon
appointed Gates to a committee to devise new laws governing water rights in the state. He was a member of the Thirteenth National Irrigation Congress held in 1905 in Portland.
As early as 1909 and through at least 1920 he served as a director for the Shute Savings Bank
in Hillsboro. He continued as president of what was later the Hillsboro Power and Investment Company. He was granted a license by the state to install an irrigation system and power generating facility on the Crooked River
in Jefferson County
in 1925 that provided electricity and water for his adjoining ranch.
Along with his son Oliver, he owned a pipe making factory in Hillsboro and over 500 miles of telephone lines in Southern Oregon
. Gates was a member of the Congregational Church, the American Association of Engineers, the American Water Works Association, and a member of the Masons
, among other groups. Harry V. Gates died on October 13, 1935, in Portland at the age of 88 and was buried at the Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
. His former home was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980 as the Rice–Gates House
. His ranch in Central Oregon
became the Crooked River Ranch
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer and politician in the state of Oregon
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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, he later lived 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...
worked on the railroads before settling in Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
, where he shifted to water projects. A member of the Republican Party, he served a single term 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....
. His former home in Hillsboro is the historic Rice–Gates House
Rice–Gates House
The Rice-Gates House is a historic private residence on Southeast Walnut Street in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1890, the Second Empire architectural style structure stands two stories tall with a mansard roof. The wood building was added to the National Register of...
, and his former ranch in Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
is now the Crooked River Ranch
Crooked River Ranch, Oregon
Crooked River Ranch is an unincorporated private resort community in southern Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. A small portion of the ranch is also in north Deschutes County. It is located between the Deschutes River and the Crooked River near the south end of Lake Billy Chinook. It is west...
.
Early life
Harry Gates was born on July 30, 1847, in Lowell, MassachusettsLowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, to John M. and Lydia S. (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Bowker) Gates. He grew up 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...
where he attended the local public schools in DeWitt
DeWitt, Iowa
DeWitt is a city in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,049 at the 2000 census. DeWitt was named after DeWitt Clinton , an early American politician who served as United States Senator and 7th Governor of New York.-Geography:...
. In 1862, he enlisted with the 6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
The 6th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry was an cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 6th Iowa Cavalry was mustered into Federal service at Davenport, Iowa for a three year enlistment between January 31 to March 5, 1863.The regiment was mustered...
during the time of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Gates was a private, later serving as bugler, and spent three years in the military, leaving in 1865. His unit fought against Native Americans on the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
.
Following his time in the army, he worked for the Davenport and St. Paul Railroad as a leveler in 1869 and then in 1870 was placed in charge of building track and bridges on the Callao, Lima & Oroya Railway in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Gates married in 1871 to Helen Melvina Batcheller, and they had three children, Oliver, Helen, and Samuel. In 1880, he worked for the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
where he was responsible for the locating party through the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
. The next year Gates started working for the Oregon & Pacific Railroad in Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, first as their locater then as superintendent of construction, and in 1886 he was the railroad's superintendent. Gates continued to work for the railroads, and was responsible for the construction of over 2,000 miles of track from 1891 until 1922. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
as superintendent of construction from 1887 until 1891 when he moved to Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
. Gates was also the chief engineer for the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company was a railroad that operated a rail network of of track running east from Portland, Oregon, United States to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho...
for a time.
Political career
Gates voted for Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in the 1860 presidential election, and remained a Republican the rest of his life. In 1894, 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....
from Washington County. Gates represented District 56 and served only in the 1895 legislative session.
Later years
Link River
The Link River is a short river connecting Upper Klamath Lake to Lake Ewauna in the city of Klamath Falls in the U.S. state of Oregon. Draining a basin of , the river begins at the southern end of Klamath Lake and flows a short distance to the Link River Dam and continues to the head of Lake Ewauna...
near Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
. Gates also served as the engineer for the Heppner Light & Water Company in Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity, thus the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost counties in the state; in other contexts, it includes...
in addition to his duties as engineer, superintendent, and president of the Hillsboro Electric Light & Water Company at the turn of the century.
Gates was selected as the Commander of the Oregon Department of the Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
in 1899. He served three more terms as Commander of the Oregon chapter in the 1930s. In 1903, he purchased a new residence south of the downtown area on Walnut Street. The Second Empire style home had been built in 1890, and Gates lived there until 1927. In 1903, the Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
appointed Gates to a committee to devise new laws governing water rights in the state. He was a member of the Thirteenth National Irrigation Congress held in 1905 in Portland.
As early as 1909 and through at least 1920 he served as a director for the Shute Savings Bank
John W. Shute
John Wright Shute was an American banker in the state of Oregon. He was the founder of the first bank in Washington County, Oregon, and both Shute Park and Shute Road in Hillsboro, Oregon, are his namesakes.-Early life:...
in Hillsboro. He continued as president of what was later the Hillsboro Power and Investment Company. He was granted a license by the state to install an irrigation system and power generating facility on the Crooked River
Crooked River (Oregon)
The Crooked River is a tributary, long, of the Deschutes River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The river begins at the confluence of South Fork Crooked River and Beaver Creek. Of the two tributaries, the South Fork Crooked River is the larger and is sometimes considered part of the Crooked River proper...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Oregon
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 21,720. It is named after Mount Jefferson. The seat of the county is Madras.-History:...
in 1925 that provided electricity and water for his adjoining ranch.
Along with his son Oliver, he owned a pipe making factory in Hillsboro and over 500 miles of telephone lines in 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...
. Gates was a member of the Congregational Church, the American Association of Engineers, the American Water Works Association, and a member of the Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, among other groups. Harry V. Gates died on October 13, 1935, in Portland at the age of 88 and was buried at the Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery
The Hillsboro Pioneer Cemetery is in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Located at the west end of the town along the Tualatin Valley Highway and adjacent to Dairy Creek. The cemetery comprises three formerly private cemeteries...
. His former home was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980 as the Rice–Gates House
Rice–Gates House
The Rice-Gates House is a historic private residence on Southeast Walnut Street in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1890, the Second Empire architectural style structure stands two stories tall with a mansard roof. The wood building was added to the National Register of...
. His ranch in Central Oregon
Central Oregon
Central Oregon is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Oregon and is traditionally considered to be made up of Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties. Other definitions include larger areas, often encompassing areas to the north towards the Columbia River, eastward towards Burns, or south...
became the Crooked River Ranch
Crooked River Ranch, Oregon
Crooked River Ranch is an unincorporated private resort community in southern Jefferson County, Oregon, United States. A small portion of the ranch is also in north Deschutes County. It is located between the Deschutes River and the Crooked River near the south end of Lake Billy Chinook. It is west...
.