Oregon Pioneer Association facts for kids
The Oregon Pioneer Association was a special group for early American settlers in the Oregon Territory. It started in October 1867, first called the Oregon Pioneer Society. This group was like a club for people who had moved to Oregon a long time ago, and it also helped keep their history alive.
The Association was a non-government group that had two main goals:
- It was a friendly club where members could meet up.
- It was also a place for learning about history.
Members would meet at yearly events and share stories about what life was like for pioneers. The group was very active in the 1870s and 1880s. As time went on, many of its original members passed away. Because of this, a new group called the Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers was started in 1901. The Oregon Pioneer Association likely stopped around 1928.
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History of the Oregon Pioneer Association
How the Group Started
The Oregon Pioneer Society (OPS) began in Salem, Oregon. Its first meeting was on October 8 and 9, 1867. They met in the state capitol building. A person named William H. Gray is given most of the credit for starting the Society. He was also helping to create another history group in Astoria.
To join the Oregon Pioneer Society, you had to meet certain rules:
- You had to have come to Oregon when the Oregon Territory was shared by the United States and Great Britain.
- Or, you had to have been born in or settled in the Oregon Territory before January 1, 1854.
The OPS held yearly meetings. These usually happened around June 15. This date was important because it was the anniversary of the Oregon Treaty of 1846. This treaty officially ended a land disagreement between the United States and Great Britain. The yearly meetings were held in different places across Oregon. At these events, important people would give speeches about pioneer history.
The Society also kept records. They had a list of all their members. They also wrote down where members were born and when they moved to Oregon.
Changing the Name
On October 18, 1873, the Oregon Pioneer Society changed its name. It became the Oregon Pioneer Association (OPA). The group kept having its yearly meetings every June. These meetings were often around June 15, which was called "Pioneer Day." What was said at these meetings was written down. These reports were then printed in small books. This helped keep a record of the history.
In 1874, the Oregon Pioneer Association suggested joining with the Oregon Historical Society. But the Oregon Historical Society said no. It seems they wanted to focus only on studying history. They did not want to be a social club too.
The OPA stayed strong and had enough money through the 1880s. After that, the group slowly became smaller over 15 years. Many members passed away. This meant fewer members and less money from dues.
In 1899, the OPA started working with two other groups. These were the Native Sons of Oregon and the Indian War Veterans of the North Pacific Coast. These groups were also getting older and smaller.
The End of the Association
The Oregon Pioneer Association had fewer and fewer members. This was because the original pioneers were getting older and passing away. So, in 1901, a new group largely took its place. This was the Sons and Daughters of Oregon Pioneers. This new group had easier rules for who could join. The OPA itself continued to hold yearly meetings until 1928.
Presidents of the OPA
From 1873, when the group changed its name, until 1921, these people were the presidents of the Oregon Pioneer Association:
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Publications by the Association
The Oregon Pioneer Association published some important documents:
- The rules of the Oregon Pioneer Association (1874).
Yearly Reports (Transactions)
The Association published yearly reports of their meetings and other historical information. You can find some of them here: 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 |
