James Willis Nesmith
Born: July 23, 1820
Birthplace: New Brunswick, British Canada
Father: William Morrison Nesmith 1783 – 1839
Mother: Harriet Willis 1785 – 1821
Wife: Lucinda Pauline Goff 1831 – 1890
(Buried: Nesmith Family Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon)
Children:
Mary Jane “Jennie” Nesmith Ankeny 1848 – 1918
(Buried: Mountain View Cemetery, Walla Walla, Washington)
Joseph Lane Nesmith 1849 – 1850
(Buried: Burch Pioneer Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon)
Harriet Kezziah Nesmith McArthur 1851 – 1936
(Buried: Nesmith Family Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon)
Sallie Ann Nesmith 1852 – 1853
(Buried: Burch Pioneer Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon)
Martha Ellen Nesmith 1853 – 1862
(Buried: Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Velina Pauline Nesmith Molson 1855 – 1937
(Buried: Cimetiere Mont–Royal, Outermont, Canada)
James Bush Nesmith 1856 – 1953
(Buried: Belcrest Memorial Park, Salem, Oregon)
William Goff Nesmith 1859 – 1931
(Buried: Nesmith Family Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon)
Political Party: Democratic Party
Occupation before War:
1820: Born in Canada while his parents were visiting from Maine
1828: Moved with his father to Claremont, New Hampshire
1838 – 1843: Lived in the State of Ohio
1843: Moved to Oregon Territory
Farmer and Stock Raiser in Oregon
1844 – 1845: Judge of Oregon Provisional Supreme Court
1848 – 1849: Gold Seeker in Willamette Valley
1849: Purchased a flour mill on Rickreall Creek
1853: Captain in during the Rogue River War
1853 – 1855: United States Marshal for Oregon
1855: Captain in the Yakima Indian War
1857 – 1859: Superintendent of Indian Affairs Oregon & Washington
Civil War Career:
1861 – 1867: United States Senator from Oregon
1861 – 1867: Member of Senate Indian Affairs Committee
1861 – 1863: Member of Senate Public Lands Committee
1865: Voted in favor of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
1865 – 1867: Member of Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Occupation after War:
1865 – 1867: Member of Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee
1866: Unsuccessful Candidate for reelection to U.S. Senate
Appointed United States Minister to Austria but not confirmed
1868: Polk County Oregon Roads Supervisor
1873 – 1875: United States Congressman from Oregon
1873 – 1875: Ranking Member of House Mileage Committee
1873 – 1875: Ranking Member of House Military Affairs Committee
1874: Choose not to seek reelection to U.S. Congress
1874 – 1885: Farmer in Polk County, Oregon
Died: June 17, 1885
Place of Death: Rickreall, Oregon
Age at time of Death: 64 years old
Burial Place: Nesmith Family Cemetery, Rickreall, Oregon
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