George Lemuel Woods
A frontier Republican who governed both a state and a territory, navigating Oregon's growth and Utah's tensions with Washington.
1832–1890 (age 58)·American lawyer and politician·Birthday: July 30
Biography
George Lemuel Woods was a man built for the rugged politics of the American West. A lawyer by trade, he traveled the Oregon Trail and quickly immersed himself in the nascent state's Republican politics. Elected governor in 1866, his term was defined by infrastructure—pushing for railroads and internal improvements to bind Oregon to the wider nation—and by the volatile conflicts with Native American tribes. After a single term, his political path took an unusual turn. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him Territorial Governor of Utah, placing a staunch Republican and non-Mormon at the helm of a predominantly Latter-day Saint society. His four years in Salt Lake City were marked by friction with Brigham Young and the territorial legislature, as he enforced federal laws opposed by the local majority. Woods's career embodies the complex federal authority in the post-Civil War West.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1832
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1832Born
1837Started school
1845Became a teenager
1848Could drive
1850Could vote
1853Turned 21
1862Turned 30
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Turned 40
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1882Turned 50
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1890Died at 58
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
Key Achievements
- Served as the third Governor of Oregon, advocating for railroad expansion and infrastructure development.
- Appointed by President Grant as the Territorial Governor of Utah, where he served from 1871 to 1875.
- Practiced law and served as a county judge in Oregon before entering statewide politics.
Did You Know?
He crossed the plains to Oregon in 1852, driving a herd of cattle alongside his family.
His appointment as Utah governor was part of President Grant's 'Peace Policy,' which often led to conflict with Mormon settlers.
After his political career, he returned to practicing law and was involved in mining ventures.
“The future of Oregon is bound to the iron rail and the commerce it brings.”
