Webley John Hauxhurst

Infobox Person
name= Webley John Hauxhurst


caption=
birth_date= January 23 1809
birth_place= Brooklyn, New York
death_date= January 23 1874
death_place= Oregon
occupation= sailor, soldier
spouse= Miss Mary

Webley John Hauxhurst, Jr. (January 23 1809-January 23 1874) was a pioneer in Oregon Country. He helped build the first grist mill in Oregon, participated in the Willamette Cattle Company, and was a participant at the Champoeg meeting where he voted for the creation of a provisional government.

Early life

Hauxhurst was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 23 1809, to Quaker parents.Corning, Howard M. (1989) "Dictionary of Oregon History". Binfords & Mort Publishing. p. 109.] As a young man he became a sailor, and later deserted his ship while in California. He spent three years there in Monterey working as a carpenter before leaving. [ [http://www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS/currentprojects/TAHv3/Content/Boundaries/OR%20Emigrants%201838-1840.pdf The Oregon Territory: Inhabitants Prior To 1839.] Community Geography Project, Portland State University. Retrieved on February 26 2008.]

Oregon

Webley John Hauxhurst traveled to Oregon in 1834. He came with Ewing Young and Hall J. Kelley from California, arriving at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia River on October 17.cite book
last = Hussey
first = John A.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Champoeg: Place of Transition, A Disputed History
work =
publisher = Oregon Historical Society
year = 1967
doi =
id = ] The next year, 1835, he helped to build the first grist mill in the Willamette Valley to mill grain. This mill he would later sell to Thomas McKay, the stepson of Doctor John McLoughlin, the Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver. Hauxhurst was also an investor in the Willamette Cattle Company in 1837 that brought over 600 head of cattle to Oregon from California.cite journal
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Wallamette Settlement Articles of Agreement
journal = Provisional and Territorial Records
volume =
issue =
pages = 406
publisher = Oregon Provisional Government
date = 1-13-1837
url =
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] Originally, he was also going to accompany the group and help drive the cattle to Oregon, but changed his mind after the ship Loriot was delayed in sailing. [Kohnen, Patricia. [http://www.oregon.com/history/oregon_trail_timeline_1831-1840.cfm Oregon Trail Timeline.] Oregon.com. Retrieved on February 26 2008.]

On Saturday, February 28 1837, Webley Hauxhurst was married.Lenzen, Connie. [http://www.oregonvos.net/~clenzen/methodist.html Methodist Church Records in Oregon.] Genealogical Research in Oregon. Retrieved on February 26 2008.] The Reverend Jason Lee of the Methodist Mission then located at Mission Bottom married Miss Mary to Webley at the Mission house. Mary was a Native American from the Yamhill tribe. Hauxhurst would then become the mission's first white convert.

In 1843 in the aftermath of Young’s death in 1841, the settlers of the region began discussions about forming a government as a continuation of the Champoeg Meetings.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Beginnings of Self-Government
work = Settling the Oregon Country
publisher = End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
date =
url = http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/road2oregon/sa31provgovt.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-26 ] Then in May of that year, there was large meeting at Champoeg on the 2nd where a vote was taken on whether or not to form a government. Hauxhurst participated in this meeting and voted for the creation of the Provisional Government of Oregon that would last until 1849.cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Oregon Blue Book: 1917-1918
work =
publisher = Oregon Secretary of State
year = 1917
doi =
id = ] In March 1844 he enlisted with the Oregon Rangers, a volunteer militia, as part of the Provisional Government's attempt to protect settlers from possible Native American attacks.Brown, J. Henry (1892). "Political History of Oregon: Provisional Government." The Lewis & Dryden Printing Co.: Portland.]

Later life

In 1844, Joel Turnham threatened to hurt Hauxhurst and his wife, but was shot and killed by Deputy P.E. Pickerell before any harm could be done to the Hauxhursts. [Flora, Stephenie. [http://www.oregonpioneers.com/1842.htm Emigrants To Oregon In 1842.] Oregon Pioneers. Retrieved on February 26 2008.] Then in July 1846 the couple was divorced. [Kidd, Julie. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~ormultno/VR/divorce.htm Early Newspaper Divorce Notices.] Multnomah County, Oregon GenWeb. Retrieved on February 26 2008.] They had 21 children together. After selling the grist mill, he moved to the Mill Creek area of what is now Salem, Oregon. While there he helped haul the first circus to Oregon and from 1862 to 1866 moved freight on the Willamette River between Portland and Salem. In Salem he would serve on the board of trustees for Willamette University before moving to Tillamook County on the Oregon Coast. [http://www.salemhistory.net/people/historic_figures.htm Salem History Online: Historic figures.] Salem Public Library. Retrieved on February 26 2008.] In Tillamook he took up a squatter's land claim on land at the Bayocean Peninsula and worked as a captain of the vessel "Champion", transporting goods between Tillamook and Portland. Webley John Hauxhurst died in 1874. Webley Hauxhurst died on his birthday, January 23 1874.

ee also

*Oregon Institute

Further reading

*"Tillamook History: Sequel to Tillamook Memories". 1975. Tillamook Pioneer Association.

References