Joseph Gervais

Joseph Gervais (October 21, 1777 – July 14, 1861) was a French-Canadian, later American, pioneer settler and trapper in the Pacific Northwest. He is the namesake for the town of Gervais, Oregon.

Early life Joseph Gervais was born in Maskinongé, Quebec, Canada (British North America at the time) along the St. Lawrence River. Jean Baptiste Gervais was likely his younger brother. The party arrived at Fort Astoria on February 15, 1812.

Willamette Valley In 1831, after working for the Hudson's Bay Company, Gervais permanently settled on French Prairie at the site of what is now the town of Gervais. There he built a square-hewed, two-story log cabin that measured The French-Canadians had to remain on the payrolls of the HBC, and could be ejected from the Oregon Country if their behavior wasn't satisfactory. In 1836, along with most Catholics in the valley, he signed a petition sent to Norbert Provencher, Titular Bishop of Juliopolis, requesting Catholic clergy.

In 1841, Gervais was elected justice of the peace. Although Gervais voted against a civil authority, the vote passed and the Provisional Government of Oregon was formed. and they had four children. She died of diphtheria in 1840 and Joseph married a third time, to Marie Angelique. A Chinook, she bore one child, Rosalie. In 1850, he lost his farm by foreclosure and died July 14, 1861, at the home of David Mongraine and Catherine Lafantasie in French Prairie. Gervais was buried in the Old Cemetery at St. Paul.