George Abernethy
Encyclopedia
George Abernethy 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.
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
in Oregon Country
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
to the Pacific Northwest.
. 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. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
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.
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
.
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.
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.
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
in Oregon Country
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
to the Pacific Northwest.
. 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. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
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.
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
.
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.
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.
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
in Oregon Country
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
to the Pacific Northwest.
. 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. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
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.
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
.
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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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 CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
Jason Lee (missionary)
Jason Lee , an American missionary and pioneer, was born on a farm near Stanstead, Quebec. He was the first of the Oregon missionaries and helped establish the early foundation of a provisional government in the Oregon Country....
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
Methodist Mission
The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. The mission was started to educate the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley and grew into an important center for politics and economics in the early settlement period of Oregon.-Foundation:In 1831, several...
in Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
to the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in Oregon CityOregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
(the Oregon Spectator
Oregon Spectator
The Oregon Spectator, was a newspaper published from 1846 to 1855 in Oregon City of what was first the Oregon Country and later the Oregon Territory of the United States. The Spectator was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains and was the main paper of the region...
) in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Abernethy was also a member of the Oregon Lyceum
Oregon Lyceum
The Oregon Lyceum or Pioneer Lyceum and Literary Club was founded in Oregon City, Oregon Country around 1840. The forum was a prominent fixture for the leading pioneer settlers during its brief existence...
in Oregon City. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
Governor
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as ProvisionalProvisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
Governor of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
, defeating Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell was a mountain man and politician who helped form the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Maine....
, a member of the outgoing Executive Committee
Executive Committee (Oregon Territory)
An Executive Committee was the title of a three-person committee which served as the executive Branch of the Provisional Government of Oregon in the disputed Oregon Country. This arrangement was announced on July 5, 1843, after three months of study by the Provisional Legislature at Champoeg...
. 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.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
over Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lawrence Lovejoy was an American pioneer and politician in the region that would become the U.S. state of Oregon. He is best remembered as a founder of the city of Portland, Oregon...
, 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
Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins, also known in pioneer days as Beaver Money, were gold coins briefly minted by the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1849. The coins were available in 5 and 10 dollar denominations. Their name comes from the prominent beaver depicted on the obverse of the 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
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
signed the Oregon Territory Act, and appointed General Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
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
Lot Whitcomb (sidewheeler)
Launched in 1850, Lot Whitcomb, later known as Annie Abernathy, was the first steam-powered craft built on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was one of the first steam-driven vessels to run on the inland waters of Oregon, and contributed to the rapid economic development of the...
, the first steam-powered vessel built on the Willamette River and the second one built in the entire Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. Abernethy's assets were destroyed during the flood of 1861
Great Flood of 1862
The Great Flood of 1862 or Noachian Deluge was the largest flood in the recorded history of Oregon, Nevada and California, occurring from December 1861 to January 1862. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862...
. He moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
shortly after. He died in 1877 at 70 years of age. Abernethy was buried at River View Cemetery
River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)
River View Cemetery in the southwest section of Portland, Oregon, United States, is a non-profit cemetery founded in 1882. It is the final resting place of many prominent and notable citizens of Oregon, including many governors and United States Senators...
.
Today, the Abernethy Bridge
Abernethy Bridge
The Abernethy Bridge is a steel plate and box girder bridge that spans the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, USA. It is also known as the Oregon City Freeway Bridge and the I-205 Bridge as it carries Interstate 205....
in Oregon City is named in his honor. The end of the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, also in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
, lies near an area known as Abernethy Green. Several other public works (and natural features such as streams) in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
are also named in his honor; though several are given the variant spelling of Abernathy.
Further reading
- Klooster, Karl. Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives, pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6
External links
- Oregon State Library: Governors of Oregon - Photograph and biography.
- Life of George Abernethy - Biography on personal family genealogy site, extensively sourced.
George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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 CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
Jason Lee (missionary)
Jason Lee , an American missionary and pioneer, was born on a farm near Stanstead, Quebec. He was the first of the Oregon missionaries and helped establish the early foundation of a provisional government in the Oregon Country....
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
Methodist Mission
The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. The mission was started to educate the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley and grew into an important center for politics and economics in the early settlement period of Oregon.-Foundation:In 1831, several...
in Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
to the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in Oregon CityOregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
(the Oregon Spectator
Oregon Spectator
The Oregon Spectator, was a newspaper published from 1846 to 1855 in Oregon City of what was first the Oregon Country and later the Oregon Territory of the United States. The Spectator was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains and was the main paper of the region...
) in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Abernethy was also a member of the Oregon Lyceum
Oregon Lyceum
The Oregon Lyceum or Pioneer Lyceum and Literary Club was founded in Oregon City, Oregon Country around 1840. The forum was a prominent fixture for the leading pioneer settlers during its brief existence...
in Oregon City. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
Governor
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as ProvisionalProvisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
Governor of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
, defeating Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell was a mountain man and politician who helped form the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Maine....
, a member of the outgoing Executive Committee
Executive Committee (Oregon Territory)
An Executive Committee was the title of a three-person committee which served as the executive Branch of the Provisional Government of Oregon in the disputed Oregon Country. This arrangement was announced on July 5, 1843, after three months of study by the Provisional Legislature at Champoeg...
. 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.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
over Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lawrence Lovejoy was an American pioneer and politician in the region that would become the U.S. state of Oregon. He is best remembered as a founder of the city of Portland, Oregon...
, 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
Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins, also known in pioneer days as Beaver Money, were gold coins briefly minted by the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1849. The coins were available in 5 and 10 dollar denominations. Their name comes from the prominent beaver depicted on the obverse of the 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
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
signed the Oregon Territory Act, and appointed General Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
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
Lot Whitcomb (sidewheeler)
Launched in 1850, Lot Whitcomb, later known as Annie Abernathy, was the first steam-powered craft built on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was one of the first steam-driven vessels to run on the inland waters of Oregon, and contributed to the rapid economic development of the...
, the first steam-powered vessel built on the Willamette River and the second one built in the entire Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. Abernethy's assets were destroyed during the flood of 1861
Great Flood of 1862
The Great Flood of 1862 or Noachian Deluge was the largest flood in the recorded history of Oregon, Nevada and California, occurring from December 1861 to January 1862. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862...
. He moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
shortly after. He died in 1877 at 70 years of age. Abernethy was buried at River View Cemetery
River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)
River View Cemetery in the southwest section of Portland, Oregon, United States, is a non-profit cemetery founded in 1882. It is the final resting place of many prominent and notable citizens of Oregon, including many governors and United States Senators...
.
Today, the Abernethy Bridge
Abernethy Bridge
The Abernethy Bridge is a steel plate and box girder bridge that spans the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, USA. It is also known as the Oregon City Freeway Bridge and the I-205 Bridge as it carries Interstate 205....
in Oregon City is named in his honor. The end of the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, also in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
, lies near an area known as Abernethy Green. Several other public works (and natural features such as streams) in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
are also named in his honor; though several are given the variant spelling of Abernathy.
Further reading
- Klooster, Karl. Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives, pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6
External links
- Oregon State Library: Governors of Oregon - Photograph and biography.
- Life of George Abernethy - Biography on personal family genealogy site, extensively sourced.
George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
under the provisional government in what would become the state of Oregon in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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 CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was of Scottish descent. He received his education in New York as well as learning the commercial trade. In 1830, Abernethy married Anne Pope. Missionary Jason Lee
Jason Lee (missionary)
Jason Lee , an American missionary and pioneer, was born on a farm near Stanstead, Quebec. He was the first of the Oregon missionaries and helped establish the early foundation of a provisional government in the Oregon Country....
recruited Abernethy in 1839 to join him at the Methodist Mission
Methodist Mission
The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. The mission was started to educate the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley and grew into an important center for politics and economics in the early settlement period of Oregon.-Foundation:In 1831, several...
in Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. He, his wife, and two children joined the Great Reinforcements that sailed on the ship Lausanne around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
to the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon
Arriving on June 1, 1840, Abernethy was placed in charge of the Mission’s mercantile business in Oregon CityOregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. Among his early accomplishments were building the first warehouse in the Oregon Territory, establishing the first newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
(the Oregon Spectator
Oregon Spectator
The Oregon Spectator, was a newspaper published from 1846 to 1855 in Oregon City of what was first the Oregon Country and later the Oregon Territory of the United States. The Spectator was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains and was the main paper of the region...
) in the Oregon Territory, and establishing good business relations with the British Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. Abernethy was also a member of the Oregon Lyceum
Oregon Lyceum
The Oregon Lyceum or Pioneer Lyceum and Literary Club was founded in Oregon City, Oregon Country around 1840. The forum was a prominent fixture for the leading pioneer settlers during its brief existence...
in Oregon City. In 1842 he introduced a resolution there to hold off forming an independent country. This was adopted and counter-acted a resolution introduced by Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
of the HBC that had earlier been adopted by the Lyceum.
Governor
On June 3, 1845, Abernethy was elected to serve as ProvisionalProvisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
Governor of the Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
, defeating Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell
Osborne Russell was a mountain man and politician who helped form the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. He was born in Maine....
, a member of the outgoing Executive Committee
Executive Committee (Oregon Territory)
An Executive Committee was the title of a three-person committee which served as the executive Branch of the Provisional Government of Oregon in the disputed Oregon Country. This arrangement was announced on July 5, 1843, after three months of study by the Provisional Legislature at Champoeg...
. 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.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to lobby for official U.S. territorial status. He was reelected in 1847 with the endorsement of the influential Dr. John McLoughlin
John McLoughlin
Dr. John McLoughlin, baptized Jean-Baptiste McLoughlin, was the Chief Factor of the Columbia Fur District of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver. He was later known as the "Father of Oregon" for his role in assisting the American cause in the Oregon Country in the Pacific Northwest...
over Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lovejoy
Asa Lawrence Lovejoy was an American pioneer and politician in the region that would become the U.S. state of Oregon. He is best remembered as a founder of the city of Portland, Oregon...
, 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
Beaver Coins
Beaver Coins, also known in pioneer days as Beaver Money, were gold coins briefly minted by the Provisional Government of Oregon in 1849. The coins were available in 5 and 10 dollar denominations. Their name comes from the prominent beaver depicted on the obverse of the 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
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
signed the Oregon Territory Act, and appointed General Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
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
Lot Whitcomb (sidewheeler)
Launched in 1850, Lot Whitcomb, later known as Annie Abernathy, was the first steam-powered craft built on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was one of the first steam-driven vessels to run on the inland waters of Oregon, and contributed to the rapid economic development of the...
, the first steam-powered vessel built on the Willamette River and the second one built in the entire Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
. Abernethy's assets were destroyed during the flood of 1861
Great Flood of 1862
The Great Flood of 1862 or Noachian Deluge was the largest flood in the recorded history of Oregon, Nevada and California, occurring from December 1861 to January 1862. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862...
. He moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
shortly after. He died in 1877 at 70 years of age. Abernethy was buried at River View Cemetery
River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)
River View Cemetery in the southwest section of Portland, Oregon, United States, is a non-profit cemetery founded in 1882. It is the final resting place of many prominent and notable citizens of Oregon, including many governors and United States Senators...
.
Today, the Abernethy Bridge
Abernethy Bridge
The Abernethy Bridge is a steel plate and box girder bridge that spans the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, USA. It is also known as the Oregon City Freeway Bridge and the I-205 Bridge as it carries Interstate 205....
in Oregon City is named in his honor. The end of the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, also in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
, lies near an area known as Abernethy Green. Several other public works (and natural features such as streams) in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
are also named in his honor; though several are given the variant spelling of Abernathy.
Further reading
- Klooster, Karl. Round the Roses II: More Past Portland Perspectives, pg. 95, 1992 ISBN 0-9619847-1-6
External links
- Oregon State Library: Governors of Oregon - Photograph and biography.
- Life of George Abernethy - Biography on personal family genealogy site, extensively sourced.