Cyrus Olney

Cyrus Olney (October 11, 1815 – December 12, 1870)[1] was an American politician and lawyer in what would become the state of Oregon. He was the 6th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving while the region was still the Oregon Territory. A native of Ohio, Olney later was a member of the 1857 Oregon Constitutional Convention, and later served in the Oregon legislature.

Cyrus Olney
6th Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
In office
1853–1858
Appointed byFranklin Pierce
Preceded byWilliam Strong
Succeeded byReuben P. Boise
Personal details
Born(1815-10-11)October 11, 1815
Geneva, New York
DiedDecember 12, 1870(1870-12-12) (aged 55)
Astoria, Oregon

Early life

Cyrus Olney was born on October 11, 1815, in Geneva, New York.[1] He was raised in Ohio, where he was educated in the public schools and later law school in Cincinnati.[2] After passing the bar he practiced law for a time in Ohio before moving to Iowa,[2] where he was a judge for four years.[2]

Oregon

Olney moved to Oregon and began law practice in Portland in 1851.[2] He continued in this endeavor until 1853,[2] when United States President Franklin Pierce appointed him to the Oregon Supreme Court.[3] Olney remained on the court until 1858 when he resigned, though he had attempted to resign in 1853 and 1854.[3][4] During this time, he also served as a delegate to the Oregon Constitutional Convention in 1857 representing Clatsop County.[1] At the Convention he excused himself and did not vote on the final resolution.[4] In 1866 he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives from Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties.[5] Serving as a Republican he was elected after a one session absence in 1870.[6]

Later life and family

Olney married twice in his lifetime. He had a total of seven children from the two marriages. Olney died on December 21, 1870[1] (or December 21, 1870[2]) in Astoria[1][2] at the age of 55. He had been addicted to opium and chloroform up to his death.[4] Olney, Oregon was named for him.[1][7]

References
  1. "Biographical Sketch of Cyrus Olney". Crafting the Oregon Constitution. Oregon State Archives. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  2. Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
  3. Oregon Blue Book: Earliest Authorities in Oregon - Supreme Court Justices of Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008
  4. Lansing, Ronald B. 2005. Nimrod: Courts, Claims, and Killing on the Oregon Frontier. Pullman: Washington State University Press. p. 262
  5. Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1866 Regular Session (4th). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on June 19, 2016.
  6. Oregon Legislators and Staff Guide, 1870 Regular Session (6th). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on June 19, 2016.
  7. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 721. ISBN 978-0875952772.
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