Oregon Territory: Governors: 1845-1859

Governor of the Oregon Territory (Executive of Oregon) [1]
28 Jul 1845 - 3 Mar 1849	George Abernethy
Governor of the Territory of Oregon
3 Mar 1849 - 18 Aug 1850	Joseph Lane [2]
Acting Governor of the Territory of Oregon
18 Jun 1850 - 18 Aug 1850	Kintzing Pritchette
Governor of the Territory of Oregon
18 Aug 1850 - 16 May 1853	John Pollard Gaines [3]
16 May 1853 - 19 May 1853	Joseph Lane [4]
Acting Governor of the Territory of Oregon
19 May 1853 - 2 Dec 1853	George Law Curry
Governor of the Territory of Oregon
2 Dec 1853 - 1 Aug 1854	John Wesley Davis [5]
Acting Governor of the Territory of Oregon
1 Aug 1854 - 14 Dec 1854	George Law Curry
Governor of the Territory of Oregon
14 Dec 1854 - 4 Apr 1859	George Law Curry [6][7]

An Act Regulating the Executive Power, the Judiciary and for Other Purposes, adopted by the Legislative Committee on 27 Jun 1844, vested the executive power "in a single person," who was to be "styled the Executive of Oregon." Abernethy was elected at a general election held on 10 Jun 1845. His certificate of election, issued on 12 Jun 1845, and the text of his oath of office both referred to the Executive of Oregon. He was sworn in on 28 Jul 1845. The Amended Organic Laws of Oregon Territory were adopted by the Legislative Committee on 5 Jul 1845 and ratified by the people on 26 Jul 1845. The results were certified in a message signed by the Secretary of the Territory on 23 Aug 1845. The amended laws likewise vested the executive power in "one Person," who was referred to as the Governor under Article II; the title came into official use during Abernethy's term.
Lane was commissioned as governor on 18 Aug 1848 and took the oath of office before the secretary of the Provisional Government of Oregon on 3 Mar 1849, but to make assurance of legality, he took the oath again on 24 Mar 1849 before a justice of the peace in Oregon City. Acting on information that his successor had been appointed, Lane signed a letter of resignation addressed to the U.S. Secretary of State on 27 May 1850, to take effect on 18 Jun 1850. Before receiving any response from Washington, Lane departed Oregon, and the functions of Governor devolved upon Secretary of the Territory Prichette.
Gaines was commissioned as governor on 2 Oct 1849 and took the oath of office before an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on 20 Nov 1849. He arrived in Oregon City on 18 Aug 1850.
Lane was commissioned as governor on 16 Mar 1853 and took the oath of office at Salem on 16 May 1853. In three days, he filed his resignation and the functions of office devolved on Secretary of the Territory Curry.
Davis was commissioned as governor on 6 Sep 1853 and took the oath of office before an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court on 5 Oct 1853. He arrived in Salem City on 2 Dec 1853, but filed his resignatoin on 1 Aug 1854, and the functions of office devolved on Secretary of the Territory Curry.
Curry was commissioned as governor on 28 Oct 1854 and took the oath of office on 14 Dec 1854.
Sections Nos. 3 and 8 under Article XVIII (Schedule) of the Constitution of the State of Oregon provided for its taking effect following ratification by the qualified voters, and authorized the territorial officers to continue in office until superseded by their State successors. Oregon applied for admission to the Union, but Congressional approval of the Constitution was not explicitly sought, and the election proceeded in 1858. The State Legislature convened in July 1858, and Whiteaker was inaugurated as Governor of the State on 8 Jul 1858. However, the bill admitting Oregon failed in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Congress adjourned on 14 Jun 1858. The State Legislature also adjourned on 9 Jul 1858 and subsequently failed to achieve a quorum in September 1858. The territorial government and legislature were not superseded as expected until news of Oregon's admission became known in March 1859. A proclamation issued by Whiteaker on 4 Apr 1859 indirectly acknowledged the fact.