Jump to content

George Abernethy: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Addbot (talk | contribs)
Bots
2,838,809 edits
m Bot: Migrating 1 interwiki links, now provided by Wikidata on d:q3101366
common fixes using AWB
Line 19: Line 19:
| majority2 =
| majority2 =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1807|10|7|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1807|10|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], [[New York]]
| birth_place = New York City, New York
| death_date = {{death date and age|1877|03|2|1807|10|7}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1877|03|2|1807|10|7}}
| death_place = [[Portland, Oregon]]
| death_place = [[Portland, Oregon]]
Line 33: Line 33:
| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''George Abernethy''' (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an [[United States|American]] pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first [[governor of Oregon]] under the provisional government in what would become the [[U.S state|state]] of Oregon in the [[United States]]. He traveled to Oregon Country as a [[Methodist]] missionary where he became involved in politics and helped found the first American newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains.
'''George Abernethy''' (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first [[governor of Oregon]] under the provisional government in what would become the [[U.S state|state]] of Oregon in the United States. He traveled to Oregon Country as a [[Methodist]] missionary where he became involved in politics and helped found the first American newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Abernethy was born on October 7, 1807 in [[New York City]].<ref name=Oregon>Corning, Howard M. ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.</ref> He was of [[Scottish descent]]. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade.<ref name=Oregon/> In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope.<ref name=Oregon/> Missionary [[Jason Lee (missionary)|Jason Lee]] recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the [[Methodist Mission]] in [[Oregon Country]].<ref name=Oregon/> He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship ''[[Lausanne (ship)|Lausanne]]'' around [[Cape Horn]] to the Pacific Northwest.<ref name=Oregon/>
Abernethy was born on October 7, 1807 in New York City.<ref name=Oregon>Corning, Howard M. ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.</ref> He was of [[Scottish descent]]. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade.<ref name=Oregon/> In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope.<ref name=Oregon/> Missionary [[Jason Lee (missionary)|Jason Lee]] recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the [[Methodist Mission]] in [[Oregon Country]].<ref name=Oregon/> He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship ''[[Lausanne (ship)|Lausanne]]'' around [[Cape Horn]] to the Pacific Northwest.<ref name=Oregon/>


==Oregon==
==Oregon==
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in [[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]].<ref name=Oregon/> Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first [[newspaper]] (the ''[[Oregon Spectator]]'') in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British [[Hudson's Bay Company]]. Abernethy was also a member of the [[Oregon Lyceum]] in Oregon City.<ref name="LOC">{{cite web
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in [[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]].<ref name=Oregon/> Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first newspaper (the ''[[Oregon Spectator]]'') in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British [[Hudson's Bay Company]]. Abernethy was also a member of the [[Oregon Lyceum]] in Oregon City.<ref name="LOC">{{cite web
| last = Hines
| last = Hines
| first = Joseph Wilkinson
| first = Joseph Wilkinson
Line 57: Line 57:
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as [[Provisional Government of Oregon|Provisional]] Governor of the [[Oregon Country]], defeating [[Osborne Russell]], a member of the outgoing [[Executive Committee (Oregon Territory)|Executive Committee]]. Abernethy and his supporters were American loyalists who believed that the Provisional Government was strictly interim until the question of U.S. and British claims on the Oregon Country were finalized. Russell, however, headed up the "Independents" faction which wished to create a [[Republic of the Pacific]].
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as [[Provisional Government of Oregon|Provisional]] Governor of the [[Oregon Country]], defeating [[Osborne Russell]], a member of the outgoing [[Executive Committee (Oregon Territory)|Executive Committee]]. Abernethy and his supporters were American loyalists who believed that the Provisional Government was strictly interim until the question of U.S. and British claims on the Oregon Country were finalized. Russell, however, headed up the "Independents" faction which wished to create a [[Republic of the Pacific]].


As provisional governor, Abernethy worked to build roads, levied the first property taxes, and sent representatives of the Provisional Government to [[Washington, D.C.]] to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. [[John McLoughlin]] over [[Asa Lovejoy]], co-founder of Portland.
As provisional governor, Abernethy worked to build roads, levied the first property taxes, and sent representatives of the Provisional Government to Washington, D.C. to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. [[John McLoughlin]] over [[Asa Lovejoy]], co-founder of Portland.


Among the more interesting prerogatives of Abernethy was his solution to the shortage of U.S. currency throughout the territory. He and eight other leading citizens established the [[Oregon Exchange Company]], which became the de facto territorial mint for a short time. The organization minted the now-rare five dollar and ten dollar "[[Beaver Coins]]", making Oregon one of the few U.S. territories to ever mint its own currency.
Among the more interesting prerogatives of Abernethy was his solution to the shortage of U.S. currency throughout the territory. He and eight other leading citizens established the [[Oregon Exchange Company]], which became the de facto territorial mint for a short time. The organization minted the now-rare five dollar and ten dollar "[[Beaver Coins]]", making Oregon one of the few U.S. territories to ever mint its own currency.
Line 75: Line 75:
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
*Klooster, Karl. ''Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives'', pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6
*Klooster, Karl. ''Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives'', pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6

==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/lib/governors/ga.htm Oregon State Library: Governors of Oregon] - Photograph and biography.
*[http://www.osl.state.or.us/home/lib/governors/ga.htm Oregon State Library: Governors of Oregon] - Photograph and biography.
Line 80: Line 81:
*{{Oregon Encyclopedia|abernethy_george_1807_1877_}}
*{{Oregon Encyclopedia|abernethy_george_1807_1877_}}


⚫
{{s-start}}

⚫
{{start box}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box|
{{succession box|
Line 96: Line 96:


{{Authority control|VIAF=23823991}}
{{Authority control|VIAF=23823991}}

{{Persondata
{{Persondata
| NAME =Abernethy, George
| NAME =Abernethy, George
Line 101: Line 102:
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Merchant and politician
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Merchant and politician
| DATE OF BIRTH =October 7, 1807
| DATE OF BIRTH =October 7, 1807
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[New York City]], [[New York]]
| PLACE OF BIRTH =New York City, New York
| DATE OF DEATH =March 2, 1877
| DATE OF DEATH =March 2, 1877
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Portland, Oregon]]
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Portland, Oregon]]

Revision as of 12:22, 4 July 2014

George Abernethy
Governor of the Provisional Government of Oregon
In office
1845–1849
Preceded bySecond Executive Committee
Succeeded byPosition dissolved
ConstituencyOregon Country
Personal details
Born(1807-10-07)October 7, 1807
New York City, New York
DiedMarch 2, 1877(1877-03-02) (aged 69)
Portland, Oregon
SpouseAnne Pope
OccupationMerchant, politician

George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States. He traveled to Oregon Country as a Methodist missionary where he became involved in politics and helped found the first American newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains.

Early life

Abernethy was born on October 7, 1807 in New York City.[1] He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade.[1] In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope.[1] Missionary Jason Lee recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission in Oregon Country.[1] He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn to the Pacific Northwest.[1]

Oregon

Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in Oregon City.[1] Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first newspaper (the Oregon Spectator) in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British Hudson's Bay Company. Abernethy was also a member of the Oregon Lyceum in Oregon City.[2] In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country.[2] This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.[2]

Governor

On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as Provisional Governor of the Oregon Country, defeating Osborne Russell, a member of the outgoing Executive Committee. Abernethy and his supporters were American loyalists who believed that the Provisional Government was strictly interim until the question of U.S. and British claims on the Oregon Country were finalized. Russell, however, headed up the "Independents" faction which wished to create a Republic of the Pacific.

As provisional governor, Abernethy worked to build roads, levied the first property taxes, and sent representatives of the Provisional Government to Washington, D.C. to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. John McLoughlin over Asa Lovejoy, co-founder of Portland.

Among the more interesting prerogatives of Abernethy was his solution to the shortage of U.S. currency throughout the territory. He and eight other leading citizens established the Oregon Exchange Company, which became the de facto territorial mint for a short time. The organization minted the now-rare five dollar and ten dollar "Beaver Coins", making Oregon one of the few U.S. territories to ever mint its own currency.

The Abernethy administration technically ended when efforts to gain territorial status came to fruition on August 14, 1848. President James K. Polk signed the Oregon Territory Act, and appointed General Joseph Lane as the first official territorial governor. Abernethy continued to carry out his duties until Governor Lane arrived at Oregon City March 5, 1849.

Later life and legacy

Advertisement for steamer Lot Whitcomb, naming George Abernethy as agent

After leaving office, Abernethy continued doing well in his business. Among other things he served as the Oregon City agent for the pioneer steamer Lot Whitcomb, the first steam-powered vessel built on the Willamette River and the second one built in the entire Oregon Country. Abernethy's assets were destroyed during the flood of 1861. He moved to Portland shortly after. He died in 1877 at 70 years of age. Abernethy was buried at River View Cemetery.[3]

Today, the Abernethy Bridge in Oregon City is named in his honor. The end of the Oregon Trail, also in Oregon City, lies near an area known as Abernethy Green. Several other public works (and natural features such as streams) in Oregon are also named in his honor; though several are given the variant spelling of Abernathy.

References

  • Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1963.
  1. ^ a b c d e f Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
  2. ^ a b c Hines, Joseph Wilkinson. "CHAPTER VIII. The Provisional Government". Touching incidents in the life and labors of a pioneer on the Pacific coast since 1853. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2007-02-11. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Find-A-Grave

Further reading

  • Klooster, Karl. Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives, pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Provisional Government of Oregon
1845-1848 		Succeeded by
Notes and references
1. Executive committees were three-person boards which served as executives for a one-year term.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=George_Abernethy&oldid=615563933"