John and Emilie Pauli
John Pauli Jr. was born in Portland on February 25, 1911, the son of John and Katie Pauli, who emigrated from Norka, Russia, in 1907. John's father delivered sweet butter, eggs, and poultry from house to house using a horse and buggy. The operation was headquartered at their home at 424 Morris Street (now 616 NE Morris) and later acquired a poultry distribution company. John and his brother Henry (born January 1917) participated in the business with their father.
Stamp found in a book owned by John Pauli. Courtesy of Pamela Pauli.
John had two sisters, Lydia (born September 1912) and Mollie (born Jan 1916). All of the Pauli children were baptized at the Ebenezer German Congregational Church.
John Jr. attended the Eliot School and then went to work as a stock boy for the Piggly-Wiggly and Fred Meyer stores.
John Jr. married Emilie Rueger on March 31, 1932. They had first met as 12-year-olds and were engaged on New Year's Eve 1931. Emilie's family were also Volga Germans from the colonies of Kutter and Grimm. John and Emilie were blessed with three daughters: Janet, Margaret, and Shirley.
Emilie and her mother, Margaretha Rüger (née Schäfer), escaped from Russia in 1922 at significant risk to their lives. Mother and daughter arrived in New York on September 20, 1922, joining Emilie's father, Alexander, in Portland. Alexander came to America in 1912. Emilie and her mother would come later, but World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution made travel from Russia impossible. A severe famine in the early 1920s made the situation more dire.
In 1940, John Sr. borrowed $2,500 from Mrs. Wolf and bought the Crescent Poultry Company located at 532 SW Front Avenue (the two-story commercial building was demolished to make way for Harbor Drive). After 1 year and 3 months, the company moved to a new location at 322 NW Everett, where they remained until 1951. Both John Jr. and Henry were active in the family business.
John Jr. attended the Eliot School and then went to work as a stock boy for the Piggly-Wiggly and Fred Meyer stores.
John Jr. married Emilie Rueger on March 31, 1932. They had first met as 12-year-olds and were engaged on New Year's Eve 1931. Emilie's family were also Volga Germans from the colonies of Kutter and Grimm. John and Emilie were blessed with three daughters: Janet, Margaret, and Shirley.
Emilie and her mother, Margaretha Rüger (née Schäfer), escaped from Russia in 1922 at significant risk to their lives. Mother and daughter arrived in New York on September 20, 1922, joining Emilie's father, Alexander, in Portland. Alexander came to America in 1912. Emilie and her mother would come later, but World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution made travel from Russia impossible. A severe famine in the early 1920s made the situation more dire.
In 1940, John Sr. borrowed $2,500 from Mrs. Wolf and bought the Crescent Poultry Company located at 532 SW Front Avenue (the two-story commercial building was demolished to make way for Harbor Drive). After 1 year and 3 months, the company moved to a new location at 322 NW Everett, where they remained until 1951. Both John Jr. and Henry were active in the family business.
In 1951, a new facility was built at the intersection of McMillen and Benton in NE Portland. The new building cost $25,000 but was short-lived. In 1957, the development of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum forced them to sell the property, and the site was cleared. John Sr. decided to retire at the age of 74.
View of the Memorial Coliseum site showing the old street system and location of the Crescent Poultry Company at Benton and McMillen streets. Source: City of Portland Archives, Oregon, A2010-002.454. Image edited by Steven Schreiber to show the former street locations.
View of the Memorial Coliseum site before construction in 1959. Source: City of Portland Archives, Oregon, A2014-003.934.
John Jr. and Emilie continued in business as Pauli Packing Company, which provided cured and smoked hams and bacon, rendered lard, and sausage. The operation was initially located on Lombard Street and later moved to 81 NE Columbia Blvd in the early 1930's.
Pauli Packing Co. invoice. Courtesy of Melody Wolff.
Emilie Pauli died on May 11, 1983.
John Pauli Jr. died on May 2, 1995.
John Pauli Jr. died on May 2, 1995.
Sources
Obituary for John Pauli published in "Der Kirchenbote" Vol 78, #5, December 3, 1959. FamilySearch.org obituary collection.
Katie Pauli Memorial Card. FamilySearch.org obituary collection.
Katie Pauli Memorial Service handout dated December 4, 1962. Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Mr. and Mrs. John Pauli Golden wedding anniversary newspaper clipping, 1956.
Krieger, Joanne, trans. Ebenezer Congregational Church, Portland, Oregon 1909-1984. Portland, OR: 2002. Print.
Pauli, John Jr. Oral history of the Pauli family as told to, and recorded by, Velma Pauli, the wife of John Jr.'s brother, Henry Pauli. Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Larson, Rev. Edward. "A Tribute to John and Emilie Pauli - On the occasion of their Golden Wedding celebration on April 3, 1982." Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Ancestry.com
PastPortland.com
City of Portland Archives.
Katie Pauli Memorial Card. FamilySearch.org obituary collection.
Katie Pauli Memorial Service handout dated December 4, 1962. Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Mr. and Mrs. John Pauli Golden wedding anniversary newspaper clipping, 1956.
Krieger, Joanne, trans. Ebenezer Congregational Church, Portland, Oregon 1909-1984. Portland, OR: 2002. Print.
Pauli, John Jr. Oral history of the Pauli family as told to, and recorded by, Velma Pauli, the wife of John Jr.'s brother, Henry Pauli. Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Larson, Rev. Edward. "A Tribute to John and Emilie Pauli - On the occasion of their Golden Wedding celebration on April 3, 1982." Courtesy of Melody Wolff (née Strickwerda).
Ancestry.com
PastPortland.com
City of Portland Archives.
Last updated October 26, 2023