Matthew Deady - Oregon

Oregon

Deady originally was to travel with a government designated Indian agent and the agent's family. At Fort Leavenworth the agent remained, and Deady continued his journey in the company of a United States Army regiment bound for Fort Vancouver. Taking the Oregon Trail, he arrived where Portland, Oregon, now stands on November 14, 1849. The next day he went to neighboring Oregon City, and then a few days later west to Lafayette, Oregon. At that city, the county seat of Yamhill County at that time, the red-haired Deady began teaching as his occupation to make ends meet. He first worked for room and board, but for the second term of the school year he was paid $75 per month.

While teaching he was consulted by the county commissioner and helped to set up the courts and laws in Yamhill County. In March 1850, he began practicing law in Oregon, appearing for three cases before judge Orville C. Pratt held at a local tavern. After receiving payment for his services, he sent $100 back to Ohio to Henry Kennon to pay off some debt. That summer he worked for Peter H. Burnett’s brother, Elder Glen Burnett, running his store while Burnett was in California acquiring supplies. While working at the store he sold many supplies to the local Native Americans and learned some Chinook jargon from them.

On June 24, 1852, Deady married Lucy A. Henderson, with whom he would have three children who survived childbirth. Lucy came to Oregon in 1846 with her parents Robert Henderson and Rhoda Holman from Kentucky. The Deady’s children were three sons; Edward Nesmith (born 1853), Paul Robert (born 1856), and Henderson Brooke (born 1869). Henderson studied medicine, while Paul and Edward became attorneys like their father. Matthew Geoffrey (born 1860) and Mary (born 1866) died at birth.

While practicing law at Lafayette he represented Adam Wimple of neighboring Polk County after Wimple had been charged for murdering his wife. Deady represented him at trial and was to receive as payment Wimple’s land claim via his will. Wimple was convicted of the murder and sentenced to death, but was only hung after being recaptured from a jail break. In 1852, Deady was among many legal minds and politicians in the territory such as Joseph C. Avery and Robert Moore that signed a petition asking Governor John P. Gaines to pardon Nimrod O'Kelly after O'Kelly's controversial conviction for murder. O'Kelly was eventually spared from the gallows.