Harley James Overturf (also known as H. J. Overturf and Jim Overturf; April 6, 1882 – February 6, 1974) was an American politician and businessman from the state of Oregon. He was a Republican who served four years in the Oregon House of Representatives, where he represented a large rural district in eastern Oregon. Overturf Butte in Bend, Oregon, is named in his honor.
Early life
Overturf was born in Elk Creek, Nebraska, on April 6, 1882, the son of John L. and Alzina (Sheldon) Overturf. He attended school in Nebraska, where he graduated from Lincoln High School before attending a local preparatory school. He then taught school in Nebraska before heading west in 1903.Carney, Charles H., "Harley James Overturf", History of Oregon Illustrated (Volume 3), Pioneer Historical Publishing Company, Portland, Oregon, 1922, pp. 674–677."J. H. Overturf", Oregon Voter, C. C. Chapman publisher, Portland Oregon, 30 December 1922, p. 105.
Overturf arrived in Central Oregon in 1903 with only sixty cents in cash and several hundred dollars in debt. After arriving in Oregon, he filed a timber claim and then quickly sold the property for a profit. He used the money to finance his college education at the University of Oregon. He graduated from the university in 1904, and then returned to Central Oregon, settling in the newly established community of Bend.
Central Oregon
In Bend, Overturf found a job with of the Pilot Butte Development Company. This was the company that had laid out the town of Bend. Within a year, he became the company’s on-site manager and assistant corporate secretary. Overturf remained in that position until 1910 when the company was liquidated. On 25 October of that year, Overturf married Ruth Reid. She had arrived in Bend in 1903 and was the town's first public school teacher."Bend Couple Wed", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 26 October 1910, p. 8."Who was Ruth Reid? - Popular teacher created Bend's first high school", The Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 26 December 2016."In Bend, it was young love on the frontier - Young couples helped establish", The Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 14 February 2017. In 1911, he joined two partners to found the Overturf-Davis-Miller Company, a construction supply business. Overturf became the company president. Bend was growing quickly, so his building supply business was very successful. Overturf left the business in 1913 when he became the local agent for the Western Loan and Building Company, a real estate and mortgage business with its headquarters in Salt Lake City."Company Organizes", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 12 April 1911, p. 1.
During this period, Overturf was very active in government and community affairs. In 1907, he was appointed to the vacant city treasurer position in Bend. A month later, he was elected city treasure by a vote of 62 to 1."City Council Proceedings", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 22 November 1907, p. 1."Very Quiet Election", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 6 December 1907, p. 1. In 1909, he was elected to a two-year term on Bend city council."An Exciting and Close Election", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 8 December 1909, p. 1. After leaving the city council in 1911, Overturf was re-elected to the city treasurer position by a vote of 179 to 115."Coe Re-elected by 81 Majority", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 6 December 1911, p. 1. In 1915, Overturf was appointed to fill a vacant Crook County commissioner position. Later that year, he was elected to a full term as commissioner by a vote of 830 to 730."Overturf Made Commissioner", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 13 January 1915, p. 1."H. J. Overturf Appointed Commissioner", Crook County Journal, Prineville, Oregon, 14 January 1915, p. 1."Overturf Easy Winner Over Aune for Commissioner", Crook County Journal, Prineville, Oregon, 25 May 1915, p. 1. In 1916, Overturf ran for re-election to the county commission, but lost by a vote of 1,946 to 1,802. However, in the same election, voters approved a ballot measure that created Deschutes County, separating the new county from Crook County. As a result, Overturf’s defeat avoided a problem that would have arisen because he resided in the newly formed Deschutes County; and therefore, was not qualified to serve as a Crook County commissioner."Deschutes County Measure is Carried", Crook County Journal, Prineville, Oregon, 9 November 1916, p. 1."Duffy, Brown, Myers, Knox, Luthy, Foster", Crook County Journal, Prineville, Oregon, 9 November 1916, p. 1."Final Votes Received", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 14 November 1918, p. 6.
Overturf was a founding member of the Bend Board of Trade, the Bend Merchant’s Protective Association, and the Bend Commercial Club."Bend Will Boost", Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 5 September 1909, p. 6."Booster Elect", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 18 January 1911, p. 1."Now Organized", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 19 April 1911, p. 1. As member of the Bend Commercial Club, Overturf was one of the initial investors in Bend-Burns road construction project (now a section of U.S. Route 20). The project connected Bend with the city of Burns, to the east."Bend-Burns Route is Assured", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 1 March 1911, p. 1. Overturf was also appointed to the Oregon Industrial Accident Commission and served on Bend school board for ten years. In addition, he was a member of the local Masons, Elks, Odd Fellows, and Woodmen lodges. During World War I, he was active in several volunteer groups including the Red Cross and local bond drives. In 1918, Overturf attended officer training and was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Oregon home guard.
State representative
In 1920, Overturf decided to run for a District 21 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican."Bend Man to be Candidate", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 4 December 1919, p. 1."Overturf Out for Legislature", Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 21 March 1920, p. 20."House Choice of Overturf", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 25 March 1920, p. 4. District 21 had two seats so the top two vote getters in the primary advanced to the general election. In the primary, Overturf received 837 votes. This was the most votes received in the primary so he became one of the two Republican candidates carried forward to the general election. He was joined by Republican, Denton G. Burdick, who got 713 votes while the other Republican candidate was eliminated from the race."Race Close in Deschutes", Sunday Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 23 May 1920, p. 20. In the general election, Overturf and Burdick won the two District 21 seats; Overturf receiving 1,831 votes, Burdick getting 1,488 votes with the only Democrat in the race receiving 910 votes."Harding Wins in Deschutes", Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 5 November 1920, p. 8.
Overturf took his seat in the Oregon House of Representatives on 10 January 1921, representing District 21. His district included Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Jefferson, Klamath, and Lake counties, a large rural district covering more than . He served through the 1921 regular legislative session which ended on 23 February."1921 Regular Session (31st): January 10 – February 23", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed 18 March 2017. During the session, he served as chairman of the railways and transportation committee as well as a member of the irrigation, game, and legislation committees."Upton, Overturf and Burdick are Placed Upon Committees", Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 11 January 1921, p. 1. Overturf also attended a special legislative session in December 1921. That session only lasted six days."1921 Special Session (31st): December 19 - 24", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed 18 March 2017.
In 1922, Overturf decided to run for re-election. By that time, District 21 had grown enough that a third representative was added to the district. In the Republican primary, Overturf was one of the three Republicans to advance to the general election along with Denton Burdick and J. M. Ezell. The Democratic Party nominated two candidates. All five candidates appeared on the general election ballot."Where to Vote", Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 19 May 1922, p. 1. However, a month before the election the state’s World War Veterans’ State Aid Commission fired Overturf from his position as a veteran loan appraiser. The commission alleged that Overturf had inflated the value of some appraisals. This became a state-wide scandal that undermined Overturf’s credibility and threatened to derail his re-election campaign."Two Appraisers for Bonus Fired", Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 3 October 1922, p. 1. In the general election, the other two Republicans (Burdick and Ezell) got the most votes, easily winning two of the three District 21 seats. Overturf was also re-elected to the House, but for him it was a very close race. The final vote count, gave Overturf a margin of only 27 votes over Democrat, R. E. Bradbury, 3,675 to 3,648."Overturf is Winner by 27 Vote Margin", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 23 November 1922, p. 1."Official Majority of Pierce 34,237", Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 24 November 1922, p. 14.
The 1923 legislative session began on 8 January with the loan appraisal scandal still making headlines in the newspapers around the state. During the session, Overturf was assigned to the roads and highways, forestry and conservation, alcohol traffic, and printing committees. The session lasted approximately six weeks, ending on 22 February. Just a few days before the end of the legislative session, Overturf and three others were indicted by a federal grand jury for mail fraud associated with the padding veteran loan appraisals."1923 Regular Session (32nd): January 8 – February 22", Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, Oregon State Archives, Salem, Oregon, accessed 18 March 2017."Kubli Names Committees", Daily Capital Journal, Salem, Oregon, 10 January 1923, p. 2."Indictment by Federal Court for Overturf", Daily Capital Journal, Salem, Oregon, 20 February 1923, p. 1."Four will Face Bonus Charge", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 20 February 1923, p. 1.
Veterans loan scandal
The charges against Overturf and the others began with the state's World War Veterans' State Aid Commission which was chaired by Oregon’s governor, Ben W. Olcott. The commission charged that Overturf, Bend’s veteran loan appraiser, and another appraiser from nearby Redmond, were inflating loan appraisals to increase the value of the underlying property. This left the state with undervalued collateral when it made veterans loans."Bonus Probe Promised", Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, 6 October 1922, p. 4.
A grand jury investigated the loan irregularities and found cause to bring charges against Overturf and three Bend area real estate agents. The other appraiser fired by the commission was not charged. Overturf denied the charges and stated that his removal was the result of Governor Olcott's opposition to an irrigation bill he had sponsored during the 1921 legislature session. The bill required the State of Oregon to repay local irrigation districts with interest for state property taxes inappropriately levied against the irrigation districts."County Bonus Men Removed", Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, 5 October 1922, p. 6."Welcome Investigation of Appraisal Board Affair", Evening Herald, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 5 October 1922, p. 1.