Archives West Finding Aid

Henry Failing, his father Josiah, and younger brother John arrived in Portland in 1851 from New York. The Failings opened a small mercantile store, J. Failing & Co., on SW Front Street (now Naito Parkway) near Oak Street. In 1853 they were joined by Josiah's wife, Henrietta, and their three other children, including Edward (1840-1900). The business was a rapid success, and Josiah Failing was elected to serve as Portland's fourth mayor in 1853. Henry Failing later became majority owner of the business, focusing on hardware and iron supplies. In 1871, Henry Failing and Henry Winslow Corbett consolidated their hardware businesses, forming Corbett, Failing & Co. This business in turn would be consolidated in 1893 with Foster & Robertson to form Corbett, Failing, and Robertson. In 1858, Henry Failing married Emily Phelps, the sister of Henry Winslow Corbett. His younger brother, Edward Failing, married Olivia Burch Henderson in 1866.

William "Bill" Latimer Failing Jr. is a direct descendant of the Henderson, Holman and Failing families through through the marriage of his great-grandparents Edward Failing and Olivia (Henderson) Failing. Olivia was born in 1846 to Robert Henderson and Rhoda Carpenter Holman while they were en route to Oregon in a wagon train. She grew up on her family's farm in Yamhill County before moving to Portland in 1860. Bill Failing Jr. also maintained ties to Portland's Brewster family and extended relatives. His great-aunt, Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Failing, married John Conner of Albany, Oregon. Their daughter Elizabeth "Beth" Failing Conner was born in 1867, and married William Lewis Brewster in 1896. Bill is an active member of the Portland civic community, serving as president for the Oregon Historical Society Board of Trustees and chair of the capital campaign for the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, in addition to other organizations.