love of office. His majority was nearly 2,000 over his opponent, Hiram Smith. He was in turn succeeded by George La Dow,[1] a man little known in the state, and who would not have received the nomination but for the course of the Oregonian in making a division in the republican ranks and running Richard Williams, while the regular party ran T. W. Davenport. The vacancy caused by the death of La Dow was filled by La Fayette Lane, specially elected October 25, 1875. At the next regular election, in 1876, Richard Williams[2] received a majority of votes for representative to congress, serving from March 1877 to March 1879. He was succeeded by ex-Governor John Whiteaker, democrat, and he by M. C. George, republican, who has been returned the second time.
In 1878 the republicans again lost their choice for governor by division, and C. C. Beekman was defeated by W. W. Thayer,[3] who was followed by Z. F. Moody[4] in 1882. The U. S. senator elected in 1882,
- ↑ George A. La Dow was born in Cayuga-co., N. Y., March 18, 1826. His father emigrated to 111. 1839, where George was educated for the practice of law. Subsequently settling in Wisconsin, he was elected dist atty for Waupaca co. In 1869 he came to Oregon and settled in Umatilla co., being elected representative in 1872. S. F. Examiner, in Salem Statesman, June 13, 1874.
- ↑ Richard Williams was a son of Elijah Williams, a pioneer. He was a young man of irreproachable character arid good talents, a lawyer by profession, who had been appointed dist atty in 1867. S. F. Call, March 24, 1867.
- ↑ W. W. Thayer, a brother of A. J. Thayer, was born at Lima, N. Y., July 15, 1827. He received a common-school education, and studied law, being admitted to the bar by the sup. ct at Rochester, in March 1851. He subsequently practised at Tonawanda and Buffalo, until 1862, when he came to Oregon, intending to settle at Corvallis. The mining excitement of 1863 drew him to Idaho; he remained at Lewiston till 1867, when he returned to Oregon and settled in East Portland, forming a law partnership with Richard Williams. He was a member of the Idaho legislature in 1866, and was also dist atty of the 3d jud. dist. During his administration as governor, the state debt, which had accumulated under the previous administration, was paid, and the financial condition of the state rendered sound and healthy. The insane asylum was commenced with Thayer as one of a board of commissioners, and was about completed when his term expired. It is an imposing brick structure, capable of accommodating 400 or 500.
- ↑ Zenas Ferry Moody was a republican of New England and revolutionary stock, and has not been without pioneer experiences, coming to Oregon in 1851. He was one of the first U. S. surveying party which established the initial point of the Willamette meridian, and continued two years in the service. In 1853 he settled in Brownsville, and married Miss Mary Stephenson, their children being four sons and one daughter. In 1856 he was appointed
