What is John Whiteaker?
{{Infobox_Governor |name= John Whiteaker |caption= |order=1<sup>st</sup> |office= Governor of Oregon |term_start= July 8, 1858 |term_end= [[September]], 1862 |lieutenant= <!--Oregon has no Lt. Gov. position--> |predecessor= [[George Law Curry]] <br>(Teritorial Governor) |successor= [[A. C. Gibbs]] |birth_date= May 4, 1820 |birth_place= [[Dearborn County, Indiana]] |death_date= October 2, 1902 |death_place= [[Eugene, Oregon]] |spouse= Nancy Jane Whiteaker |profession= [[Farmer]] |party= [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]] |footnotes=Innagurated in 1858, but did not assume office until statehood bill passed in February 1859. Also served in US House 1879-1881. }} '''John Whiteaker''' (May 4, 1820 – October 2, 1902) was an [[Americans|American]] politician, a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], and served as the first state [[Governor of Oregon]] from 1859 until 1862. Born in [[Dearborn County, Indiana]] to farmers, Whiteaker only spent six months of formal schooling, and as a result, was almost entirely self-educated. Before moving west, he had performed odd jobs, carpentry, and volunteered for military service during the Mexican War, although his unit was never called into battle. In 1849, he joined the [[California Gold Rush]], earning enough to move his family to a farm in [[Lane County, Oregon]]. Once in Oregon he became active in Democratic Party activities, Elected to office first as Judge of the Probate Court for Lane County (1856), then as a legislator in the Territorial Legislature (1857). ==Governorship== Oregon was preparing for statehood in 1857, as voters had just approved a [[Oregon Constitution|state constitution]]. Whiteaker was selected as a Democratic faction's nominee in the first state gubernatorial election, held in June 1858. Whiteaker won by a margin of 1,138, and was innagurated July 8, 1858. He did not assume office until word that [[United States Congress|Congress]] had passed Oregon's statehood bill on February 14, 1859. Technicaly, Oregon had two governors in the in