constituency predecessor successor death_date birth_place death_place office birth_date term_start image article_title term_end name occupation
oregon country francis ermatinger william k. kilbourne 19 january 1870 newburyport , massachusetts portland , oregon treasurer for the provisional government of oregon february 28 , 1811 march 4 , 1846 john h. couch.png john h. couch
 october 15 , 1847 john h. couch sailor , ship captain , politician
john h. couch

john heard couch -lrb- ; february 28 , 1811 -- january 19 , 1870 -rrb- was an american sea captain and pioneer in the oregon country in the 19th century .
often referred to as captain couch , he became famous for his singular skill at navigation of the columbia bar .
he was a founder of portland , oregon .
