William H. Gray (Oregon politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William H. Gray
Member of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon
In office 1843 1845
Constituency	Clackamas District
Personal details
Born	1810
Died	1889
Children	Caroline Augusta Gray

William Henry Gray (1810–1889) was an important pioneer and politician in the Oregon Country. This area is now the U.S. state of Oregon. He played a big part in setting up the first government there. This was called the Provisional Government of Oregon.

Gray also wrote a book titled A History of Oregon, 1792-1849. He helped create the Oregon Pioneer Society. This group was for people who had settled in Oregon early on.

Who Was William H. Gray?

William H. Gray was born in New York in 1810. He traveled to the Oregon Country in 1836. He was part of a missionary group led by Henry H. Spalding and Marcus Whitman. Missionaries are people who travel to new places to share their religious beliefs.

Early Life and Adventures

In 1838, Gray went back to New York. There he married Mary Augusta Dix. They returned to Oregon, a long journey of 129 days. They worked with the Spaldings in Idaho until late 1842.

Gray left his missionary job in 1842. He moved to the Salem area. He worked at the Oregon Institute, which was a school. Later, he became a farmer and ran a sawmill.

In 1854, Gray bought 400 sheep in Iowa. He planned to bring them all the way to Oregon. He used a special boat called a scow and a steamboat on the Columbia River. But a big storm hit near Astoria. His scow sank at Chinook Point, and he lost all his sheep.

Helping to Build Oregon's Government

In the spring of 1843, an important meeting happened at Gray's house. This was one of the "Wolf Meetings." These meetings were held to decide how to protect settlers from wolves. But they also discussed forming a government.

At a meeting on May 2, 1843, settlers debated creating a "civil community." This meant forming a government. People from France and America were present. Joseph Meek asked for a vote on the idea. Gray supported this idea. After voting on different rules, the Provisional Government of Oregon was started.

Gray became a member of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon. This was like their early parliament. He also helped write the first laws for this new government. These laws were called the First Organic Laws.

A Writer and Pioneer Leader

William H. Gray had eight children. He had five boys and three girls. His second child, Caroline Augusta Gray, was born in 1840. She later married Jacob Kamm in 1859 or 1860.

Gray published his book, A History of Oregon, in 1870. However, other historians at the time did not like his book very much. They felt it had many mistakes. They also thought it showed his personal opinions too much.

For example, historian Frances Fuller Victor said it would take another book just to fix Gray's errors. Peter H. Burnett called it a "bitter, prejudiced" book. Later historians agreed with these views.

Even though his book was criticized, Gray was important in other ways. He helped start the Oregon Pioneer Society. This group was formed in 1867 in Salem. Its goal was to remember the early settlers of Oregon.

William H. Gray is buried near Walla Walla, Washington. His tombstone is next to a large grave at the site of the Whitman massacre.

Images for kids

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  William H. Gray's tombstone next to the Great Grave near Walla Walla Washington