Francis A. Chenoweth

Francis A. Chenoweth (May 24, 1819 – November 29, 1899) was an American lawyer and politician in the Pacific Northwest. A native of Ohio, he lived in Iowa and Wisconsin before immigrating to the Oregon Territory. There he served in the legislature of the Oregon Territory and then the Washington Territory, including serving as Speaker of the Washington House of Representatives. A Democrat, he then served on the Washington Supreme Court before returning to Oregon where he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives and was selected as Speaker of the body for one session.

Early life Francis Chenoweth was born in Clark County, Ohio, on May 24, 1819, to Rachel Morgan and Thomas C. Chenowith. He moved to Grant County, Wisconsin, where in 1842 to the age of 22 passed the Wisconsin bar. That year he also married Maud S. Hannah Logan of Iowa, and had two children while living in both Iowa and Wisconsin. There he operated a business portaging cargo and passengers around the set of rapids. Opened in 1851, it was the first railroad in what is now the state of Washington. Both counties were north of the Columbia, and while in office from late 1852 to early 1853 he advocated to create a new territory on that side of the river. The following year Chenoweth was elected to the Washington House of Representatives, again representing Clark County. That session he served as the Speaker of the House. Chenoweth served as judge on the high court until 1858. Now a Republican, he was elected to the Oregon House in 1866 representing Benton County. That session he also served as Speaker of the House. part of Benton County. His children were Ella, Lloyd, Elizabeth, William Preston, Lindus, Ross Francis, Heber, Somerville Samuel, Mary Theresa, and Robert Ulysses S. Grant Chenoweth. Francis A. Chenoweth fell ill in the summer of 1899 and died on November 29, 1899, at the age of 80 in Kings Valley and was buried at Kings Valley Cemetery.