John H. Couch
Encyclopedia
John Heard Couch was an American
sea captain and pioneer in the Oregon Country
in the 19th century. Often referred to as Captain Couch, he became famous for his singular skill at navigation of the mouth of the Columbia River
. He is one of the early residents and founders of Portland, Oregon
.
, Massachusetts
. As a boy, he developed a desire to be a sailor and shipped on a voyage to the East Indies
on the brig
Mars. The Mars was owned by the uncle of Capt. George H. Flanders, with whom he would later go into business. The financial success of his first voyage led to his receiving a command of the Maryland in 1840 from the father of Caleb Cushing
. His first voyage in the Maryland was from Newburyport to the Columbia River
, where he intended to exchange various goods for a cargo of salmon
. At the time, the mouth of the Columbia was considered one of the most hazardous places for navigation on earth, because of the presence of a large sand
bar. His attempt at a trading voyage was rebuffed by the Hudson's Bay Company
, which controlled commerce in the Oregon Country. The Maryland was subsequently sent to the Hawaiian Islands
, where it was sold. Couch returned to Massachusetts by finding passage on another vessel.
Cushing did not attribute the failure of the trading voyage to Couch, however, and entrusted him with a command a second vessel Chenamos, named after a Native American
chief along the Columbia with whom Couch had established friendly relations on his first voyage. He arrived in the Pacific Northwest
in June 1842, navigating up the Columbia and the Willamette River
to just below Oregon City
, which was the largest settlement in the Oregon Country, which at the time was still disputed between the U.S. and Great Britain
. Couch successfully established a general store and sent his brig home, remaining in the Oregon Country for five years. In 1845, during his stay in Oregon, he took a claim of land, now known as "Couch's Addition", in present-day Northwest Portland. The dispute between the U.S. and Great Britain over the Oregon Country, however, prevented him from perfecting the claim at the time. On March 4, 1846, Couch was appointed as treasurer of the Provisional Government of Oregon
after Francis Ermatinger resigned. In 1847 he took passage back to Massachusetts via China
, arriving in Newburyport in 1848.
Later in 1848 he was convinced by a shipping firm in New York City
to take command of another vessel, the Madonna, on a voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Captain Flanders, who had been for years master of vessels for the Cushing shipping company, agreed to serve as chief mate, and to assume command of the vessel so that Couch could remain in the Oregon Territory
to discharge the cargo. The Madonna sailed from New York Harbor
on January 12, 1849, and arrived in Portland
the following August. His passengers included United States Senator Benjamin Stark
. Following his instructions, Couch stayed in Oregon City while Flanders took the vessel on short trips between Portland and San Francisco
. In 1850 Flanders and Couch began a trading and wharf business together. The Oregon Treaty
of 1846 (in which the U.S. acquired the Oregon Country below the 49th parallel north
) and the subsequent passage of the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 allowed Couch to perfect the land claim in Portland he had filed on his previous voyage to Oregon. From 1850 onward, he was a resident of Portland and became one of its most well-known and well-respected citizens. His residence was near present-day Union Station
. John Couch died on January 19, 1870, in Portland and was buried at River View Cemetery
in that city.
in the district is also named for him. The park was formerly the estate of Cicero Hunt Lewis
, who married Couch's daughter Clementine. The area has become known more recently as the Alphabet District.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sea captain and pioneer in 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...
in the 19th century. Often referred to as Captain Couch, he became famous for his singular skill at navigation of the mouth of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
. He is one of the early residents and founders of Portland, Oregon
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...
.
Biography
He was born in NewburyportNewburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. As a boy, he developed a desire to be a sailor and shipped on a voyage to the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
on the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Mars. The Mars was owned by the uncle of Capt. George H. Flanders, with whom he would later go into business. The financial success of his first voyage led to his receiving a command of the Maryland in 1840 from the father of Caleb Cushing
Caleb Cushing
Caleb Cushing was an American diplomat who served as a U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts and Attorney General under President Franklin Pierce.-Early life:...
. His first voyage in the Maryland was from Newburyport to the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, where he intended to exchange various goods for a cargo of salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
. At the time, the mouth of the Columbia was considered one of the most hazardous places for navigation on earth, because of the presence of a large sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
bar. His attempt at a trading voyage was rebuffed by the 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...
, which controlled commerce in the Oregon Country. The Maryland was subsequently sent to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, where it was sold. Couch returned to Massachusetts by finding passage on another vessel.
Cushing did not attribute the failure of the trading voyage to Couch, however, and entrusted him with a command a second vessel Chenamos, named after a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
chief along the Columbia with whom Couch had established friendly relations on his first voyage. He arrived in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
in June 1842, navigating up the Columbia and the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
to just below 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...
, which was the largest settlement in the Oregon Country, which at the time was still disputed between the U.S. and Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Couch successfully established a general store and sent his brig home, remaining in the Oregon Country for five years. In 1845, during his stay in Oregon, he took a claim of land, now known as "Couch's Addition", in present-day Northwest Portland. The dispute between the U.S. and Great Britain over the Oregon Country, however, prevented him from perfecting the claim at the time. On March 4, 1846, Couch was appointed as treasurer of the Provisional Government of Oregon
Provisional 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...
after Francis Ermatinger resigned. In 1847 he took passage back to Massachusetts via China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, arriving in Newburyport in 1848.
Later in 1848 he was convinced by a shipping firm in New York City
New 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...
to take command of another vessel, the Madonna, on a voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Captain Flanders, who had been for years master of vessels for the Cushing shipping company, agreed to serve as chief mate, and to assume command of the vessel so that Couch could remain in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
to discharge the cargo. The Madonna sailed from New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
on January 12, 1849, and arrived in 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...
the following August. His passengers included United States Senator Benjamin Stark
Benjamin Stark
Benjamin Stark was an American merchant and politician in Oregon. A native of Louisiana, he purchased some of the original tracts of land for the city of Portland. He later served in the Oregon House of Representatives before appointment to the United States Senate in 1860 after the death of...
. Following his instructions, Couch stayed in Oregon City while Flanders took the vessel on short trips between Portland and San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In 1850 Flanders and Couch began a trading and wharf business together. The Oregon Treaty
Oregon Treaty
The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by...
of 1846 (in which the U.S. acquired the Oregon Country below the 49th parallel north
49th parallel north
The 49th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 49 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
) and the subsequent passage of the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850 allowed Couch to perfect the land claim in Portland he had filed on his previous voyage to Oregon. From 1850 onward, he was a resident of Portland and became one of its most well-known and well-respected citizens. His residence was near present-day Union Station
Union Station (Portland)
Union Station is a train station near the west shore of the Willamette River in the Old Town Chinatown section of Portland, Oregon, United States....
. John Couch died on January 19, 1870, in Portland and 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...
in that city.
Legacy
The contribution to Portland for which he is most remembered today is the platting of his land claim in Northwest Portland, which stretched from Burnside Avenue north for 1 miles (1.6 km), between Northwest 23rd Avenue and the Willamette River. In laying out the streets, Couch named the east-west thoroughfares in alphabetical order as A Street, B Street, etc. The streets were later renamed, retaining the alphabetic ordering, with "C Street" renamed "Couch Street" in his honor. "F Street" was named in honor of his business partner Flanders. Couch ParkCouch Park
Couch Park is a city park in downtown Portland, Oregon. The park was founded in 1977, and is named after John H. Couch....
in the district is also named for him. The park was formerly the estate of Cicero Hunt Lewis
Cicero Hunt Lewis
Cicero Hunt Lewis was a prominent merchant and investor in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon during the second half of the 19th century...
, who married Couch's daughter Clementine. The area has become known more recently as the Alphabet District.