12 Facts About Francis Pettygrove

Lovejoy preferred Boston, but Francis Pettygrove won a coin toss giving him the right to choose the name.

Francis Pettygrove died at the age of 75 and was buried in Port Townsend.

Francis Pettygrove was married to Sophia Roland, with whom he had at least two children, one of whom was named after Benjamin Stark.

In 1843, Francis Pettygrove paid $50 for 320-acre of land owned by William Overton.

Francis Pettygrove built a small log store near the river, hired a married couple to run it, and commissioned the building of a wharf.

Francis Pettygrove acquired a granary and boat landing at Champoeg, site of the Oregon Country's first provisional government.

Meanwhile, after an apparent disagreement with Francis Pettygrove, Stark returned temporarily to New England, and Francis Pettygrove took control of the entire town site.

Francis Pettygrove died there in 1887 and is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

The second child, named Benjamin Stark Francis Pettygrove, was the first boy of European descent born in Portland.

Francis Pettygrove was a member of the Pioneer Lyceum and Literary Club in Oregon City.

Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove used a copper Matron Head penny, dated 1835, in their coin flip to determine Portland's name.

Francis Pettygrove bequeathed this penny to the Oregon Historical Society in his will.