Reuben Patrick Boise (June 9, 1819 – April 10, 1907) was an American attorney, judge and politician 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. O ...
and the early years of the state of
Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, he immigrated to Oregon in 1850, where he would twice serve 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.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 Orego ...
in 1857, served in the Territorial Legislature, and helped to codify the laws of 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. O ...
. He also served as a circuit court judge, and was a trustee at several colleges. Educated at
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...
, he was twice married to women from Massachusetts, and had a total of five children.
Early life
Reuben Boise was born in
Blandford
Blandford Forum ( ), commonly Blandford, is a market town in Dorset, England, sited by the River Stour about northwest of Poole. It was the administrative headquarters of North Dorset District until April 2019, when this was abolished and ...
, on June 9, 1819, to Reuben Boise and Sally Putnam Boise.Corning, Howard M. ''Dictionary of Oregon History''. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956. p. 31. He attended
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...
in
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolit ...
, graduating with honors in 1843 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.Colmer, Montagu, and
Charles Erskine Scott Wood
Charles Erskine Scott Wood or C.E.S. Wood (February 20, 1852January 22, 1944) was an American author, civil liberties advocate, artist, soldier, attorney, and Georgist. He is best known as the author of the 1927 satirical bestseller, '' Heavenly ...
. ''History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon''. Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co, 1910. pp. 259-261. Upon graduation, he moved to
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, where he taught school for two years before returning to Massachusetts. When Boise returned, he studied law under his uncle for three years, passing the bar in 1847. He practiced law for a few years in Chickopee Falls, Massachusetts.
Oregon
In 1850, Boise decided to move 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. O ...
. To get there, he traveled by ship to
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
and crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean. He took another ship, arriving in Astoria, Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River later that year. In the spring of 1851, he moved upriver to Portland and set up a law practice. In Portland, he served on the first school board. In 1851, Boise married Ellen Francis Lyon of
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
while 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 ...
. Boise had become engaged to her in Massachusetts, with her and her family sailing around
Cape Horn
Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramí ...
to attend the wedding. Reuben and Ellen had three sons – Reuben P. Boise, Jr., Whitney L., and Fisher A. – before Ellen died in 1865.
Also in 1851, he was appointed by
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.Orville C. Pratt as a district attorney. In 1852, he purchased some land in
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 87,433. The county seat is Dallas. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States.
Polk County ...
, and renamed the community there Ellendale after his wife. In 1857, the Boise family moved to Salem, Oregon. In 1867, Boise married Miss Emily A. Pratt who hailed from
Webster, Massachusetts
Webster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,776 at the 2020 census.
Named after statesman Daniel Webster, the town was founded by industrialist Samuel Slater, and was home to several early Ameri ...
. The couple had two daughters, Ellen S. and Marie E. Boise.
Political career
In 1852, 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 ...
selected Boise to be the prosecuting attorney for Districts 1 and 2, which covered most of the
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley ( ) is a long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the eas ...
. He was selected again the following year and served a total of four years in that capacity. In 1853, he represented
Polk
Polk may refer to:
People
* James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States
* Polk (name), other people with the name
Places
* Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois
* Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Polk, Missou ...
and
Tillamook Tillamook may refer to:
Places:
* Tillamook County, Oregon, United States
* Tillamook, Oregon, a city, the seat of Tillamook County
* Tillamook River, United States
* Tillamook Bay, a bay in the northwestern part of Oregon
* Tillamook Head, a natu ...
counties in the Territorial Legislature as a
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 ...
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 Orego ...
from Polk County. While serving at the Constitutional Convention, Boise served on the Legislation Committee.
In 1857, Boise was appointed to the Territorial Supreme Court by
U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
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. Justice Boise served until 1870, winning re-election in 1864. After winning re-election in 1870, he resigned when the election results were contested. Boise was elected to the commission overseeing the construction of the Oregon State Capitol in 1874.
In 1876, he returned to the Oregon Supreme Court after winning the election. Two years later, the Oregon Legislative Assembly divided the court into the Supreme Court and the Oregon Circuit Court, and reduced the number of justices on the Supreme Court to three. With the new court, all prior judges lost their seats and the three positions were filled by appointment of the governor. Boise was appointed by Governor
W. W. Thayer
William Wallace Thayer (July 15, 1827 – October 15, 1899), was an American United States Democratic Party, Democratic politician active in United States of America, U.S. states of Idaho and Oregon. Most notably, he served as the List of governors ...
to the new court in 1878, with his term ending in 1880. During his time with the court, he served as chief justice three times; from 1864 to 1866, 1870 to 1872, and 1876 to 1878.
After leaving the state's highest court, he was elected as a state circuit court judge for Oregon's third judicial district in 1880, covering Yamhill, Tillamook, Marion, Linn, and Polk counties. He served on the court until 1892, and then entered private legal practice. After six years in private practice in Salem, Boise returned to the circuit court in 1898. He retired from the court in July 1904.
Later life and legacy
In his later years, Boise served on the board of trustees at
Willamette University
Willamette University is a private liberal arts college with locations in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated ...
Pacific University
Pacific University is a private university in Forest Grove, Oregon. Founded in 1849 as the Tualatin Academy, the original Forest Grove campus is west of Portland. The university maintains three other campuses in Eugene, Hillsboro, and Wo ...
doctor of laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...
degree. Additionally, he was a trustee at the La Creole Academy preparatory school in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
and a regent of the Oregon Agricultural College (now
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering c ...
). He also spent five terms as the master of the state grange association, and owned the Ellendale Woolen Mill. A public speaker, he gave speeches for the Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Pioneer Society, and the
Oregon State Bar
The Oregon State Bar Association (OSBA) is a public corporation and instrumentality of the Oregon Judicial Department in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulat ...
as well as at the dedication of a monument to missionary
Jason Lee Jason Lee may refer to:
Entertainment
*Jason Lee (actor) (born 1970), American film and TV actor and former professional skateboarder
*Jason Scott Lee (born 1966), Asian American film actor
* Jaxon Lee (Jason Christopher Lee, born 1968), American v ...
.
Reuben Patrick Boise died on April 10, 1907, at the age of 87 in Salem, and is buried at Salem Pioneer Cemetery.Reuben Boise. Salem Pioneer Cemetery. Retrieved on September 22, 2007. Former U.S. 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 serv ...
gave the eulogy at the funeral, with many prominent politicians and officials in attendance. In honor of the former judge, the state courts adjourned for the day. At the time of his death, Boise owned more than of farmland spread across three farms in Marion and Polk counties. Reuben Boise road in Polk County is named in his honor, as is the R. P. Boise Building in Salem, listed on 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 ...
alem :
Alem is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Maasdriel, and lies about 10 km north of 's-Hertogenbosch.
It used to part of the province in North Brabant. In 1934, it became part of Gelderland. ...