Francis Fletcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Fletcher
|
|
|---|---|
Francis Fletcher
|
|
| Born | March 1, 1814 Allerston, Yorkshire, England
|
| Died | October 7, 1871 (aged 57) |
| Burial place | Brookside Cemetery, Dayton, Oregon |
| Nationality | Naturalized U.S. citizen |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Known for | Early Oregon Trail Pioneer; Voted for the Oregon Provisional Government at Champoeg |
Francis Fletcher (March 1, 1814 – October 7, 1871) was an important early settler, also known as a pioneer, in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was part of a group called the Peoria Party, who were among the first to travel the famous Oregon Trail.
Contents
Life as an Oregon Pioneer
Francis Fletcher was born in Allerston, Yorkshire, England, on March 1, 1814. When he was about 11 years old, in 1825, he moved with his parents, William and Mary Fletcher, and his four brothers to Canada. They settled in a place called Nassagaweya Township, Ontario.
Journey to Oregon
As a young man, Francis moved to Peoria, Illinois. There, he joined a group known as the Oregon Dragoons. This group traveled overland on what would later become the historic Oregon Trail. Francis Fletcher arrived in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 1840.
Upon arriving, he claimed land under the Donation Land Claim Act. His land was along the Yamhill River, right next to his good friend and fellow dragoon, Amos Cook.
Helping to Form a Government
On May 2, 1843, Francis Fletcher and Amos Cook were among many settlers who gathered at Champoeg, Oregon. At this meeting, they voted to create the Provisional Government of Oregon. This was a very important moment because it was the first American government established west of the Rocky Mountains.
Family and Community Life
In 1843, Francis Fletcher married Miss Elizabeth Smith. She had also traveled the Oregon Trail earlier that year with her parents, Andrew and Polly Smith. Francis and Elizabeth Fletcher raised eight children together.
Francis Fletcher was very involved in his community. He volunteered to serve in the Cayuse War in 1848. This was a conflict between settlers and the Cayuse Native American tribe. He also served on the first board of trustees for Willamette University, a well-known university in Oregon.
Francis Fletcher passed away on October 7, 1871, on his farm near Dayton, Oregon. He is buried in Brookside Cemetery in Dayton. His house in Dayton is now recognized as a historic place on the National Register of Historic Places.
