Obadiah B. McFadden

Obadiah Benton McFadden (November 18, 1815 – June 25, 1875) was an American attorney and politician in the Pacific Northwest. He was the 8th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, temporarily serving on the court to replace Matthew Deady. A Pennsylvania native, he later was a legislator in the Washington Territory, and he served in Congress representing that territory.

Early life Obadiah McFadden was born in West Middletown, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 1815. He was then educated locally in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at the public schools and at McKeever Academy.

Political and professional career In 1853, Franklin Pierce sent McFadden to Oregon with a commission making Matthew P. Deady a justice of the Territorial Supreme Court. However, it was subsequently discovered that the commission named "Mordecai P. Deady"; as there was no such person, Deady withdrew from the court on the grounds that the commission was invalid, with McFadden taking his place for the remainder of the term.

McFadden's term ended in 1854 and he left the Oregon court. At the time he was one of three justices on the bench of the court. He served as the court's Chief Justice from 1858 to 1861. From 1855 to 1856, he fought in the Yakima War against the Yakima Indians. An eight-room, log cabin style home was built. Both Obadiah and Margaret were postmasters in the 1860s and 1870s, using their home as a post office. , the O. B. McFadden House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and is recognized as the oldest structure in the county, as well as the oldest residence in Chehalis. In his time in Chehalis, he raised funds to build a plank road to connect the community to Olympia and is credited with changing the name of the town from Saundersville to Chehalis.

Later years McFadden then returned to private law practice, setting up office in Olympia, Washington. His wife, Margaret, died in March 1903.