AMERICAN AUTHORITY IN OREGON
Disclaimer: Prof. Jim Tompkins has compiled the following information for classes he has taught. He has kindly contributed them for general use. This information has been gathered from a variety of sources and, while it is free to use, copyright infringements may make it unsuitable for commercial purposes.
Pacific
Fur Company:
Fort Astoria
Name: Term of Service: By What Authority/Remarks:
McDougall, Duncan Mar. 22, 1811-Feb. 15,
1812 Acting agent and partner--
in absence of Wilson Price Hunt by agreement
with partners
Aug. 4, 1812-Aug. 20, 1813
Aug. 26, 1813-Oct. 16, 1813
Hunt, Wilson Price Feb. 15, 1812-Aug. 4,
1812 Agent and partner by Articles of Agreement,
June 23, 1810, Article 21
Aug.
20, 1813-Aug. 26, 1813
*Sold to John George McTavish and John Stuart, partners of the North West Company, Oct. 16, 1813; sale confirmed by Wilson Price Hunt, agent, March 10, 1814.
Oregon
(Walamet) Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church:
Mission
Bottom 1834-1841
Chemeketa (Salem) 1841-1847
Name: Term of Service: Position:
Lee, Jason Oct. 6, 1834-Mar. 26, 1838 Appointed
supt recommendation of
Board of Managers of the Missionary Society
Leslie, David Mar. 26, 1838-May 27, 1840 Acting superintendent in absence of Lee
Lee, Jason May 27, 1840-Dec. 25, 1843 Superintendent
Leslie, David Dec. 25, 1843-June 1, 1844 Acting superintendent in absence of Lee
Gary, George June 1, 1844-July 18, 1847
Appointed superintendent;
instructed to dissolve the mission properties
Provisional
Government Executive Committee:
Capital: Oregon City 1843-1845
Name: Term of Service: Authority:
Hill, David
Beers, Alanson
Gale, Joseph July
5, 1843-May 25, 1844 Elected by meeting of inhabitants of the Oregon Territory
Stewart, P.G.
Russell, Osborn
Bailey, William
J.
May 25, 1844-July 14, 1845 By vote of the people
Governors of Oregon:
Under
Provisional Government:
Capital: Oregon City 1845-1849
Abernethy, George July 14,
1845-Mar. 3, 1849 By people at 1845 general election; reelected 1848
Under
Territorial Government:
Capital: Oregon City 1849-1853
Lane, Joseph--D Mar. 3, 1849-June 18, 1850 Appointed by President Polk; resigned
Prichette, Kintzing--D June 18, 1850-Aug. 18, 1850 Acting governor, was secretary
Gaines, John P.--W Aug. 18, 1850-May 16, 1853 Appointed by President Taylor
Capital: Salem 1853-1859
Lane, Joseph--D May 16, 1853-May 19, 1853 Appointed by President Pierce; resigned
Curry, George L.--D May 19, 1853-Dec. 2, 1853 Acting governor, was secretary
Davis, John W.--D Dec. 2, 1853-Aug. 1, 1854 Appointed by President Pierce; resigned
Curry, George L.--D Aug. 1, 1854-Mar. 3,
1859 Acting governor, was secretary;
appointed by President Pierce, Nov. 1,
1854
Under
State Government:
Capital: Salem 1859-present
Whiteaker, John--D Mar. 3, 1859-Sept. 10, 1862 Elected 1858
Gibbs, Addison C.--R Sept. 10, 1862-Sept. 12, 1866 Elected 1862
Woods, George L.--R Sept. 12, 1866-Sept. 14, 1870 Elected 1866
Grover, LaFayette--D Sept. 14, 1870-Feb. 1, 1877 Elected 1870; reelected 1874; resigned
Chadwick, Stephen F.--D Feb. 1, 1877-Sept. 11, 1878 Was secretary of state
Thayer, William W.--D Sept. 11, 1878-Sept. 13, 1882 Elected 1878
Moody, Zenas F.--R Sept. 13, 1882-Jan. 12, 1887 Elected 1882
Pennoyer, Sylvester--DP Jan. 12, 1887-Jan. 14, 1895 Elected 1886; reelected 1890
Lord, William Paine--R Jan. 14, 1895-Jan. 9, 1899 Elected 1894
Geer, Theodore T.--R Jan. 9, 1899-Jan. 14, 1903 Elected 1898
Chamberlain, George E.--D Jan. 15, 1903-Feb. 28, 1909 Elected 1902; reelected 1906; resigned
Benson, Frank W.--R Mar. 1, 1909-June 17, 1910 Was secretary of state; resigned
Bowerman, Jay2--R June 17, 1910-Jan. 8, 1911 Was president of Senate
West, Oswald--D Jan. 11, 1911-Jan. 12, 1915 Elected 1910
Withycombe, James--R Jan. 12, 1915-Mar. 3, 1919 Elected 1914; reelected 1918; died in office
Olcott, Ben W.--R Mar. 3, 1919-Jan. 8, 1923 Was secretary of state
Pierce, Walter M.--D Jan. 8, 1923-Jan. 10, 1927 Elected 1922
Patterson, Isaac L.--R Jan. 10, 1927-Dec. 21, 1929 Elected 1926; died in office
Norblad, Albin W.3--R Dec. 22, 1929-Jan. 12, 1931 Was president of Senate
Meier, Julius L.--I Jan. 12, 1931-Jan. 14, 1935 Elected 1930
Martin, Charles H.--D Jan. 14, 1935-Jan. 9, 1939 Elected 1934
Sprague, Charles A.--R Jan. 9, 1939-Jan. 11, 1943 Elected 1938
Snell, Earl--R Jan. 11, 1943-Oct. 28, 1947 Elected 1942; reelected 1946; died in office
Hall, John H.4--R Oct. 30, 1947-Jan. 10, 1949 Was speaker of House
McKay, Douglas--R Jan. 10, 1949-Dec. 27, 1952 Elected 1948; reelected 1950; resigned
Patterson, Paul L.--R Dec. 27, 1952-Jan. 31, 1956 Was president of Senate; elected 1954; died in office
Smith, Elmo--R Feb. 1, 1956-Jan. 14, 1957 Was president of Senate
Holmes, Robert D.--D Jan. 14, 1957-Jan. 12, 1959 Elected 1956
Hatfield, Mark O.--R Jan. 12, 1959-Jan. 9, 1967 Elected 1958; reelected 1962
McCall, Tom--R Jan. 9, 1967-Jan 13, 1975 Elected 1966; reelected 1970
Straub, Robert W.--D Jan. 13, 1975-Jan. 8, 1979 Elected 1974
Atiyeh, Victor G.--R Jan. 8, 1979-Jan. 12, 1987 Elected 1978; reelected 1982
Goldschmidt, Neil--D Jan. 12, 1987-Jan. 14, 1991 Elected 1986
Roberts, Barbara--D Jan. 14, 1991-Jan. 9, 1995 Elected 1990
Kitzhaber, John--D Jan. 9, 1995 - Jan. 3, 2003 Elected 1994; reelected 1998
Kulongoski, Ted--D Jan. 3, 2003 - Elected 2002, reelected 2006
1D-Democrat; R-Republican; DP-Democrat People's; I-Independent; W-Whig.
2 Jay Bowerman became governor when Frank Benson, who was serving as both Governor and Secretary of State, became incapacitated. Benson resigned as Governor but continued as Secretary of State until his death.
3 In 1920, the Constitution was changed to allow the president of the Senate to succeed as Governor.
4 A plane crash on October 28, 1947 killed Governor Earl Snell, Secretary of State Robert S. Farrell Jr., President of the Senate Marshall E. Cornett and the pilot, Cliff Hogue. John Hall, speaker of the House and next in line of succession, automatically became governor. Earl Newbry was appointed by John Hall to the position of Secretary of State.
My name is Stephenie Flora. Thanks for
stopping by.
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