Oregon Republican League: Elder Photos

Oregon Republican League:Republican League Register of Oregon, The Register Publishing Company, 1896, page 90.

WELLS, CAPTAIN HARRY L., of Portland, Secretary of the Republican League of Oregon, was born in Geneva, Illinois, March 28, 1854. He early engaged in newspaper work and attended the Chicago writing in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington for three years, becoming editor of the West Shore, an illustrated journal, in Portland, in March 1883. In 1891 he became an editorial writer of the staff of the Oregonian for three years, and has since been engaged in general newspaper work. He is the author of a history of Oregon, published by Walling & Lang as a “History of the Willamette Valley,” and republished as the “Popular History of Oregon.” He served four years in the First Regiment, Illinois National Guard, six months in the California National Guard, and eight years in Company K, First Regiment, Oregon National Guard, seven of them as an officer and four as captain of the company, and was a delegate from Oregon to the National Guard Convention in Chicago in 1892. His first Republican service was in 1868, when he commanded a uniformed company of boy “Tanners” in the first Grant campaign. In 1891-2 he was Assistant Secretary and Inspector of the State Board of Charities and Corrections. He was Secretary of the Multorpor Club in 1892, and was its military instructor and captain of a company. In 1893 he was elected its Commander, and was re-elected in 1894 and 1895. In 1892 he was Secretary of the Portland City Convention. In January, 1894, he was elected Secretary of the State League of Clubs to fill [a] vacancy, and was re-elected for two years the following month. Chiefly through his labors the league was increased from thirty-nine Clubs to more than 200. He was again elected for two years in February, 1896. In 1894-6 he was Assistant Secretary of the state central committee. He is now Commander of the Oregon division, Sons of Veterans.