Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/360

354 354 W. D. FENTON. from Jackson ; Delazon Smith from Linn ; I. R. Moores, W. W. Bristow, and Enoch Houit from Lane ; L. F. Grover, George H.Williams, Richard Miller, and John C. Peeples from Marion ; David Logan from Multnomah ; Thomas J. Dryer from Multnomah and Washington; Reuben P. Boise, B. F. Burch, and Fred Waymire from Polk; Jesse Applegate from Umpqua; E. D. Shattuck from Washing- ton. These twenty-six names have become a part of the public history of Oregon, and these men are widely known. Nearly all of the number have joined the silent dead, a few remain. It would be invidious to speak in detail of their achievements. As early as March 16, 1838, J. L. Whitcomb and thirty- five other settlers prepared a memorial to Congress and the same was presented in the senate January 28, 1839, by Senator Linn, the object being to show the United States the necessity of action. In June, 1840, Senator Linn presented a second memorial signed by seventy citi- zens requesting Congress to establish a territorial govern- ment in Oregon Territory. On February 14, 1841, a meeting was called at Champoeg, Marion County, for the purpose of consultation as to what should be done towards a local government. Rev. Jason Lee was made chairman of the meeting. After the funeral ceremonies over Ewing Young were ended another meeting was held looking to the same end. This meeting decided upon a legislative committee as a governing body, a governor, a supreme judge, three justices of the peace, three constables, three road commissioners, an attorney general, a clerk of the courts, a treasurer, and two overseers of the poor. Being unable to agree upon a candidate for governor, the duties of that office, devolved upon Dr. I. L. Babcock, chosen as the first supreme judge. The majority of the people in the territory at that time were either connected with the