Lucien Heath
Encyclopedia
Lucien Heath was an American farmer, merchant, and politician in Oregon
. A native of New York
, he was raised there and in Michigan
before immigrating to the Oregon Territory
. A Democrat, he served as the first Oregon Secretary of State
after Oregon entered the Union in 1859, and was also the mayor of Salem
. After moving to Santa Cruz County, California
, he was elected to the California Assembly for two terms as a Republican.
near Buffalo
to a merchant father. The family moved to Michigan
when Heath was young where he farmed. In 1849, he married there to Jane Edwards of Ohio
, and they had two sons and a daughter. In 1852, the family of Jane, Lucien, and son Henry (the daughter Lina had already died), moved to the Oregon Territory
over the Oregon Trail
.
Heath and the family settled in Polk County
in the Willamette Valley
where he started a farm. In 1854, he was appointed as the clerk of the territorial court. He later became a trustee of the La Creole Academy that was started in 1856 in Dallas
. Heath then served as clerk of Polk County. After Heath moved to Salem he became a merchant. He also served as the recording secretary for the State Agricultural Society in Marion County
where Salem is located. In this position, Heath became the first financial secretary of the Oregon State Fair
, held at Oregon City
.
once Oregon was admitted to the Union. Oregon became a state on February 14, 1859, with the news of acceptance arriving in Oregon weeks later. Heath took office on March 3, 1859, replacing outgoing territorial secretary Benjamin F. Harding
. He moved to Salem and served in office until leaving on September 8, 1862. He also was mayor of Salem
, the state capitol, in 1861. He then served as the clerk to the Oregon Supreme Court
from 1862 to 1864. He served as a Republican legislator in the California State Assembly
twice. Heath was elected in November 1882 and re-elected in 1884 to represent district 50.
, where he continued to farm. He also was a hardware merchant and then president of the Santa Cruz County Bank. The hardware store was on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz
and partly owned by John Byrne. Later he entered the real estate business as a partner with Samuel Drennan. Lucien Heath died in December 1888, at the age of 69 while on a trip to the East Coast and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Santa Cruz. Heath’s brother Albert was a captain for the Union Army during the American Civil War
, and son Frank was a landscape artist while the other son Henry followed in his father’s footsteps as a merchant.
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 New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he was raised there and in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
before immigrating to the 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...
. A Democrat, he served as the first Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
after Oregon entered the Union in 1859, and was also the mayor of Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. After moving to Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
, he was elected to the California Assembly for two terms as a Republican.
Early life
Lucien Heath was born in 1819, in the state of New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
near Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to a merchant father. The family moved to Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
when Heath was young where he farmed. In 1849, he married there to Jane Edwards of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and they had two sons and a daughter. In 1852, the family of Jane, Lucien, and son Henry (the daughter Lina had already died), moved to the 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...
over the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
.
Heath and the family settled in Polk County
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
where he started a farm. In 1854, he was appointed as the clerk of the territorial court. He later became a trustee of the La Creole Academy that was started in 1856 in Dallas
Dallas, Oregon
The city of Dallas is the county seat of Polk County, Oregon, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2010 census.Dallas is located on Rickreall Creek, approximately 15 miles west of Salem, at an altitude of 325 feet above sea level...
. Heath then served as clerk of Polk County. After Heath moved to Salem he became a merchant. He also served as the recording secretary for the State Agricultural Society in Marion County
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
where Salem is located. In this position, Heath became the first financial secretary of the Oregon State Fair
Oregon State Fair
-National Register of Historic Places:The state fairground is the site of two historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Oregon State Fair Stadium and Poultry Building Ensemble. The 1919 horse stadium and the 1921 poultry building were added to the register in 2002...
, held at Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
.
Political career
In 1858, he was elected as a Democrat to serve as Secretary of StateOregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
once Oregon was admitted to the Union. Oregon became a state on February 14, 1859, with the news of acceptance arriving in Oregon weeks later. Heath took office on March 3, 1859, replacing outgoing territorial secretary Benjamin F. Harding
Benjamin F. Harding
Benjamin Franklin Harding was an American attorney and politician born in Pennsylvania. He held political offices in the Oregon Territory and later served as a United States Senator from the state of Oregon.-Early life:...
. He moved to Salem and served in office until leaving on September 8, 1862. He also was mayor of Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, the state capitol, in 1861. He then served as the clerk to 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...
from 1862 to 1864. He served as a Republican legislator in the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
twice. Heath was elected in November 1882 and re-elected in 1884 to represent district 50.
Later years
In 1866, Heath moved south to Santa Cruz County, CaliforniaSanta Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
, where he continued to farm. He also was a hardware merchant and then president of the Santa Cruz County Bank. The hardware store was on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
and partly owned by John Byrne. Later he entered the real estate business as a partner with Samuel Drennan. Lucien Heath died in December 1888, at the age of 69 while on a trip to the East Coast and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Santa Cruz. Heath’s brother Albert was a captain for the Union Army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and son Frank was a landscape artist while the other son Henry followed in his father’s footsteps as a merchant.
External links
- Portrait of Heath – Oregon State LibraryOregon State LibraryThe Oregon State Library in Salem, is the library for the U.S. state of Oregon. The mission of the Oregon State Library is to provide quality information services to Oregon state government, provide reading materials to blind and print-disabled Oregonians, and provide leadership, grants, and other...