Gustavus Hines

Gustavus Hines
Sketch from 1868 book.
Born	September 6, 1809 Herkimer County, New York
Died	December 9, 1873 Oregon City, Oregon
Occupation	Missionary, author
Nationality	United States
Period	Mid 19th Century
Genre	History
Spouse	Lydia Hines (née Bryant)

Reverend Gustavus Hines (September 6, 1809 – December 9, 1873) was an American missionary in Oregon Country. Working for the Methodist Mission in what became the state of Oregon, the New York native became involved in early attempts to form a government at the Champoeg Meetings in 1841. Later he served on the Board of Trustees for the Oregon Institute, which became Willamette University, and wrote several books on Oregon.

Gustavus Hines was born on September 6, 1809, in Herkimer County, New York, to Betsy Round and James Hines. He then entered the ministry in 1832 as part of the Genesee Conference. The Reverend then joined missionary Jason Lee in 1839 as part of the Great Reinforcements for the Methodist Mission in the Oregon Country.

Reverend Hines arrived in Oregon in 1840 aboard the ship Lausanne. He, his wife Lydia, and his sister-in-law all journeyed to the Pacific Northwest via Cape Horn at the tip of South America. After arrival, he went with Lee to the Umpqua River valley to scout a site for a new mission location.

The following year Gustavus Hines was involved with the Champoeg Meetings as a person selected to a committee designed to draft laws that were an attempt at creating a government in the region that was under no formal government at the time. At the February 1841 meetings at David Leslie’s home, Hines served as secretary for the legislative body gathered on French Prairie. These meetings did not create a government in 1841, but did elect Doctor Ira L. Babcock as a judge to deal with the estate of Ewing Young. Two years later continued meetings led the formation of the Provisional Government of Oregon. Hines' younger brother Harvey would journey to Oregon in 1853.