33:
525:
In 1903, 1905 and 1907 (8th, 9th and 10th legislative sessions) he represented
Wahkiakum County (then District 25) in the House of Representatives. In 1905 he was elected Speaker of the House. He received ninety votes to four votes for his opponent, and one of the four was his own vote. In 1909, he
494:
After Megler's death in 1915, his wife Nellie Megler took over the company and ran it until 1925, when external managers were brought in. J.G. Megler & Co. continued to operate as an independent business until the cannery burned in 1931. The company's continuous production of canned salmon from
540:
He was active in supporting the development of state-supported fish hatcheries, negotiating with the United States Fish
Commission, creating a fish commission, and in promoting legislation for the fisheries, including negotiating with the state of Oregon on rules governing fishing on the Columbia
467:
Megler was a relentless innovator, bringing new technologies and practices to his cannery. In 1904, the
Brookfield cannery had two canning lines, making it one of the larger canneries on the Columbia River. By 1927, it had a capacity of 5 lines.
544:
A biographer of the 1905 session said: "It can be truthfully said that no name in the present legislature or any previous one in this state has been so continuously connected with the legislative history of the state as the Hon. J.G. Megler."
963:
483:. He was one of the founders of The Oregon & Washington Fish Propagating Co., a collection of Columbia River salmon packers who in 1877 established the first salmon hatchery in the Pacific Northwest on a tributary of the
456:. He bought out his partners and established the business under the name of J.G. Megler & Company. Over the years J.G. Megler & Co. expanded operations, building and running an additional salmon cannery in
428:
late that year. There he briefly joined his brother in running the
Astoria Hotel; however within two years he sold his share in the business to Alexander Megler and returned to the business of tinsmithing.
507:, running as part of the Republican ticket, and was re-elected to the second legislature in 1891 from the newly created District 24 based in Wahkiakum County. In 1893, he lost his seat to J.J. Foster, a
983:
828:
Members of the
Washington State Legislature, 1889 – 2009. Revised and Published by: Thomas C. Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate and Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk, House of Representatives, March 2009
712:
Chehalis County Deeds, vol 11, pge 525; October 25, 1888; Warranty Deed, Megler, JG & West, Arnold J; lots 4, 5 and 6, blk E, Aberdeen. Follows lease on Aug 18, 1887: Vol 1 Misc., pge. 319.
968:
779:
IPS2-17188 32 "Salmon and
Steelhead Runs and Related Events of the Oak Grove/North Fork Projects: Clackamas River Basin – A Historical Perspective" (FERC Nos. 135/2195) February 1999
529:
As of 2014, he is one of only three people who have held both the positions of
Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate of Washington State (the others being
375:, in 1838, the first child of a schoolteacher. Left an orphan by the age of 9, he emigrated to the U.S. along with his younger brother and two sisters to join an uncle in
958:
514:
In 1895, he ran instead for a seat in the Senate for the
Republican party. He served as Republican senator of the fourteenth district, comprising the counties of
475:
on the
Columbia and was an early proponent of legislated fishing limits and of fish hatcheries as a method to combat the collapse of salmon fisheries as seen in
495:
1873 till 1930 made it one of the longest running canneries on the
Columbia River. The cannery was not rebuilt and the town of Brookfield was slowly abandoned.
721:
Letter from J.G.Megler & Co to John N Cobb, 1916, box 3, folder 3, Accession number 1595-6, John N Cobb papers, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle
559:
and Megler Cove, the bay in which J.G. and later his wife ran a fish-receiving station (and perhaps a cannery) from 1891 till 1930 were named for him. The
978:
973:
953:
788:
Cone, Joseph, and Sandy Ridlington. 1996. "The Northwest salmon crisis: a documentary history." Corvallis, Or: Oregon State University Press, p54
445:
to join the salmon cannery of Ellis, Jewett and Chambers as the manager. The business subsequently became the cannery of Megler & Jewett.
921:
522:
and Wahkiakum, in the fourth session in 1895 and the fifth session in 1899. In 1901, he was elected President pro tempore of the Senate.
541:
River. A consummate back-room deal maker who preferred to operate out of the public eye, he was known for his organizational abilities.
333:
215:
192:
134:
91:
703:, October 25, 1873; "Names Manuscript in Origin of Washington Geographic Names", E.S. Meany, Acc. 106-3-80-16, University of Washington
738:
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508:
294:
480:
453:
503:
J.G. Megler was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the first Washington legislature in 1889 representing
488:
840:, October 4, 1898: "Washington Legislature, 1898. J.G Megler, Republican nominee for senator of the fourteenth district."
504:
219:
196:
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from 1887 to around 1893, continuing to operate a fish receiving station at the site of his old cannery (now known as
448:
In 1873, he built a salmon cannery on the Washington side of the Columbia River by Jim Crow Point, naming the place
572:
553:
J.G. Megler died on September 10, 1915, at his home in Brookfield, Washington. He was survived by his wife Nellie.
526:
was replaced by Republican Joseph R. Burke, but in 1911 he reclaimed the seat for the twelfth legislative session.
399:
564:
420:. During the war he saw action in the battles of Fort Henry, Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg and Red River. He was
609:
Register of Jewish births, marriages, and deaths for Berkach, ThĂĽringen, Sachsen-Meiningen, Germany, 1831-1875
337:
172:
153:
48:
449:
855:, Seattle, Tues September 14, 1915, p.5. "Aged Lawmaker Helped to Make State’s History." By Frank P. Goss
348:
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Memorial project, although some historians dispute that this location is in fact correctly identified.
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for the first legislature in 1889 and five terms thereafter. He was also a member of the
879:, Wed, January 8, 1890: "Introduction of Bills – By Megler – Creating a Fish Commission"
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ran from Megler in Washington to Astoria from 1921 to 1966, when it was replaced by the
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71:
800:
Astoria Evening Budget, May 15, 1925, pg 1: J.G. Megler Cannery Company Reorganized
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83:
900:, Wed, November 19, 1890; "History of the State of Washington", Edmond Meany, 1910
911:
770:
Daily Astorian, June 13, 1877, pg 1, Fish Culture; Weekly Astorian, June 17, 1877
472:
384:
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114:
403:
368:
262:
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The Development of the Pacific Salmon-Canning Industry: A Grown Man's Game
812:, Friday, July 17, 1931, pg 1: "Fire Wrecks Megler Cannery At Brookfield"
424:
at New York in October 1865 and joined his brother, Alexander Megler, in
888:
1891 Journal of the House of the State of Washington, pgs. 83 & 120
682:, Astoria, Oregon-Saturday, September 11, 1915: "Jos. G. Megler Passes"
372:
364:
266:
258:
670:
U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, Astoria, Oregon, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870
32:
964:
Republican Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
317:(March 10, 1838 – September 10, 1915), generally known as
637:
J.G. Megler Declaration for Pension, Navy, January 31, 1908
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of the Senate. He has been described as the father of the
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During his political career he held the positions of
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Speakers of the Washington House of Representatives
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290:
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245:
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46:
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969:Republican Party Washington (state) state senators
464:), and adding a dock across the river in Astoria.
452:in honor of his wife Nellie Smith's birthplace of
175:, 14th district (Cowlitz, Pacific and Wahkiakum)
487:in Oregon. In 1888, it became a station of the
567:. In 2005, the Megler Rest Area was renamed "
8:
824:
822:
820:
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691:Tri-Weekly Astorian, Saturday, July 26, 1873
61:January 14, 1901 – January 12, 1903
104:January 9, 1905 – January 14, 1907
31:
20:
916:. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 114.
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631:
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959:American people of German-Jewish descent
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471:Megler quickly recognized the danger of
390:Megler entered military service for the
848:
846:
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761:Astoria Evening Budget, April 11, 1927
379:. Some years later they relocated to
7:
731:Newell, Dianne (December 1, 1989).
334:Washington House of Representatives
216:Washington House of Representatives
193:Washington House of Representatives
135:Washington House of Representatives
92:Washington House of Representatives
14:
979:20th-century American politicians
974:19th-century American politicians
437:In 1871, Megler moved across the
214:Member of 1st legislature of the
191:Member of 2nd legislature of the
739:McGill-Queen's University Press
596:. AuthorHouse, 2010. p. 90.
383:, where he studied the trade of
954:Immigrants to the United States
454:North Brookfield, Massachusetts
398:, on December 19, 1861 for the
1:
489:United States Fish Commission
47:President pro tempore of the
505:Wahkiakum County, Washington
37:J.G. Megler pictured in 1895
412:, and was soon promoted to
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152:President Pro-Tem. of the
910:Majors, Harry M. (1975).
332:. He was a member of the
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236:
225:
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97:
54:
42:
30:
363:J.G. Megler was born in
328:owner and politician in
810:Astorian Evening Budget
338:Washington State Senate
173:Washington State Senate
154:Washington State Senate
853:The Post-Intelligencer
565:Astoria–Megler Bridge
406:clerk on the gunboat
349:President pro tempore
913:Exploring Washington
867:, December 10, 1889;
680:The Morning Astorian
561:Astoria-Megler Ferry
458:Aberdeen, Washington
422:honorably discharged
345:Speaker of the House
315:Joseph George Megler
701:Tri-weekly Astorian
594:A Parallel of Words
592:Anthony Lightfoot.
443:Chinook, Washington
90:9th Speaker of the
16:American politician
898:The Daily Astorian
557:Megler, Washington
276:September 10, 1915
923:978-0-918664-00-6
877:Morning Oregonian
865:Morning Oregonian
838:Morning Oregonian
649:, October 4, 1898
647:Morning Oregonian
623:, October 4, 1898
620:Morning Oregonian
571:" as part of the
353:salmon hatcheries
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49:Washington Senate
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531:Howard D. Taylor
499:Political career
402:. He began as a
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241:Personal details
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220:Wahkiakum County
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197:Wahkiakum County
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485:Clackamas River
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433:J.G. Megler Co.
426:Astoria, Oregon
396:Cairo, Illinois
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355:in Washington.
340:for two terms.
323:German-American
304:Nellie E. Smith
291:Political party
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535:Victor Zednick
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326:salmon cannery
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569:Dismal Nitch
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282:Brookfield,
278:(1915-09-10)
227:
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122:Succeeded by
99:
84:T. B. Sumner
79:Succeeded by
56:
18:
949:1915 deaths
944:1838 births
479:and on the
473:overfishing
462:Megler Cove
385:tinsmithing
319:J.G. Megler
110:Preceded by
67:Preceded by
25:J.G. Megler
938:Categories
579:References
481:East Coast
477:California
450:Brookfield
404:paymasters
359:Early life
330:Washington
295:Republican
284:Washington
252:1838-03-10
133:Member of
115:W. H. Hare
416:and then
409:Lexington
392:Civil War
369:Thuringen
321:, was a
263:Thuringen
232:1889-1890
228:In office
209:1891-1892
205:In office
186:1895-1902
182:In office
162:In office
147:1903-1912
143:In office
100:In office
57:In office
509:Democrat
381:Syracuse
377:New York
286:, U.S.A.
520:Pacific
516:Cowlitz
373:Germany
365:Berkach
267:Germany
259:Berkach
920:
745:
418:Ensign
301:Spouse
549:Death
400:Union
918:ISBN
743:ISBN
533:and
347:and
273:Died
246:Born
218:for
195:for
166:1901
537:).
441:to
394:at
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817:^
793:^
737:.
628:^
602:^
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511:.
491:.
387:.
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751:.
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250:(
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