Henry Jonathan Biddle (1862–1928) was a botanist, engineer, and businessman of southwest Washington as well as Portland, Oregon in the early 20th century.
At the time of his birth, his father was serving in the Union Army and was killed in the Battle of New Market the same year young Biddle was born.
Eventually, Biddle moved to the Pacific Northwest, settling first in Lakeview, Oregon and then in Portland before buying a farm near Vancouver, Washington.
[1][3] He acquired Beacon Rock in order to preserve it from demolition, and built the trail to its peak; his children donated it, and nearby Hamilton Mountain, to the state after his death.
[6][9] Following his death, his estate was valued at $670,000 (equivalent to $11,888,605 in 2023), the largest amount filed leading up to the time in Clark County, Washington.