Joseph Lane

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Joseph Lane
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Joseph Lane (born December 14, 1801 in Buncombe County , North Carolina , † April 19, 1881 in Roseburg , Oregon ) was an American politician , member of the US Congress and from 1848 to 1850 and again in 1853 territorial governor in Oregon -Territory .

Early years and political advancement

In 1810, Joseph Lane moved with his parents from North Carolina to Henderson , Kentucky . There he attended the local schools and helped in a shop. In 1821 he moved to Vanderburgh County , Indiana . There he worked as a farmer. At the same time he became politically active.

Lane was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1822 . Between 1844 and 1846 he was a member of the State Senate . When the Mexican-American War broke out , he was colonel commander of a regiment from Indiana. He was involved in several battles and rose to major general in the course of the war.

Governor of the Oregon Territory

In 1848, Lane was named the first governor of the Oregon Territory by US President James K. Polk . Lane arrived in his new home in March 1849 after a dangerous winter journey. There he first had to deal with the consequences of the so-called Whitman massacre . It was about the murder of the missionary Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa on November 29, 1847 by Indians. In the two years as governor Lane built an initial administration. The first laws were enacted and road construction began. A militia was also set up and peace was made with the Indians. Lane resigned from office due to differences with the new president, Zachary Taylor . Until the arrival of the appointed successor John Pollard Gaines , State Secretary Kintzing Prichette had to take over the official business.

Federal political activities

After his resignation, Lane represented his territory between 1851 and 1859 as a delegate to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC During this time, in May 1855, he was briefly territorial governor for three days in May 1855 to help replace the unpopular John Gaines.

Lane remained in the House of Representatives until 1859. After Oregon was established as a US state in 1859 , he became one of the first two US Senators for the new state. He was a member of the US Senate between 1859 and 1861 . Lane supported the positions of the south on the national question between the northern and southern states; this included his support for slavery . In the presidential election of 1860 he was a Vice-Presidential candidate for the Southern Democrats alongside John C. Breckinridge . His pro-southern attitude ended his political career. He then retired to his farm in Douglas County , where he died in 1881.

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personal data
SURNAME Lane, Joseph
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH December 14, 1801
PLACE OF BIRTH Buncombe County , North Carolina
DATE OF DEATH April 19, 1881
Place of death Roseburg , Oregon