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HISTORY OF FIRM AS TOLD BY C.S. "PAT" EMMONS
MARCH 25, 1992
ENDNOTES by JIM EGAN, AUGUST 16, 1999
 Gale Hill |  Willard Marks |  Arthur K. McMahan | ||
 Pat Emmons |  Sam Kyle |  Dick Kropp |
This is a brief oral history of the law firm now known as Emmons, Kropp, Kryger, Alexander Egan, and Allen. Presently, situated in its own buildings at 507 South Washington Street and a house immediately adjacent on the east on 5th Street.
This law firm was started in the early 1900's; I do not know the exact date, by a man named Hill, Gale S. Hill.1 He was the son of a local doctor. He was a rather large and quite obese man. I recall when he was appointed to the Circuit Court and served very briefly before his death sometime in 1931.2 After he had been in business here for a little while, Mr. Willard Marks came into the office. Mr. Marks, I believe, had been a county clerk.3 Mr. Marks operated the office for sometime and after several years, Arthur K. McMahan joined the firm and the office was known as Marks and McMahan for many years.4
For a number of years Mr. Clark S. Kendall was in the office, however his name was never on the firm or, rather I should say, he was never listed as a member of the firm. He always worked here. This was the situation until after the war I do believe. Also, at one time Mr. Mark's son, Robert, was in the office and I believe he was here until sometime during World War II. I can't tell you the exact date. This young man was unfortunately afflicted with polio while in high school and crippled and he never got over that.5 At some point, after he had been in the office awhile, he committed suicide.
Mr. McMahan died in August of 1945 and that left Mr. Marks alone in the office.6 After the war, sometime in 1946 or 1947, Mr. Millard Willis came into the office at the request of Mr. Nebergall. B.E. Nebergall was the operator or the owner of the Nebergall Meat Company. Mr. Nebergall used the office as his lawyers and Mr. Willis had married a local girl whom lived with the Nebergall's, rather boarded there while she taught school. Mr. Nebergall had taken her under his wing so when Mr. Willis, who had come to Camp Adair as a member of the United States Army and married then wanted to settle here, Mr. Nebergall got him into the firm and he was admitted to the Oregon Bar after the War.
The firm then was later increased by Mr. Sam Kyle coming into the office; this would have been about 1946 or 1947, and the firm was then known as Marks, Willis & Kyle.7
Mr. Marks passed away in December of 1947, and at that time I came down through the office, beginning officially around January 1, 1948. So the firm was then known as Willis, Kyle & Emmons.8 It continued this way until about the time Dick Kropp got out of law school that was in 1962. Dick was going to law school and married and they had twins about 1960 or 19619 and Dick needed to work on the side a little bit, so he came down here and was working in our firm while he was in his senior year.10 After he graduated he came in to the office and became a member of the firm in a matter of several years.11
The firm then continued as Willis, Kyle, Emmons & Kropp until sometime in the latter part of the 60's or the early 70's when Mr. Willis left the firm and at that time the firm then became known as Emmons, Kyle & Kropp.12
The firm continued thusly until Dave Kryger came into the firm, the date, I do not recall at the time, this can be inserted by asking Dave and this applies also to others that have come into the firm or have worked here from time to time.13 The next individual that worked here was James Cronan, who had worked with Dave Kryger and I believe myself briefly, however, for me at the old State Accident Commission. Mr. Cronan didn't stay too long. Ed Daniels then came into the office and worked awhile and he left.14 Then Rick McCormick came and worked awhile and then, in fact, worked here until he was elected to the District Court Judgeship.15 While he was here, his brother John worked here until he decided he wanted to go someplace else. We have also had working here, Quintin Estell, who also worked with Dave Kryger or at the same time Dave Kryger worked with the Workers' Compensation people.16
Mr. Hill was, as I stated, was a very large man and I am told that he would often go to sleep while people were talking to him, but he wouldn't miss any of the words. He served only briefly on the bench and was succeeded by L.G. Lewelling. At that time the district, or the judicial district rather, consisted of Marion and Linn Counties and traditionally position number two, which was the Equity Judge in Marion County, was held by a judge from Linn County; position number one by a judge from Marion County.
Mr. Willard Marks, during his tenure, was quite active in politics and was president of the State Senate in 1935. He could have been governor of the state if he had wanted to run at that time or a little later but his family situation was such that he did not want to do it.17
The members of the firm over the years have been quite active in the Oregon State Bar. I believe Mr. McMahan was the first president of the Bar.18 The next member of the firm active in the Bar was Emmons, Pat Emmons, who was a member of the Board of Governors and president of the Bar in 1959 to 1960. Mr. Kyle was a member of the Board of Governors serving up the year left on the term of Jim Goode who was elected, or appointed to Circuit Court Bench.19 After Sam Kyle's term of service on the Board of Governors, Dick Kropp was elected to the Board and served as Vice- President of the bar.20
When Dell Alexander graduated from law school, he came to work in the office and has been here since that time. He was made a member of the firm within a very short time after starting to work here.21
The next person that came aboard was Jim Egan who was made a member of the firm shortly after he started here.22 Then the next member was Allen, Gary Allen. Mr. Allen worked briefly in the Albany office and then went to the Salem office. The firm had operated a Salem office for awhile then closed it down. They had Mr. Estell work there for awhile but that didn't work out so the Salem office was discontinued but later started up and Mr. Allen has been operating a Salem office for the last several years.23
When I came here in 1948 we were using manual typewriters and carbon paper. We first shifted to electric typewriters to the consternation of one of our older secretaries that had learned on the manuals and didn't feel she would be able to handle the electrics. However, it didn't take long to convert her. Our first copying equipment was a thermo-fax that printed, rather reproduced, typing on some rather yellow brittle paper that was not capable of being used for permanent records. This of course was succeeded by Xerox and our electric typewriters have been replaced by word processors.
In addition to the lawyers working, several men do investigator work on a piece work basis.24
The firm has done general legal work since I came aboard on the first of January 1948. Our emphasis has been on workers' compensation litigation, representing injured workmen and the personal injury work that accompanies compensation litigation.25 Mr. Kyle, after several years, started to emphasize probate work and Mr. Alexander has centered on probate and business work and has developed an excellent clientele. Dick Kropp is now doing more personal injury work and Dave Kryger is handling the workman compensation clients as is Mr. Egan and Gary Allen: I should say, as are Mr. Egan and Gary Allen.
The office was located in the First National Bank Building in Albany for a number of years. I don't know where it was located when Gale Hill started the office. This probably could be ascertained by looking at some old telephone directories or city directories in the city library.26
About 1960 or 1961 we moved to the building that we constructed at 507 South Washington. Several years prior to that time, one of the real estate men in Albany, Bob Hunter, came to us and wanted to know if we wanted to buy a piece of land. The location had been one of the small Texaco service stations with a stucco building on it, and the 20-year lease had run out. So the Texaco people tore down all the buildings, leaving the land vacant. The owner of the land wanted a little income and Mr. Hunter told Sam, Millard and I, if we had a $1,000 we could buy it and make payments on it. We did this, figuring some day we might build a building. We had not had the lot very long until the Chevrolet dealer wanted to buy it back from us for a $3,500 profit. We had paid $9,000 for it but we decided if he wanted it; it must be a good lot, so we kept it. Then after several years, we built the building and moved in.
The wing that runs east and west on the South portion of the lot was originally occupied by Dr. Joe Gray as a dental office. After Joe died it was occupied briefly by a dentist then when he moved, we took over the space as our business and need for space had increased. The house next door was occupied by a family, and when the lady who owned it passed away, it was offered for sale to us and we purchased it. We rented it to Bob Scott and Gary Norman for several years. Then when they built their building, we again were looking for room to expand so we took it over, remodeled it and are presently using it. The only office in the house is my office. We use the building mostly for deposition work and holding arbitration and other types of meetings. We occasionally have office lunches in the house. We have used the basement in the house ever since we owned it for dead storage. It is at this time getting so full that we are having to figure out some way to get rid of files and to cut the amount of paper that goes into the basement.
No history of the firm would be complete with out paying tribute to Sam Kyle. Sam was the builder. He was the moving force in getting the building constructed. Sam passed away in 1987.
At the time that I was president of the Bar in 1959-60, there were some 2,500 lawyers in Albany, correction, in Oregon. There were not very many lawyers in Linn County. Without trying to numerate all of them, I would guess that there were probably about 30 or maybe a lesser number in Linn County. Today there are some 7500 or more in Oregon. In 1948 Linn County did not have enough population to merit a District Court, instead a Court below the Circuit Court throughout the county.
After Linn County merited a District Court by reaching a 60,000 population, the first District judge was appointed and there were one or two Justice Courts left in the county. About that time a new Judicial District was created and it consisted of Linn and Benton Counties. This Judicial District was served by one Circuit Judge. Later the district was expanded to include Lincoln County and another judge came on board. We now have three Circuit Judges in Linn County, two Circuit Judges in Benton County and two Circuit Judges in Lincoln County. Linn County as two District court judges and Benton & Lincoln each have one.27
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1The first reference to Gale S. Hill, attorney, is in the City Directory, 1909-10. The article on Judge Gale S. Hill in the Albany Democrat Herald (May 5, 1931) identifies his parents as Doctor and Mrs. J. L. Hill. Judge Hill graduated Albany College in 1897. He read the law for two years at the office of Weatherford & Wyatt and for one year in the office of his uncle in Oakland, California.
2The obituary of Willard Marks, Albany Democrat-Herald (November 1947) mentions the ascension of Gale Hill to the bench succeeding Judge Percy J. Kelly who was appointed to the Supreme Court. Judge Kelly assumed his new office at the Supreme Court on January 5, 1931 (See 134 Or. iii (1931)). Gale S. Hill is noted as Judge of the Third Judicial District in that volume. 138 Or. v (1932) indicates that L.G. Lewelling succeeded Judge Hill after the judge's death in 1931. This volume covered November 3, 1931 through February 16, 1932. Mr. Lewelling probably associated with the firm for most of 1931. Asa Lewelling made mention of this brief association in a letter to Dell Alexander. Dell shared this letter during his eulogy of Pat Emmons at the First Presbyterian Church in Albany on May18, 1998. Judge Hill died on May 4, 1931, Albany Democrat Herald (May 5, 1931).
3The firm of Hill & Marks is listed in City Directory, 1917, City Directory, 1922 and City Directory, 1923-24. The Capitol's Who's Who for Oregon, (1942-1944) lists Willard Marks as Deputy County Clerk from 1906-1910 (under Gale Hill) and County Clerk for Linn County from 1911-1945 (while he read the law with Gale Hill).
4 The firm of Hill, Mark & McMahan is listed in the City Directory, 1928. The biography provided by Bob Hermans (son-in-law of Arthur K. McMahan) indicates that Mr. McMahan read the law at Weatherford & Wyatt. He was admitted to the bar and began practicing in 1919. He served as City Attorney in Albany from 1921-25 and joined Hill & Marks in 1924.
5 The City Directory, 1936 lists Robert Marks as a student at University of Oregon.
6 Arthur Knight McMahan died August 3, 1945 near Vida, Oregon.
7 The firm of Marks, Willis & Kyle is listed in the City Directory, 1948. They were located on the 3rd Floor of the 1st National Bank Building. This listing continued in the City Directory, 1949. Of course, Willard Marks passed away on November 17, 1947.
8 Willard Marks dies on November 17, 1947. Albany Democrat Herald (November 18,1947). The firm was first listed as Willis, Kyle & Emmons in the City Directory, 1950.
9 Leslie and Lori Kropp were born January 26, 1962.
10Dick Kropp explains that he came to work in the summer of 1961. Pat Emmons suffered a heart attack later that year so that Dick and Sam were forced to prepare and try all of his cases for almost a year.
11 The firm was listed as Willis, Kyle, Emmons & Kropp in the City Directory, 1966-67 and the Pacific Northwest Bell Directory, 1966-67.
12 In the City Directory, 1967-68 and Pacific Northwest Bell Directory, 1968-69, the firm was listed as Kyle, Emmons & Kropp. In City Directory, 1969-70 and Pacific Northwest Bell Directory, 1969-70, the firm name was changed to Emmons, Kyle, & Kropp. In conversations with Sam Kyle before his death in 1987 and with Dick Kropp before his retirement in 1997, these partners explained that the firm name was initially changed to Kyle, Emmons & Kropp in deference to the senior partner Sam Kyle. It became clear to them from clients and friends that people were attracted to the "Emmons" name because of his reputation as a litigator, his leadership in the Oregon State Bar, and the size and popularity of his family.
13 Dave Kryger explains that he arrived in November 1968. His name was added to the firm in November 1970. The firm name first appeared as Emmons, Kyle, Kropp & Kryger in the City Directory, 1971 and the Pacific Northwest Bell Directory, 1973.
14 Ed Daniels explained that he first associated with the firm in August 1973 as a law clerk. He went out on his own in March 1975.
15 Dave Kryger explains that Rick McCormick was appointed to the bench and then elected. Rick was an associate in the firm from 1974 until he was made partner in June 1978. He explains that he was appointed and sworn in to the bench in December 1981. He was elected in 1982.
16 Other attorneys who came into the firm included: Greg Decker; Sharon Stevens who clerked after she took the California Bar in 1977 but before the February Oregon Bar Exam. She worked as an associate from March, 1978 until April, 1979 when she went to work at the Marion County District Attorneys office; Robert Muir who came from Rod Miller's office in Salem in March, 1980. Robert left for the Department of Justice on June 1, 1982; and Bruce D. Holtan who came to the firm in April 1984. He left the firm to take a position as an Administrative Law Judge at the Workers' Compensation Board, Hearings Division in January 1985.
17 Willard Mark's obituary, Albany Democrat-Herald (November 1947) indicates that he was a State Senator in 1927, 1929 and 1931. He served as President of the Senate in 1931. He declined the Republication nomination for governor in 1934.
18 Arthur K McMahan was the seventh President of the Oregon State Bar from 1941 until 1942.
19 Sam Kyle served as a Governor on the Board and as Treasurer in 1978-82.
20 Dick Kropp served on the Board from 1987 through 1989. He was Vice President from 1988 through 1989.
21 Dell explains that he associated with the firm in September 1975. Ed Daniels and Rick McCormick preceded him. Dell and Rick were made partners in June 1978.
22The next two associates were actually Quintin Estell, who opened the Salem office for a brief time in 1982-83, and Bruce Holtan who worked as an associate in 1983-84. Jim Egan was hired in August 1985 and became a shareholder in January 1989.
23 Quintin Estell explains that he was terminated as Chief Trial Counsel at SAIF in 1982. He opened the Salem office in 1982 but it was only opened for six months. He then attempted to practice out of the Albany office for 6 more months. Gary Allen began discussing reentry into the practice of law in late 1989 or early 1990. He had retired and wanted to start again. He officially came on board in June 1990. He became a partner in 1992. Gary Allen retired from this firm in August 1995. As his health deteriorated, he recommended that the firm hire Randy Elmer away from Mike Dye's office in Salem. Randy Elmer came to the firm on June 19, 1995. The firm also associated Mike Bliven from 1994 through 1995. Mike moved to Peter Hansen's office in Portland in late 1995.
24 Investigators who contracted with the firm during my tenure included Jim Hamer, former lieutenant at the OSP; Lee Moeller, former OSP trooper; Gene Richardson, former OSP trooper and County Commissioner; and Brien Forest, former lieutenant in the OSP. In addition, we have hired law clerks from the local law schools. Scott O'Donnell clerked in 1991-1992. Scott now practices with Keating, Jones et al in Portland; Mike Bliven clerked in 1993-1994. Mike is now a solo practitioner in Oregon City; Doug Johnson clerked in 1992-1994. He now practices in Anchorage, Alaska; Bob Carlson clerked in 1995-1996. We hired Bob away from Wallace, Klor & Mann in Portland in the fall of 1999. He is now a partner at the firm.
25 Pat Emmons explained that Mr. McMahan lost his arm in a railroad accident. It was after this that he became a lawyer and emphasized workers' compensation claims. Pat Emmons came from the State Industrial Accident Commission (SIAC) where he defended employers in court during the 1930's and 1940's. He continued the workers' compensation practice.
26 The City Directory, 1909-10 lists Gale S. Hill's office in the Cusick Bank Building. This was the bank on the southeast corner of 1st Avenue and Broadalbin Street. The City Directory, 1917, City Directory, 1922 and City Directory, 1923-24 list Hill & Marks in the Cusick Bank Building.
27Pat passed away in his home on May 12, 1998. This tape sat in the safe at Emmons; Kropp from March 25, 1992 until I had it transcribed in July 1999.
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