CHAPTER 2, PORTLAND & BANKING

 

 

1879 - L.L. Hawkins came to Portland to represent interests of Capt. J. C. Ainsworth,

R.R. Thompson"

- (Ainsworth): "At the end of his life, he owned 14 different parcels of property, from

full blocks to quarter blocks. He wisely gave the management of his local interests

to Lester Leander Hawkins, better known as L.L. the Ohio-born University of

California educated civil engineer became prominently involved in banking and

electric power development and won national recognition as a founder of Portland's

extensive park system." (Source: Merchants Money and Power)

PHOTOGRAPH: Cards and Stationary, Oregon Steam Navigation Co. letterhead.

 

1879/80 - L.L. Hawkins, Agent for J.C. Ainsworth, R.R. Thompson, E.B. Babbitt, offices

31 1/2 Front Street. (Later, "Removed to No. 70 Oak Street") This was building

at S.E. corner of Oak and Fourth, owned by E.B. Babbitt --offices on first floor,

lived above. (See business card)

ETCHING: "Front Street," April 6, 1889, showing Oregon Steam Nav. Co. Building

PHOTOGRAPH OF BABBITT HOUSE/BUILDING

 

1880? - W.J. Hawkins and L.L. Hawkins resided at 268 Oak

"W.J. Hawkins with Ainsworth National Bank, res. 268 Oak." Source: City Directory

PHOTOGRAPH: House where W.J. and LLH lived.

 

1880 - W.J. Hawkins & Co. established. (Northern Pacific Rail Road during construction of

Western Division). Villard had taken over railroad.

Partners included: Col. L.L. Hawkins, Capt. J.C. Ainsworth, Captain George

Ainsworth. Returned to Portland with $40,000 in profits.

PHOTOGRAPH: "W.J. Hawkins & Co., Contractors for Chinese labor, and dealers in

Chinese Merchandise and Supplies." Front of Construction, N.P.R.R. ( letterhead

"Memorandum,"

 

1881 - Ainsworth & Company, Bankers -- managed by L.L. Hawkins

 

1881 - Portland Directory: "Hawkins, L.L. (agent for R.R. Thompson) office 31 1/2 Front,

residence 181 Sixth, S.W. corner, Yamhill"

- WJH - (September 21, 1881) Cascades, Sep 21/81 "To Foreman, P & D. Branch" "

The bearer Mr. J.W. Hawkins is appointed a Time Keeper on this division. You will

please give him such information in regard to time of men as he may ask," W.S.

Charleston (Source: O.R. & N.Co. "Stationary Requisition")

 

1881/82 - Ainsworth Block constructed. Designed by San Francisco architect, Clinton Day.

Erected by Captain J.C. Ainsworth. "It is occupied by Ainsworth & Co. bankers. J.C

and George J. Ainsworth, Leander L. and Wm. J. Hawkins compose the firm."

(Source: 1885 N.W. Illustrated Monthly, pp. 25)

PHOTOGRAPH - ETCHING Orhi 39159

Note: building demolished in 1955

 

1882 - "It was through Leander that Capt. George J. Ainsworth gave me the means to

start this business and I built it up myself." (Letter from W.H. of Aug. 2, 1882)

 

1882 - (February) "Dealers in Chinese Supplies & General Merchandise" at Lake PenOrielle

Cabinet Landing (Source )

- (August 2) - Steamer from Hong Kong, 1000 more men (3000 later). Cost $160,000

for steamer. $85/each chinese. Keep them in provisions.

1882 - W.J.H. shot in robbery attempt in the Ponderroy, called "The Accident."

Owned Oakland & Sierra Nevada Mining Co.

 

1882 - Ainsworth, Hawkins & Co. Bankers, Eagle City, Idaho (Later Murry, Idaho)

W.J. Hawkins, Manager (President on card) , J.P. Marshall, Cashier.

Owners: Capt. J.C. Ainsworth, L.L. Hawkins, George J. Ainsworth, W.J. Hawkins.

Beecame branch of The Ainsworth National Bank in 1885

PHOTOGRAPH: 240 Oak Street

 

1882?- LLH - Member of Arlington Club -- "regular member who signed constitution and

By-laws in 1882-1895 (possibly actually became a member in 1884 (pp.108), and

perhaps represented J.C. Ainsworth from 1882-1884)

"Club used J.C. Ainsworth house at Third and Pine, leased by Capt. Ainsworth's

partner and bank manager L.L. Hawkins," (pp.21) Ainsworth Mansion moved in 1891

and club built a new building in _____ Mention Cyclorama..... partners, etc.

(SOURCE: "Arlington Club, and the Men Who built It", Centennial Anniversay)

PHOTOGRAPH: Ainsworth House, Third and Pine

 

1883 - (Jan.) reference to robbery in letter from Sara to L.L. Hawkins --"robbed of $600 -

3 men connected w/ N.P. being killed and robbed."(Letter, Jan. 1883)

 

1884 - Bank Panic: "In the year of the panic, L.L. Hawkins, a partner of Captain Ainsworth

and manager of the Ainsworth Bank, offered the bank's safe for the club's vauables

and papers."

(Source: "Arlington Club and the Men Who Built It," Centennial)

Anniversay, Walter W.R. Many, (Oregon Historian and writer of note, 1968

1884 - (March) Ainsworth & Company, Bankers founded, composed of J.C. Ainsworth

(Oakland), G.J. Ainsworth (Oakland), L.L. Hawkins (Portland), W.J. Hawkins (Eagle

City, Idaho) WJH carried $40,000 on tobaggan, on 15 ft of snow over "Old Baldy,"

highest mountain in Bitterroot Range (eastern boundary of Idaho)

1884 - est. bank, paid $8/log for building bank, $250 for 1000 whip-sawed lumber. Got

as much as $20 for changing $100 bill. 10,000 people came into ???? country that

winter. By June, almost everyone went to Murry, Idaho. (Source: WJH Remembances)

PHOTOGRAPH: Announcement

 

1884 - (March) U.S.Electric Lighting and Power Co."formed in March, 1884 by the Ainsworth

Bank President, Lester Leander Hawkins, businessman George Weidler, engineer

P.F. Morey, and attorney Fred V. Holman, the company generated its power by coal-

fired steam engines, a process familiar to Markle through his father's association

with Edison." (Source: Merchants, Money and Power, pp.261)

 

 

1884 - Portland Directory: "L.L. Hawkins, 70 Oak, real estate agent, residence same.

 

1885 - Portland Directory:" L.L. Hawkins - (Ainsworth & Co.) rooms 72 Oak

1885 - "Death of a Pioneer"

"In 1885 Captain Ainsworth, with George J. Ainsworth, Leander L. and William J.

Hawkins, organized the firm of Ainsworth & Co. in this city, and did a general

banking business for a year or so, when it was succeeded by the Ainsworth National

Bank." (Sunday Oregonian, Dec. 1, 1893)

 

1885 - (October 27) The Ainsworth National Bank organized, Charter 3402, with

Capital Stock of $100,000 - nationalization of a private banking business -

Ainsworth & Company, started in 1881 by Captain J.C. Ainsworth

Officers, were L.L. Hawkins (President); W.K. Smith (Vice President); Preston C.

Smith; J.P. Marshall, Cashier; and W.S. Charleston. Board elected LLH President

J.C. Ainsworth, George Ainsworth, L.L. Hawkins and W.J. Hawkins founded the

Ainsworth Bank in 1885, and moved into the J.C.Ainsworth & Co. Building on the

N.W. corner of Third and Oak streets (Oregonian, April 23, 1882)

 

1885 - Completion of Ainsworth Building, N.W. corner of Third and Oak

PHOTOGRAPH: Ainsworth National Bank

PHOTOGRAPH: Aerial view, Portland

PHOTOGRAPH: Office, with first Safe Deposit Department in City

 

1885 - (Nov.9) LLH announces opening for business of the Ainsworth National Bank.

"Dear Sir: I take pleasure in announcing the organization of the Ainsworth National

Bank of Portland."...."Stockholders at Capt. J.C. Ainsworth, Dr. W.K. Smith (Vice

President, W.J. Hawkins, Preston C. Smith, J.P. Marshall (Cashier), W. S. Charleston,

and others." (See: Announcement, Nov. 9, 1885)

 

1887 - L.L. Hawkins - listed on first Portland Telephone Directory, no. 167

(Source: see "List of Subscribers, Portland Telephone Co.)

 

1889 - Willamette Falls Electric Company -- "first long distance commercial transmission of

hydroelectric power in the United States" Financing from Ainsworth National Bank,

through Hawkins, Morey, and Oregon City capitalist E.L. Eastham -- merged with U.S.

Electric and Power Co. 14 miles away at Oregon City.

 

1889 - (May 16) Portland Clearing House Association established. "Ainsworth National

Bank, represented by L.L. Hawkins and J.P. Marshall

 

1891 - "Aurora Placer" Mine, Murry Idaho, W.J. and James Steel

 

1891 - Lincoln Park debt of Roderick Mackenzie settled (Source: Deed, Warranty

against Grantor.

 

1893 - Financial Panic - responsibility for panic blamed on silver purchase clauses of

the Bland-Allison & Sherman Acts. L.L. lost $250,000 in payment of bank loans

and debts plus 500 shares of Ainsworth National Bank stock. and was forced

to "relinquished the presidency to John Churchill Ainsworth.

Note: the Portland Savings Bank failed. Failed banks were unable to collect

loans as fast as depositors wanted their money.

 

1892 - The Portland Cable Railway Company pursued capitalization of $800,000 through

Ainsworth National Bank, through Hawkins, had advance an initial load. Most of

stock boughtt by Daarius Ogden Mills of New York and San Francisco, Bonds bought

by San Francisco's Crocker Bank. Portland cable railway went bankrupt in August,

1892. (Source: Merchants, Money and Power)

 

1896 - (May 9) "This is to certify that LL Hawkins has this day acquitted himself of every

and all obligations of what ever name as nature, either remote contingently or

otherwise, to the Ainsworth National Bank and is held free and harmless from any

and all personal liability to this date." Signed Ainsworth National Bank, by J.P.

Marshall, cashier Thomas ?? Comell, Director, J.C. Ainsworth, President.

(Source: letter of May 9, 1896)

 

1900 - W.J. and L.L. moved to 4th and Lincoln, (563 4th Avenue) -- after marriage of

W.J. and Agnes Parsons.

(Source: City Directory)

PHOTOGRAPH: 4th and Lincoln house, circa 1900

 

1901 - Merger of Ainsworth National Bank with U.S. National Bank, with J.C. Ainsworth

purchasing controlling interest.

 

1907 - Portland Cable Railway Company ; purchased at Sheriff's auction by L.L. Hawkins,

"and whereas on October 13, 1893, the said purchases, W.K. Smith, A.W. Oliver

and R.H. Thompson granted, bargained, sold, conveyed, assigned, transferred and

set over unto said L.L. Hawkins said described sheriff's certificate of sale, and all

interest acquired by said purchasers in said premises and real property here-

acquired by said purchasers in said premisess and real property hereinafter

described by virtue of said sheriff's sale and certificate issued thereon, by a proper

conveyance dated Oct. 13, 1893, and recorded on Feb. 16, 1894, in book 209, at page

64, Records of Deeds of Multnomah

County, Oregon. (Source: LLH papers, Sheriff's conveyance)

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