Lawrence A McNary
Submitted by:  Lynn Mack
 
Lawrence A. MCNARY, well known attorney at law of Portland, where he
is engaged in the conduct of an extensive practice, is a member of one
of the oldest of the pioneer families of Oregon, representatives of
the name coming to this state in 1845.  The ancestral line can be
traced back to the great-grandfather of Lawrence A. MCNARY, who was a
soldier of the Revolutionary war, enlisting from Virginia and bearing
full part in the struggle for American independence.  Another
generation of the family was represented in Kentucky, whence a removal
was made to Illinois, and from the latter state James and Alexander
MCNARY made their way to the northwest among the first of those
adventurous and courageous spirits who sought to establish homes and
plant the seeds of civilization upon the northwestern frontier.  They
arrived in Oregon in 1845 and James MCNARY became a resident of
Clackamas county, while Alexander MCNARY took up his abode in Polk
county.  They were accompanied by their respective families, the
latter having two sons and three daughters approaching manhood and
womanhood at the time of his removal to Oregon, these being:  Sarah
E., who became the wife of A. C. R. SHAW and passed away in Fresno
county, California, in 1901; Hugh M., who died in Salem, Oregon, in
1891; Alexander W., who passed away in Polk county in 1898; Catherine,
who became the wife of John C. ALLEN and died in Polk county about
1860; and David S., whose death occurred in the same county about
1862.
 
The eldest son of the family was Hugh M. MCNARY, who was eighteen
years of age when the journey across the plans was made.  He shared in
all of the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life and upon
attaining his majority secured a donation claim in Polk county and
there followed the occupation of farming until 1859.  In that year he
became a resident of Wasco county, settling near The Dalles, after
which he engaged in freighting to the mines of eastern Oregon and
Idaho.  Subsequently he turned his attention to the live stock
business, which he followed first in Wasco county, Oregon, and later
in Klickitat county, Washington, until 1876 - the year of his removal
to Salem, Oregon.  There he began making investments in property and
became a large landowner in Polk and Linn counties.  He wedded
Catherine FRIZZELL, who was born in Greene county, Missouri, and was
one of the six children of Rees and Lilly FRIZZELL, who were Oregon
pioneers of 1852.  Hugh M. MCNARY died in 1891, and his wife in 1911.
To them were born seven children:  Mrs. Sarah A. SMITH, a resident of
Marshfield, Oregon; Anna L., living in Portland; Lillian M., of Salem;
Angelo P, who is located in Klickitat county, Washington; Lawrence A.;
Hugh P., living in Portland; and Wilson D., who is a practicing
physician of Pendleton, Oregon.
 
Lawrence A. MCNARY was largely reared at Salem, where he attended the
grammar schools, while later he benefited by a three years' course of
instruction in the Willamette University.  His interest in the legal
profession led him to become a law student in the office and under the
direction of Richard and E. B. WILLIAMS of Portland, and in 1890 he
was admitted to the bar.  He entered upon the practice of law in
connection with Judge W. W. THAYER, a former governor of the state,
with whom he was thus associated for five years.  In 1902 he was
elected city attorney of Portland for a three years' term and in 1905
was reelected for a term of two years.  He is now engaged in the
private practice of law and has made a credible and enviable position
at the Portland bar.  While he has largely confined his attention to
his professional interests he has also extended his activities by
becoming a director of an Alaskan canning company and other business
enterprises.
 
On the 16th of November, 1914, in Alameda, California, Mr. MCNARY was
married to Mrs. Alice (HASKELL) LEINENWEBER, whose father, William
HASKELL, was a pioneer of California, arriving in that state in 1847
and there residing to the time of his death in 1908.  Mr. MCNARY is id
entified with the Commercial Club of Portland, is a member of the
Knights of Pythias and politically is a republican, as have been all
of the descendants of the original pioneers of the name. He has held
no public offices since 1910, but during the period of the World war
he assisted largely in the patriotic work which fell to his city.  For
three-quarters of a century the MCNARY family has resided in Oregon
and the work instituted in pioneer times by the grandfather and later
promoted by the father is being continued by Lawrence A.MCNARY, under
changed conditions, it is true, but with the same spirit of fidelity
to the state and keen interest in its substantial upbuilding.
 
History of Oregon, Biographical, Vol. II, The Pioneer Historical
Publishing Company, 1922, Pages 706-707.
 
 
 

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