Page 40 - 2018 December

HIDDEN TREASURE

Thaddeus Wellington Veness

Part 2

Harvey Schowe, DTM - District 7 Historian

Thaddeus Veness, Attorney, was a member of the Portland
Toastmasters Club during the 1940s and was known as an
outstanding critic or evaluator. He was a charter member of the Portland City Club.

His life will be explored over the next couple of months. Presented here is Part 2.

The early life of Thaddeus Veness was described private practice with the firm W. B. Shirley,

in Part One of this series. After graduating from Henry Bauer and Arthur.
Columbia University in 1913, Thaddeus worked He was a charter member of the City Club
as an instructor for Columbia University Law of Portland which was founded in 1915. He was
School from 1912 to 1913. Following graduation, elected as a long-term director for the City Club

he worked for the law firm Breed, Abbott and on March 2, 1917 and as president on May 5, 1923.
Morgan, and was admitted to the New York State As president he presided over the City Club
Bar. In 1914, he moved to Portland, Oregon to programs. He worked on the Development Plan
start a law practice. for the West Side District in 1921. He continued

On October 23, 1914, he passed the Oregon his City Club membership for the rest of his
State Bar exam that allowed him to practice life. Other activities included membership in
law in Oregon.That year, the bar exam had its Oberlin Alumni Association, Kappa Psi fraternity
highest failure rate in its history. He purchased secretary and treasurer, Oregon Temperance

property on Waverly Heights for a future home. League, and a member of First Presbyterian
He continued his interest in teaching when the Church where he served as secretary and on the
YMCA hired him as a part time instructor for Board of Trustees for 18 years. He was president
their school’s law department after the previous of the Council of Churches. In 1916, he sang as

instructor resigned. His tenure began with the a bass in a mixed quartet during a memorial
September 20 enrollment. The YMCA board of service at the Methodist Church on March 15,
directors approved the articles of incorporation 1916.
for the YMCA school on December 16, 1919. It The final portion of Thddeus’ life will be presented

became the Oregon Institute of Technology in Part 3 next month.
junior college on April 20, 1920 with 1,680
students. In 1915, he worked for the law firm
of Teal and Veaze until 1926 when he entered

40 ONE COMMUNITY