Matthew Paul Deady (May 12, 1824 – March 24, 1893) was a
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
and
jurist
A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Uni ...
in the
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. Ori ...
and the state of
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
of the United States. He served on the
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court (OSC) 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.federal court of the state. He served as a
United States district judge
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...
of the
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon (in case citations, D. Ore. or D. Or.) is the United States district court, federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the sta ...
in
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, as the sole Judge until his death in 1893. While on the court he presided over the trial that led to the
United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
decision of ''
Pennoyer v. Neff
''Pennoyer v. Neff'' 95 U.S. 714 (1878) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held that a state court can only exert personal jurisdiction over a party domiciled out-of-state if that party is served with proce ...
'' concerning personal jurisdiction.
Prior to joining the court, Deady served in the legislature of the Oregon Territory, including time served as the President of the Council, and was elected as President of the
Oregon Constitutional Convention
The Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 drafted the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the Oregon Territory to become a U.S. state. Held from mid-August through September, 60 men met in Salem, Oregon, and created the foundation for Oregon ...
in 1857. A native of the state of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, his first profession was as a blacksmith. He also spent time as a teacher in both
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
and Oregon. Deady
read law
Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...
in Ohio and practiced law for a time in that state before immigrating to the
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. Ori ...
via the
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...
. In Oregon, he helped codify the laws of the state and assisted in the foundation of the
Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library is the public library system serving Portland and Multnomah County, Oregon, United States. A continuation of the Library Association of Portland, established in 1864, the system now has 19 branches offering books, magaz ...
in Portland. He also was president of the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
's board of regents. The university renamed
Deady Hall
University Hall, formerly Deady Hall, is a historic building located in Eugene, Oregon, United States. It was built from 1873 to 1876 by W. H. Abrams to a design by architect William W. Piper. It was the University of Oregon's first building, and ...
in his honor after his death.
Early life
Matthew Paul Deady was born near Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, on May 12, 1824.Corning, Howard M. (1956). ''Dictionary of Oregon History''.
Binfords & Mort Publishing
Binford & Mort Publishing is a book publishing company located in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1930, the company was previously known as Metropolitan Press and Binfords & Mort. At one time they were the largest book publisher in t ...
. pp. 70-71. His parents were Daniel and Mary Ann (McSweeny) Deady.
His father was born in Ireland on September 25, 1794, and married McSweeny on June 10, 1823.Hines, H. K. (1893). ''An illustrated history of the state of Oregon; containing a history of Oregon from the earliest period of its discovery to the present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future; illustrations and full-page portraits of some of its eminent men and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and prominent citizens of to-day.'' Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. pp. 349-53. Matthew was the oldest of five children in the family. He began his education at the school where his father was a teacher, remaining at that school until the age of twelve. In 1828, the family relocated from the
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
now (
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
). The Deadys also lived for brief periods of time in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
and
Covington, Kentucky
Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, ...
.Colmer, Montagu, and Charles Erskine Scott Wood. (1910). ''History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon''. Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co. p. 264.
In Wheeling, his father was employed as a teacher and principal at the Lancasterian Academy. On May 31, 1834, his mother died while the family was living in Wheeling. Deady's family was split up, with Matthew sent back to Baltimore for two years.
In Baltimore, he lived with an uncle and grandfather while working in a store. Deady then returned to Wheeling to live with his father while attending school and working in a local music shop. In mid-1837, he moved just across the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
to the state of
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
where his father had purchased a farm in Beaver Township.
Matthew Deady spent the next four years working for his father on the family farm, engaged in manual labor, while also reading extensively in his spare time. On February 17, 1841, he left home after a disagreement with his father and moved to
Barnesville, Ohio
Barnesville is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is located in the central portion of Warren Township in Belmont County and is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,193 at the ...
. For four years he lived with the family of John Kelly, working as a blacksmith's apprentice.
Beginning in 1843, Deady attended Barnesville Academy, continuing his education there until four months beyond the time that his blacksmith apprenticeship ended. The apprenticeship had paid for the first six months of school. At the school he earned a certificate that allowed him to become a teacher on July 7, 1845, from his instructor Nathan R. Smith.
After graduating, Deady began teaching to pay off a debt incurred for his education, and began to read law. He read law in
St. Clairsville, Ohio
St. Clairsville is a city in and the county seat of Belmont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,096 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area.
History
The seat of justice of Belmont County was originally know ...
, under the guidance of judge and former Congressman William Kennon.
Deady passed the Ohio bar on October 26, 1847, and began practicing law in St. Clairsville at the office of Henry Kennon. He remained there until on April 17, 1849, he began his overland journey over the
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...
to the newly created
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. Ori ...
.
Oregon
Deady originally was to travel with a government designated
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the government.
Background
The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the United States first included development of t ...
and the agent's family. At
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
the agent remained, and Deady continued his journey in the company of a
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
regiment bound for
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading post that was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department, located in the Pacific Northwest. Named for Captain George Vancouver, the fort was located on the northern bank of the ...
.Deady, Matthew P. (1975). ''Pharisee Among Philistines: The Diary of Judge Matthew P. Deady, 1871-1892''. Portland: Oregon Historical Society. pp. xxxi-xxxvii. Taking the
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...
, he arrived where
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
, now stands on November 14, 1849. The next day, he went to neighboring
Oregon City
)
, image_skyline = McLoughlin House.jpg
, imagesize =
, image_caption = The McLoughlin House, est. 1845
, image_flag =
, image_seal = Oregon City seal.png
, image_map ...
, and then a few days later, he moved west to
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. The population was 3,742 at the 2010 census.
History
Lafayette was founded in 1846 by pione ...
, the county seat of
Yamhill County
Yamhill County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville. Yamhill County was named after the Yamhelas, members of the Kalapuya Tribe.
Yamhill Cou ...
. Deady began teaching as his occupation to make ends meet. He first worked for room and board, but for the second term of the school year he was paid $75 per month.
While teaching he was consulted by the county commissioner and helped to set up the courts and laws in Yamhill County. In March 1850, he began practicing law in Oregon, appearing for three cases before judge
Orville C. Pratt
Orville C. Pratt (April 24, 1819 – October 1891) was an American jurist and attorney. He served as the 2nd Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1848 to 1852. He wrote the lone dissenting opinion in the controversy over the ...
held at a local tavern. After receiving payment for his services, he sent $100 back to Ohio to Henry Kennon to pay off some debt.
That summer he worked for
Peter H. Burnett
Peter Hardeman Burnett (November 15, 1807May 17, 1895) was an American politician who served as the first elected California interim government, 1846–1850#Interim governors, Governor of California from December 20, 1849, to January 9, 1851. Bur ...
’s brother, Elder Glen Burnett, running his store while Burnett was in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
acquiring supplies. While working at the store he sold many supplies to the local Native Americans and learned some Chinook jargon from them.
On June 24, 1852, Deady married Lucy A. Henderson, with whom he had three children who survived childbirth. Lucy came to Oregon in 1846 with her parents Robert Henderson and Rhoda Holman from
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. The Deady's children were three sons; Edward Nesmith (born 1853), Paul Robert (born 1856), and Henderson Brooke (born 1869). Henderson studied medicine, while Paul and Edward became attorneys like their father. Matthew Geoffrey (born 1860) and Mary (born 1866) died at birth.Deady (1975), p. 630.
While practicing law at Lafayette he represented Adam Wimple of neighboring
Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk:
* Polk County, Arkansas
* Polk County, Florida
* Polk County, Georgia
* Polk County, Iowa
* Polk Count ...
after Wimple had been charged for murdering his wife. Deady represented him at trial and was to receive as payment Wimple's land claim via his will.Lansing, Ronald B. (2005). ''Nimrod: Courts, Claims, and Killing on the Oregon Frontier''. Pullman: Washington State University Press. pp. 90, 136-40, 262. Wimple was convicted of the murder and sentenced to death, but was hanged only after being recaptured from a jail break.
In 1852, Deady was among many legal minds and politicians in the territory such as
Joseph C. Avery
Joseph Conant Avery (June 9, 1817 – June 16, 1876) was the founder of Corvallis, Oregon. Avery was the first postmaster for the community, and served as a legislator in the Provisional Government of Oregon and the government of the Oregon Ter ...
and Robert Moore that signed a petition asking Governor
John P. Gaines
John Pollard Gaines (September 22, 1795 – December 9, 1857) was a U.S. military and political figure. He was a Whig member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Kentucky from 1847 to 1849, and he served as Governor of ...
to pardon Nimrod O'Kelly after O'Kelly's controversial conviction for the murder of Jeremiah Mahoney. O'Kelly was eventually spared from the gallows.
Political career
Deady was elected to the
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. The upper chamber Council and lower chamber House of Representati ...
in 1850, where he represented
Yamhill County
Yamhill County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville. Yamhill County was named after the Yamhelas, members of the Kalapuya Tribe.
Yamhill Cou ...
as a Democrat in the lower chamber House of Representatives. He attended the session held in Oregon City beginning in December, where he met
James W. Nesmith
James Willis Nesmith (July 23, 1820 – June 17, 1885) was an American politician and lawyer from Oregon. Born in New Brunswick to American parents, he grew up in New Hampshire and Maine. A Democrat, he moved to Oregon Country in 1843 where he ...
and
Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush (June 4, 1824 – December 23, 1913) was an American newspaper publisher and businessman in Salem, Oregon. As publisher of the ''Oregon Statesman'' newspaper, he moved the paper to Salem when the territorial capital moved to that city. ...
for the first time. Those three became influential leaders of the Democratic Party in the
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. Ori ...
, and later the state of Oregon. Deady was an early member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
in the territory.
During his initial session in the territorial legislature in 1850, Deady served on the judicial committee and helped draft many of the laws in the territory. The Oregon Territory had just been created by the United States Congress in 1848, with the territorial government taking control in early 1849.
Following the 1850 to 1851 session, the
secretary
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
of the territory,
Edward D. Hamilton
Edward D. Hamilton (October 3, 1801 – December 10 or 12, 1883) was an American attorney, military officer, and politician in what became the state of Oregon. A native of Virginia, he lived in Ohio before fighting in the Mexican-American War ...
, asked Deady to assist in publishing the laws passed by the legislature for all previous sessions of the legislative assembly. Deady helped with this process, in what became the first volume of laws published in Oregon, ''Deady's General Laws of Oregon''.
In 1851, Deady was elected to the upper chamber Council, and the following session served as President of that chamber.
During the 1851 session he served as chairman of the Council’s judiciary committee. In all, Deady attended two regular sessions and one special session of the legislature from 1851 to 1853.
Territorial judicial service
Matthew Deady was then appointed as an associate justice of the Territorial Supreme Court in 1853 by United States President
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...
.Oregon Blue Book: Supreme Court Justices of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved January 21, 2008. Pierce appointed him to a second term in 1857.
At this time justices of the court also rode circuit, presiding over trials in designated counties in addition to serving as an appellate court judge for the Supreme Court. Deady was assigned to the southern counties of the territory, holding court in each county twice per year.
During this time on the court, in the Spring of 1853, he moved south to a
farm
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
in the
Umpqua River
The Umpqua River ( ) on the Pacific coast of Oregon in the United States is approximately long. One of the principal rivers of the Oregon Coast and known for bass and shad, the river drains an expansive network of valleys in the mountains west ...
valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...
. After paying a squatter $100 for the land on Campas Swale, Deady filed for a land claim under the
Donation Land Claim Act
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, sometimes known as the Donation Land Act, was a statute enacted by the United States Congress in late 1850, intended to promote homestead settlements in the Oregon Territory. It followed the Distribution-Preem ...
and moved the family there in the fall, naming it Fair Oaks. While on the court, he helped to establish the court systems in four of the counties in
Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oreg ...
, and traveled around each year to hold court. He won election to a full term in 1858 to take effect once Oregon became a state, but resigned before taking office in 1859.Leeson, Fred. (1998). ''Rose City Justice: A Legal History of Portland, Oregon''. Oregon Historical Society Press. pp. 13-15, 21-26, 47-48, 52.
In 1857, Deady was elected as a delegate to the
Oregon Constitutional Convention
The Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 drafted the Oregon Constitution in preparation for the Oregon Territory to become a U.S. state. Held from mid-August through September, 60 men met in Salem, Oregon, and created the foundation for Oregon ...
Salem
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
to prepare the territory for statehood. He became
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of the body and was influential in shaping the new state constitution, which outlawed slavery but excluded
African-Americans
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
from settling in the new state.
Deady successfully advocated for provisions in the document to set six-year terms for judges, four-year terms for state officers, and biennial sessions for the legislature. He also led the southern party, which opposed state education in all forms.
Before Secession (Civil War), Deady held views that were racist and proslavery. Deady supported a constitutional provision that excluded free Blacks from the State of Oregon, a provision that won the approval of 89% percent of Oregon voters. He was paraphrased as approving the
Dred Scott
Dred Scott (c. 1799 – September 17, 1858) was an Slavery in the United States, enslaved African Americans, African American man who, along with his wife, Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet, unsuccessfully sued for freedom for themselves and thei ...
decision. He also reportedly advocated for discrimination towards Chinese immigrants.
Federal judicial service
Following admission of the State of
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
to the Union on February 14, 1859, Deady was nominated by President
James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
on March 7, 1859, to the
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon (in case citations, D. Ore. or D. Or.) is the United States district court, federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the sta ...
, to a new seat authorized by 11 Stat. 437. He was confirmed by the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
on March 9, 1859, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on March 24, 1893, due to his death.
Tenure on the court
Deady held the first session of the court on September 12, 1859, in Salem, but had the court relocated to Portland by the start of the September session of 1860.Horner, John B. (1919). ''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature''. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. pp. 168-169. He moved to Portland where he helped to found the
Multnomah County
Multnomah County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 815,428. Multnomah County is part of the Portland–Vancouver– Hillsboro, OR–WA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thou ...
Library
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
. He served as president of that organization for a number of years. In Portland, he wrote the articles of incorporation for the city, which became the standard in the state for other cities. At first Portland did not have a courthouse for Deady to use, so he rented two rooms from
Benjamin Stark
Benjamin Stark (June 26, 1820October 10, 1898) was an American merchant and politician in Oregon. A native of Louisiana, he purchased some of the original tracts of land for the city of Portland. He later served in the Oregon House of Representat ...
on what is now Water Street until a federal courthouse was built beginning in 1869. That courthouse was first named the United States Building, and is now named the
Pioneer Courthouse
The Pioneer Courthouse is a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, United States. Built beginning in 1869, the structure is the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest, and the second-oldest west of the Mississippi River.
Along with ...
, with Deady moving into the building when it was finished in 1875.
In 1867,
United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
justice
Stephen Johnson Field
Stephen Johnson Field (November 4, 1816 – April 9, 1899) was an American jurist. He was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from May 20, 1863, to December 1, 1897, the second longest tenure of any justice. Prior to this ap ...
assigned Deady to serve as a circuit court judge for the
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdict ...
located in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
. Deady did the same in 1868 and 1869 since there was no circuit court judge assigned to the West Coast at that time, spending three months in San Francisco each year. This was a common practice during this period, as United States Supreme Court justices still rode circuit, and often assigned federal district court judges to serve on the appellate level circuit courts. The
Judiciary Act of 1869 The Judiciary Act of 1869 (41st Congress, Sess. 1, ch. 22, , enacted April 10, 1869), formally An Act to amend the Judicial System of the United States and sometimes called the Circuit Judges Act of 1869, provided that the Supreme Court of the Unite ...
reduced much of this process, as did the
Judiciary Act of 1891
The Judiciary Act of 1891 ({{USStat, 26, 826), also known as the Evarts Act after its primary sponsor, Senator William M. Evarts, created the United States courts of appeals and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the United S ...
that established the current
United States courts of appeals
The United States courts of appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal judiciary. The courts of appeals are divided into 11 numbered circuits that cover geographic areas of the United States and hear appeals fr ...
with Oregon in the
Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts:
* District o ...
. While serving on the district court, Deady served as president of the Board of Regents of the State University (later
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
) from 1873 to 1893.Deady Hall: Architecture of the University of Oregon. University of Oregon Libraries. Retrieved on January 21, 2008. He also designed the university's seal, which is still used by the school.
In 1874, in a district court case, Deady ruled in favor of
Marcus Neff
''Pennoyer v. Neff'' 95 U.S. 714 (1878) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held that a state court can only exert personal jurisdiction over a party domiciled out-of-state if that party is served with proc ...
in a lawsuit against
Sylvester Pennoyer
Sylvester Pennoyer (July 6, 1831May 30, 1902) was an American educator, attorney, and politician in Oregon. He was born in Groton (town), New York, Groton, New York (state), New York, attended Harvard Law School, and moved to Oregon at age 25. A H ...
concerning unpaid legal fees to
John H. Mitchell
John Hipple Mitchell, also known as John Mitchell Hipple, John H. Mitchell, or J. H. Mitchell (June 22, 1835December 8, 1905) was an American lawyer, politician, and convicted criminal. He served as a Republican United States Senator from Oregon ...
and a sheriff's auction of Neff's land to Pennoyer. The case became the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision of ''
Pennoyer v. Neff
''Pennoyer v. Neff'' 95 U.S. 714 (1878) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held that a state court can only exert personal jurisdiction over a party domiciled out-of-state if that party is served with proce ...
'' that helped define the law of
personal jurisdiction
Personal jurisdiction is a court's jurisdiction over the ''parties'', as determined by the facts in evidence, which bind the parties to a lawsuit, as opposed to subject-matter jurisdiction, which is jurisdiction over the ''law'' involved in the ...
.
In 1885, Deady admitted
Mary Leonard
Mary Leonard (c. 1845–October 24, 1912) was an American attorney and accused murderer in the state of Oregon. A native of France, she was acquitted for the murder of her husband that many believed she had committed. After her trial, she s ...
to the federal
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
, the first woman admitted to practice in Oregon, though the Oregon Supreme Court at first denied her admittance to the state bar on technical grounds. Later that year the Oregon legislature resolved the technical issue in the statute and the state high court admitted Leonard into the state bar.
Among Deady's work is the ''General Laws of Oregon'', which he compiled and annotated in 1866. This work consisted of a Code of Civil Procedure, a Penal Code, and a Code of Criminal Procedure. In this role he not only codified existing laws, but also made new laws.Friedman, Lawrence M. (1985). ''A History of American Law'', 2nd Edition. Simon & Schuster; New York, NY. p. 646. Deady often drafted the legislation that led to state statutes, thus playing a crucial role in the lawmaking process in the state of Oregon between 1859 and 1872.
In 1874, Deady and fellow code commissioner and later U.S. Representative
Lafayette Lane
Lafayette Lane (November 12, 1842 – November 23, 1896) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a United States House of Representatives, US Representative from the U.S. state of Oregon from 1875 to 1877. He was the son ...
updated Deady's earlier compilation of the state's laws. His criminal laws remained largely in effect in Oregon until the legislature revised much of those laws in 1971. Deady also was the author of the state's business incorporation act. The act was the first in the country to place all business corporations on the same level by requiring a minimum of three people to incorporate as a business.
Regarding Deady's contributions to Oregon, former Oregon Supreme Court justice and United States Attorney General
George Henry Williams
George Henry Williams (March 26, 1823April 4, 1910) was an American judge and politician. He served as chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, was the 32nd Attorney General of the United States, and was elected Oregon's U.S. senator, and serve ...
said: "No hand has been so strongly and deeply impressed upon the legislative and judicial history of Oregon as that of Judge Deady."
Later years, death, and legacy
As a prominent figure in Portland he continually worked to raise funds for the library he supported. He also relied on financial help from his associates in order to supplement his small salary as a federal judge. This allowed him to keep his personal appearance inline with what was expected of prominent citizens. In contravention to his earlier stances during the Oregon Constitutional Convention, Deady later denounced violence against
Chinese American
Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
s during the 1870s and 1880s, even convening a grand jury to examine charging anti-Chinese crowds with criminal acts. These crowds were threatening violence against these minorities in an attempt to expel the immigrants from the state.
In Portland, Deady helped establish the University of Oregon's law school. As the first public law school in the state, the
University of Oregon School of Law
The University of Oregon School of Law is a public law school in the U.S. state of Oregon. Housed in the Knight Law Center, it is Oregon's only state funded law school. The school, founded in 1884, is located on the University of Oregon campus in ...
opened in 1884 with an address by Deady. The school later moved to the main campus in Eugene.
In a throwback to ''Pennoyer v. Neff'', Deady had an outsized role in the 1885 election of Mitchell, the unethical lawyer who was a centerpoint of the case. Deady came into possession of Mitchell's love-letters from yet another affair, and exposed them to ''
The Oregonian
''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 185 ...
'', who gleefully published them. Mitchell's re-election was decried by Deady.
From his work in California, the state bar in that state passed a resolution of thanks for Deady's work. He was also named as a regent to
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
by then United States Senator
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford (March 9, 1824June 21, 1893) was an American industrialist and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 8th governor of California from 1862 to 1863 and represented California in the United States Se ...
. Deady gave many public speeches and was a prolific writer on the law and other subjects, in addition to his national reputation in the legal field. Deady was elected a member of the
American Antiquarian Society
The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...
in 1888.
In 1878, Matthew's father Daniel died. In October 1892, he suffered a stroke, but continued to preside over the courtroom. Matthew Paul Deady died in Portland on March 24, 1893, at the age of 68.
In 1893, the first building at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
was renamed in Deady's honor. Built in 1876,
Deady Hall
University Hall, formerly Deady Hall, is a historic building located in Eugene, Oregon, United States. It was built from 1873 to 1876 by W. H. Abrams to a design by architect William W. Piper. It was the University of Oregon's first building, and ...
joined the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1972 and was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1977. Matthew's wife Lucy died in 1923, followed by son Henderson in 1933. The eldest son Edward died in 1914, with middle son Paul's death coming in 1920.
Due to continued political pressure from the University of Oregon community regarding Deady's racist views, Deady Hall was the target of a renaming effort. On May 6, 2016, President of the University,
Michael H. Schill
Michael H. Schill (born September 30, 1958) is an American legal scholar and academic administrator serving as the 17th President of Northwestern University since September 2022. He previously served as the 18th president of the University of Oreg ...
set forth a collection of criteria to determine Deady's potential denaming. In January, Schill sent a letter to the university community explaining why he would ''"not recommend to the Board of Trustees that it dename Deady Hall"''. The Board of Trustees received his report and the objections of the president of the Associated Students of the University of Oregon at its meeting on March 2, 2017. Three years later, however, on June 10, 2020, Schill sent a letter to the Board of Trustees, this time recommending the denaming of Deady Hall.
Works
* ''The Code of Civil Procedure and Other General Statutes of Oregon: Enacted by the Legislative Assembly at the Session Commencing September 8, A.D. 1862''. With A. C. Gibbs and James K. Kelly. Salem, OR:
Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush (June 4, 1824 – December 23, 1913) was an American newspaper publisher and businessman in Salem, Oregon. As publisher of the ''Oregon Statesman'' newspaper, he moved the paper to Salem when the territorial capital moved to that city. ...
, State Printer, 1863.
* ''The Organic and Other General Laws of Oregon, Together with the National Constitution and Other Public Acts and Statutes of the United States. 1845-1864''. Portland, OR: H.L. Pittock, State Printer, 1866.
* ''Reports of Cases Determined in the Circuit and District Courts of the United States of Oregon and California''. A.L. Bancroft: San Francisco, 1872.
* ''The Organic and Other General Laws of Oregon, Together with the National Constitution and Other Public Acts and Statutes of the United States: 1843-1872''. With Lafayette Lane. Portland, OR: E. Semple, State Printer, 1874.
* ''History and Progress of Oregon After 1845: In Continuation of the History of Oregon Before 1845, as Given in Deady's Address to the Pioneers at Salem in 1875''. With
Hubert Howe Bancroft
Hubert Howe Bancroft (May 5, 1832 – March 2, 1918) was an American historian and ethnologist who wrote, published and collected works concerning the western United States, Texas, California, Alaska, Mexico, Central America and British Columbi ...
.
* ''Wallamet or Willamette''. Portland: G.H. Himes, 1875.
* ''An Address to the Graduating Class of Wallamet University.'' Portland: Geo. H. Himes' Steam Printing Establishment, 1876.
"Annual Address to the Oregon Pioneer Association.'' 1876.
* ''Oration Delivered at Roseburg.'' Roseburg, OR: Committee of Arrangements, 1877.
* ''An Address to the Graduating Class of the University of Oregon.'' Portland: G.H. Himes, 1878.
* ''The Dallas Methodist Mission Cases: Opinion of the Court.'' Portland: G.H. Himes, 1879.
* ''"To Be or To Have": 1879: An Address to the Graduating Class of the University of Oregon.'' Portland: Board of Regents, 1879.
* ''Commencement Address Delivered at St. Helen's Hall, Portland, Oregon.'' Portland: 1880.
* ''Oration Delivered at Portland by Matthew P. Deady ... July 4, 1885.'' Portland: A. G. Walling, 1885.
* ''"Towns and Cities": University of Oregon Commencement 1886 Address.'' Portland: Board of Regents, 1886.
* ''Addresses by Matthew P. Deady, U. S. District Judge: Centennial Celebration Washington's Inauguration, Portland, Oregon, April 30, 1889, and Fourth of July, Vancouver, Washington, 1889.'' Portland: Himes Printing Co., 1890.
* ''Pharisee Among Philistines: The Diary of Judge Matthew P. Deady, 1871-1892.'' In Two Volumes. Portland:
Oregon Historical Society
The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preser ...