Kintzing Prichette
Encyclopedia
Kintzing Prichette was an American political figure. He was primarily a political appointee within the federal government's various departments, which at the time included U.S. Territories. He is best known as the last Secretary of the Michigan Territory
(1835–1838), Secretary of the Oregon Territory
(1849–1850), and serving a two-month term as Governor of the Oregon Territory after the resignation of General Joseph Lane
. He was appointed to the last two positions by President James K. Polk
.
.
, by June 1839 and began offering plots for sale to the public. In October 1839, Prichett registered the plat
of Madison at the registrar's office of the then-territorial Dane County
. At the time he platted the city he was residing in Detroit, Michigan. Also in 1839 he owned the American Hotel in Madison, and was attempting to sell the establishment through his attorney, Moses M. Strong
.
and served as Territorial secretary from 1849 to 1850. He served as acting governor from June 18, 1850, to August 18, 1850. John P. Gaines
had been appointed governor, but did not arrive in Oregon until August 18, when he was sworn in.
In May 1850, judge Orville C. Pratt
of the Oregon Supreme Court
appointed Prichette to serve as defense counsel for the Native Americans charged with the Whitman Massacre
at their trial in Oregon City, Oregon
after the Cayuse War
. Shortly after the trial, Prichette was sworn in as Governor. According to the account of U.S. Marshall Joseph Meek
, Prichette ordered Meek to free the five convicted natives. But Meek refused, on the grounds that former governor Lane had already signed their death warrant
s, and he carried out the executions.
Little is known about Prichette today, as he is mentioned very little in the media reports of his day. No portraits or photographs have been found of him, earning him the distinction of being Oregon's only "faceless governor". Even the spelling of his last name is disputed, with at least four different spellings depending upon the historical document, including "Prichett", "Pritchett", and "Pritchette". His first name is also spelled "Kentzing".
as an agent. In that capacity, he dealt with the Santee Sioux in the Iowa Territory
during the Inkpaduta affair
in 1857. Prichette later served as a United States Consul
to Fiji
, and died aboard the British flagged brig Rona en route from Sydney to California via Huabeine
in the Society Islands
. He died from an unknown ailment on April 12, 1869, at the age of 68 and was buried at sea.
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
(1835–1838), Secretary of 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...
(1849–1850), and serving a two-month term as Governor of the Oregon Territory after the resignation of General Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
. He was appointed to the last two positions by President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
.
Michigan
In 1835, Prichette was appointed as the Secretary to the Michigan Territory. He served until 1838, with the Michigan becoming a state in 1837, with Prichette then serving as the first Secretary of State of MichiganMichigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the third-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 47 secretaries of states...
.
Wisconsin Territory
Prichette purchased the title to the lands of Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, by June 1839 and began offering plots for sale to the public. In October 1839, Prichett registered the plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
of Madison at the registrar's office of the then-territorial Dane County
Dane County, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile . There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...
. At the time he platted the city he was residing in Detroit, Michigan. Also in 1839 he owned the American Hotel in Madison, and was attempting to sell the establishment through his attorney, Moses M. Strong
Moses M. Strong
Moses M. Strong was an American lawyer, politician, and businessman.Strong was born in Vermont in 1810, the son of Moses Strong, a Vermont lawyer and judge. The younger Strong received a legal education, and practiced law in Rutland, Vermont.Stone moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin in 1836, where...
.
Oregon
Prichette came to Oregon from PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and served as Territorial secretary from 1849 to 1850. He served as acting governor from June 18, 1850, to August 18, 1850. John P. Gaines
John P. Gaines
John Pollard Gaines 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 the Oregon Territory from 1850 to 1853, stepping down after a turbulent term in office.-Early...
had been appointed governor, but did not arrive in Oregon until August 18, when he was sworn in.
In May 1850, judge Orville C. Pratt
Orville C. Pratt
Orville C. Pratt was an American jurist and attorney. He served as the 2nd Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1848 to 1852. He wrote the lone dissenting opinion in the controversy over the Oregon Territory’s capital between Oregon City and Salem.-Early life:Pratt was born...
of 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...
appointed Prichette to serve as defense counsel for the Native Americans charged with the Whitman Massacre
Whitman massacre
The Whitman massacre was the murder in the Oregon Country on November 29, 1847 of U.S. missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman, along with eleven others. They were killed by Cayuse and Umatilla Indians. The incident began the Cayuse War...
at their trial in Oregon City, Oregon
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...
after the Cayuse War
Cayuse War
The Cayuse War was an armed conflict that took place in the Northwestern United States from 1847 to 1855 between the Cayuse people of the region and the United States Government and local Euro-American settlers...
. Shortly after the trial, Prichette was sworn in as Governor. According to the account of U.S. Marshall Joseph Meek
Joseph Meek
Joseph Lafayette "Joe" Meek was a trapper, law enforcement official, and politician in the Oregon Country and later Oregon Territory of the United States. A pioneer involved in the fur trade before settling in the Tualatin Valley, Meek would play a prominent role at the Champoeg Meetings of 1843...
, Prichette ordered Meek to free the five convicted natives. But Meek refused, on the grounds that former governor Lane had already signed their death warrant
Death Warrant
Death Warrant is a 1990 action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The film was written by David S. Goyer while a student at USC, and was Goyer's first screenplay to be sold and produced commercially.-Plot summary:...
s, and he carried out the executions.
Little is known about Prichette today, as he is mentioned very little in the media reports of his day. No portraits or photographs have been found of him, earning him the distinction of being Oregon's only "faceless governor". Even the spelling of his last name is disputed, with at least four different spellings depending upon the historical document, including "Prichett", "Pritchett", and "Pritchette". His first name is also spelled "Kentzing".
Later years and death
After leaving Oregon he went to Washington, D.C. and worked for the Bureau of Indian AffairsBureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
as an agent. In that capacity, he dealt with the Santee Sioux in the Iowa Territory
Iowa Territory
The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Iowa.-History:...
during the Inkpaduta affair
Spirit Lake Massacre
The Spirit Lake Massacre was an attack by a Wahpetuke band of Santee Sioux on scattered Iowa frontier settlements during a severe winter. Suffering a shortage of food, the renegade chief Inkpaduta led 14 Sioux against the settlements near Okoboji and Spirit lakes in the northwestern territory of...
in 1857. Prichette later served as a United States Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, and died aboard the British flagged brig Rona en route from Sydney to California via Huabeine
Huahine
Huahine is an island located among the Society Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Leeward Islands group . The island has a population of about 6,000.-Geography:...
in the Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
. He died from an unknown ailment on April 12, 1869, at the age of 68 and was buried at sea.
External links
- Governor Kintzing Pritchette's Administration: Biographical Note from the Oregon State Archives
- Findagrave