Asa Lawrence Lovejoy (born 1808 in Massachusetts, died 1882) was an Oregon pioneer and one of the founders of the city of Portland, Oregon. A lawyer who hailed from Boston, Lovejoy first came to the Oregon Territory in 1842, heading back east that winter and returning in 1843. That year, Lovejoy and travelling companion William Overton split a claim to a 640 acre (1 sq mile) tract along the Willamette River; a site which would later become part of downtown Portland. Overton would later sell his share to Francis Pettygrove. 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown Location Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Oregon Multnomah County Mayor Tom Potter Geographical characteristics Area     City 145. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City on a Hill, Beantown, The Hub of the Universe (The State House, according to Oliver Wendell Holmes, is the hub of the Solar System), Athens of America Location Location in Massachusetts Government Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas Menino (Dem) Geographical characteristics Area     City 232. ... The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain, as well as to the organized U.S. territory formed from it that existed between 1848 and 1859. ... William Overton is a Federal District Judge of Little Rock, Arkansas. ... The Willamette River (pronounced wil-LAM-met) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 240 mi (386 km) long, in northwestern Oregon in the United States. ...

In 1845, Lovejoy and Pettygrove held their famous coin toss to decide the name of the city which was being platted on the claim; each desiring to name the area after his hometown. Pettygrove, from Portland, Maine, won the toss, and thus Portland, OR was born. Lovejoy would later sell his stake in 1845, to Benjamin Stark. He would later hold several offices in Oregon, including mayor of Oregon City, and chief justice of the Oregon Territory. He was also influential in business, being a major shareholder in the Oregon Telegraph. 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties. ... Location Location in Cumberland County, Maine Government Counties Cumberland County Mayor Jim Cohen Geographical characteristics Area  - City    - Land    - Water 52. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Municipal Elevator in Oregon City Oregon City is the first city in the United States incorporated west of the Rockies. ... The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain, as well as to the organized U.S. territory formed from it that existed between 1848 and 1859. ...

Lovejoy Street in Portland is named after him, as is the character Reverend Timothy Lovejoy in The Simpsons Reverend Timothy Lovejoy is the local minister in the long-running animated TV show The Simpsons, He is voiced by Harry Shearer. ... The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox network. ...

See also

• History of Portland, Oregon

Portland started as a spot known as The Clearing, which was on the banks of the Willamette River about halfway between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver. ...

References

• Oregon History Project: Asa Lovejoy
• From Robin's Nest to Stumptown
• Oregon Pioneers: Emigrants to Oregon in 1842