US Senator. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a US Senator from Oregon from September 1862 until March 1865. After attending public schools, he studied law and passed his bar examination in 1847, after which he moved to Joliet, Illinois and established a law practice in 1849. The following year he moved to California and shortly afterwards to the Oregon Territory, near present-day Salem, where he was elected to the Oregon Territorial Legislature as a representative from Marion County. In 1852 he served as its Speaker of the House and the following year he was chosen as US district attorney and from 1854 to 1859 he served as the Secretary of the Oregon Territory. In 1860 he was elected to the Oregon State Legislature from Marion County and at the next session of the legislature he was elected as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. In 1862 he was elected to the US Senate to fill Senator Edward D. Baker's seat after he had died, and finished out his term. After leaving the US Senate, he returned to Salem and retired to his farm. A few years later he moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon where he died at the age of 76.
US Senator. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a US Senator from Oregon from September 1862 until March 1865. After attending public schools, he studied law and passed his bar examination in 1847, after which he moved to Joliet, Illinois and established a law practice in 1849. The following year he moved to California and shortly afterwards to the Oregon Territory, near present-day Salem, where he was elected to the Oregon Territorial Legislature as a representative from Marion County. In 1852 he served as its Speaker of the House and the following year he was chosen as US district attorney and from 1854 to 1859 he served as the Secretary of the Oregon Territory. In 1860 he was elected to the Oregon State Legislature from Marion County and at the next session of the legislature he was elected as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. In 1862 he was elected to the US Senate to fill Senator Edward D. Baker's seat after he had died, and finished out his term. After leaving the US Senate, he returned to Salem and retired to his farm. A few years later he moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon where he died at the age of 76.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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