Biography of George Abernethy, 1899, State of Oregon Surnames: Abernethy, Pope, Gray, Hodges ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.net) to store the file permanently for free access and not to be removed separately without written permission. ************************************************************************ Transcribed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: W. David Samuelsen - December 2001 ************************************************************************ Oregon Native Son; Vol. 1, May 1899, page 44 GEORGE ABERNETHY. Oregon's first governor was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1807. The family moved to the United States soon after, and the future executive spent the first 32 years of his life in New York. In 1839 Rev. Jason Lee was in the East after recruits for the Methodist mission established in the Willamette valley, and Mr. Abernethy joined the expedition as a lay member. It came in the ship Lausanne, which arrived at Vancouver June 1, 1840. Mr. Abernethy was placed in charge of the mission store at Willamette Falls, now Oregon City. What interest he took in the formation of a government by the settlers was of a negative or indifferent nature until it was conceded to have become firmly established. In 1843 the executive powers of the commonwealth were vested in a committee of three; in 1845 it was determined to change this and elect one, a governor, instead. There were several conflicting interests, which put up several candidates for the honor. Mr. Abernethy was absent in the Sandwich islands on business at the time, but his supporters succeeded in electing him to the position by a small majority. At the close of his term he was reelected, and before the end of his second term Oregon became by action of the government a territory of the United States. This gave him the honor of being the only provisional governor Oregon ever had. Governor Abernethy was a wise executive, and all unite in saying that his administration was economical, clean and beneficial. He was instrumental in the starting of various enterprises in Oregon City, the then metropolis of Oregon. In some of his speculations he was unfortunate. Others, however, paid him handsome revenues. In 1861 he was considered well-to-do, when the great flood of that year swept away his buildings and effects, and in these vanished the savings of his active life. With but a small remnant of his fortune he removed to Portland in that year so disastrous, where he resided until his death, which occurred in May, 1877. He was married in New York city January 15, 1830, to Miss Ann Pope, who died in New York April 30, 1884. He left a family consisting of a son, William, and a daughter, Anne. The former married a daughter of William H. Gray, a pioneer of 1836, and the latter became the wife of Colonel Henry Hodges, U. S. A.