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Organic Laws of Oregon

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358:, the legislature of 1845 was elected in May. The actions of the previous assembly were held to be illegal as "the people had not yet resigned the law-making power." Applegate supported minimal modifications of the first Organic Laws, which including most of the laws passed in 1844. The modified laws were held to need the approval of the citizens to enact the changes. On July 26, 1845 a public vote passed the amended Organic Laws of Oregon. One change was that the Legislative Committee was replaced by a House of Representatives; initially with 13 members and permitted to have up to 61 legislators. The House had the authority to change the laws by vote, without a need to submit changes to a popular vote of the people. 940: 26: 183:, agrees that 50 men were against the formation, but 55 voted the legislation. According to Newell, the five tie breakers were all French-Canadians, while Gray's account labels the two tie breakers as Americans. Regardless of exact figures of those supporting the presented laws, these votes are held to have created the Provisional Government of Oregon. 192: 250:, with minor modifications. The first three articles were identical to the Ordinance, outside of a change related to relations with Indigenous peoples. Wars against the natives were to be commenced by "representatives of the people" instead of the Congress. The fourth and final article was from the sixth article of the Ordinance, banning 318:
The Provisional Government allowed one land patent per male settler, and required "permanent improvements" within six months of recording the claim. The original fourth article allowed six times as much land for "missions of a religious character" per claim, or 3,840 acres (15.5 km). Intertwined
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to discuss problems with predatory animals attacking livestock. An assembly with Americans and French-Canadian men, numbering less than 150, was held at Champoeg on 2 May 1843. Measures presented to form a government were tabled, though no record exists of the subsequent voting. The first vote held
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who was elected as the chairman of the committee. Each member was to be paid $ 1.25 per day for their services with the first meeting held May 15, 1843. On July 4 a new gathering began at Champoeg with speeches for and against the proposals of the committee. Then on July 5, 1843 the Organic Laws of
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The American immigrants who arrived in 1843 and 1844 were unsatisfied with the laws. The second legislative committee, the majority of its members having arrived the previous year, ruled the laws were statutory and thus could be repealed or revoked at the discretion of the assembly. In an address
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and 12 through 15 outlined what laws of Iowa were adopted. Article 16 regulated the Supreme Court sessions with two sessions held annually. Article 17 detailed the system of marriage, with parental consent required for participants under 21, women having to be at least 14 years old and men 16. It
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Section II had eighteen articles, dealing mainly with the structure of the Provisional Government. Articles 1 through 4 covered the elections of officers, with suffrage restricted to "every free male descendant of a white man", therefore allowing participation by interested
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In the preamble this "temporary government" was intended to exist "until such time as the United States of America extend their jurisdiction over us." The articles of the first Section were from the 14th section of the
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The laws also divided the region into four districts, called for a subscription of settlers to pay for the government, and named the region Oregon Territory. Lastly a militia was authorised to consist of one
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sent from the Executive Committee to the Legislature in June 1844 it was recommended for "a more thorough organization" to be established. They advised the creation of an executive branch with only one
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in 1857 created a new Constitution that was passed by the people of Oregon on November 9, 1857, and became effective upon statehood on February 14, 1859, usurping the Organic Laws of Oregon.
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first Oregon constitution. Scholars and historians have appraised the First Organic Laws as being "very crude and unsatisfactory", not allowing for an effective government body to function.
338:. The fourth article was controversial with American immigrants who arrived in 1843 and 1844, upset at how much land missionaries could occupy, and was subsequently repealed in 1844. 199:
With the formation of the Provisional Government, a committee of nine individuals were elected to frame the laws of the government. This Legislative Committee consisted of
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outside use as a punishment. The portion of the sixth article related to restitution of runaways to slave states was not included in the Organic Laws.
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was formed in 1848, the territorial government took control of the laws and invalidated only one provision of the Organic Laws. On February 14, 1859,
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The Organic Laws authorised a maximum of 640 acres (2.6 km) to be claimed by male pioneers. This size was from legislation created by American
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Oregon are adopted by popular vote after being recommended by the Legislative Committee, with the laws modeled after Iowa’s Organic Law and the
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rejected the presented report due to the inclusion of a governor. A succession of votes were then held for each individual article put forth.
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autobiography. Page 193 refutes statements by William H. Gray, and page 195 begins a section on Burnett's recollections of the organic laws.
351:. The legislature passed a bill that dissolved the Executive Committee, and announced an election for governor to be held on 3 June 1845. 1453: 939: 106:. Laws were drafted by the committee and accepted by a popular vote in July. These laws were reformed by a second version in 1845. 311:
in 1842, allowing "any white male" to take as much land in the Oregon Country. Rejected in 1843, it was the basis for the later
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judge was appointed along with a few other positions, but no further movement towards a government occurred.
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were two sets of legislation passed in the 1840s by a group of primarily American settlers based in the
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and compartmentalized the government into three branches consisting of an executive branch, a
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states that the tally was 52 in favor of the measures and 50 against them. Another witness,
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A History of Oregon, 1792–1849, Drawn from personal observation and authentic information.
8: 1463: 1313: 1102: 924: 892: 371: 335: 283: 247: 126: 102:. At the last Champoeg Meeting in May 1843, the majority voted to create what became the 804: 550:
Men of Champoeg: A Record of the Lives of the Pioneers Who Founded the Oregon Government
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children. Articles 5 through 7 created the three bodies of government, the three member
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A brief history of the Oregon Provisional Government and what caused its formation.
381: 167: 144: 118: 412: 1298: 1278: 1263: 1238: 1153: 1047: 1037: 675: 476: 461: 435: 355: 327: 259: 278:. Articles 8 through 11 establish and define the offices of Recorder (later the 1333: 1233: 1178: 1082: 1072: 1057: 1032: 995: 954: 882: 769:. End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Retrieved on September 17, 2014. 530: 148: 110: 99: 57: 1447: 1303: 1203: 1188: 914: 887: 600: 580: 308: 208: 171: 160: 754:
The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society 20, No. 4 (1919), pp. 345–395
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The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society 19, No. 4 (1918), pp. 283–305
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On February 2, 1843, a new series of meetings began with a gathering at the
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The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society 13, No. 2 (1912) pp. 89–139
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in 1849, he approved the Organic Laws as the basis of law in the
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The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 68, No. 1 (1977), pp. 20–22
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Brown's Political History of Oregon: Provisional Government
501:"Creating a Provisional Government in Oregon: A Revision." 834: 739:" Oregon Historical Quarterly 58, No. 1 (1957), pp. 17–35 737:"The Oregon Donation Act and the National Land Policy. 376:
Upon the assumption of territorial power by Governor
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with this legislation was an ongoing dispute between
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Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature.
287:cost $ 1 to marry and 50¢ to record the marriage. 604:The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society 13 98:and created the structure of a government in the 1445: 627:The Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society 9 702:. Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School 820: 782:. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956, p. 60 495: 493: 491: 489: 487: 109:The Organic Laws were based on the laws of 827: 813: 663: 661: 659: 657: 655: 618: 616: 614: 612: 143:In 1841 a series of meetings were held at 129:became the legal framework for the state. 24: 653: 651: 649: 647: 645: 643: 641: 639: 637: 635: 484: 478:Pioneer Days of Oregon History, Volume 2. 762: 760: 742: 714: 575: 573: 571: 569: 567: 565: 563: 535:Portland, OR: Harris & Holman. 1870. 449: 447: 407: 405: 190: 772: 690: 688: 686: 609: 595: 593: 543: 541: 429: 427: 425: 423: 295:with control of the military under the 1446: 751:"The Federal Relations of Oregon—VII." 723:"The Federal Relations of Oregon—III." 632: 523: 521: 519: 517: 515: 513: 511: 509: 341: 835:Pioneer history of Oregon (1806–1890) 808: 757: 560: 547: 444: 433: 402: 186: 696:"Northwest Ordinance; July 13, 1787" 683: 590: 538: 420: 94:. These laws were drafted after the 506: 13: 466:, San Francisco: History Co., 1890 195:Seal of the Provisional Government 14: 1495: 789: 1454:Provisional Government of Oregon 938: 873:Oregon & California Railroad 417:Portland: The J.K. Gill Co. 1919 390:Oregon Constitutional Convention 104:Provisional Government of Oregon 78:Provisional Government of Oregon 1400:Oregon Steam Navigation Company 796:Recollections of an Old Pioneer 729: 680:Salem: A. Bush. 1853, pp. 26–35 469: 440:. Vol. 1. Wiley B. Allen. 368:Oregon Territorial Legislature 302: 30:Section II of the Organic Laws 1: 960:Russo-American Treaty of 1824 481:J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. 1905 395: 132: 780:Dictionary of Oregon History 606:, No. 2 (1912), pp. 140–159÷ 361: 117:, and a judiciary. Once the 7: 548:Dobbs, Caroline C. (1932). 10: 1500: 365: 136: 1408: 1357: 1141: 1025: 1007:Constitutional Convention 965:Willamette Cattle Company 947: 936: 840: 629:, No. 1 (1908), pp. 42–72 227:, William Dougherty, and 71: 63: 53: 43: 35: 23: 18: 434:Brown, J. Henry (1892). 1133:Willamette Trading Post 990:Donation Land Claim Act 878:Oregon boundary dispute 313:Donation Land Claim Act 125:became a state and the 1484:1843 in Oregon Country 1418:Native peoples history 1118:Thomas and Ruckle Road 930:Provisional Government 499:Loewenberg, Robert J. 388:would be located. The 196: 88:Organic Laws of Oregon 19:Organic Laws of Oregon 1194:Abigail Scott Duniway 579:Holman, Frederick V. 458:Frances Fuller Victor 272:Legislative Committee 194: 159:. In February 1841 a 67:Legislative Committee 1479:1849 in American law 1474:1845 in American law 1469:1843 in American law 868:Hudson's Bay Company 848:American Fur Company 767:Stealing the Capital 735:Bergquist, James M. 677:The Oregon Archives. 321:Methodist missionary 1314:Eliza Hart Spalding 925:Pacific Fur Company 893:Oregon missionaries 858:Executive Committee 778:Corning, Howard M. 748:Shippee, Lester B. 720:Shippee, Lester B. 372:Oregon Constitution 342:Second Organic Laws 297:Executive Committee 268:Executive Committee 248:Northwest Ordinance 127:Oregon Constitution 1259:Morton M. McCarver 1249:David Thomas Lenox 1113:Philip Foster Farm 1017:Great Gale of 1880 853:Columbian exchange 554:Metropolitan Press 280:Secretary of State 197: 187:First Organic Laws 115:legislative branch 76:Framework for the 1459:Champoeg Meetings 1441: 1440: 1324:William Vandevert 1219:Cornelius Gilliam 1199:Thomas Lamb Eliot 1174:William H. Boring 1169:François Blanchet 1098:Methodist Mission 970:Champoeg Meetings 672:Grover, Lafayette 622:Bradley, Mari M. 599:Clark, Robert C. 463:History of Oregon 332:Columbia District 326:and Chief Factor 234:Ordinance of 1787 225:Thomas J. Hubbard 153:Willamette Valley 139:Champoeg Meetings 96:Champoeg Meetings 92:Willamette Valley 84: 83: 80: 1491: 1344:Geo. H. Williams 1339:Narcissa Whitman 1149:George Abernethy 1123:Tualatin Academy 1108:Oregon Institute 1002:Rogue River Wars 980:Whitman massacre 942: 905:Oregon Territory 899:Oregon Spectator 829: 822: 815: 806: 805: 799:Peter H. Burnett 783: 776: 770: 764: 755: 746: 740: 733: 727: 718: 712: 711: 709: 707: 692: 681: 665: 630: 620: 607: 597: 588: 577: 558: 557: 545: 536: 528:Gray, William H. 525: 504: 497: 482: 473: 467: 454:Bancroft, Hubert 451: 442: 441: 431: 418: 411:Horner, John B. 409: 382:Oregon Territory 336:Willamette Falls 260:French-Canadians 168:Oregon Institute 119:Oregon Territory 75: 28: 16: 15: 1499: 1498: 1494: 1493: 1492: 1490: 1489: 1488: 1444: 1443: 1442: 1437: 1428:Pioneer history 1423:History to 1806 1404: 1353: 1299:Osborne Russell 1279:James D. Miller 1264:John McLoughlin 1154:Jesse Applegate 1137: 1128:Whitman Mission 1038:Applegate Trail 1021: 943: 934: 836: 833: 792: 787: 786: 777: 773: 765: 758: 747: 743: 734: 730: 719: 715: 705: 703: 694: 693: 684: 668:The Organic Act 666: 633: 621: 610: 598: 591: 578: 561: 546: 539: 526: 507: 498: 485: 474: 470: 452: 445: 432: 421: 410: 403: 398: 374: 364: 356:Jesse Applegate 344: 334:over rights to 330:of the British 328:John McLoughlin 305: 236:, creating the 217:James A. O'Neil 213:William H. Gray 205:Robert Shortess 189: 177:William H. Gray 170:in what is now 141: 135: 31: 12: 11: 5: 1497: 1487: 1486: 1481: 1476: 1471: 1466: 1461: 1456: 1439: 1438: 1436: 1435: 1433:Modern history 1430: 1425: 1420: 1414: 1412: 1410:Oregon history 1406: 1405: 1403: 1402: 1397: 1390: 1387:Colonel Wright 1383: 1376: 1369: 1361: 1359: 1358:Transportation 1355: 1354: 1352: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1334:Marcus Whitman 1331: 1326: 1321: 1319:Henry Spalding 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1271: 1266: 1261: 1256: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1236: 1234:Joseph Kellogg 1231: 1226: 1221: 1216: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1196: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1179:Elijah Bristow 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1156: 1151: 1145: 1143: 1139: 1138: 1136: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1083:French Prairie 1080: 1075: 1073:Fort Vancouver 1070: 1065: 1060: 1058:Elliott Cutoff 1055: 1050: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1029: 1027: 1023: 1022: 1020: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 999: 996:Holmes v. Ford 992: 987: 982: 977: 975:Star of Oregon 972: 967: 962: 957: 955:Treaty of 1818 951: 949: 945: 944: 937: 935: 933: 932: 927: 922: 917: 912: 907: 902: 895: 890: 885: 883:Oregon Country 880: 875: 870: 865: 860: 855: 850: 844: 842: 838: 837: 832: 831: 824: 817: 809: 803: 802: 791: 790:External links 788: 785: 784: 771: 756: 741: 728: 713: 700:Avalon Project 682: 631: 608: 589: 559: 537: 505: 483: 475:Clarke, S. A. 468: 443: 419: 400: 399: 397: 394: 363: 360: 343: 340: 304: 301: 188: 185: 149:French Prairie 137:Main article: 134: 131: 111:Iowa Territory 100:Oregon Country 82: 81: 73: 69: 68: 65: 61: 60: 58:Oregon Country 55: 51: 50: 47: 41: 40: 37: 33: 32: 29: 21: 20: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1496: 1485: 1482: 1480: 1477: 1475: 1472: 1470: 1467: 1465: 1462: 1460: 1457: 1455: 1452: 1451: 1449: 1434: 1431: 1429: 1426: 1424: 1421: 1419: 1416: 1415: 1413: 1411: 1407: 1401: 1398: 1396: 1395: 1391: 1389: 1388: 1384: 1382: 1381: 1377: 1375: 1374: 1370: 1368: 1367: 1363: 1362: 1360: 1356: 1350: 1347: 1345: 1342: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1304:Sager orphans 1302: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1289:Robert Newell 1287: 1285: 1282: 1280: 1277: 1275: 1272: 1270: 1267: 1265: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1240: 1237: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1204:Philip Foster 1202: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1192: 1190: 1189:Matthew Deady 1187: 1185: 1184:Tabitha Brown 1182: 1180: 1177: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1155: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1146: 1144: 1140: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1054: 1051: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1030: 1028: 1024: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 998: 997: 993: 991: 988: 986: 983: 981: 978: 976: 973: 971: 968: 966: 963: 961: 958: 956: 953: 952: 950: 946: 941: 931: 928: 926: 923: 921: 918: 916: 915:Oregon Treaty 913: 911: 908: 906: 903: 901: 900: 896: 894: 891: 889: 888:Oregon Lyceum 886: 884: 881: 879: 876: 874: 871: 869: 866: 864: 861: 859: 856: 854: 851: 849: 846: 845: 843: 839: 830: 825: 823: 818: 816: 811: 810: 807: 800: 797: 794: 793: 781: 775: 768: 763: 761: 753: 752: 745: 738: 732: 725: 724: 717: 701: 697: 691: 689: 687: 679: 678: 673: 669: 664: 662: 660: 658: 656: 654: 652: 650: 648: 646: 644: 642: 640: 638: 636: 628: 625: 619: 617: 615: 613: 605: 602: 596: 594: 586: 584: 576: 574: 572: 570: 568: 566: 564: 555: 551: 544: 542: 534: 533: 529: 524: 522: 520: 518: 516: 514: 512: 510: 502: 496: 494: 492: 490: 488: 480: 479: 472: 465: 464: 459: 455: 450: 448: 439: 438: 430: 428: 426: 424: 416: 415: 408: 406: 401: 393: 391: 387: 383: 379: 373: 369: 359: 357: 352: 350: 339: 337: 333: 329: 325: 322: 316: 314: 310: 300: 298: 294: 288: 285: 281: 277: 273: 269: 265: 261: 255: 253: 249: 243: 241: 240: 235: 230: 226: 222: 221:Robert Newell 218: 214: 210: 209:Alanson Beers 206: 202: 193: 184: 182: 181:Robert Newell 178: 173: 169: 164: 162: 158: 154: 150: 146: 140: 130: 128: 124: 120: 116: 112: 107: 105: 101: 97: 93: 89: 79: 74: 70: 66: 62: 59: 56: 52: 48: 46: 42: 38: 34: 27: 22: 17: 1392: 1385: 1379: 1373:Lot Whitcomb 1371: 1365: 1329:Elijah White 1229:Chief Joseph 1209:Peter French 1078:Fort William 1063:Fort Astoria 994: 920:Organic Laws 919: 910:Oregon Trail 897: 779: 774: 750: 744: 736: 731: 722: 716: 706:February 17, 704:. Retrieved 699: 676: 667: 626: 603: 582: 549: 531: 500: 477: 471: 462: 436: 413: 375: 353: 345: 324:Alvin Waller 317: 309:Senator Linn 306: 289: 256: 244: 237: 229:Robert Moore 198: 165: 142: 108: 87: 85: 49:July 5, 1843 1349:Ewing Young 1294:Joel Palmer 1274:Ezra Meeker 1269:Joseph Meek 1254:Asa Lovejoy 1214:Joseph Gale 1159:Ira Babcock 1103:Oregon City 1093:Meek Cutoff 1068:Fort Dalles 1043:Barlow Road 378:Joseph Lane 303:Land claims 1464:Oregon law 1448:Categories 1309:Levi Scott 1284:John Minto 1239:H.A.G. Lee 1224:David Hill 1164:Sam Barlow 985:Cayuse War 396:References 366:See also: 201:David Hill 133:Background 1244:Jason Lee 1088:Linn City 1012:Modoc War 362:Aftermath 293:battalion 284:Treasurer 276:Judiciary 262:or their 64:Author(s) 1366:Columbia 1053:Champoeg 349:governor 239:de facto 145:Champoeg 54:Location 45:Ratified 1394:Gazelle 1380:Canemah 1048:Canemah 863:Ferries 386:capital 354:Led by 252:slavery 161:probate 151:in the 72:Purpose 36:Created 1142:People 1033:Albina 1026:Places 948:Events 841:Topics 282:) and 274:and a 270:, the 123:Oregon 264:Métis 172:Salem 708:2014 456:and 370:and 157:will 86:The 39:1843 670:in 299:. 147:on 1450:: 759:^ 698:. 685:^ 674:. 634:^ 611:^ 592:^ 562:^ 552:. 540:^ 508:^ 486:^ 460:. 446:^ 422:^ 404:^ 315:. 223:, 219:, 215:, 211:, 207:, 203:, 828:e 821:t 814:v 710:. 585:" 581:" 556:.

Index


Ratified
Oregon Country
Provisional Government of Oregon
Willamette Valley
Champoeg Meetings
Oregon Country
Provisional Government of Oregon
Iowa Territory
legislative branch
Oregon Territory
Oregon
Oregon Constitution
Champoeg Meetings
Champoeg
French Prairie
Willamette Valley
will
probate
Oregon Institute
Salem
William H. Gray
Robert Newell

David Hill
Robert Shortess
Alanson Beers
William H. Gray
James A. O'Neil
Robert Newell

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