James McBride (politician)
Encyclopedia
James McBride was an American politician, educator, and patriarch of a political family in the state of Oregon
. A native of Tennessee
, he served in the Oregon Territorial Legislature
and as United States Minister to Hawaii
, as well as one of the founders of the Oregon Republican Party
. Two of his sons served in the United States Congress
, while a third served on the Oregon Supreme Court
.
, on February 9, 1802. He was educated in Nashville and then moved to Missouri
where he married Mahala Miller in Springfield
on June 20, 1830. Together they had fourteen children. James practiced medicine there before the family immigrated to Oregon Country
in 1846 settling near Lafayette, Oregon
. In Oregon he taught school, practiced medicine, farmed, and preached.
. He was later named Oregon Territory
's first school superintendent.
In 1863, James McBride was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
as Minister
to the Kingdom of Hawaii
. During his time in that position he began the negotiations with Russia
for the purchase of Alaska
, and then later was involved in settling the Beresford Incident with Great Britain
. He served until 1866. Dr. McBride retired from government service in 1867 and settled at St. Helens, Oregon
.
Two of McBride's sons served in the United States Congress
representing Oregon: George W. McBride
served as a Senator and John R. McBride
served as a Representative. Another son, Thomas A. McBride
, was chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
, and a daughter, Louisa, married Oregon's third governor, George L. Woods.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, he served in the Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
and as United States Minister to Hawaii
United States Minister to Hawaii
The Minister to Hawaii was an office of the United States Department of State to the Kingdom of Hawaii during the period of 1810 to 1898. Appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of Congress, the Minister to Hawaii was equivalent in rank to the present-day ambassador of the...
, as well as one of the founders of the Oregon Republican Party
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
. Two of his sons served in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, while a third served on the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
.
Early life
James McBride was born near present-day Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, on February 9, 1802. He was educated in Nashville and then moved to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
where he married Mahala Miller in Springfield
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
on June 20, 1830. Together they had fourteen children. James practiced medicine there before the family immigrated to Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
in 1846 settling near Lafayette, Oregon
Lafayette, Oregon
Lafayette is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States on the Yamhill River and Oregon Route 99W. It was founded in 1846 and incorporated in 1878...
. In Oregon he taught school, practiced medicine, farmed, and preached.
Politics
In 1850, he was elected to the Territorial Council, the upper chamber of the Oregon Territorial LegislatureOregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
. He was later named Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
's first school superintendent.
In 1863, James McBride was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
as Minister
United States Minister to Hawaii
The Minister to Hawaii was an office of the United States Department of State to the Kingdom of Hawaii during the period of 1810 to 1898. Appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of Congress, the Minister to Hawaii was equivalent in rank to the present-day ambassador of the...
to the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
. During his time in that position he began the negotiations with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for the purchase of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and then later was involved in settling the Beresford Incident with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He served until 1866. Dr. McBride retired from government service in 1867 and settled at St. Helens, Oregon
St. Helens, Oregon
St. Helens is the county seat of Columbia County, Oregon. It was founded by Captain H. M. Knighton, a native of New England, in 1845 as "Plymouth". The name was changed to St. Helens in the latter part of 1850 for its view of Mount St. Helens some away in Washington. The population was 10,019 at...
.
Two of McBride's sons served in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
representing Oregon: George W. McBride
George W. McBride
George Wycliffe McBride was a politician and businessman from the U.S. state of Oregon. An Oregon native, he served in the Oregon Legislative Assembly as Speaker of the House and as Oregon Secretary of State for two terms before election as United States Senator from Oregon. A Republican, he was...
served as a Senator and John R. McBride
John R. McBride
John Rogers McBride was a Republican U.S. congressman from Oregon.-Early life:McBride was born near St. Louis, Missouri in 1832, the son of James McBride. In 1851, he moved with his family to Lafayette, Oregon where he became the superintendent of schools at the age of 22...
served as a Representative. Another son, Thomas A. McBride
Thomas A. McBride
Thomas Allen McBride was an American attorney and judge in Oregon. He was the 20th Chief Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court serving three times as chief between 1913 and 1927...
, was chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
, and a daughter, Louisa, married Oregon's third governor, George L. Woods.