Burnett, Peter Hardeman

15 Nov. 1807–17 May 1895. Clerk, store owner, editor, lawyer, politician, judge, banker. Born in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee. Son of George Burnet and Dorothy Hardeman. Family moved to Clay Co., Missouri, spring 1822. Married Harriet W. Rogers, 20 Aug. 1828. Owned mercantile establishment in Clay Co., 1834–1838. Admitted to Missouri bar; served as prosecuting attorney, 1840–1842. Retained as counsel for JS and others in State of Missouri v. Gates et al. for Treason. Led wagon train to Oregon territory, beginning May 1843; arrived 16 Oct. 1843. Member of Oregon provisional legislature, 1844–1848; elected to Oregon Supreme Court, Aug. 1845. Moved to what became California to participate in gold rush, fall 1848. Attorney and real estate agent for John Sutter Jr., selling property in Sacramento, Dec. 1848. First elected governor of California, 1849–1851. Served on California Supreme Court, 1857–1858. President of Pacific Bank of San Francisco, 1863–1880. Died in San Francisco; buried in Santa Clara, Santa Clara Co., California.