Portland Street Names – November 26, 1921 – Curry

As well as being remembered as one of the territorial governors of Oregon, George Law Curry, for whom Curry street is named, was one of the pioneers of the newspaper and publishing business in the state.

Born July 2, 1820, in Philadelphia, the first 26 years of his life made of him a widely traveled man and a poet and journalist of reputation and ability. In 1846 he arrived in Oregon City and immediately assumed editorial charge of the Oregon Spectator.

An editorial restriction placed on him by the publisher in a matter he considered pertinent caused him to resign from his editorship in 1848 and commence publication of the Oregon Free Press, the first weekly newspaper on the Pacific coast. A framed copy of it in the museum of the Oregon Historical society shows it to have been a quaint sort of an institution.

The press on which it was printed was made on the coast and the type seems to have been very limited. In the collection there apparently were no Ws and the ingenious Curry substituted for them two Vs, for instance, vvorry for worry.

In the same year that he established this paper he married Miss Chloe Donnelly Boone, a great-great granddaughter of Daniel Boone.

From 1853 on Curry was largely occupied with politics. In that year the president appointed his secretary of the territory of Oregon and a few days later, upon the resignation of General Joseph Lane he became acting governor. The same thing happened during the administration of Governor Davis and later Mr. Curry was appointed governor. He remained in office until establishment of the state government in 1859. Afterwards he served as state land commissioner.

His death occurred July 28, 1878