Guest Author to the Hillsboro Herald – Jeff LeRiche – Jeff grew up in Hillsboro and now lives in Cornelius, where he has started the Cornelius Historical Society – he is one of the best historians and researchers in Washington County
Did you know that Hillsboro once had a cigar factory? The man behind it was Charles McFadden. He was born in New York, the son of Irish immigrants. He married Octavia (Applegate), who went by her middle name of Abby, in 1895. The couple had two children, Grace and Clarence.
Charles McFadden – Hillsboro, Oregon Cigar Maker – 1905
Charles mastered his craft while working at the Frank P. Lewis Cigar Company for a number of years in Peoria, Illinois before the family moved to Hillsboro in 1913. The same year he opened his factory in the upstairs of the Hillsboro National Bank block.
Charles McFadden – Hillsboro, Oregon Cigar Maker
His high-end cigars were named Commercial Club, McChoice, and the Thomas Dale. His popular-priced cigars were named Ameri Cuba,Coast Defender, and Hand-Made. In 1923, he added the Longfellow. He would make custom cigars that could be named by the buyer. For instance, the secretary of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce wanted a special brand made for the club rooms, and the Moore’s Havana Special was born.
Charles McFadden – Hillsboro, Oregon Cigar Maker
By 1925, after twelve years in business in Hillsboro, Charles closed the factory and took a job with the state of Oregon in Salem. After traveling back and forth, he and his wife moved to Salem in 1928. By then, their son Clarence was living in Albany, working for Skaggs/Safeway, and daughter Grace had married and moved to San Francisco.
Charles McFadden – 1913- Hillsboro, Oregon Cigar Maker
Charles died in Portland in 1946 at the age of seventy-five, and his wife, Abby, died in 1953 at the age of eighty-six.
It is worth noting that Jeff’s post on the We Remember Hillsboro Page, which is close to 10,000 members now, reached the granddaughter of Charles McFadden, Emily Higgins. Seeing her reactions and connection to a post on Facebook is payment enough for people like Jeff and myself who spend the wee hours of the night searching for stories and trying to share them.  We look forward to Jeff’s next post!
“This is just marvelous. I thank you for featuring my grandparents. I never got to know them as I was an infant.” Emily Higgins
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Dirk Knudsen is a lifetime Hillsboro resident. He and his wife, children, grandchildren, and the extended family have served the Community for over 55 years. Read More About Dirk right here - https://hillsboroherald.com/about-us/about-dirk-knudsen/
Great article about our grandfather, and our family greatly appreciate it. One thing our family are particularly proud of is when Charles and the Catholic Diocese of Oregon and the Oregon Jewish Community and other right minded individuals challenged the punitive laws in the Oregon Supreme Court that were enacted by the predominantly Democrat Party Oregon Legislature and Governor, who influenced by the Klu Klux Klan in 1921 enacted laws that actually forbade the mere existence of Roman Catholic and Jewish Schools.
He and those mentioned were successful in having those laws repealed in the Oregon Supreme Court.
Charles son Clarence ” Mac” McFadden enlisted in the US Navy Reserves in July of 1942 and was one of the very first US Navy Seabees, the Civil Engineer Corps of the US Navy that exists today.
Charles father Patrick C. McFadden was also a history maker, arriving from Towne, ,Kilcar Donegal Ireland in 1849, he enlisted in the US Navy in October, 1852 in Philadelphia and served on the USS Vandalia with the Commodore Matthew Perry Expedition to Japan in 1853-1856.
Oregon and particularly Washington County seemed to draw many ” Movers & Shakers”; people with talent and drive that contributed greatly to our community.
Great article about our grandfather, and our family greatly appreciate it. One thing our family are particularly proud of is when Charles and the Catholic Diocese of Oregon and the Oregon Jewish Community and other right minded individuals challenged the punitive laws in the Oregon Supreme Court that were enacted by the predominantly Democrat Party Oregon Legislature and Governor, who influenced by the Klu Klux Klan in 1921 enacted laws that actually forbade the mere existence of Roman Catholic and Jewish Schools.
He and those mentioned were successful in having those laws repealed in the Oregon Supreme Court.
Charles son Clarence ” Mac” McFadden enlisted in the US Navy Reserves in July of 1942 and was one of the very first US Navy Seabees, the Civil Engineer Corps of the US Navy that exists today.
Charles father Patrick C. McFadden was also a history maker, arriving from Towne, ,Kilcar Donegal Ireland in 1849, he enlisted in the US Navy in October, 1852 in Philadelphia and served on the USS Vandalia with the Commodore Matthew Perry Expedition to Japan in 1853-1856.
Oregon and particularly Washington County seemed to draw many ” Movers & Shakers”; people with talent and drive that contributed greatly to our community.