Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 11.djvu/30

24 uncertain, and a division was called for, Joseph Meek called on all who desired to establish a provisional government to line up with him. There were fifty persons all Americans [citizens of the United States], including Meek, standing for the affirmative. There were fifty-one standing for the negative, all "Hudson's Bay men", as Mr. Matthieu called them, i. e. French-Canadians, almost all former employes of the Hudson's Bay Company, who had settled in the Willamette Valley, Mr. Matthieu not being of the latter class. He stood at first with the Hudson's Bay men in an endeavor to have one or more of them join with the Americans in the vote. Mr. Matthieu said that his experience with British rule in Canada had made him in favor of government by the United States. Mr. Matthieu, during the winter of 1842-3, had lived with Etienne Lucier at the latter' s place on French Prairie. Lucier was the first settler in the Willamette Valley, having located on French Prairie about the year 1829. During the winter Matthieu had had many conversations on the subject with Lucier. When the other French-Canadians refused to join the Americans, Matthieu went to the American line-up and Lucier followed him and thus the vote was made fifty-two for the establishment of the Provisional Government to fifty against.

After I wrote out this interview I read it to Mr. Matthieu, when he made a few corrections, and as thus corrected I here set it forth.

Champooick County as existing September 3, 1849, was named Marion County by an Act of that day, passed by the Territorial Legislature. (Local Laws of 1 850-1, page 53). For present boundaries see Marion County.

Clatsop District was created by the Provisional Legislature by an Act passed June 22, 1844. It comprised parts of the northern and western portions of Twality District. After a