Josiah Failing

Infobox Politician
name = Josiah Failing


imagesize = 180px
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office = 4^th Mayor of Portland, Oregon
termstart = 1853
termend = 1854
constituency =
nominator =
appointer =
predecessor = Simon B. Marye
successor = William S. Ladd
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constituency2 =
termstart2 =
termend2 =
nominator2 =
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birthdate = 1806-07-09
birthplace = New York
deathdate = death date and age|1877|8|14|1806|7|9
deathplace = Portland, Oregon
party =
spouse =

Josiah Failing (1806-07-09–1877-08-14) was a businessman and the fourth mayor of Portland, Oregon, United States. Born in New York, he moved to Portland when it was still a small town of a few hundred. He and his son Henry, who also became a noted businessman and mayor of the city, started a general merchandising business that became very successful.

Early life

Josiah Failing was born in Canajoharie, New York [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Failing&GSfn=Josiah&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1877&GSdyrel=in&GSst=39&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=25549686& Find-a-Grave] page. Retrieved on 2008-04-06.] on July 9 1806.cite book
title=History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington
url=http://www.accessgenealogy.com/scripts/data/database.cgi?file=Data&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0020545
date=1889] His ancestors were German Palatines who settled in the Mohawk Valley of New York in the early part of the 18th century.Lockley, Fred. " [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jtenlen/ORBios/hfailing.html History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the Sea] ." Vol. 2. Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928. p. 18.] He was raised on a farm. Early in life he went to Albany, to learn the trade of paper stainer, and in 1824, accompanied his employer in a move to New York City.cite book
last=Scott
first=Harvey
authorlink=Harvey W. Scott
title=History of Portland Oregon
publisher=D. Mason & Co., Syracuse
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=UsKKpvOVRRUC&printsec=titlepage
page=p. 522
date=1890] There he married Henrietta Ellison on June 15 1828. Henrietta was of English and Dutch ancestry. They had 11 children.

Failing served his apprenticeship in New York and followed his trade until forced to abandon it on account of ill health. He then engaged in the trucking business, following this line of work for many years. During this period he served for several years as superintendent of public vehicles of the city.

Rise to prominence in Portland, Oregon

Failing had been fascinated by the Oregon Country for 20 years when he moved his family there in 1851. [http://www.riverviewcemetery.org/bio_failing.html Cemetery Founders: Josiah Failing and Sons] , River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon). Retrieved on 2008-04-06.] The move was risky for a family of modest means, but represented a fresh start. The Failing family settled in Portland and established the mercantile firm of J. Failing & Co. They located the store diagonally across the street from the business of Henry W. Corbett, a future U.S. Senator with whom the Failing business would later partner. Josiah remained with the business until 1864, when, having acquired a modest competency, he retired from active business. (Another source has Josiah leaving the business to Henry as early as 1853, when a New York partner advised a business practice with which he was uncomfortable.)

Failing's arrival coincided with a period of rapid changes and growth in Portland, and he became thoroughly identified with the city's progress, and engaged in the management of its public affairs. On April 4 1853, he was elected as the fourth mayor of Portland. [ [http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?&a=ejgi&c=chbde List of mayors of Portland, Oregon] , Portland Auditor's Office. Retrieved 2008-04-06.] He was particularly concerned with education, and as one of the trustees of the public schools, devoted much of his time to their establishment and management.

An enthusiastic Republican, Failing was a delegate to the Republican National Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln for a second term (in 1864), and to the convention which first nominated General Ulysses Grant (in 1868). From the time he retired from business until his death on August 14, 1877, he devoted his time to religious and philanthropic work. He was a Baptist. He is buried at River View Cemetery, which was founded by his son Henry and other prominent Portland citizens. [ [http://riverviewcemetery.org/index2.html River View Cemetery history] . Retrieved on 2008-04-06.] Failing School was named in his honor.

References