A. C. Gibbs
A steadfast Union loyalist who guided Oregon through the tumult of the Civil War, securing the frontier state for the North.
1825–1886 (age 61)·2nd Governor of Oregon·Birthday: July 9
Biography
Addison Crandall Gibbs became governor of Oregon at its most precarious moment. Elected in 1862, as the Civil War raged thousands of miles away, his task was to hold a remote, sparsely populated territory firmly for the Union. Confederate sympathies existed, and the threat of conflict with Native American tribes was constant. Gibbs, a New York-born lawyer who had sailed to the Pacific during the Gold Rush, proved a determined and capable leader. He aggressively raised volunteers and funds for the Union war effort, while also navigating complex local politics and overseeing the state's early development. His tenure saw the establishment of Oregon's first state-supported school for the deaf and the continuation of infrastructure projects. Leaving office after a single term, his legacy is that of a consolidator who ensured Oregon's stability during a national fracture.
#1 When A. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1825
A.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1825Born
1830Started school
1838Became a teenager
1841Could drive
1843Could vote
1846Turned 21
1855Turned 30
1865Turned 40
President: Andrew Johnson
1875Turned 50
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1885Turned 60
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1886Died at 61
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
Key Achievements
- Served as the second Governor of Oregon from 1862 to 1866, maintaining the state's loyalty to the Union during the Civil War.
- Successfully raised volunteer regiments and funds to support the Union Army from the distant West Coast.
- Played a key role in the early development of Oregon's state infrastructure and institutions after its 1859 admission to the Union.
- Served in both the Oregon Territorial Legislature and the Oregon State Senate.
Did You Know?
He traveled to Oregon from New York via a sailing ship that went around Cape Horn.
Before politics, he was a practicing attorney and served as the district attorney for southern Oregon.
The town of Gibbs, Oregon, in Coos County, was named in his honor.
After his governorship, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Oregon will be held, by law and by force if necessary.”
