Governor of the Oregon Territory. Oregon Pioneer. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, George Law Curry lived in Caracas, Venezuela for short time while a small boy. After the 1829 death of his father, Curry was sent to live with his Uncle in Boston where he was apprenticed to a jeweler. By 1843 he was living in St. Louis, Missouri, working in the publishing trade with the newspaper “Reveille.” In 1846 Curry traveled to the Northwest over the Oregon Trail in a wagon train which counted Alphonso Boone, the grandson of Daniel Boone, as one of its members. Chloe Boone, the daughter of Alphonso, became Curry’s wife in 1848. Some sources also indicate that the ill-fated “Donner Party” began their trek with this wagon train. Curry arrived in Oregon City in late 1846, and his previous experience with newspapers led him to the job as editor of the “Oregon Spectator.” In 1848 he opened up his own newspaper, the “Oregon Free Press.” In 1851 Curry was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives, and served two years. In 1853 he was appointed as the Oregon Territorial Secretary. In this job, Curry assumed the post of Acting Governor from May until December of 1853, and again for six months in 1854. In 1854 President Franklin Pierce officially appointed Curry as the Territorial Governor, and he served until Oregon’s admission into the Union on February 14, 1859. Curry was popular with the Oregon residents, because he was a local man. During his administration he worked to organize the government, create roads and public works, and helped form the Constitution and laws necessary for the Territory to be admitted as a state. In 1860 he narrowly lost the bid to become a U.S. Senator. Following his time in office, Curry returned to journalism, working at the “Portland Advertiser,” and later the “Portland Evening Journal.” He died on July 28, 1878. Curry County, Oregon is named in his honor.

Governor of the Oregon Territory. Oregon Pioneer. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, George Law Curry lived in Caracas, Venezuela for short time while a small boy. After the 1829 death of his father, Curry was sent to live with his Uncle in Boston where he was apprenticed to a jeweler. By 1843 he was living in St. Louis, Missouri, working in the publishing trade with the newspaper “Reveille.” In 1846 Curry traveled to the Northwest over the Oregon Trail in a wagon train which counted Alphonso Boone, the grandson of Daniel Boone, as one of its members. Chloe Boone, the daughter of Alphonso, became Curry’s wife in 1848. Some sources also indicate that the ill-fated “Donner Party” began their trek with this wagon train. Curry arrived in Oregon City in late 1846, and his previous experience with newspapers led him to the job as editor of the “Oregon Spectator.” In 1848 he opened up his own newspaper, the “Oregon Free Press.” In 1851 Curry was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives, and served two years. In 1853 he was appointed as the Oregon Territorial Secretary. In this job, Curry assumed the post of Acting Governor from May until December of 1853, and again for six months in 1854. In 1854 President Franklin Pierce officially appointed Curry as the Territorial Governor, and he served until Oregon’s admission into the Union on February 14, 1859. Curry was popular with the Oregon residents, because he was a local man. During his administration he worked to organize the government, create roads and public works, and helped form the Constitution and laws necessary for the Territory to be admitted as a state. In 1860 he narrowly lost the bid to become a U.S. Senator. Following his time in office, Curry returned to journalism, working at the “Portland Advertiser,” and later the “Portland Evening Journal.” He died on July 28, 1878. Curry County, Oregon is named in his honor.

Bio by: Ernest