Thomas G. Hendricks bought Eugene and paid for the University of Oregon. He served the little people by holding every office you can think of, and was a Regent. His royal court point to that clodhopper, Eugene Skinner, in order to give us yokels the impression we descend from wearers of Coonskin Caps, and not Capitalists that found sanctuary behind iron bars in a bank, guarded by Bank Dicks.

To link Tom to Banker, Georg Granitsch, is to get closer to the truth, get closer to the core of Labyrinth, when we just follow ‘The Money Trail’.  My exposure of the Habsburg painting that belongs to this royal family, or, the Austrian government, is the greatest scandal to ever hit the Emerald Valley. I have pulled back the curtain in ‘The Land of Oz’. I have contacted attorneys who represent the Habsburgs.

All I did…..was follow The Trail of the Roses’ that led to Belle Burch, and the image of Empress Zita. My muse paved my path – with roses! I am no longer the ‘Beast of Eugene’ but, a dignified, exquisite old ‘Prince of Art’ dedicated to ‘The Rose of the World’.

Below is the Hendricks Bank with “Romanesque turret” that serves as a gun turret just in case Bonnie and Clyde blow into town, or, raging Anarchists rush the bank to plant a bomb! This bank was near Ken Kesey Square where Belle Burch hosted a faux cultural event on First Friday Artwork. There will be Cultural Warfare – till Doomsday! This is why I refused to stop writing about her in my Free Newspaper for the Arts.

Above we see Zita’s son being put to rest, along with his wife who died earlier, and is already at rest. Habsburg Family Values dictate you honor the mate. Too bad the painting of the Empress and her court was not present, it hanging on the wall for fellow royals to behold, rather than us Eugene Clodhopper who do not have a clue. Only the very few, lurking in the background at the Museum, know of this regal charade! There is a city, within a city, within a city! We have been dazed and confusded!

John Presco

Copyright 2016

President: Royal Rosamond Press Co.

In 1898, Hendricks and his partner S.B. Eakins decided to move their First National Bank into this building, and major changes followed. According to the Jan. 8, 1898 Eugene City Guard, “They will take out the front and otherwise improve and modernize the old corner building, converting it into a first class, up to date bank office.” It’s unclear just how much change was actually carried out, but it is obvious the work was well done. The architect, the famous Col. Delos D. Neer, worked with local builder Nels Roney to create a new, partial stone front, added a Romanesque turret and tiled tower, painted the brick overlay to look like stone, partitioned the upstairs into eight rooms and created a dignified bank lobby. The narrow building exhibited the same massing evident in the original Bristow structure.

Hon. Thomas G. Hendricks:  Banker, Philanthropist and Friend of the University

One of deep philosophic trend of thought has said:  “Not the good that comes to us but the good that comes to the world through us is the measure of our success,” and, judged in this way, Hon. Thomas G. Hendricks may be said to be an extremely successful man. His broad vision has enabled him to recognize opportunities not only got individual progress but also for public welfare, and these opportunities he has used to the fullest.  The consensus of opinion on the part of his fellowmen places him with Oregon’s most honored and representative citizens.  Throughout the state he is spoken of in terms of admiration and respect.  His life has been so varied in its activity, so honorable in its purposes and so far-reaching and beneficial in its effects that it has become an integral part of the history of the city of Eugene and has also left an impress upon the annuals of the state.  In no sense a man in public life, he has nevertheless exerted an immeasurable influence on the city of his residence; in business life as a merchant and financier; in social circles by reason of a charming personality and unfeigned cordiality; in politics by reason of his indefatigable efforts in behalf of education, especially in the upbuilding of the State University of Oregon, which largely stands as a monument to his public spirit and high ideals.  His chief business association at the present writing is perhaps that of president of the First National Bank of Eugene, and yet this is but one phase of his activity which still connects him in large measure with the development and continuous upbuilding of this city.

Mr. Hendricks was born in Henderson county, Illinois on the 17th of June, 1838, his parents being James M. and Elizabeth (Bristow) Hendricks.  His paternal grandfather was Abraham Hendricks, who at an early day became a resident of Kentucky but spent his last days in Illinois.  James M. Hendricks was born in the former state and made farming his life work.  He wedded Elizabeth Bristow, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of Elijah Bristow, who was the first settler of Lane county, Oregon, and of whom extensive mention is made in another part of this work.  Following his marriage Mr. Hendricks removed with his wife to Henderson county, Illinois, becoming one of the pioneers of that state.  He served with distinction in the Black Hawk war and took a prominent part in reclaiming that region for the purposes of civilization.  Five children were born unto him and his wife in Illinois and in 1848 he started with his family across the plains for the northwest, making the journey in three wagons, eight yoke of oxen, and a number of cattle.  They started in March, crossed the Missouri river at St. Joseph and soon afterward were obliged to halt for two weeks in order that the grass might grow and thus supplement the scant supply of feed for their stock.  On a few occasions the party had their cattle stampeded by Indians and by the Mormons but altogether the journey was free from many of the hardships and dangers encountered by other travelers across the plains.  They passed over the Cascade range by the Barlowe route and in October reached Pleasant Hill, Lane county, where they were joyfully greeted by Elijah Bristow, who three years before had come to Oregon, making the first settlement within the borders of what is now Lane county.

James M. Hendricks secured a section of land twelve miles southeast of the present site of the county seat.  His neighbors were Eugene Skinner, Jacob Spares, Isaac Briggs, P. F. Blair, and their families and William Dodson, who was unmarried, and a few others. With characteristic energy Mr. Hendricks at once began the arduous task of converting a tract of wild land into productive fields and meadows.  As the years passed his labors were crowned with success and he carried on farming and stockraising on an extensive scale, his only interruption being the period which he spent in the gold mines of California in 1851.  While he carefully and successfully managed his private business interest, he also found time and opportunity to assist in all those affair which are salient elements in the upbuilding and progress of a county.  He did everything in his power to promote the moral and intellectual progress of the community and became a member of the Christian church, which was the first organized in the county, and assisted in erecting the first house of worship near his home.  The first schoolhouse in Lane county was also built near his farm and was established by his father-in-law, Mr. Bristow.  James M. Hendricks continued an active and valued resident of the county until his death in 1876, his wife having previously passed away.  They were the parents of the following children:  Benjamin F., conducting a gun shop in Fort Bragg, California; Susan J., who became the wife of John A. Winter and died in California; Sarah A., the wife of J. W. Scaggs, of Santa Cruz, California; Elijah B., who is engaged in the drug business in Cheney, Washington; James M., mentioned elsewhere in this work; Columbus C., a capitalist of Pendleton, Oregon; Lafayette, a farmer of Lane county; Albert M., engaged in farming near Eugene; and Olive E., the wife of F. P. Close, a farmer of Lane county.

The other member of the family is the Hon. Thomas G. Hendricks, who was the second in order of birth.   He began his education in the little log schoolhouse erected by his grandfather and others of the community and following the establishment of Cascade Academy at Cloverdale he became a student in that institution in 1853 and there pursued a three years’ course.  This school was established by his father and others of the party who had come to Lane county in 1848 and was taught by Martin Blanding, a Yale graduate.   He afterward had the benefit of further instruction in a high school or an academy conducted under the auspices of the Episcopal Church in Eugene.  This was in 1857, when there were not more than two or three hundred people in the town.   In the spring of 1858 he entered upon his business career as a clerk in the general mercantile store established by his uncle, E. L. Bristow, and has conducted business in the same block continuously since.

In 1860 he became a partner of his uncle under the firm name of E. L. Bristow & Company and in 1866 they erected the first brick building in Lane county at the northwest corner of Willamette and Ninth streets.  Into this they moved their stock of merchandise and the original partnership was maintained until 1873, when E. L Bristow sold out to W. W. Bristow, who died in 1874, at which time Mr. Hendricks became sole proprietor.  The business was ever conducted according to the highest commercial standards and Mr. Hendricks remained in the trade until 1884, when he disposed of his stock but retained possession of the building and the same year opened a private bank under the firm style of Hendricks & Eakin, with Stewart B. Eakin as his partner. Business was conducted under the original name until February 27, 1886, when they reorganized under the national banking law as the First National Bank of Eugene, of which Mr. Hendricks has continuously been the president.  Since 1899 this bank had been the United States depository.  Its success was assured from the start because of the substantial business methods upon which it was founded.   In its conduct conservatism and progressiveness were evenly balanced and the utmost care has ever been taken to safeguard the interests of depositors.  The business, therefore, has grown continuously and the bank is one of the strong moneyed institutions of the state.  The partners erected a two story building on the west side of Willamette between Eighth and Ninth streets with the first plate glass front in Lane county.  The original capital was fifty thousand dollars, which has since been increased to one hundred thousand dollars. From time to time improvements have been made in the home of the bank, including the erection of a handsome two story brick building with stone front in 1898.  As his financial resources have increased Mr. Hendricks has made large investment in town and country property, including Hendricks addition in College Hill Park and other valuable residence and business sites.  He has won a place among the most prosperous business men of Lane county but the most envious cannot grudge him his success, so honorably has it been gained and so worthily used.

At all times Mr. Hendricks has manifested a public spirit that has found tangible expression in his support of many movements and project for the public good.  He was one of the builders of the City Water Works and served as a director until he disposed of his interest in the company.  He was elected one of the first city councilmen of Eugene and has again and again served on the board of aldermen.  For two terms he was chief executive officer of the city and as mayor gave to Eugene a business-like administration, avoiding extravagant progress wherever the best interests of the city were to be conserved.   In 1880 he was elected for a four years’ term as a member of the state senate on the democratic ticket and his personal popularity and the confidence reposed in him are indicated in the fact that he was absent from home at the time of the election and, moreover, the county is regarded as a republican stronghold.  During his four years in office he supported many measures demanded by the most thoughtful of his constituents and thus greatly promoted the interests of the commonwealth.  He presented to the city of Eugene a tract of land most desirably situated for a park eighty acres in extent located in the southeastern part of the city, within the city limits.  This property, known as Hendricks Park, is being improved from year to year by the city and promises to become one of the most sightly and beautiful parks in the state.   By this gift the donor has not only contributed to the enjoyment of the present residents of Eugene, but has provided a source of gratification for endless years to come.

Perhaps his public service of greatest value, however, has been along educational lines. There is no one that questions the fact that the most valuable gift that can be made to any individual is the opportunity for thorough intellectual training, and throughout his entire life Mr. Hendricks has been a stalwart champion of public instruction.  From the county court he received in 1872 appointment to the office of county superintendent of public instruction to fill a vacancy and he was twice elected, serving in all for six years. He was the first incumbent in the position to take an active and effective interest in the welfare of the schools, visiting them in his official capacity, studying their needs and making practical plans for their improvement.  The experience thus gained formed the foundation for his later labors in behalf of higher education.  There are not many schools or church buildings in the county to the erection and maintenance of which Mr. Hendricks has not contributed.  The state owes to him a debt of gratitude in recognition for what he has done to upbuild the University of Oregon.  A contemporary biographer said in this connection:  “His greatest claim upon the consideration of posterity is his association with the building, organization and subsequent management of Oregon’s greatest institution of learning, the University of Oregon at Eugene.  It is doubtful if any other undertaking of his life has been a source of so great a measure of personal satisfaction, so earnest and absorbing an interest as the development of this ambitious project, the realization of which will be the proud heritage of the coming generations.  Mr. Hendricks is one of those farsighted men who saw the necessity for just such an institution and in the beginning of the ’70s he accepted the responsibility of raising funds for its erection, the state not yet having arrived at an appreciation of its duty in the matter.  A few helped him to raise the required fifty thousand dollars and who as members of the building committee overcame gigantic obstacles, ignored discouraging influences and conditions and with singleness of purpose made straight for their goal, are entitled to rank with the state’s greatest benefactors.   That Mr. Hendricks was the life and soul of this little band, the farsighted advisor and friend redounds to his lasting honor and invests his career with additional dignity and nobility.   After the state had accepted the institution he became a member of the board of regents, being appointed consecutively for twenty-four years, or until the stable condition of the university justified him in withdrawing his active support.  During all these years he was chairman of the executive committee and it was largely due to his judgment that the university took on the methods and the prestige of institutions of historical renown and established usefulness.  Thus has the greatest ambition of this pioneer Oregonian been realized; yet broad and comprehensive as is its scope it has been but one of the numerous avenues invaded by his business sagacity and genius for organization and development.”

Interesting as is the business and public career of Mr. Hendricks, equally attractive is his home life and many agree that he is seen at his best when at his own fireside.  On the 20th of October, 1861, he married Miss Mary J. Hazelton, a daughter of Harvey Hazelton, who settled in Lane county about 1852.  She died in Eugene in 1866 and of the children of that marriage Harry died in infancy, while Ida B. became the wife of Frank L. Chambers, of Eugene, but is now deceased.  In the month of January, 1869, Mr. Hendricks was united in marriage to Miss Martha A. Stewart, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Elias Stewart, a biography of who appears on another page of this work.   Mr. Stewart brought his family to Lane county when Mrs. Hendricks was two or three years of age.  The children of the second marriage are:   Ada D., who was graduated from the University of Oregon, with the class of 1896 and is now the wife of Richard Shore Smith, of Eugene; and Ruby V., a State University graduate of the class of 1903 and now the wife of Ray Goodrich.  The family are members of the Christian Church, of which Mr. Hendricks is serving as a trustee.   He is also a prominent member of the Odd Fellows society, belonging to Spencer Butte Lodge and also to the grand lodge.  An eminent statesman has said:  “In all this world the thing supremely worth having is the opportunity, coupled with the capacity, to do well and worthily a piece of work, the doing of which shall be a vital significance to mankind.”