Lincoln’s impact on Washington Territory

Image

He never stepped foot here, but Abraham Lincoln had a strong influence on Washington Territory when he was U.S. President, according to state Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander. The longtime jurist discussed Lincoln’s impact on our territorial days during a 45-minute presentation in Secretary Reed’s office Thursday. The speech was covered by TVW. Justice Alexander shared many interesting stories and facts. Among them:

• Lincoln declined an appointment by President Taylor to be the governor of Oregon Territory. • Lincoln appointed Washington Territory’s fourth and fifth governors: William Wallace, who resigned before actually serving as governor to become the territory’s delegate to Congress; and William Pickering, who served as governor from 1862-65 and was known, according to Alexander, as the territory’s “war governor” since he served during most of the Civil War. • Lincoln appointed several judges who served on the territory’s Supreme Court. • During the late 1850s, Lincoln supported a transcontinental railroad.

Alexander’s talk was the latest speech in our office’s Brown Bag series in which we invite notable individuals to speak during the noon hour to our office’s staffers and others. The next Brown Bag chat will take place July 21 at noon in Secretary Reed’s office when Olympia historian Les Eldridge discusses Confederate soldiers who lived in Washington Territory.