Chronicles of Boone County Kentucky

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======Major John Pollard Gaines======

Born to Elizabeth and [[Abner Gaines]] in 1795, John P. Gaines moved with his family from Augusta County, Virginia to Boone County, Kentucky shortly thereafter.((Frances Marion Hanger, "[[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/25630/0|John Pollard Gaines, Oregon's Governor 1850-53]]," //The Oregonian//, August 16, 1908, 5.)) Gaines volunteered for service in the [[war_of_1812|The War of 1812]]. (("Governor John P. Gaines Obituary" //Weekly Oregonian//, December 15, 1857, 2.)) After returning to Boone County, Gaines practiced law and became a member of the Kentucky State Legislature. From [[1846]] to [[1848]], he served in the Mexican War. Gaines was elected to Congress in [[1847]]((Elizabeth Comer, "[[http://www.nkyviews.com/boone/pdf/Gaines_Tavern_Coomer.pdf|Gaines Tavern]]," 6.)) despite being held as a prisoner of war, and his opponents' urging that "votes for gaines might be votes for a dead man."((Frances Marion Hanger, "[[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/25630/0|John Pollard Gaines, Oregon's Governor 1850-53]]," //The Oregonian//, August 16, 1908, 5.)) He was then appointed Governor of the Oregon Territory by President Taylor in [[1850]], a position that future President Abraham Lincoln would turn down.(("[[http://www.opb.org/news/article/abraham-lincoln-thanks-no-thanks-oregon-territory/|Abraham Lincoln: Thanks But No Thanks, Oregon Territory]]," //Oregon Public Broadcasting//, February 12, 2009.)) After selling his slaves (including [[Margaret Garner]]) and farm in [[richwood|Richwood]] to his brother, Archibald K. Gaines, Gaines began making preparations for his long trip to Oregon.  Gaines' seven-month-long journey to Oregon by ship would prove fatal, as two of his daughters died of yellow fever along the way.((Frances Marion Hanger, "[[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/25630/0|John Pollard Gaines, Oregon's Governor 1850-53]]," //The Oregonian//, August 16, 1908, 5.)) Dissent brewed in Oregon, due to the length of his absence and the rest of his term would prove just as tumultuous.(("[[https://bcp.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/search/asset/31487/0|Gaines, John Pollard (Gov)]]" //Oregon, Statesman Index Books, 1850-1866//)) Shortly after he took office, in [[1851]], his wife, Elizabeth died after been thrown from a horse. He left office in [[1853]], but stayed in Oregon with his second wife Margaret.((Elizabeth Comer, "[[http://www.nkyviews.com/boone/pdf/Gaines_Tavern_Coomer.pdf|Gaines Tavern]]," 6.)) Gaines died in Oregon in [[1857]] of typhoid fever.(("Governor John P. Gaines Obituary" //Weekly Oregonian//, December 15, 1857, 2.))

=====More Information=====
  * [[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000006|Gaines, John Pollard]] in the Biographical Directory of United States Congress
  * [[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6254267|John Pollard Gaines]] at findagrave.com
  * [[http://www.salempioneercemetery.org/records/pf_display_record.php?id=2571|John Pollard Gaines]] at the Salem Pioneer Cemetery

=====Related Topics===== 
  * [[Abner Gaines]]
  * [[Gaines Family]] 
  * [[Gaines Tavern]] 
  * [[Margaret Garner]]