Asahel Bush

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Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush 1903.JPG
BornJune 4, 1824
Westfield, Massachusetts
DiedDecember 23, 1913 (1913-12-24) (aged 89)
Salem, Oregon
OccupationPublisher
Spouse(s)Eugenia Zieber

Asahel Bush (June 4, 1824 – December 23, 1913) was an American newspaper publisher and businessman in Salem, Oregon. As publisher of the Oregon Statesman newspaper, he moved the paper to Salem when the territorial capital moved to that city. A Massachusetts native, Bush became the first official printer for the state of Oregon, and his estate is now a city park.

Early life[]

Asahel Bush was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, on June 4, 1824.[1] His parents, Asahel Bush, Sr. and Sally Noble Bush, were of English descent.[1] The younger Asahel attended public school and later Westfield Academy, then at the age of 17 moved to Saratoga Springs, New York, where he became an apprentice printer.[1] Bush later worked for a newspaper before studying law.[1] He passed the bar in 1850 in Massachusetts, but soon left for the Oregon Territory by the steamship Panama,[2] taking the Isthmus of Panama route.[1]

Oregon[]

Bush arrived in Oregon in late 1850 at Portland and settled in Oregon City.[1] Once his printing press arrived, he started the Oregon Statesman newspaper in March 1851.[3] In 1853, the capital was moved to Salem and Bush moved the newspaper there as well, where it would later become the Salem Statesman Journal.[1]

In the middle of the century newspapers were partisan instruments used to further political parties. Bush's use of his paper gave him the nickname of "Bushy Bush" and he often sparred with the rival party's newspaper The Oregonian edited by Thomas J. Dryer.[3] Though he defended slavery, he supported the Union during the American Civil War.[3] He used the Oregon Statesman newspaper to support his pro-slavery and anti-equality stance, for example, he published articles disparaging the abolitionist Obed Dickinson, a minister at the Salem Congregationalist Church.[4] In one such article, the Statesman wrote, "The continuation of Mr. Dickinson's anti-slavery and negro sympathy preachings was calculated only to prevent the growth of the church, and retard the spread of religion."[5] In 1859, Bush became the first official printer for the state of Oregon.[3] He left the newspaper business in 1863 when he sold the newspaper.[3]

In 1867, Bush along with William S. Ladd founded the Ladd and Bush Bank in Salem.[3] Ten years later Bush would buy out Ladd and become the sole proprietor of the financial institution.[3] He remained active in politics and was a member of the state Democratic Party's central committee, including time as the chairperson, and in 1892 was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.[3]

Later life and family[]

In 1854, Asahel Bush married Eugenia Zieber of Salem, with whom he would father four children Sally, Eugenia, Estelle, and Asahel III who would be known as A. N. Bush.[1][6] Eugenia was the daughter of one of his printer employees, and she would die at the age of 30 in 1863.[6] Bush served as a trustee of Willamette University and as a regent to the University of Oregon.[3] Asahel Bush II died on December 23, 1913, at the age of 89 in Salem and was buried at Salem Pioneer Cemetery.[1][7] His estate is now preserved as Bush's Pasture Park and his home, Asahel Bush House, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
  2. ^ "Oregon Spectator". . Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "Oregon Biographies: Asahel Bush". The Oregon History Project. 2002. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
  4. ^ Egbert, Oliver (1991). "Obed Dickinson and the "Negro Question" in Salem". Oregon Historical Quarterly. 92: 5–40.
  5. ^ "Pioneer preacher confronted racism to minister to blacks | Lifestyles | tdn.com". web.archive.org. 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Asahel Bush. Archived 2019-12-30 at the Wayback Machine Salem Online History. Retrieved on December 1, 2007.
  7. ^ Asahel Bush. Salem Pioneer Cemetery. Retrieved on December 1, 2007.

External links[]

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