In an interview for Fred Lockley ("Impressions and Observations of The Journal Man", The Oregonian, 6 Dec 1926), Katherine Fenton said that her husband started at Christian College as a student at the age of 16 and graduated at the age of 19. (Prior to that, he had attended McMinnville College for a time.) According to "The OCE Story", by Ellis A. Stebbins, W.D. Fenton was registered at Christian College in 1871 and received an A.B. degree from there in 1872. In the 1872-73 catalogue, he was listed as an "Assistant Teacher".
In 1870, he was offered a cadetship at West Point, which he refused. Instead, he went to Salem to serve as assistant librarian of the State Library. He was admitted to the Oregon bar in 1875. In 1876, he was elected to the legislature on the Democratic ticket, representing Yamhill County. In the Fall of 1877, William became a partner in the law firm of James McCain, who had a law office in Lafayette. He was later associated in a law practice with his brother Frank.
On 16 October 1879, William married Katherine L. "Mary" Lucas in Monmouth, Oregon, daughter of Albert Whitfield Lucas and Elizabeth Frances Murphy. They had four sons: Ralph Albert, Horace Burnett, Kenneth Lucas and William David Fenton, Jr.
William was subsequently a candidate for Congress in 1882. In 1885, William and Katherine moved to Portland, where William had formed a law partnership with Judge J.C. Moreland. In 1891, he joined the law firm of Bronaugh, McArthur, Fenton and Bronaugh, and for 28 years, William was chief counsel of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Portland.
Following the deaths of Judges Bronaugh and McArthur, William practiced law alone until his son Kenneth was admitted to the bar and went into partnership with his father. Following Kenneth's accidental death in 1917, William retired from practice and gave his library to the University of Oregon, known as the Kenneth Lucas Fenton Memorial Library.
At the time of his death, he and Katherine were living at 110 East 16th Street in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. (Katherine was still living at this address when she died in 1930.) William had been a resident of Portland for 40 years. He was a 33rd degree Mason and a Shriner. He served as a director of the Lewis and Clark exposition, and was one of the commissioners in charge of the building of The Auditorium. He served as president of the Oregon Historical Society and was president of the Christian College Alumni, according to "Christian College," by John E. Smith (1953).
In the Portland city directory of 1905, W. D. Fenton was listed as being the Vice President and Acting President of the Oregon Historical Society ("Meets quarterly in City Hall").
William was a member of the Oregon Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (National No. 21377), citing his descendancy from his great great grandfather, Isaac Hicks, who served as a Captain in the 3rd Georgia Regiment under Colonel McIntosh at Valley Forge.
In 1870, he was offered a cadetship at West Point, which he refused. Instead, he went to Salem to serve as assistant librarian of the State Library. He was admitted to the Oregon bar in 1875. In 1876, he was elected to the legislature on the Democratic ticket, representing Yamhill County. In the Fall of 1877, William became a partner in the law firm of James McCain, who had a law office in Lafayette. He was later associated in a law practice with his brother Frank.
On 16 October 1879, William married Katherine L. "Mary" Lucas in Monmouth, Oregon, daughter of Albert Whitfield Lucas and Elizabeth Frances Murphy. They had four sons: Ralph Albert, Horace Burnett, Kenneth Lucas and William David Fenton, Jr.
William was subsequently a candidate for Congress in 1882. In 1885, William and Katherine moved to Portland, where William had formed a law partnership with Judge J.C. Moreland. In 1891, he joined the law firm of Bronaugh, McArthur, Fenton and Bronaugh, and for 28 years, William was chief counsel of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Portland.
Following the deaths of Judges Bronaugh and McArthur, William practiced law alone until his son Kenneth was admitted to the bar and went into partnership with his father. Following Kenneth's accidental death in 1917, William retired from practice and gave his library to the University of Oregon, known as the Kenneth Lucas Fenton Memorial Library.
At the time of his death, he and Katherine were living at 110 East 16th Street in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. (Katherine was still living at this address when she died in 1930.) William had been a resident of Portland for 40 years. He was a 33rd degree Mason and a Shriner. He served as a director of the Lewis and Clark exposition, and was one of the commissioners in charge of the building of The Auditorium. He served as president of the Oregon Historical Society and was president of the Christian College Alumni, according to "Christian College," by John E. Smith (1953).
In the Portland city directory of 1905, W. D. Fenton was listed as being the Vice President and Acting President of the Oregon Historical Society ("Meets quarterly in City Hall").
William was a member of the Oregon Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (National No. 21377), citing his descendancy from his great great grandfather, Isaac Hicks, who served as a Captain in the 3rd Georgia Regiment under Colonel McIntosh at Valley Forge.
In an interview for Fred Lockley ("Impressions and Observations of The Journal Man", The Oregonian, 6 Dec 1926), Katherine Fenton said that her husband started at Christian College as a student at the age of 16 and graduated at the age of 19. (Prior to that, he had attended McMinnville College for a time.) According to "The OCE Story", by Ellis A. Stebbins, W.D. Fenton was registered at Christian College in 1871 and received an A.B. degree from there in 1872. In the 1872-73 catalogue, he was listed as an "Assistant Teacher".
In 1870, he was offered a cadetship at West Point, which he refused. Instead, he went to Salem to serve as assistant librarian of the State Library. He was admitted to the Oregon bar in 1875. In 1876, he was elected to the legislature on the Democratic ticket, representing Yamhill County. In the Fall of 1877, William became a partner in the law firm of James McCain, who had a law office in Lafayette. He was later associated in a law practice with his brother Frank.
On 16 October 1879, William married Katherine L. "Mary" Lucas in Monmouth, Oregon, daughter of Albert Whitfield Lucas and Elizabeth Frances Murphy. They had four sons: Ralph Albert, Horace Burnett, Kenneth Lucas and William David Fenton, Jr.
William was subsequently a candidate for Congress in 1882. In 1885, William and Katherine moved to Portland, where William had formed a law partnership with Judge J.C. Moreland. In 1891, he joined the law firm of Bronaugh, McArthur, Fenton and Bronaugh, and for 28 years, William was chief counsel of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Portland.
Following the deaths of Judges Bronaugh and McArthur, William practiced law alone until his son Kenneth was admitted to the bar and went into partnership with his father. Following Kenneth's accidental death in 1917, William retired from practice and gave his library to the University of Oregon, known as the Kenneth Lucas Fenton Memorial Library.
At the time of his death, he and Katherine were living at 110 East 16th Street in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. (Katherine was still living at this address when she died in 1930.) William had been a resident of Portland for 40 years. He was a 33rd degree Mason and a Shriner. He served as a director of the Lewis and Clark exposition, and was one of the commissioners in charge of the building of The Auditorium. He served as president of the Oregon Historical Society and was president of the Christian College Alumni, according to "Christian College," by John E. Smith (1953).
In the Portland city directory of 1905, W. D. Fenton was listed as being the Vice President and Acting President of the Oregon Historical Society ("Meets quarterly in City Hall").
William was a member of the Oregon Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (National No. 21377), citing his descendancy from his great great grandfather, Isaac Hicks, who served as a Captain in the 3rd Georgia Regiment under Colonel McIntosh at Valley Forge.
In 1870, he was offered a cadetship at West Point, which he refused. Instead, he went to Salem to serve as assistant librarian of the State Library. He was admitted to the Oregon bar in 1875. In 1876, he was elected to the legislature on the Democratic ticket, representing Yamhill County. In the Fall of 1877, William became a partner in the law firm of James McCain, who had a law office in Lafayette. He was later associated in a law practice with his brother Frank.
On 16 October 1879, William married Katherine L. "Mary" Lucas in Monmouth, Oregon, daughter of Albert Whitfield Lucas and Elizabeth Frances Murphy. They had four sons: Ralph Albert, Horace Burnett, Kenneth Lucas and William David Fenton, Jr.
William was subsequently a candidate for Congress in 1882. In 1885, William and Katherine moved to Portland, where William had formed a law partnership with Judge J.C. Moreland. In 1891, he joined the law firm of Bronaugh, McArthur, Fenton and Bronaugh, and for 28 years, William was chief counsel of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Portland.
Following the deaths of Judges Bronaugh and McArthur, William practiced law alone until his son Kenneth was admitted to the bar and went into partnership with his father. Following Kenneth's accidental death in 1917, William retired from practice and gave his library to the University of Oregon, known as the Kenneth Lucas Fenton Memorial Library.
At the time of his death, he and Katherine were living at 110 East 16th Street in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. (Katherine was still living at this address when she died in 1930.) William had been a resident of Portland for 40 years. He was a 33rd degree Mason and a Shriner. He served as a director of the Lewis and Clark exposition, and was one of the commissioners in charge of the building of The Auditorium. He served as president of the Oregon Historical Society and was president of the Christian College Alumni, according to "Christian College," by John E. Smith (1953).
In the Portland city directory of 1905, W. D. Fenton was listed as being the Vice President and Acting President of the Oregon Historical Society ("Meets quarterly in City Hall").
William was a member of the Oregon Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (National No. 21377), citing his descendancy from his great great grandfather, Isaac Hicks, who served as a Captain in the 3rd Georgia Regiment under Colonel McIntosh at Valley Forge.
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