Daniel Bonner

Daniel Bonner has the record for being the oldest known person in the cemetery. He appears in the 1880 Census of New York City, living with his family. The census record gives his date of birth as 1816. The earliest birth date of cemetery residents goes to Mrs.Agnes Otty, who was born in 1814. Daniel appears in the 1860 census of Philadelphia and again in 1863 in the rolls of the Union Army Draft Register of Pennsylvania. He is listed in the 1910 Census of Hillsboro at 92 year of age.
Daniel was a resident of Hillsboro, but died in the Multnomah County Poor Farm in Troutdale - now McMenamin's Edgefield Manor on November 27, 1918. He was one of over 1300 Oregonians who lost their lives during the Influenza pandemic - most in a two month period.
Daniel, a coal miner from Ireland, was a resident of the Multnomah Farm for 2 months and ten days. He had been living in the country for about 65 years, and was widowed.
His place of interment is currently unknown.

June 30, 1934

On June 30th, 1934, Portland City road crews were out in our neck of the woods taking photos of streets for the City Planners. This photo shows the Park on the left. The entrance pillars can be seen. They were painted white with a painted sign across the top. There was no fence and it looked like the grass was tall. The O.P. Lent monument can be seen. This is the first old photo of the cemetery we have been able to locate. It came from the City of Portland Archives.

Godfred Erickson

Godfred, like so many Swedes seeking a btter life in America, immigrated to the U.S. in 1905. We don't yet know what part of Sweden he came from, but we do know that in 1910 he is living in Nehalem, Tillamook County, and working on the railroad. After working for a time in Tillamook he moved south to Coos County to again, work on the railroad. We know that from his death certificate.
Whatever Godfred's dreams were they were cut short by the Influenza pandemic of 1918. Godfred has the unfortunate disctinction of being one of the first people to die in Multnomah County from Influenza in the late fall of 1918. He wasn't the first to die, but he is the first to die of those unfortunates who died of Influenza in that terrible winter and who are buried at the Park. He became sick on October 10th, had pneumonia by the 13th and was gone just after midnight on the early morning of the 17th.

Loving Friends

Ms. Olive May entered the Garden of Untimely Demise on September 19, 1942 when she fell down a flight of stairs. She had no family to see to her final resting place so her friends saw to it that Olive had a proper burial at Multnomah Park. She was fortunate to have so many friends who cared about her enough to erect such a handsome stone.

Garden of Untimely Demise

Theodore Sykes was an African American man who was married and worked in the ship yards of Portland. He was only 36 when he was murdered when he stepped between two men vying for the affections of a married woman.

Unknown Man

Like all cemeteries, Multhomah Park is the final resting place for those who die without letting us know their names. Such is the case of a 65 year old man whose body was found in the Columbia Slough on February 20, 1929. According to the records he was interred in an unmarked grave in Section C, plot 9.

Perspectives

This photo was taken from the far NW corner of the cemetery looking SE. I think I took the photo in August when the shade of the trees was definitely a welcome place to be.

Roman Tomb in Portland?

Tom and I went to Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery today where I took photos for a class I'm taking this term. Among the family crypts were two like the picture. These crypts are made of poured concrete and were built around 1920. I just think they are way cool!

Poor Farm

The Multnomah County Poor Farm was the home of many people, most of them elderly for many years. Many of those folks came to rest in Multnomah Park. I am beginning the research to find out who they were and where they are now. Many of the former residents of the County Poor Farm became part of the anatomy lab lessons at the Oregon Health Sciences University. I honor them.

Mover and Shaker

Plympton Kelly was a mover and shaker in the early days of Portland. He gave the eulogy at the funeral of his good friend O.P. Lent in 1899. Mr. Kelly was friends with many Portland pioneers. He also served on the first Multnomah Cemetery Board of Directors.