Felix Hathaway facts for kids

Felix Hathaway (born 1798, died 1856) was an American carpenter and a brave pioneer. He helped settle the land that later became the state of Oregon. Felix was born in New England, a region in the northeastern United States. He moved to the Oregon Country, a large area in the Pacific Northwest. There, he helped build the Star of Oregon, which was the first American-made ship in what is now Oregon. His house also became an important meeting place for the first government of the area in 1844.

Early Life and Adventures

Felix Hathaway was born in Massachusetts in 1798. He learned to be a skilled gunsmith and carpenter. When he was older, he sailed on a ship called the Convoy. This ship was used for trading animal furs. It arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River in March 1829. Another ship, the William and Ann, sank around the same time. Some people wrongly thought Felix was the only person who survived that shipwreck.

Building a New Life in Oregon

In 1835, Felix settled in the Willamette Valley. This valley is a fertile area in Oregon. He lived there until 1840. In 1841, he married Mary Sargeant, a woman from the Molala tribe.

The Star of Oregon Ship

Also in 1841, Felix became involved in building a ship called the Star of Oregon. A group of settlers, including Ralph Kilbourne and Pleasant Armstrong, hired him. Felix was the main carpenter and supervisor for the project. Their plan was to build a ship to sail to California. They wanted to buy cattle there and then bring the cattle back over land.

Construction of the ship started on Swan Island. This island is now part of Portland, Oregon. However, Felix left the project before it was finished. He hadn't been paid for his hard work. Even so, Joseph Gale and Ralph Kilbourne managed to finish the ship. They successfully completed the trip to California to buy cattle.

Settling in Oregon City

After leaving the ship project, Felix moved to Oregon City. The Methodist Mission hired him to build a house there in 1841. This house was on Abernathy Island, near Willamette Falls. But Felix had to stop building because of a big argument. The argument was between the Methodist Mission and John McLoughlin of the Hudson's Bay Company. They were fighting over who owned the island and the city itself. This dispute lasted for many years and even involved legal actions.

Helping Start a Government

In May 1843, settlers in the region decided to create their own government. This happened at meetings known as the Champoeg Meetings. Soon after, Felix Hathaway signed a petition. This petition asked the United States Congress to officially take control of the Oregon Country.

The next year, in 1844, the Provisional Legislature of Oregon was formed. This was the first official government body for the Oregon Country. Its very first meeting took place at Felix Hathaway's home in Oregon City on June 18, 1844. This shows how important his home was to the early history of Oregon.

Later Years

In 1845, Felix Hathaway asked the Provisional Government of Oregon for a divorce from his wife. The government granted his request.

In June of that same year, Felix was one of the first people to invest money in a new newspaper. It was called the Oregon Spectator. He invested $10, which was a good amount of money back then.

Felix Hathaway died on March 6, 1856. He was 58 years old and passed away in Vancouver, California. Years later, during World War II, a large cargo ship was named in his honor. This ship was a "Liberty Ship" and was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation.