Political Career
While Willson was in the region, settlers began to look at establishing a government in the unorganized area. These led to the holding of several meetings in 1841 and again in 1843. During the May 2, 1843, Champoeg Meeting, Willson served as secretary, and voted in favor of creating a provisional government, which passed with a 52-50 vote. He was also elected as the first treasurer of the new Provisional Government of Oregon at the election that adopted the Organic Laws of Oregon and served from July 5, 1843 to May 14, 1844. In 1845, he was elected as the president of the bench in the Champoeg District. During the Cayuse War of 1847 to 1850 he was appointed to the commission that worked to raise the money to fight the war that was born out of the Whitman Massacre. Willson participated in the Oregon Exchange Company in 1849 that minted the Beaver Coins prior to the arrival of U.S. authority in the region. He ran for territorial delegate to Congress in 1851, but lost to Joseph Lane.
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