Addison Crandall Gibbs (July 9, 1825December 29, 1886) was an American

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He was the second Governor of Oregon from 1862 until 1866, and previously served in the

Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Oreg ...

's legislative body and later the state legislature.

Early life

Addison Crandall Gibbs was born on July 9, 1825, in

Cattaraugus County, New York Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...

.Horner, John B. (1921).''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature''. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. pp. 172–173 He attended and graduated from a state-run normal school before becoming a teacher. Later he passed the bar and moved to California in 1849.

Oregon

In 1850, A. C. Gibbs moved to the

. There he moved to the town of

Gardiner Gardiner may refer to: Places Settlements ;Canada * Gardiner, Ontario ;United States * Gardiner, Maine * Gardiner, Montana * Gardiner (town), New York ** Gardiner (CDP), New York * Gardiner, Oregon * Gardiner, Washington * West Gardiner, ...

on the

Umpqua River The Umpqua River ( ) on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west ...

where he would become a member of the

Oregon Territorial Legislature Oregon's Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory. The upper chamber Council and lower chamber House of Represent ...

in 1852. He was also appointed as a customs collector for Gardiner, located at the mouth of the Umpqua. In 1860, Gibbs relocated to

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

, where he was elected to the state house. In 1862, he was elected as Governor of Oregon; his term began on September 10, 1862, thus he served during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

.Oregon State Archives: Governor's Records Guide
/ref> In 1864, responding to orders from the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

, Gibbs raised an infantry regiment despite opposition from Oregonians. He also used his political power in Oregon to quash secessionist movements.Oregon's Civil War
Stacey L. Smith, Oregon Historical Quarterly, Summer 2014. His term ended on September 12, 1866. After his term as governor, Gibbs was an unsuccessful candidate for the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

in 1866 to replace

James W. Nesmith James Willis Nesmith (July 23, 1820 – June 17, 1885) was an American politician and lawyer from Oregon. Born in New Brunswick to American parents, he grew up in New Hampshire and Maine. A Democrat, he moved to Oregon Country in 1843 where he ...

with Henry W. Corbett as the selection of the

Oregon Legislature The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower chamber: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the H ...

. Gibbs then served as the

United States District Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the United States Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 United States federal judicial district, U.S. federal judici ...

for the United States District of Oregon and as a commissioner for the state to settle war claims from the wars against the Native Americans. Gibbs, as Oregon District Attorney, was controversially removed from office by President

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

's Attorney General

George Henry Williams George Henry Williams (March 26, 1823April 4, 1910) was an American judge and politician. He served as chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, was the 32nd Attorney General of the United States, and was elected Oregon's U.S. senator, and serv ...

, former Senator from Oregon, while Gibbs was prosecuting election frauds in Oregon. He then returned to private practice in Portland at what is now

Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP Miller Nash LLP is an American law firm based in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1873, the limited liability partnership has 147 attorneys firm wide. As of 2024, it was the third largest law firm in Portland when it had 98 att ...

Death

Addison Crandall Gibbs died in

London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, on December 29, 1886. His remains were returned from England by an act of the Oregon Legislature and he was interred at the River View Cemetery in Portland in 1887.

References

External links

Addison Crandall Gibbs deed
at the University of Oregon Special Collections and University Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:Gibbs, A.C. People from Cattaraugus County, New York 1825 births 1886 deaths Republican Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives Members of the Oregon Territorial Legislature Burials at River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon) United States attorneys for the District of Oregon Union (American Civil War) state governors Republican Party governors of Oregon People from Sherwood, Oregon People from Gardiner, Oregon