Page:Oregon, her history, her great men, her literature.djvu/127



CHAPTER VIII

Motto: "Alis Volat Propriis"

No man occupied a more prominent place in the history of Oregon in the territorial days and in the years immediately following than General Joseph Lane, the first Territorial Governor. He was born in North Carolina on December 14, 1801, was reared in Kentucky, moved to Indiana when a young man, and served with distinction in the Mexican War. Upon receiving his appointment as governor of Oregon, he proceeded with Joe Meek to Oregon City, the capital of the territory, where they arrived March 2, 1849, and he assumed the duties of his office on the third which was but one day before the expiration of the term of President Polk.