W. W. Thayer

Biography

Born in 1827, William Wallace Thayer came to the Pacific Northwest drawn by the promise of a new frontier and quickly developed a reputation as a thoughtful lawyer whose counsel was sought by settlers eager to see the rule of law take root in the growing state.

Elected governor of Oregon in 1878, he guided the state through a period of economic adjustment, championing fiscal restraint and insisting on an independent judiciary; his later service on the state Supreme Court reaffirmed his commitment to fairness and the integrity of public service.