John Pollard Gaines (1795 - 1857)

Born 22 Sep 1795 in Augusta County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth Kincaid — married 22 Jun 1819 in Versailles, Woodford, Kentucky, USA

Husband of Margaret Burnside (Wands) Gaines — married 25 Nov 1852 in Oregon City, Clackamas, Oregon Territory, United States

Died 9 Dec 1857 at age 62 in Salem, Marion County, Oregon

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Preceded by Acting Territorial Governor Kintzing Prichette

John P. Gaines 2nd Governor of Oregon Territory 1850—1853

Succeeded by Acting Territorial Governor Joseph Lane

Biography

John Gaines is Notable.

John Pollard Gaines was a U.S. military and political figure. He was also one of the slaveowners associated with the Margaret Garner story made popular by Toni Morrison's fictional novel titled "Beloved". John Pollard Gaines was the second son born to Abner Legrand Gaines and Susan Elizabeth Mathews Gaines. John "volunteered and was appointed the rank of Major during the Mexican-American War in 1846. During the war in 1847 he was General Winfield Scott's aide-de-camp. He and some 80 soldiers were captured at Encarnacion in January 1847. They were held "captive" in Mexico City until August." ^[1]

His captivity might not have as grueling as reported at the time; John was free to move about and afforded officer's accommodations during his captivity.

"While a prisoner, he was elected to the 30th United States Congress from Kentucky's 10th Congressional District. He served one term from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849. After losing election for a second term, he returned to Boone County. In October 1849, John accepted the position of Governor of the Territory of Oregon after the positions of territorial secretary and governor were declined by another supporter of Zachary Taylor (i.e., Abraham Lincoln, whose term in Congress had also ended earlier that year.) John P Gaines traveled to Oregon with Territorial Secretary Edward D. Hamilton aboard the sloop Falmouth, losing two daughters to yellow fever at Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. Shortly after arriving in Oregon Territory, his wife fell from a horse and died.

His political life would prove to be just as turbulent as he faced opposition from the press and the Democratic-controlled territorial legislature. His unpopular positions, coupled with fierce partisanship, cemented a perception that Gaines was an Easterner, out of touch with Pacific Coast needs and attitudes.

In 1853, Gaines left office, succeeded by the Democrat Joseph Lane. and chose to stay, remarrying and settling on a farm just outside Salem. His second marriage was to Margaret B. Wands in 1853. In 1854 he and two of his sons (Archibald and Abner) drove over a herd of over 200 head from Kentucky and Arkansas across the plains to Oregon, including 35 purebred Durham, in order to help start a beef cattle industry in Oregon.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ John P. Gaines. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Gaines
2. ↑ John P. Gaines. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Gaines

• 1850 United States Federal Census. Oregon City, Clackamas, Oregon Territory; Roll: 742; Page: 31a
• Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965. Film Number 000252324
• Oregon, Biographical and Other Index Card File, 1700s-1900s. Oregon, Biographical and Other Cards. Oregon Historical Society, Portland, Oregon.
• U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Salem Pioneer Cemetery. Salem, Marion County, Oregon
• John Pollard Gaines Papers, 1832-1864 (finding aid to collection at the New York State Library)