George Abernethy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Governor of theProvisional Government of Oregon | |
| In office June 3, 1845 – March 3, 1849 | |
| Preceded by | Second Executive Committee |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved (Joseph Lane as territorial governor) |
| Constituency | Oregon Country |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1807-10-07)October 7, 1807 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 1877(1877-03-02) (aged 69) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Spouse | Anne Pope |
| Relations | Henry C. Hodges (son-in-law)Henry Clay Hodges Jr. (grandson) |
| Occupation | Merchant, politician |
George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American politician, pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and firstgovernor of Oregon under theprovisional government based in theWillamette Valley, an area later a part of the Americanstate ofOregon. He traveled toOregon Country as a secular member of theMethodist mission, where he became involved in politics and helped found the first American newspaper west of the Rocky Mountains.
Abernethy was born on October 7, 1807, in New York City toshoemaker William Abernethy and an unidentified mother.[1][2] He was ofScottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade.[1] In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope.[1] MissionaryJason Lee recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at theMethodist Mission inOregon Country.[1] He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcement that sailed on the shipLausanne aroundCape Horn to the Pacific Northwest.[1]
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge as Steward of the Oregon Mission,[3] focusing on the Mission's mercantile business inOregon City.[1] His specific instructions from the Methodist board requested an annual
account of all the goods, merchandise, clothing, farming and mechanical utensils, the produce of the farms, and the mechanical shops, the stock on the farm at a fair valuation, together with the worth of the houses, barns, mills, and shops, or whatever else may belong to the Mission, and likewise charge to each member of the Mission family the article or articles he or she may take from the store or farms for his or her use ...[3]
Among his early accomplishments were establishing the first newspaper (theOregon Spectator) in the Oregon Territory and establishing good business relations with the BritishHudson's Bay Company. Abernethy was also a member of theOregon Lyceum in Oregon City.[4] In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country.[4] This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr.John McLoughlin of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.[4]
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve asProvisional Governor of theOregon Country, defeatingOsborne Russell, a member of the outgoingExecutive 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 aRepublic 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 overAsa 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 theOregon 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. PresidentJames K. Polk signed the Oregon Territory Act, and appointed GeneralJoseph Lane as the first official territorial governor. Abernethy continued to carry out his duties until Governor Lane arrived at Oregon City March 3, 1849.
After leaving office, Abernethy continued doing well in his business. Among other things he served as the Oregon City agent for the pioneer steamerLot Whitcomb, the first steam-powered vessel built on the Willamette River and the second one built in the entireOregon Country. Abernethy's assets were destroyed during theflood of 1861. He moved toPortland shortly after. He died in 1877 at 70 years of age. Abernethy was buried atRiver View Cemetery.
Today, theAbernethy Bridge in Oregon City is named in his honor. The end of theOregon Trail, also inOregon City, lies near an area known as Abernethy Green. Several other public works (and natural features such as streams) inOregon are also named in his honor; though several are given the variant spelling ofAbernathy.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by SecondExecutive Committee1 | Governor ofProvisional 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. | ||
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