 sylvester pennoyer (july 6, 1831 â may 30, 1902) was an american educator, attorney, and politician in oregon. he was born in new york, attended harvard law school, and moved to oregon at age 25. a democrat, he served two terms as the eighth governor of oregon from 1886 to 1895. he joined the populist cause in the early 1890s and became the second populist party state governor in history. he was noted for his political radicalism, his opposition to the conservative bourbon democracy of president grover cleveland, his support for labor unions, and his opposition to the chinese in oregon. he was also noted for his prickly attitude toward both u.s. presidents whose terms overlapped his own -- benjamin harrison and cleveland, whom he once famously told via telegram to mind his own business. he later served as mayor of portland from 1896 to 1898. ==early life== sylvester pennoyer was born in groton, new york, on july 6, 1831.corning, howard m. (1989) dictionary of oregon history. binfords & mort publishing. p. 194. his parents were the former elizabeth howland and justus p. pennoyer, a new york state legislator and a wealthy farmer. sylvester attended school at homer academy and then began teaching. he graduated from harvard law school in 1854. he moved to oregon on july 10, 1855, where he resumed teaching. in 1856 he married mary a. allen, with whom he had five children. while teaching, he also practiced law. pennoyer was chosen as the superintendent of [[multnomah county, oregon|multnomah cou
1831_births 1902_deaths Burials_at_River_View_Cemetery_(Portland,_Oregon) Democratic_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States Governors_of_Oregon Harvard_Law_School_alumni Mayors_of_Portland,_Oregon Oregon_Democrats Oregon_Populists People\'s_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States People_from_Groton,_New_York