In 1863 Addison C. Gibbs was Governor of Oregon. He had six predecessors, dating back to 1845, namely: George Abernethy, Joseph Lane, John P. Gaines, John W. Davis, George L. Curry and John Whiteaker. Other State officers were Samuel E. May, Secretary of State; Edwin N. Cooke, Treasurer; Asahel Bush, Printer, and P. S. Knight, Librarian. Elections were held in June, and State officers chosen for four years. In 1862 the people had voted on location of the State capital, Salem getting 3213 votes, Eugene 1921, Corvallis 1798, and all other places 427. The vote was indecisive, as no place had a majority.
James W. Nesmith and Benjamin F. Harding were U. S. Senators, and John R. McBride Representative in Congress.
P. P. Prim, R. E. Stratton, Reuben P. Boise, E. D. Shattuck and J. G. Wilson were the five circuit judges, and they also constituted the Supreme Court. In each district was a prosecuting attorney. The first and fifth districts each included three counties; the second, third a'nd fourth, five counties each. The district attorneys were James F. Gazley, A. J. Thayer, Rufus Mallory, William Carey Johnson and C. R. Meigs.
The State militia was then headed by Major General Joel Palmer, Brigadier General Orlando Humason, Brigadier General Elisha L. Applegate, Judge Advocate Richard Williams, and Surgeon General Ralph Wilcox. Aides to the commanderin-chief were A. G. Hovey, John H. Mitchell, David P. Thompson and L. W. Powell. The writer believes these men constituted the entire militia force of the state.
The United States was represented by Matthew P. Deady, district judge; Shubrick Norris, clerk; Wm. L. Adams, customs collector at Astoria; Edwin P. Drew, collector at Umpqua, and William Tichenor, collector at Port Orford; Byron S. Pengra, surveyor general at Eugene; W. A. Starkweather, register, and W. T. Matlock, receiver, of the land office at Oregon City; John Kelly, register, and George E. Briggs, receiver, of the land office at Roseburg; Wm. H. Rector, superintendent of Indian affairs, and T. McF. Patton, clerk, at Salem; Wm.
