Archives West Finding Aid

The Portland, Oregon, firm of Dekum and Bickel was established by two German immigrants, Frederick Bickel and Frank Dekum. Frederick Bickel (1832-1929) was born in Rodenburg, Germany, in 1832. He came to America with his family in 1846, settling first in St. Louis, where he learned the confectionary business. There he formed a partnership with Frank Dekum (1829-1894), a native of Bavaria who had come to the U.S. with his family in 1837. In 1852 the two traveled to California via New Orleans and Panama. In 1853 they came to Portland and established the first bakery and confectionary shop in the town. They later expanded their business to include a restaurant and a soda water factory. Bickel served in the Indian wars of 1854-1856 and fought in the battle of Walla Walla. In 1864 he was married to Catherine Karleskint, and the couple had seven children. In 1878 Dekum went into the banking business and sold his share to Bickel, who also established a warehouse business and later built an office building on the corner of Ankeny and Ash streets in downtown Portland. Bickel retired from his various businesses in 1906. Frank Dekum became a successful banker, serving as president of the Portland Savings Bank and helping to organize the Commercial National Bank. He was involved in numerous local business enterprises and built many buildings in downtown Portland, including the Dekum Building, begun in 1892 and still standing in 2006. He was married to Fannie Reinig and fathered eight children.