William Michael Umbdenstock was born in Chicago on October 7, 1869, son of a successful Chicago printer. In the 1890s he launched a business as a fire insurance underwriter. Umbdenstock appears in Chicago in the 1910 census, age 40, with wife Grace, age 30, three young daughters and two servants in a brownstone townhouse on Chicago’s north side. By 1911, the family is living in Portland and Bill has shifted to the homebuilding and real estate business. By 1922, the Umbdenstocks were living in the bungalow he built at 3842 NE 32nd Place.

The company operated in Portland until 1923, building more than 300 homes, specializing in Alameda, Irvington, Laurelhurst, Westmoreland, Piedmont, and Montavilla. During these years, his classified real estate ads for vacant lots, and homes to buy and rent, appeared every week. In 1922, during the height of the company’s business (and its last year), this ad appeared:

From The Oregonian, April 2, 1922

Umbdenstock moved to Los Angeles in 1923 and for a time worked there as an importer / exporter, and an entrepreneur marketing lift equipment for automobiles. He took several trips to Europe and for a time was listed in the Los Angeles Times as a representative of Belgium and German concrete companies. In 1931, he approached his old friends in Portland about his new company—The National Conservation Co.—and a plan to solve Portland’s growing garbage problems. Below from The Oregonian, February 8, 1931:

The proposal was tabled and never taken up by Portland City Council, which voted to construct a large-scale trash incinerator in North Portland. Umbdenstock continued to operate his import/export company in Los Angeles until his death at age 67 on July 15, 1937.

A short list of houses in Alameda built by Umbdenstock includes: 3842 NE 32nd Place (1920); 4203 NE 32nd Place (1921); 4204 NE 32nd Place (1921); 2514 NE Skidmore (1921); 4322 NE 27th (1922); 2834 NE Dunckley (1922); and 4212 NE 28th (1922)